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by Feizrul Nor Nurbi Original article |
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October 30, 2011  Lately,
it is interesting to note the shift in stand by proponents of Teaching
of Mathematics and Science in English (PPSMI) generally, and
specifically the group calling itself Parent Action Group for Education
Malaysia (PAGE).No, not that they somehow understand the folly of their campaign in reintroducing PPSMI in Malaysian schools, but rather the refocusing on their raison d’être - from arguing that PPSMI will improve the standard of English in Malaysian schools - to the argument that PPSMI will help to empower the nation in the field of Science and Mathematics. Firstly, it is worth noting that on PAGE's website - there is no specific and clear objective regarding the direction or the 'fight' undertaken by the body, just a broad mission statement that the body acts as a platform for parents to voice their concerns regarding educational issues. With this very broad statement, it is peculiar why PAGE chooses to champion the PPSMI cause when there are other pressing 'educational issues' that warrant higher attention. How about the issue of the diminishing quality of educators and teachers that are the backbone of the country's education system? How about the diminishing appeal of teaching as profession of choice by the bright and talented? How about the inadequate syllabus fed to our students that ill-prepare them for the challenges in university and also in the working world? How about the outdated rote-learning methodology still used in classrooms today that kills critical-thinking and inquisitivity amongst school children today? Believe me when I say that our country's education system is rotten to the core, and those four concerns highlighted above barely being the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Thus, it is peculiar that PAGE focuses its hard work and attention on something of less importance such as language of instruction, when the underlying causes of the decay are not even given a cursory glance. Perhaps it's a classic case of 'missing the forest for the trees'? Back to the main point - will learning Mathematics and Science in English empower the country's pursuit of excellence in those two fields? To argue this point it is pertinent that we understand that to excel in these two subjects at the school level, it is of utmost importance that one is highly adept in the understanding of the concepts and principles. Take the most basic concept of Mathematics - the numbers. It is easy to memorize the numbers in it language form - albeit in English or any other language - but to understand the concept of numbers is another different thing altogether. The concept of what the number represents, the mathematical usage and practical place of numbers in our daily life.  Perhaps
we should go lower to something more basic than numbers - the concept
of 'zero'. Seems simple, but try explaining the concept of 'zero' to
preschoolers or even early primary students. Even those of the teaching
profession will find it hard to articulate their understanding of the
concept 'zero' to those new to the subject.Even making it harder is trying to explain this simple yet essential concept in a language unfamiliar to the children. English prowess Hence, it is in my view, that to excel in these two highly technical subjects, one must be able to hold a strong grasp of the concepts and principles dominant in the learning of Science and Mathematics. And there is no easier way to understand these than to teach the students in their mother tongue, as the oft-quoted UNESCO study suggests. Perhaps, one might argue - what happens when the students go to university, and to one that uses English as medium of instruction? Here is where their prowess of the English language will be tested. When I say 'prowess' it mean the overall strength in the whole language, and not necessarily the jargons and terms unique to those two subjects. To demonstrate - a student, who learns Mathematics and Science in Bahasa Melayu and scores 100% in both papers, will definitely struggle in a full-English environment, if somehow he or she only scores the bare minimum in the English paper. Also - a student who learns Mathematics and Science in Bahasa Melayu and scores 100% in both and combined with a 100% score on the English subject will definitely find it a breeze when learning the two subjects in English later in university. How about a medium-grade student of Science and Mathematics , who is incidentally a product of PPSMI - will learning the two subjects in English during the school years turn him or her from a medium grade student to an excellent one in a full-English learning environment? Therein lies the problem - it is rather logical to deduce that it is not the language of instruction that dictates the success achieved in learning the subject, but it is more on the understanding of the concepts and principles in whatever language that the subjects are delivered. Simply - master the concepts. A change in the medium of instruction will only require a minimal effort for the smart to remain successful. Thus, the folly in the direction taken by PAGE and the proponents of PPSMI in championing the teaching of Science and Mathematics in English. To me it is clear that the students will respond better when learning these two subjects in their mother tongue, thus leading to better prospect for the nation in these two arena. It is of no use to learn both subject in English just because 'the reference books are in English' or whatever excuses thrown by the PPSMI proponents when learning them in English may cause the concepts being lost on the bewildered mind unfamiliar with the language. Perhaps, it is time for PAGE to re-examine its direction and objectives, also the fight it chooses to undertake. Perhaps there are more pertinent 'educational issues' requiring the grunt and perseverance demonstrated by PAGE, rather than wasting the effort on a policy that is haphazard in both its inception and implementation, and questionable in its achievements. How about restoring the quality of the teaching profession - isn't it a nobler cause to fight for? * Feizrul Nor Nurbi is a Harakahdaily reader |
Monday, October 31, 2011
PPSMI: It is the concept, not the language
Thomas Edison’s Top 5 Tips for Success
Thomas Edison’s Top 5 Tips for Success
Thomas Alva Edison was one of the most famous and hard-working inventors in history. When he died in 1931 he held 1093 patents in his name (though a lot of his inventions were collaborations).
