What the Hell Is It all About Essay Example

What the Hell Is It all About Essay What the Hell Does it all Mean? Humans differ from any other species on the earth. Our superior brain gives us a tremendous reasoning capacity that probes the depths of human existence. This intellect is closely intertwined with our spirituality, our immaterial part that seeks answers from something beyond ourselves. Throughout the history of human existence, God worked to reveal himself to and develop a relationship with his people, the pinnacle of his creation. The Old Testament chronicles the story of Gods people, the Israelites. God chose these people to reveal himself to all nations. The Bible chronicles this story as well as writings that came out of this time period. A section of these writings is known as Wisdom Literature from which comes the book of Ecclesiastes. Many have debated the value of including Ecclesiastes in the canon because of its apparent godlessness. Nonetheless, after evaluating the book, Peter Kreeft in his book Three Philosophies of Life, calls Ecclesiastes the great of all books of philosophy (15). The content, logic, and personality of Ecclesiastes verifies this claim. First of all we need to define philosophy. Often, Just the word conjures up mages of old, robed men stroking their flowing white beards and contemplating deep questions. We also may think of universities where professors and students hold seminars and debates. Most nonintellectuals probably cringe at the mention of the word because of these very images. Even the various dictionaries strongly associate philosophy with the academic world. The New Oxford American Dictionary defines philosophy as the study of the fundamental nature of knowledge, reality, and existence, esp. hen considered as an academic discipline. The etymology also onnotes philosophy as a lofty intellectual term; the word originates from the Greek word philosophia which means the love of wisdom. One definition from the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary, however, reveals a deeper, more personal meaning of philosophy by defining it as the most basic beliefs, concepts, and attitudes of an individual or group. Whether we realize it or not, we all live out of our individual philosophy. Our beliefs shape our decisions, goals, and perceptions. We will write a custom essay sample on What the Hell Is It all About specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on What the Hell Is It all About specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on What the Hell Is It all About specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer Thus, philosophy is not Just for the intellectual. It also involves the common man because t some point everybody needs to answer lifes ultimate question of meaning. Of course, philosophy is also an academic discipline, and we need to reckon with this when dubbing Ecclesiastes as the greatest philosophy book ever written. Critics often dismiss Ecclesiastes as the senile ramblings of an old man, presumably King Solomon. The author does not use a strict form to present his ideas, a highly-valued discipline in the formal study of philosophy. Because of this, he often seems to ramble and at times even changes his mind. Instead of presenting his thoughts with lean, objective methodology, he involves much emotion. All these objections contain some legitimate points, yet we need to consider the basic qualities for great philosophy. Is the greatness and brilliance of a philosophy essentially measured by the form in which it is presented? Is the clean and articulate method of logic really the best? However necessary and good, the emphasis on form in modern philosophy has shifted our focus away from the actual content of the question. Perhaps this overemphasis on torm came as a way ot avoiding the reality ot the burning question that demands an answerthe question of meaning. Without orthodox form or tact, Solomon faces this ultimate question of human existence with gut-wrenching honesty. This is philosophy that reckons with reality. This is great philosophy. Ecclesiastes presents the world and our human existence as essentially meaningless. As the earth spins and revolves in the midst of a vast, swirling cosmos for who knows how many years, we are born. Throughout out our several decades of existence, we experience some pleasure and enjoy life at times, but typically we feel more pain than enjoyment. Even our enjoyment eventually becomes toilsome. Everything that we see tends toward a state of disorder. We desire the pleasure of life and resist the pain, but after several brief years, the law of entropy wreaks havoc on our physical bodies and we die. Why? What is the point? The hopelessness of this situation demands an honest answer. Solomon presents his argument for meaninglessness in a very logical form, contrary to the claims of many critics. The form is less explicit than most and very different than the rigid form developed by the Greeks and used by modern philosophers. The author writes disjointedly at times, but this very isjointedness in form brilliantly presents his argument for the meaninglessness of life. As Kreeft said, The books rambling is deliberate, for this form perfectly expresses its content, its message: that life rambles to nowhere. Its form is one with its content: the test of great poetry (24). We often credit the Greeks for developing the form of proper argumentation. Although Solomon existed long before the Greeks, he used the same basic form to develop his devastating, yet perfectly logical conclusion about the ultimate meaninglessness of life. At the core of all logic ies a syllogism that makes two statements and draws a conclusion. Kreeft presents the following syllogism: All toil is under the sun. And all under the sun is vanity. Therefore, all toil is vanity. (35) Before making these statements about toil and vanity, Solomon experimented with each in a logical way and recorded his findings in the book (Kreeft 37). First of all he experimented with wisdom, but soon discovered that wisdom only raises more questions than what it can answer. Wisdom