Unstable Mother and The Vulnerable Child

Why do some mothers commit the unthinkable act of maternal filicide?


In WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — In Raijon, a child named, Daniel, has been beat, starved, and washed with chemicals and high pressured hoses by his own mother, Teresa Moses.
On 2009, a mother, Judith Williams, drove her 16 year old son on Mount Diablo State Park and shot him in the back and head, and then shooting herself as well.
In April, a young San Jose mother, Ashley Newton, was arrested on suspicion of fatally stabbing her own son who was only 7 month old in Livermore, Calif., park.
These mother committed such horrible acts. However, many will come to ask themselves, “why would someone do such things?”
Well first, these crimes in general is pretty rare.
Lanny Berman, executive director of the American Association of Suicidology in Washington, D.C., once stated, “But it should be noted that this is not common. It is very rare.”
Many are usually showed to have a disorder or a mental problem.
Phillip Resnick, an expert in maternal filicide and a co-author of a 2007 World Psychiatry study, stated that on most psychiatric studies, mothers killing their children had depression, psychosis, and suicidal thoughts.
All the motives of why mothers kill their children are different. But these are some of the reasons.
Altruistic filicide: Where a mother creates a belief that killing the child would be the best decision for the child
 Acutely psychotic filicide: Where a mother kills without an real motive, possibly hearing voices in their heads
Spouse revenge filicide: In order to get revenge, a mother killing her child to go against the father emotionally.
Overall, these situations does not occur so often unless it's an unusual circumstance.

Taoism and China understanding???

Q) how can Taoist texts can help deepen our understanding of early Chinese history?

Ancient texts tells us who these people were when they were living, what they believed, and how they acted.
Using the Taoist texts, we could create a history of early chinese history.
The article tells us that, “But the early history of Taoism is different. It’s a theocracy based around “tianshi” [celestial masters]. The celestial master was supposed to establish a new political structure, the “Great Peace,” in which every individual would be treated justly. This provided an important alternative to the norm of Confucianism.”
They’ve stated that long ago the Chinese did not have any other models other than the emperor. But this religion was usually lead by a religious leader. These leaders would have to make everyone treated equality.
While doing this, they did not rivaled against the emperor.
The Taoist texts used to not have any specific dates.
However the article states,
“you can’t date anything and so it’s not worth considering if you are writing a history of China. But this has changed. We now have for example the work of Kristofer Schipper and Franciscus Verellen that gives a date for every document.”
Now since we have dates, we are able to estimate when each texts were created.
Overall, the texts are able to show us who they followed, what they believed, and how long it was created

Comparing Job with Menachem's Parents

The story I read today is the article titled "Holocaust Survivors: The Search for Faith” An interview asked by Bob Abernathy and questioned Menachem Daum. Comparing this story with Book of Job, I found that their parents and him kind of we similar. Menachem’s father and Job both had faith in God during the difficult situations. They both stood in the belief that what God does there's always a reason and even if they don't completely understand it, it is for the good. In Book of Jobs this quote told me what he thought, “Naked I came from my mother's womb,
and naked shall I return; the LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; blessed
 be the name of the LORD.” In this story the quote that proves this is when the father said this, “That we humans, with our limited minds, cannot expect to understand God’s ways. We must live with faith despite our unanswered questions.”
Job and Menachem’s mother both have the similar questions about God.
Job and the mother both grieved why God created such life and doesn't do a thing to change it. Job says this on Chapter 3, ““Why is light [or life] given to him that is in misery, and life to the bitter in soul,
who long for death, but it comes not, and dig for it more than for hidden treasures;
who rejoice exceedingly, and are glad, when they find the grave? Why is light given
to a man whose way is hid, whom God has hedged?” In this story the mother grieves,  “if God did so many miracles during biblical times, then why hadn’t she seen any such miracles during the Holocaust?”
They both had some sort of similarity with Job. However, some differences is shown.
Job and Menachem’s father is shown still faithful to God until the end. On contrast, Job complains to God at the 3rd chapter of why he has still lived after all this suffering. Job and Menachem’s mother differs by their starting point, Job is extremely faithful to God even through the difficulty until the very end of part 1. But, the mother seems mad and doubtful of God from the starting of the holocaust.
Both stories had some similarities and differences, showing how they felt about God during their time of suffering