Some of his most used inventions are of course the light bulb and the gramophone.
He also did quite a bit work to improve x-ray machines for while (until he almost lost his own eye-sight and an assistant died due to radiation poisoning). And he had a AC/DC-current war with the odd and fascinating inventor Nikola Tesla.
Here are a few of my favourite tips from Edison. They are all about success. And what kind of work and mindset achieving such a thing may require.
“Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.”
One of the problems in life is that people just give up too soon. I think quite a big bit of this because of social programming and the expectations set by society. It’s seen as pretty normal to try once or maybe a few times and then give up.
There is also a ton of products, books and commercials that promises us that we can “Earn 20000 dollars in just 4 weeks” or “Easily lose 30 pounds in 30 days!”.
And we hear these messages over and over throughout life.
No wonder it’s easy to fall into the trap of believing that everything should work out after about three tries or so.
When the promise of a quick fix is sold to us all the time and people around us are buying into it then it becomes easy just do the same thing. And align our expectations of the world around how things “should” work rather than how they work.
If one does not give up so quickly but tries perhaps 20-30 times or more there is a pretty good chance that success will come. If one keeps at it for not 3 weeks but 6 months then the likelihood of success often increases.
If not, then you may spend a lot of time in a cycle where you try a new quick fix, get discouraged quickly and give up, spend some cash on the next quick fix and getting overly enthusiastic and then continue the cycle by jumping from one magic bullet to another, never achieving much of a result. You can read more about this problem in One Big Mistake a Lot of People Make.
“I have not failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.”
Now, how do you reframe failure? How do you look at it so you don’t feel overwhelmed and give up? Well, you can look at failure as a part of a process. You look at it as ways that won’t work. You draw lessons from those ways. Then you let that go, focus on the present and try again (this time perhaps in a different way).
If you look at failure as something big, like it’s the end of the world you’ll probably be quite a bit afraid of it. And so it can feel too painful to go on after a few failures. Or you may never even try, since your mind is projecting all these horrible and painful future scenarios of what will happen if you try and fail.
Also, if you come from a place of abundance then failure has less power over you. Failure can be really useful if you learn to redefine it for yourself. The key is to develop an abundance mentality – where there is always an abundance of opportunities – instead of a more common scarcity mentality where there is always a lack. If you start to think about your world this way failure becomes less painful and the fear of missteps lessens.
Because with an abundance mentality you believe that there are more good opportunities out there even if you experience failure. So you are less inclined to give into fear and to pull away from taking a chance.
Failure still hurts even if you think about things this way. But then you think about what you can learn from the failure. And then you start over again. And in retrospect you often discover that your previous failure provided some very useful, perhaps even necessary lessons, for your latest project to grow as well as it does.
This way – seeing it as a process and have an abundance-mentality – is one way to reframe failure to keep yourself from giving up. If you look at it this way you’ll be less prone to lie down and just give up.
“The value of an idea lies in the using of it.”
Useful information is good. But you have to put it to use sometime or you’ll never reap any benefits or success. This is a pretty common problem when you for instance get interested in personal development. You get a lot of books, programs etc. and you study them. And then you get more.
Always looking for the magic bullet that will give you success without you having to do anything. Confusing yourself and feeling like you are making progress by reading another book.
That emotional high is dangerous because it can fool you into thinking that things are progressing.
But then a few months later nothing much has happened, except you have a lot of knowledge (and have probably forgotten half of it because your mind couldn’t retain it because you weren’t putting it into action). To get results you need to take action. That’s also the best way to really understand the information you have absorbed and possibly find ways to tweak and use it in an even better way for yourself.
“Being busy does not always mean real work. The object of all work is production or accomplishment and to either of these ends there must be forethought, system, planning, intelligence, and honest purpose, as well as perspiration. Seeming to do is not doing.”