did not satisfy because it explained nothing. It merely affirmed that everything was in fact meaningless. Meaning cannot be found in studying meaningless things. By denying spiritual reality and reducing humans to purely physical pieces of matter, existentialism confirms this truth. Knowledge, because it stems from purely physical aspects, is no longer trustworthy. Solomon acknowledged this futility after his experiment with wisdom. After wisdom Solomon experimented with hedonism, the unabashed pursuit of pleasure. Many modern, naturalistic philosophies that deny the existence of God advocate this approach towards finding meaning. Since no eternal meaning exists, people seek mmediate pleasure. Some spend all their lives pursuing riches and fame. Others turn to drugs or sex for their thrills. Solomon recorded his experimentation with pleasure and concluded that pleasure is essentially meaningless. Pleasure always requires increased dosages, and many people die completely unsatisfied. Living for the moment simply avoids the terrifying question of death. King Solomon gained enormous power that most men and women only dream about. As monarch at the apex ot Israels reign ne controlled trade which accumulated great riches tor him and the kingdom. Because of his political status he could marry virtually any woman that he desired. Solomon had complete control over his pleasure. Kreeft states that power is broader than pleasure because it includes power over pleasure (41). Solomon experienced this complete power, but still he lamented the meaninglessness of life. After selfishly pursuing pleasure for himself in search of meaning, Solomon gave up and turned to philanthropy thinking that sharing his goods would bring his life a sense of worth. Solomon soon realized, though, that sharing his meaningless things simply spread meaninglessness to other people. Many modern celebrities and businesspeople try this method of finding purpose. By giving millions to good causes they think their lives will have meaning. The postmodern generation seek meaningful Jobs instead of merely well-paying Jobs. Though these attempts are good in many respects, they remain incomplete. By addressing the quest for meaning in a short-term sense the ultimate question remains neglected. Finally, Solomon experimented with religion. He acknowledged that God existed and that God created the world and its people. However, even this acknowledgment failed to satisfy his quest for purpose. At one point Solomon even acknowledged that God gives wealth, possessions, and honor, so that he lacks nothing of all that he desires, but in a gloomy conclusion he stated that God does not give him power to enjoy them, but a stranger enjoys them (Holy Bible. Ecc. 6. 2). Solomon came very close to the truth here, but he failed to see an accurate picture of God. Instead of seeing God as the answer to his question, he merely saw God as a impersonal force. He then concluded that living in such a state is also completely Solomons horrifying conclusion logically shows that life in itself is vain. ssentially meaningless. We live for unknown causes. Finally we simply live to survive, but nature cares nothing for this desire and snuffs out our lives after a few years. Why even struggle for survival if existence is painful anyw?ay? No rational answer exists. For some reason, however, human nature recoils in response to this bleak assessment of existence. We were meant for much more. The ultimate beauty and greatness of Ecclesiastes as compared to other philosophy books comes from its depiction of a personal struggle. All the questions of philosophy eventually need to become personal. This personalizing of the questions grounds them in reality. It is easy for philosophy to get carried away with lofty hypothesizing and argumentation without ever becoming personal. By dealing with the questions on purely academic levels, we can avoid the shocking reality of the answers. Solomons honesty with the question of meaning shows his sincere desire for an answer. Unlike many modern philosophers Solomon refused to accept the easy answers presented by much of popular philosophy. He refused to ignore the question because he knew the effects of neglecting it. Much of popular philosophy attempts to answer the problem imply by ignoring it. Problem? What problem? Psychologists inform us that we are basically good and that all we need is self-actualization to overcome our destructive behaviors and ideas. We then force ourselves to think positively and delude ourselves into thinking that life depends solely on our outlook. Finally even this fails, so we fill our lives with noise and cheap entertainment, effectively drowning out the question that requires an answer. By doing this we seek an answer before recognizing the problem, and there is nothing more meaningless than an answer without its question (Kreeft 19). Taken to its logical conclusion, a life void of meaning results in a life void of sanity. The question presented by Ecclesiastes is the greatest question that man can and should ask. Ecclesiastes accurately portrays the life of man without God. Like many popular philosophies, Ecclesiastes assumes the absence of personal God. Unlike most other godless philosophers, however, the author honestly sees the implications of accepting this meaninglessness. He sees the truth and shudders. Even though the book ends with the question of meaning seemingly unresolved, the author vividly sees his need for God. He distinctly sees God by seeing the stark outline of the darkness that the face of Jesus fills (Kreeft 51). Despite its godless content, Ecclesiastes speaks pure, unadulterated truthobJective truth that divinely reveals God in its godlessness. As Kreeft says, It is divine revelation precisely in being the absence of divine revelation (23). Works Cited Holy Bible: English Standard Version. Wheaton: Crossway Bibles, 2013. Kreeft, Peter. Three Philosophies of Life. San Fransico: Ignatius, 1989. Philosophy. Merriam- Webster Online Dictionary. 2013. Merriam-Webster Online. 20 November 2008 . Philosophy. New Oxford American Dictionary. 2nd ed. 2001.