Story of Job comparing with the others

Today, we read a story about God proving Satan that Job, a man who is faithful to God, that he will never betray God no matter what kind of condition he would be in.
This story is quite different from the other stories we've read in the Old Testament.
For one, it's not like Adam and Eve’s story when they disobey God and get kicked out also given pain when they live. In the Book of Job, they clearly state, ““In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrong.” Meaning, Job never did anything wrong to receive punishment. Another difference is in the story of Noah’s Ark. In that story, God’s motivation is to destroy evil that existed on Earth by having a worldwide flood that ended all lives and home but Noah and his family, because Noah had faith in God. However, in this story, Job has not done any wrong  but is being a subject to prove to Satan that he is faithful to God by facing harsh situations, such as death of his loved ones, destruction of his property, and ruining his physical appearance to the point where he is unrecognizable. Now, all these story have different plots and situations. However, in some points, they do have a few similarities. First, like every story we've read, all the characters had some sort of a free choice of what they choose to do or act. Whether if it's eating a fruit God told not to or building an arc that seems almost impossible to do. Job has a choice of whether to continuously believe in God or curse and hate God for putting him in a situation when he acted no wrong. Another similarity is that these story all involves God acting extremely questionably. When he makes a choice, we always question could something or someone could act so cruel or different. In this story, Job is innocent and faithful to God but yet God is trying to prove his faith in cruel ways to Satan who claimed to not believe God. In another story, God places the tree he told Adam and Eve not to eat from right in the middle of the Garden of Eden, he could've put the tree anywhere elsewhere but he decided to place it where it was clearly visible and available to be touched.
Reading the Book of Jobs and comparing the stories I had read so far, showed that all stories had their differences and the similarities with Job’s story.

What do I like about Highschool?

It's been a whole month since summer ended.
Days are getting colder and the students are getting older! So, what's my favorite thing about school so far? There’s really a lot of things I enjoy about high school. My very first thing that I felt extremely glad about is that we get to sleep a bit more than last year. I mean, who wants to wake up at 6 a.m. when you fall asleep at 3 a.m.? Definitely not me!
Another thing I really like is the freedom we have during school. We have more responsibility on what we choose to do and we don't need to be puppets controlled by the teachers during lunch time or class.
Lastly, the classes here are far more interesting than at middle school. Art class is packed with more amazing artists, the music room is filled with outstanding musicians, and students are much tamed. I apologize for all my past teachers, you guys were great but I'm having a blast here.
I really like being here with all these students from my grade. However, I even though I have many good sides, I also have some dislikes moving up to highschool. I first dislike the pressure where all the students are so worked up about grades and numbers. I feel pressured to feel like this is a competition and growing up to be someone I want to be doesn't really matter.
Another thing I just find saddening is that we're all growing up. Yes, we were growing up since the day we were born, but realizing the fact time flies pretty quickly makes me really stressed that I'm not spending my time productively.
Finally, it's a lot of work. The work is about two times more than last year’s. I guess it's understandable because now we're like pre-adults about to become real ones. However, that doesn't stop me from not wanting to do any of them!
I hope that as the years go by i’ll become more mature and overcome any problems that I may face. This is what I currently like and dislike about highschool.

God (S.T.E.AL)

The past days, I learned that there are different versions of the bible and each versions comes a different impression of God.

In the Old Testament Class materials, it showed us that God could be cruel and extremely terrifying when we are sinful. 

For example, in one quote in the Genesis chapter 16: verse 13 said, "I have determined to make an end for all flesh" He sounds as if he angry and very powerful.

But, in the NIV, on the same Genesis chapter and verse it says, "I am going to put an end to all people, for the earth is filled with violence because of them. I am surely going to destroy both them and the earth." Yes, they both show that he is powerful. However, on this version, God seems more reasonable and calmer than the first example. From this, I learned rewording a verse could change how God may seem.  

WHO DO WE BLAME FOR THE EVICTION FROM EDEN?

Who should we blame? In Genesis Chapter 2-3, God clearly states both Adam and Eve can eat any fruit in the Garden of Eden. However, cannot eat one tree, the fruit of knowledge, if they do God says they will surely die. Everything was okay after God left but until the serpent comes around. The serpent tempts Eve by questioning about the tree of knowledge and later stating, “For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” After hearing this, who wouldn't want to at least take bite of that fruit just to be like God? Eve takes a bite of the fruit and shares this with Adam “who was with her.” After eating the fruit they began to feel shameful of their naked body and hid. God later enters and calls out Adam where he was. Adam replies he was hiding because he felt afraid to show his naked body. God questions Adam if he ate from the tree he told not to eat from. Instead of apologizing, Adam quickly blames Eve for giving the fruit to him in the first place. God turns to Eve and questions why she done this, but she too also pushes the blame to the serpent. God becomes furious and punishes the serpent by stating he will make the serpent only be able to crawl from his stomach and eat dust for all their lives for causing this problem. He then goes to the women and punishes her with extreme pain during childbearing and birth. Lastly, he goes to Adam and says that he will have to work painfully until the end. God banishes both Adam and Eve from The Garden Of Eden. Now, who’s to blame for this mess? I believe it was those who pushed the blame to others and not properly admitting their own wrong. My reason why I believe this is because, God probably already knows who’s to blame in the first place. Instead of punishing the serpent right on the spot, he first questioned Adam, “Have you eaten from the tree I commanded you not to eat from?” Adam responds, “The women you out here with me-she gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it.” When God questions Eve, “What is this you have done?” Eve says, “The serpent deceived me and I ate.” Neither of them shows guilt but fear of what might come before them. Even though they were tempted by the serpent, they still ended committed the wrongdoing. But, they still denied that fact and pushed away from apologizing.