But just going for it, taking action and doing something isn’t enough. You have to ask yourself if what you are doing is useful? Or is it just another way to keep yourself busy, to keep yourself from doing what you really want to do?
You need to think about what you really want to do. You need to make plans. Then throughout your normal day you can remind yourself, by for instance using external reminders like written notes, to stay on track. To not get lost on the wrong track or in the busywork that is perhaps a normal routine or an easy escape from the things you’d like to do but that require more perspiration.
“Genius is one percent inspiration and ninety-nine percent perspiration.”
There is a myth that geniuses mostly just are geniuses and can do great things pretty much as easily as you and I tie our shoelaces. But what is seldom mentioned or seen is how much the really successful people work. And how far the people that just practise, practise, practise can go.
I think natural talent certainly plays a role. But I also think that it can become an excuse to slack off and never come close to your potential. To find something you can become really, really good at – perhaps even be regarded as genius at – I think you need to find something you really, really like to do. Otherwise, your inner motivation and passion will run out and you’ll probably show up less and less. Until you one day just give it up.
Maybe it wasn’t the thing for you. Maybe you grew apart from it.
And if that happens then you can try to find another thing that you really, really like to do.
If you like this article, please give it a thumb up in Stumbleupon. Thanks a lot! =)
Friday, October 28, 2011
Soda Linked To Teen Violence, Study Says
http://newsfeedresearcher.com/data/articles_m44/soda-drink-violence.html
http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/crime/study-heavy-soda-drinking-linked-teen-violence
Violence towards peers rose from 35 percent to 58 percent while violence towards siblings rose from 25.4 percent o 43 percent. "What we found was that there was a strong relationship between how many soft drinks that these inner-city kids consumed and how violent they were, not only in violence against peers but also violence in dating relationships, against siblings," David Hemenway, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, said in an interview with The Associated Press. The report was published after researchers asked about 1,900 Boston public high school students how many non-diet sodas they drank during the last week. The researchers then looked at potential links to violent behaviour in this group, by asking if they had been violent towards their peers, a sibling, or a partner, and if they had carried a gun or knife over the past year. [1]High-school students in inner-city Boston who consumed more than five cans of non-diet, fizzy soft drinks every week were between nine and 15-percent likelier to engage in an aggressive act compared with counterparts who drank less. "What we found was that there was a strong relationship between how many soft drinks that these inner-city kids consumed and how violent they were, not only in violence against peers but also violence in dating relationships, against siblings," said David Hemenway, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. [2] Now, in a latest study, experts have attempted to identify the relationship between consumption of carbonated drinks and violence among the young students. These drinks have also faced a huge criticism for causing a number of health complications. During the study, the scientists have observed that youngsters who prefer to consume these fizzy drinks are more likely to behave in an aggressive manner or keep a weapon along with them. The experts have warned that the consumption of non-diet sugary drinks can cast a significant impact to increase the level of violence among the teens and claimed that adolescents who tend to consume two or more cans of the drinks every day are more likely to enjoy violence, particularly with their siblings, friends as well as with companion. An expert from the Harvard School of Public Health, David Hemenway, had attempted to explain the findings and notified: "What we found was that there was a strong relationship between how many soft drinks that these inner-city kids consumed and how violent they were". In addition to this, David Hemenway also insisted that the carbonated drink lovers are more likely to show episodes full of violence even with dating partners, family members as compared to other counterpart. [3]
The researchers suggest that sugar or caffeine could lead to aggression. "What we found was that there was a strong relationship between how many soft drinks that these inner-city kids consumed and how violent they were, not only in violence against peers but also violence in dating relationships, against siblings," said David Hemenway, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. "It was shocking to us when we saw how clear the relationship was," he said. [4]