Deductive and Inductive Reasoning Essays

Deductive and Inductive Reasoning Essays Deductive and Inductive Reasoning Paper Deductive and Inductive Reasoning Paper Essay Topic: Rebuttal Rogerian Toulmin Name: Course: Instructor: Date: Deductive and Inductive Reasoning Why is it important to get to know the conversation surrounding your topic and your argument in an academic argument? This will enable you to evaluate the points in the conversation and relate them to the main theme and allow you structure your argument in a comprehensive way. Induction is the form of reasoning in which we come to conclusions about the whole based on observations of particular instances. What is the risk of inductive reasoning? Inductive reasoning does not guarantee the truth of the conclusion that the person arrives at in a situation. Therefore, the person’s vague conclusion can lead him or her towards a wrong direction in the particular situation. If you notice that the four items you bought at the campus bookstore are higher-priced than the four items at the bookstore downtown, you may conclude that the campus bookstore is a more expensive place to shop. What kind of reasoning is this? Inductive or deductive? This is inductive reasoning because I will not have based my conclusion on facts of pricing on all other items in the shop but on my assumption after only observing the first purchase. A scientific principle called the† uniformity of nature† assumes that certain conclusions about oak trees growing in the temperate zones of North America will also be true for all oak trees growing under similar climatic conditions elsewhere in the world. What kind of reasoning is this? Inductive or deductive? This is deductive reasoning because the scientific method was employed in determining the principle, which explores genetic facts of the oak trees. Conclusions reached through inductive reasoning are probable because there is no guarantee that they will apply in the same situation in future occurrences. In a syllogism, if one of the series of statements called premises is false, deductive logic tells us that the conclusion must be false because to maintain the validity of the argument because for the argument to be warranted it must make sense. Use deductive reasoning to find the best answer.If there are no dancers that are not slim and no singers that are not dancers, then which statements are always true? The first premise states there are no dancers that are not slim. The second states there are no singers that are not dancers. The best answer is that all singers are slim because from the first premise we deduce that every dancer is slim and the second premise suggests that every singer is a dancer. Use deductive reasoning to choose the best answer.This is data supplied by the cabbage growers union report for 2007: 80% of cabbages collected were heavy (over 0.5 kg), 10% of cabbages were green, 60% were red and 50% were big (having a diameter of over 10 cm). Which of the following statements must be false? a) All red cabbages were not big. b) 30% of the red cabbages were big c) There were no cabbages that were both green and big d) half of the cabbages were small. The false statement is that 30% of the r ed cabbages were big this conclusion does not relate with the premises of red and big cabbages. The percentage is wrong and invalid. Use a 3-part syllogism to answer this. Change the following invalid conclusion to make it valid. You have to be 16 years old to get a driver’s license. Abby will be 16 years old tomorrow. Therefore, Abby can now buy a car. For the conclusion to be valid, it must be true just as the premises. Therefore, in the scenario the first premise is that you have to be 16 years old to get a driver’s license. The second is Abby will be 16 years old tomorrow. The idea of buying a car does not relate to the premises. Thus, the correct conclusion is Abby will get a driver’s license tomorrow. Answer the following in one sentence.A warrant is an underlying value or assumption that often goes unstated in an argument. It is important to be aware of the warrant because the opposing position can object to and argue against the warrant. What is the warr ant in the following claim? The first four years of college education should be provided free to all American citizens who are able. There will be many able Americans in colleges in the first four years of college education since it will be free. Write a paragraph that explains the similarities and differences between the three forms or structures of argument: Classical, Toulmin and Rogerian. Rogerian argumentation entails the pacified rapport between the writer or speaker and audience. It does not involve strict logic or logos but employs the characteristics of pathos and logos where the speaker or writer negotiates with the audience and respect their contrary views. Toulmin argumentation involves practical instances, which justify the developed ideas, and it requires data, claims, warrants, backing, rebuttal and qualifiers for the justification. An argument can be analyzed effectively with Toulmin argumentation. Classical argumentation refers to a rhetoric that captures and hooks the mood of the audience through an introduction, confirmation, concession, refutation and conclusion for effective persuasion. All three are similar in that they work in communicating a unique idea to the audience. Classical and Toulmin argumentation employ logos in terms of facts and data while Rogerian deals with pathos and ethos in terms of empathic listening. Unlike the other types, classical argumentation has an introduction and conclusion.

