In your textbook, you reviewed what impact more current history has had on human services. Current events and news stories can shed a lot of light on the trends impacting human services agencies. Locate two different newspaper or journal articles on the same issue, published within the last year. Follow these steps:
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Post a summary of the issue and information from both articles that best describe the issue. Explain how the issue impacts the work of human services agencies.
Sample solution
Dante Alighieri played a critical role in the literature world through his poem Divine Comedy that was written in the 14th century. The poem contains Inferno, Purgatorio, and Paradiso. The Inferno is a description of the nine circles of torment that are found on the earth. It depicts the realms of the people that have gone against the spiritual values and who, instead, have chosen bestial appetite, violence, or fraud and malice. The nine circles of hell are limbo, lust, gluttony, greed and wrath. Others are heresy, violence, fraud, and treachery. The purpose of this paper is to examine the Dante’s Inferno in the perspective of its portrayal of God’s image and the justification of hell.
In this epic poem, God is portrayed as a super being guilty of multiple weaknesses including being egotistic, unjust, and hypocritical. Dante, in this poem, depicts God as being more human than divine by challenging God’s omnipotence. Additionally, the manner in which Dante describes Hell is in full contradiction to the morals of God as written in the Bible. When god arranges Hell to flatter Himself, He commits egotism, a sin that is common among human beings (Cheney, 2016). The weakness is depicted in Limbo and on the Gate of Hell where, for instance, God sends those who do not worship Him to Hell. This implies that failure to worship Him is a sin.
God is also depicted as lacking justice in His actions thus removing the godly image. The injustice is portrayed by the manner in which the sodomites and opportunists are treated. The opportunists are subjected to banner chasing in their lives after death followed by being stung by insects and maggots. They are known to having done neither good nor bad during their lifetimes and, therefore, justice could have demanded that they be granted a neutral punishment having lived a neutral life. The sodomites are also punished unfairly by God when Brunetto Lattini is condemned to hell despite being a good leader (Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). While he commited sodomy, God chooses to ignore all the other good deeds that Brunetto did.
Finally, God is also portrayed as being hypocritical in His actions, a sin that further diminishes His godliness and makes Him more human. A case in point is when God condemns the sin of egotism and goes ahead to commit it repeatedly. Proverbs 29:23 states that “arrogance will bring your downfall, but if you are humble, you will be respected.” When Slattery condemns Dante’s human state as being weak, doubtful, and limited, he is proving God’s hypocrisy because He is also human (Verdicchio, 2015). The actions of God in Hell as portrayed by Dante are inconsistent with the Biblical literature. Both Dante and God are prone to making mistakes, something common among human beings thus making God more human.
To wrap it up, Dante portrays God is more human since He commits the same sins that humans commit: egotism, hypocrisy, and injustice. Hell is justified as being a destination for victims of the mistakes committed by God. The Hell is presented as being a totally different place as compared to what is written about it in the Bible. As a result, reading through the text gives an image of God who is prone to the very mistakes common to humans thus ripping Him off His lofty status of divine and, instead, making Him a mere human. Whether or not Dante did it intentionally is subject to debate but one thing is clear in the poem: the misconstrued notion of God is revealed to future generations.
References
Babor, T. F., McGovern, T., & Robaina, K. (2017). Dante’s inferno: Seven deadly sins in scientific publishing and how to avoid them. Addiction Science: A Guide for the Perplexed, 267.
Cheney, L. D. G. (2016). Illustrations for Dante’s Inferno: A Comparative Study of Sandro Botticelli, Giovanni Stradano, and Federico Zuccaro. Cultural and Religious Studies, 4(8), 487.
Verdicchio, M. (2015). Irony and Desire in Dante’s” Inferno” 27. Italica, 285-297.
Sample Answer
Sample Answer
The Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Human Services Agencies
Introduction
The COVID-19 pandemic has had far-reaching effects on various sectors, including human services agencies. As these agencies strive to meet the growing needs of vulnerable populations, they face numerous challenges and opportunities. In this essay, we will explore how the pandemic has impacted human services agencies and discuss the implications for their work.
Thesis Statement
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted human services agencies, leading to a shift in service delivery methods, increased demand for services, and a focus on mental health support for clients.
Impact on Human Services Agencies
Shift in Service Delivery Methods
One article highlights how human services agencies have rapidly transitioned to virtual service delivery to adhere to social distancing guidelines (“Virtual Human Services: Meeting Needs During a Pandemic,” The New York Times, June 2021). This shift has required agencies to invest in technology, staff training, and cybersecurity measures to ensure clients receive uninterrupted support.
Increased Demand for Services
Another article discusses the surge in demand for human services during the pandemic, particularly in areas such as food assistance, housing support, and mental health services (“Surge in Need for Human Services During COVID-19,” The Washington Post, August 2021). Human services agencies are facing unprecedented caseloads and resource constraints as they strive to meet the diverse needs of their clients.
Focus on Mental Health Support
The pandemic has exacerbated mental health challenges for many individuals, leading human services agencies to prioritize mental health support in their service offerings (“Mental Health Crisis: Addressing the Needs of Vulnerable Populations,” Harvard Health Publishing, September 2021). Agencies are collaborating with mental health professionals and community organizations to provide counseling, therapy, and crisis intervention services to those in need.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought significant changes to human services agencies, requiring them to adapt to new service delivery methods, cope with increased demand for services, and prioritize mental health support for clients. As these agencies continue to navigate the challenges posed by the pandemic, it is crucial for stakeholders to collaborate, innovate, and advocate for policies that support the well-being of vulnerable populations.