"Adolescents who drank more than five cans of soft drinks per week (nearly 30 percent of the sample) were significantly more likely to have carried a weapon and to have been violent with peers, family members and dates," researchers wrote. Frequent soda drink consumption was associated with a 9 to 15 percent increase in the probability of a teenager engaging in an aggressive act, even after controlling for other factors including gender, age, race, sleep patterns, alcohol and tobacco use, and whether the teenager has dinner with their family. "It was shocking to us when we saw how clear the relationship was," David Hemenway, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, told Agence France-Presse. [5] Teen violence had a "significant and strong" link with soda drink consumption in a new study by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health. Boston high school students were asked how often they drank non-diet soda drinks, and whether they had taken part in violence with a peer or carried a weapon. [5] SCIENTISTS have reacted with scepticism to a U.S. study which has found a link between the high consumption of soft drinks and violence in teens. The study, carried out by the Harvard School of Health, reported high-school students who consumed more than five cans of non-diet, fizzy soft drinks every week were between nine and 15 per cent more likely to engage in an aggressive act compared with those who drank less. It was based on answers to questionnaires filled out by 1878 public-school students in inner-city Boston aged 14 to 18, where crime rates are much higher than in wealthier suburbs.[6]
Just under one in three (30 percent) respondents fell into the high consumption category. The more soft drinks the teens consumed, the more likely they were to have reported violent behavior. For those teens who were heavy consumers of non-diet sodas, the probability of aggressive behavior was 9 to 15 percentage points higher than that of low consumers. Just over 23 percent of those who said they drank one or no cans of soft drink a week carried a gun/knife, but just under 43 percent among those drinking 14 or more cans said that. The percentage of teens who reported perpetrating violence towards a partner rose from 15 percent, in those drinking one or no cans a week, to just short of 27 percent, among those drinking 14 or more. It's possible that an underlying condition, such as low blood sugar, may result in both high soda consumption and aggressive behavior, the researchers said.[7] What emerged, said Hemenway, was evidence of "dose response," in other words, the more soda was consumed, the likelier the tendency towards violence. Among those who drank one or no cans of soft drink a week, 23 percent carried a gun or a knife; 15 percent perpetrated violence towards a partner; and 35 percent had been violent towards peers. At the other end of the scale, among those who drank 14 cans a week, 43 percent carried a gun or a knife; 27 percent had been violent towards a partner; and more than 58 percent had been violent towards peers. [8] What emerged, said Professor David Hemenway, was evidence of "dose response", in other words, the more soda was consumed, the likelier the tendency towards violence. Among those who drank one or no cans of soft drink a week, 23 per cent carried a gun or a knife; 15 per cent perpetrated violence towards a partner; and 35 per cent had been violent towards peers. At the other end of the scale, among those who drank 14 cans a week, 43 per cent carried a gun or a knife; 27 per cent had been violent towards a partner; and more than 58 per cent had been violent towards peers. [6]
Overall, teens who were heavy consumers of sugary fizz were between nine and 15 percentage points likelier to show aggressive behaviour compared with low consumers, even when ethnicity and other confounding factors were taken into account. "What we found was that there was a strong relationship between how many soft drinks that these inner-city kids consumed and how violent they were, not only in violence against peers but also violence in dating relationships, against siblings," said Prof Hemenway. "It was shocking to us when we saw how clear the relationship was." He stressed that only further work would confirm - or disprove - the key question whether higher consumption of sweet sodas caused violent behaviour. [6] Overall, teens who were heavy consumers of sugary fizz were between nine and 15 percentage points likelier to show aggressive behaviour compared with low consumers, even when ethnicity and other confounding factors were taken into account. This is a magnitude similar to the link found, in previously researched, with alcohol or tobacco. Hemenway said the study had included a couple of questions aimed at taking a children's home background into account, including whether the teen had taken a meal with his family in the previous days. As it was only intended as a preliminary investigation, the questionnaire did not ask what kind of sodas the teens drank, he said. "This is one of the very first studies to examine" the question, said Hemenway. "We don't know why (there is this strong association). There may be some causal effect but it's also certainly plausible that this is just a marker for other problems - that kids who are violent for whatever reason, they tend to smoke more, they tend to drink more alcohol and they tend to maybe drink more soft drinks. [8]
The legal strategy became known as the "Twinkie Defense," and the precedent raised a number of questions that persist, despite years of research on the subject. A 2006 study in found that teens who drank lots of soft drinks suffered from worse mental health compared to those who drank fewer. A study published earlier this year found higher levels of antisocial behavior in American college students who drank the most soda. [9] White's lawyers argued that the crime wasn't premeditated because White was hyped up on junk food and Coca-Cola. Other studies have further probed possible effects of unhealthy food, with one study finding poor mental health among Norwegian teens who drank a lot of soft drinks. Another study found antisocial tendencies among U.S. college students who consumed a lot of soda. [10]