Juvenile Crime and Socio-economic Factors Term Paper

Juvenile Crime and Socio-economic Factors - Term Paper Example No one is a born criminal and it is evident that the surrounding socio economic environment acts as an important ingredient and a positive catalyst in turning a young boy or girl into a vicious criminal who might be breaking some one’s house or threatening some one at his/her gun point. In the following paragraphs a detailed investigative analysis has been led to explore the different avenues through which these socio economic factors make their inroad into young blossoms to turn them into dried hays waiting to be ignited with faintest of sparks and provocation. Before moving into details it is worth mentioning that the following analysis would be based on a set of socio economic indicators that comprises of; family, socio-economic class and factors that also includes community factors, educational background, urbanization, media, exclusion and influence of the peers. Family: Juvenile period is the formative period of human life and family plays the most critical role in this juncture. A family with healthy atmosphere cultivate the socially acceptable norms within the siblings that help them to grow into responsible, matured social being in the long run. In sharp contrast a family that is subject to unhealthy environment and does not provide enough psychological nourishment towards the siblings might be considered as the breeding ground for juvenile criminals who in no time would become a social menace. Metaphorically a tree determines the kind of fruit it is going to produce in future. A strong statistical evidence might be produced here a â€Å"study of 250 boys found that among boys at age 10, the strongest predictors of later convictions for violent offenses (up to age 45) were poor parental supervision, parental conflict, and parental aggression, including harsh, punitive discipline.† (Shader, 6) Again if the seniors of a family are already engaged into anti social activities, then the child manages to witness such activities on a regular bas is and that work as a kindergarten, ironically for criminal lessons. Going by social process theory, individuals react to such conflict situations with hostility and anti social activities (Zarka). It is worth mentioning a study in this respect that was â€Å"carried out in prisons in the United States reveals that families involved in criminal activities tend to push their younger members towards violating the law. More than two-third of those interviewed had relatives who were incarcerated; for 25 per cent it was a father and for another 25 per cent a brother or sister.† (chapter 7: Juvenile Delinquency, 196) Evidence has also been found that a family where peace and love are distant issues between couples and that displays continuous marital disorder results in creating an environment that eventually promotes juvenile delinquency. This is also true for families with evidence of divorce, though at the end it depends much on family unity than on single or double parenthood. Socio-economic class and factors including community: It seems that children from economically weak background tend to be more into juvenile crime. This socio-economic class based idea held strong in 1950s and 1960s. However statistical analysis since 1960s revealed that youths belonging to the economically middleclass are also almost equally into juvenile delinquency. This is in accordance to the social structure theory of crime, which explains

Bullying behaivor in adolescence Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Bullying behaivor in adolescence - Essay Example Victims of bullying can suffer from behavioural and emotional problems. Examples can be loneliness, depression, anxiety and also low self-esteem. Their researched showed that any individual involved with bullying, those that bully, victims of bullying and those that are bullied and bully all are susceptible to falling into depression. Hence there is even a greater essence to try and understand bullying and therefore try to contain bullying and its effects. Physical bullying is the most common form of bullying. This happens when children use physical altercations to gain power and control over their peers. Physical bullies tend to be bigger in size, stronger and much more aggressive. This type of bullying is the easiest to identify and also historically it has received much more attention from school administrators and teachers (Cambridgeshire county council 2013). The second form of bullying is verbal bullying. In this type of bullying the perpetrators use words, statements and also name-calling to gain power and also control over their peers. It is very common for verbal bullies to use insults with an aim of belittling, demeaning and/or hurting another person. These bullies are likely to pick their victims based on their appearance, actions or behaviour (Cambridgeshire county council 2013). The third one is relational aggression which is a form of bullying or manipulation where teenagers try to hurt a friend or a peer or hurt their social standing. Relational bullies often banish others from their group, spread rumours and innuendos and also manipulate situations. Their goal is to increase their social standing by controlling the other person (Cambridgeshire county council 2013). The fourth form of bullying is known as cyber bullying. This form of bullying involves when a teenager uses the internet, a mobile phone or another technological device to threaten,