BOSTON -- Teenagers who drink a lot of soda are more likely to get into fights and act violently, according to a new study. Harvard researchers asked more than 1,800 students in Boston public schools about their experiences with violence, including if they had carried a knife or gun the previous year. The students were also asked how much non-diet soda they drank in the past seven days. [11] The study is published in the Oct. 24 online issue of Injury Prevention. The researchers asked about 1,900 Boston public high school students how many non-diet sodas they drank during the last week, as well as whether they carried a weapon or had been violent toward family members or peers. Nearly 43 percent of teens who drank 14 or more cans of soda a week said they carried a weapon at some point, compared with 23 percent of teens who drank less than one can of soda a week. [10] Researchers from the University of Vermont analyzed survey responses from 1,878 teens from 22 public schools in Boston. Teens were asked how many sodas they had consumed over the past week, and whether they had been violent towards their peers, their siblings or people they had dated, or if they had carried a gun or a knife in the past year. The responses were divided into two groups: those who said they drank up to four cans over the preceding week (low consumption); and those how said they drank five or more (high consumption). [7]
For the latest study, Hemenway and colleague Sara Solnick surveyed more than 1,800 students in Boston public schools. During 40-minute sessions that covered a range of topics, kids answered questions about how much non-diet soda they had gulped down in the past seven days, whether they had been violent towards others, and if they had carried around a knife or gun in the previous year. [9]
Teens in the study who drank more than five cans of non-diet soda per day were significantly more likely report behaving violently towards others, and more likely to report having carried a gun or knife in the past year, the researchers said. [7] Teens who drank five cans of non-diet soda or more each week were more likely to behave aggressively than kids who reported drinking no soda, the researchers reported in Injury Prevention. They found that those who drank a lot of soda were 9 to 15 percent more likely to be violent toward others or to engage in aggressive activities.[11] Teens who drank lots of soda were also more likely to be aggressive toward a sibling -- 45 percent compared with 25 percent among teens who drank little soda. The authors were able to control for a number of factors including gender, race and tobacco and alcohol use but not for some other important factors that could affect the likelihood of violence, such as quality of parenting and poverty. Those who reported drinking lots of soda were also more likely to have also used alcohol or smoked cigarettes. Nearly 30 percent of the ninth to 12th graders said they drank more than five cans of soda a week. It's possible that the association is explained by the soda itself, researchers said. [10]
There was a similar "dose relationship" on other measures of violence. About 27 percent of teens who drank 14 or more cans of soda a week admitted to violence against a romantic partner, compared with 15 percent of those drinking less than one can a week. 59 percent of those drinking 14 or more cans a week had been violent toward peers, compared with 35 percent of those drinking one can or less.[10]
The study found that 23 percent of those consuming one or no cans of soda a week carried a gun or knife, while 15 percent had been engaged in violence toward a partner. In comparison, among those who consumed 14 or more cans a week, 43 percent carried a gun or knife and 27 percent had been violent toward a partner, the researchers found. [1] Most students were either Hispanic or African-American. Factors measured were how many cans of soda drank per week, if the person carried a gun or knife, if they had been violent towards their partner, and if they had been violent towards peers. Students were grouped into those who drank zero to one can per week, and those that drank around fourteen per week. [12]
Among the questions were how much carbonated non-diet soft drink, measured in 12-ounce (355-millilitre) cans, the teens had drunk in the previous seven days. They were also asked whether they drank alcohol or smoked, carried a weapon or showed violence towards peers, family members and partner. [8] Twenty-three percent of teens who drank fewer than one soft drink a week reported carrying a weapon, for example, compared to 43 percent who drank five or more cans a week.[9]
Th researchers also saw an association between soda and weapons even when kids drank less than 14 cans. About 33 percent of teens who drank two to four cans a week said they'd carried a knife or a gun at some point, as did 38 percent of teens who drank five to seven cans of soda. [10] Researchers surveyed almost 19,000 14 to 18-year-olds from 22 Boston schools. They found 43 percent of kids who had 2 or more cans of regular soda a day carried a weapon. That's compared to 23 percent of non-soda drinkers. [4]
Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found a "shocking" association between teen violence and soda drink consumption, according to a study published in Injury Prevention journal. [5] "We were surprised at how large the effect was," said David Hemenway, director of the Harvard School of Public Health's Injury Control Research Center in Boston. "It was maintained even when we controlled for alcohol and tobacco and family stuff like eating dinners together," he said. "There was a very strong, stable relationship between more soft drinks that people said they drank and more fights with things like pushing and shoving." [9]Michael Moore,CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA), said the findings probably tell us more about the people who drink a lot of soft drink rather than suggesting a causal link between soft drink and anti-social behaviour. "The study really cries out for more research to understand why heavy use of soft drink may be an indicator of poor behaviour and what are the social conditions that lead to such heavy use," he said. "Such a study would also need to look at the impact of alcohol, caffeinated drinks and illicit drugs which we do know have both an indicator and a causal link." Professor Mike Daube, Director of the Public Health Advocacy Institute and the McCusker Centre for Action on Alcohol and Youth said he would "suggest an exceptional degree of caution in interpreting these findings". [6]
Teenagers who drink lots of soft drinks get into more fights and carry more weapons than their peers who drink less, found a new study. [9]
Violence towards peers rose from 35 percent in the low-consumption group to 59 percent in the heaviest soda-drinkers. It's far too soon to claim that soda causes violence, and the new study only shows a correlation, said Bernard Gesch, who researchers diet and behavior at the University of Oxford in the . [9] More than 58% of high soda consumers were violent towards peers, while only 35% of low soda drinkers displayed peer violence. Remember this is a correlation study and does not prove any one part of the soda is directly linked with violent behavior. [12]
Drinking lots of soda may increase the risk of violent behavior in teens, a new study suggests. [7] Teens who drink lots of soda could be missing important micro-nutrients found in healthier foods, according to background information in the study, or could be drinking soda to combat low blood sugar, which is linked to irritability or violence. [10] The study, which was published in the journal Injury Prevention, found that the teens who drank five cans of nondiet soda or more each week were more likely to behave aggressively than kids who reported drinking no soda. [1]Nearly 30 percent of respondents reported consuming more than five cans of soda each week, the researchers reported in Injury Prevention. Heavy soda drinkers didn't seem to get less sleep than anyone else, but they were more likely to have indulged in alcohol and tobacco over the previous month. Even when the researchers controlled for alcohol, tobacco, BMI and other details, though, they found a steady rise in violence alongside higher levels of soda drinking. [9]
There is also good evidence that people who perpetrate violence tend to have abnormalities in that glucose-digesting process. Consuming massive amounts of sugar could set those people up to commit violent acts. In his own research, Gesch found a 26 percent drop in discipline-worthy offenses among prisoners who were given nutritional supplements, while behavior stayed the same in a group that was randomly assigned to take placebo pills. A similar study by Dutch researchers showed a 48 percent drop in bad acts with supplementation. "The evidence that links diet with heart disease could easily fill a warehouse," he added. [9] In 1979, U.S. lawyers successfully argued that a defendant accused of murder had a diminished capacity to understand his actions as a result of switching to a junk food diet, a legal precedent that became known as the "Twinkie Defense." It's possible that thecaffeine and sugar in the soda may directly affect teens' behavior, the researchers said. It's also possible that people who violent have a penchant for soda. [7] Soda consumption, for example, may be a marker of heightened violent tendencies already present in the teen, or of poor parenting, the researchers said. [10]
Even if soda consumption doesn't cause violent behavior, it may be a useful marker for aggressive, the researchers say. [7] Overall, frequent soft drink consumption was associated with a 9 per cent to 15 per cent increased likelihood of engaging in aggressive behavior, researchers said. [1] "There was a significant and strong association between soft drinks and violence," researchers concluded. "There may be a direct cause-and-effect relationship, perhaps due to the sugar or caffeine content of soft drinks, or there may be other factors, unaccounted for in our analyses, that cause both high soft drink consumption and aggression." [5]
While the study couldn't determine whether soft drinks actually cause violence, the findings add to a growing - yet still controversial - body of research on the effects of nutrition on behavior. [9] One researcher says the study says more about the people drinking the soft drinks than the drinks themselves. [6]
"We don't know why. There may be some causal effect but it's also certainly plausible that this is just a marker for other problems - that kids who are violent for whatever reason, they tend to smoke more, they tend to drink more alcohol and they tend to maybe drink more soft drinks. [13]
While there's a chance that the sugar and caffeine from carbonated drinks contributes to violent behavior, the study shows an association, not a cause-and-effect. [10] The results held even after the researchers took into account other factors that have been linked to violent behavior, including age, alcohol and tobacco use, and the frequency of family dinners. [7]
Sara Solnick, a co-author of the study, said there's no reason to think that drinking soda causes teens to be violent and the study was intended to better understand factors that lead to youth violence. [11] A recent study conducted in Boston shows a correlation between high soda intake and violence among teens. [12]
MONDAY, Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Teens who drink lots of soda seem to be prone to violence, new research suggests. [10] The studies on the effect of caffeine and sugar on behavior are inconclusive, said another expert. "There's no definitive explanation that this explains how or if this might affect behavior," said Dr. Alan Manevitz, a psychiatrist with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "soda could be showing that this person is not having a healthy diet or they don't have a great upbringing," Solnick said. "Those things are connected to violence." [10]
Paris - Researchers in the U.S. said on Tuesday they had found a "shocking" association - if only a statistical one - between violence by teenagers and the amount of soda they drank. [13]
Teens who consumed fourteen cans of soda per week were far more likely to carry a gun or knife and be violent towards others. [12]
The new study was based on answers to questionnaires filled out by 1,878 public-school students aged 14 to 18 in the inner Boston area, where Hemenway said crime rates were much higher than in the wealthier suburbs. [8] The research has also exposed a higher crime rate among wealthier suburbs than other children of same age. David Hemenway claimed that the study has also pinpointed the need to study the impact of home environment along with factors such as tendency of kids to enjoy meals with the family. [3]
SOURCES
1. Grabbing a second soda? New study says think again | The State Column
2. Sugary Soda | Violent Teens | The Daily Caller
3. Carbonated Drinks Increase Aggressive Behavior, Says Study | TopNews New Zealand
4. Sugary soda makes teens more violent, researchers claim
5. Teen violence linked to soda consumption: study - GlobalPost
6. Study links teen violence to soft drink consumption | News.com.au
7. Soda Consumption Tied to Aggression | Teen Violence | My Health News Daily
8. Teen violence linked to fizzy drinks | News.com.au
9. Study: Drinking Soda May Cause Teen Violence | Fox News
10. Soft drinks linked to violent tendencies in teens
11. Soda Linked To Teen Violence, Study Says - Health News Story - WCVB Boston
12. Soda Linked to Teen Violence
13. Teen violence linked to soda: News24: Sci-Tech: News
http://www.opposingviews.com/i/society/crime/study-heavy-soda-drinking-linked-teen-violence
Violence towards peers rose from 35 percent to 58 percent while violence towards siblings rose from 25.4 percent o 43 percent. "What we found was that there was a strong relationship between how many soft drinks that these inner-city kids consumed and how violent they were, not only in violence against peers but also violence in dating relationships, against siblings," David Hemenway, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, said in an interview with The Associated Press. The report was published after researchers asked about 1,900 Boston public high school students how many non-diet sodas they drank during the last week. The researchers then looked at potential links to violent behaviour in this group, by asking if they had been violent towards their peers, a sibling, or a partner, and if they had carried a gun or knife over the past year. [1]High-school students in inner-city Boston who consumed more than five cans of non-diet, fizzy soft drinks every week were between nine and 15-percent likelier to engage in an aggressive act compared with counterparts who drank less. "What we found was that there was a strong relationship between how many soft drinks that these inner-city kids consumed and how violent they were, not only in violence against peers but also violence in dating relationships, against siblings," said David Hemenway, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. [2] Now, in a latest study, experts have attempted to identify the relationship between consumption of carbonated drinks and violence among the young students. These drinks have also faced a huge criticism for causing a number of health complications. During the study, the scientists have observed that youngsters who prefer to consume these fizzy drinks are more likely to behave in an aggressive manner or keep a weapon along with them. The experts have warned that the consumption of non-diet sugary drinks can cast a significant impact to increase the level of violence among the teens and claimed that adolescents who tend to consume two or more cans of the drinks every day are more likely to enjoy violence, particularly with their siblings, friends as well as with companion. An expert from the Harvard School of Public Health, David Hemenway, had attempted to explain the findings and notified: "What we found was that there was a strong relationship between how many soft drinks that these inner-city kids consumed and how violent they were". In addition to this, David Hemenway also insisted that the carbonated drink lovers are more likely to show episodes full of violence even with dating partners, family members as compared to other counterpart. [3]
The researchers suggest that sugar or caffeine could lead to aggression. "What we found was that there was a strong relationship between how many soft drinks that these inner-city kids consumed and how violent they were, not only in violence against peers but also violence in dating relationships, against siblings," said David Hemenway, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health. "It was shocking to us when we saw how clear the relationship was," he said. [4]