Conclusion report for the internship journey Essay

Conclusion report for the internship journey - Essay Example The major challenge was language difference, especially when interacting with customer and staff. However, I did my best to create a profitable impact and add value both to Guangdong and myself. There were both memorable and awkward situation during the two months in Guangdong but all these posed as lessons and opportunities to learn more. With the help of one of the staff, I gained confidence, customer relation skills, teamwork skills, intrapersonal and interpersonal communication skills. The main focus of my internship would be the opportunity to participate in the exhibition of Lingnan Folk Craftworks, Sparkling Flowers, and Ingenious Craftsmanship and Creativity. Sparkling flowers exhibition entailed displaying all collected works by Enamel while Craftsmanship and Creativity involved works by Canton Embroiidery. Exhibiting Lingnan Folk Craftworks expounded more on the culture and traditions of chines. I came to learn of their unique art, painting and paper cutting skills, as well as, their cultural believes. Lastly, I also came to learn of the Guangzhou residential furnishings with keen reference to the furniture tracing back to Ming and Qing dynasties. However, designs for furniture have changed and the old have been replaced with better designs or refurnished to be better. It was clear that the preferences and designs of people change with emerging

Life without music

Life without music What would life be without music? The world would be a very quiet place. Music is in many ways the fabric of our lives and the definition of society. It is a reminder of how things once were, an indication of how things are, and a view of where society is headed. Music is a direct reflection of the picture of society. Music can be a way to deliver messages, a poetic medium, a fine art, or nothing more than a source of entertainment. No matter what it is used for, music is the perfect art and our lives would be that much less complete without it that life as we know it would not at all be the same without music. Music is the perfect art. It has movement, because it progresses over a set period of time. All musical works have a beginning and an end. However, music does not restrict the audience in the way that movies or graphic art does. The listener can create whatever image she or he wants to when listening to music. It is an art that appeals to the conscious mind, but the best music also appeals to the subconscious. No thought is required to enjoy good music, though it is often thought-inspiring. Instrumental music does not bind the listener into a fixed template in the way that literature and poetry do: the reaction to music is different from person to person. Although it is probably the most difficult to produce the desired imagery in instrumental music, it can be done. BeethovenÕs Opus 27, Number 2, Piano Sonata No. 14, First Movement gives the image of a tired old man writing by the light of the moon and his passion without using any words at all. Music with lyrics is often referred to as words set to music. This is not always the case. Sometimes it is more accurate to refer to music with lyrics as music set to words. This form both widens and restricts the composerÕs artistic range. Lyrics make it easier for composers to bring out their main ideas without expressing them in notesNnot all composers have the power of Beethoven! However, they restrict the images of the musical work i n the same way that prose and poetry limit their subject. Whether instrumental or lyrical, music comes from the people and can enlighten us all. It was during the 1960s that the social revolution and the struggles for civil rights inspired such musicians as Bob Dylan, Janis Joplin and Joan Baez to write songs of protest. In turn, the music of these artists, and many others, influenced the younger generations and spread the word of the revolution. Without music, many teenagers of the time would not have been given the influence of the time or its associated mentality. Music was, and continues to be, a kind of social education to the younger generation. Teenagers turn to popular music for their philosophies and get a sense of their place in the world. In fact, cliques of young people are often defined by the music they listen to: punks listen to punk rock and heavy metal; nerds are reputed to listen to classical music; the in crowd listens to the latest material alternative music has to offer; the loners listen to obscure pop artists or classic rock. Youth culture would be much less vivid than it is if the world had no music. Generations would not be sparked to action without music. The war drums of primitive peoples were a kind of music. It was they that stirred the Cavemen and the Vikings to participate in decade-long wars. MusicÕs social influence is ever-present. Our society is shaped by it. Not only is music the chisel of society; it is a constant thread that runs through nature. Music is everywhere: the sound of falling water, the rustle of leaves underfoot, the call of wild birdsNeven the sound of rush-hour traffic is a kind of music. The common definition of music is a series of pitches and rhythms that have an overall coherence. This definition is limited to man-made music. Synthetic music is really just one kind of music. The sounds of nature are all part of the greater Music of the universe. Man-made music is entirely influenced by the true music of nature. The pulse of the heart is the constant bass drum. The sound of walking feet is the alternating snare drum. The rustle of leaves in the wind is the highest string section. A riverÕs flowing sound fills out the harmony. The Symphony of Nature is the mother of manÕs own music. The absence of the greater Music cannot be considered. Music is the Universe. The idea of an absence of man-made music would be almost as inconceivable. For humans to create music is inevitable. It is as natural as thought. With mankind being surrounded by natureÕs Music, he has no choice but to make music of his own. Therefore, the idea of a world without music is highly hypothetical. One would sooner consider a life without experiences or a year without days. A day in a world without music might proceed like this: One would awaken to the sound of a radio announcer speaking about politics. On the way to work, the radio show would consist of interviews with famous personalities. The work da y would be terribly boring, since the office would not have any decorations (these would have been made by artists who had been influenced by music). That evening, the television commercials would have no jingles, only women promoting kitchen cleaners in white kitchens. The contestants of Jeopardy! would write down their questions for Final Jeopardy in complete silence, without the famous tune. The evening movie would be almost mute. It would seem to be like a silent film, with no incidental or theme music to augment the otherwise bland actors. In the restaurant, the date would be boring and unenlightening. Neither he nor she would be able to come out with any remotely intelligent ideas without music in the background to keep the brain working. The nightÕs dreams would not be scored with a happy tune or a slow nocturne. They would take place in silence, a drab, dark world of nothing. This world without music seems to have incoherences and cracks in it. It does not make sense and does not quite explain itself. Music is essential for the world to even make sense. It is as fundamentally inherent as gravity is in the universe. Any attempt to restrict or control music, such as is made in communist politics, is both vain and unrealistic. One cannot challenge the broadloom of the universe when making political policies! To think that the natural urge to create music in the image of the greater Music can be repressed is an exercise in na*vetÃ…Â ½. Music is societyÕs mark. The history of human musicians is rich, and has many fine people lining its ranks. Music has changed the artistic and non-artistic world immeasurably, such that a world without music is nothing more than a terrifying fantasy. The very prospect is difficult to consider. A world without music would be a quiet place indeed.

Summary and Analysis of The Second Nuns Tale :: Canterbury Tales The Second Nuns Tale Essays

Summary and Analysis of The Second Nun's Tale (The Canterbury Tales) Prologue to the Second Nun's Tale: The Host praises the Nun's Priest for his tale, but notes that, if the Nun's Priest were not in the clergy he would be a lewd man. He says that the Nun's Priest, a muscular man with a hawk's fierceness in his eye, would have trouble fending off women, if not for his profession. The Second Nun prepares to tell the next tale, warning against sin and idleness. She says that she will tell the tale of the noble maid Cecilia. Analysis The Host's description of the Nun's Priest highlights the disparity between traditional conceptions of the clergy and their actual roles and personalities. The Nun's Priest is, as dictated by his profession, celibate, but the Host serves to remind the reader of his sexual persona. The Second Nun's Tale: Saint Cecilia was by birth a Roman and tutored in the ways of Christ. She dreaded the day in which she must marry and give up her virginity. However, she came to be engaged to Valerian. On the day of their wedding she wore a hairshirt, praying to God to remain unspoiled. On their wedding night she told a secret to Valerian: she had an angel lover who, if he believes that Valerian touches her vulgarly, will slay him. He asks to see this angel, and she tells him to go to the Via Appia and find Pope Urban among the poor people. Once Urban purges him of his sins, Valerian will be able to see the angel. When he reached Via Appia, Urban suddenly appeared to Valerian and read from the Bible. He baptized Valerian and sent him back home, where he found the angel with Cecilia. He has brought a crown of flowers from Paradise that will never wilt, and gives it to Cecilia. The angel claims that only the pure and chaste shall be able to see this crown. Cecilia asks for the angel to bless her broth er and make him pure. This brother, Tibertius, enters and can detect the flowers. The angel gives crowns to Valerian and Tibertius, and advises Tibertius to give up false idols. They plan to visit Pope Urban, and Tibertius asks Cecilia how she can worship three gods. She says that each divinity represents part of God. But after both Valerian and Tibertius were christened, Roman sergeants brought them to Almachius the prefect, who ordered their death.