"Adolescents who drank more than five cans of soft drinks per week (nearly 30 percent of the sample) were significantly more likely to have carried a weapon and to have been violent with peers, family members and dates," researchers wrote. Frequent soda drink consumption was associated with a 9 to 15 percent increase in the probability of a teenager engaging in an aggressive act, even after controlling for other factors including gender, age, race, sleep patterns, alcohol and tobacco use, and whether the teenager has dinner with their family. "It was shocking to us when we saw how clear the relationship was," David Hemenway, a professor at the Harvard School of Public Health, told Agence France-Presse. [5] Teen violence had a "significant and strong" link with soda drink consumption in a new study by researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health. Boston high school students were asked how often they drank non-diet soda drinks, and whether they had taken part in violence with a peer or carried a weapon. [5] SCIENTISTS have reacted with scepticism to a U.S. study which has found a link between the high consumption of soft drinks and violence in teens. The study, carried out by the Harvard School of Health, reported high-school students who consumed more than five cans of non-diet, fizzy soft drinks every week were between nine and 15 per cent more likely to engage in an aggressive act compared with those who drank less. It was based on answers to questionnaires filled out by 1878 public-school students in inner-city Boston aged 14 to 18, where crime rates are much higher than in wealthier suburbs.[6]
Just under one in three (30 percent) respondents fell into the high consumption category. The more soft drinks the teens consumed, the more likely they were to have reported violent behavior. For those teens who were heavy consumers of non-diet sodas, the probability of aggressive behavior was 9 to 15 percentage points higher than that of low consumers. Just over 23 percent of those who said they drank one or no cans of soft drink a week carried a gun/knife, but just under 43 percent among those drinking 14 or more cans said that. The percentage of teens who reported perpetrating violence towards a partner rose from 15 percent, in those drinking one or no cans a week, to just short of 27 percent, among those drinking 14 or more. It's possible that an underlying condition, such as low blood sugar, may result in both high soda consumption and aggressive behavior, the researchers said.[7] What emerged, said Hemenway, was evidence of "dose response," in other words, the more soda was consumed, the likelier the tendency towards violence. Among those who drank one or no cans of soft drink a week, 23 percent carried a gun or a knife; 15 percent perpetrated violence towards a partner; and 35 percent had been violent towards peers. At the other end of the scale, among those who drank 14 cans a week, 43 percent carried a gun or a knife; 27 percent had been violent towards a partner; and more than 58 percent had been violent towards peers. [8] What emerged, said Professor David Hemenway, was evidence of "dose response", in other words, the more soda was consumed, the likelier the tendency towards violence. Among those who drank one or no cans of soft drink a week, 23 per cent carried a gun or a knife; 15 per cent perpetrated violence towards a partner; and 35 per cent had been violent towards peers. At the other end of the scale, among those who drank 14 cans a week, 43 per cent carried a gun or a knife; 27 per cent had been violent towards a partner; and more than 58 per cent had been violent towards peers. [6]
Overall, teens who were heavy consumers of sugary fizz were between nine and 15 percentage points likelier to show aggressive behaviour compared with low consumers, even when ethnicity and other confounding factors were taken into account. "What we found was that there was a strong relationship between how many soft drinks that these inner-city kids consumed and how violent they were, not only in violence against peers but also violence in dating relationships, against siblings," said Prof Hemenway. "It was shocking to us when we saw how clear the relationship was." He stressed that only further work would confirm - or disprove - the key question whether higher consumption of sweet sodas caused violent behaviour. [6] Overall, teens who were heavy consumers of sugary fizz were between nine and 15 percentage points likelier to show aggressive behaviour compared with low consumers, even when ethnicity and other confounding factors were taken into account. This is a magnitude similar to the link found, in previously researched, with alcohol or tobacco. Hemenway said the study had included a couple of questions aimed at taking a children's home background into account, including whether the teen had taken a meal with his family in the previous days. As it was only intended as a preliminary investigation, the questionnaire did not ask what kind of sodas the teens drank, he said. "This is one of the very first studies to examine" the question, said Hemenway. "We don't know why (there is this strong association). There may be some causal effect but it's also certainly plausible that this is just a marker for other problems - that kids who are violent for whatever reason, they tend to smoke more, they tend to drink more alcohol and they tend to maybe drink more soft drinks. [8]
The legal strategy became known as the "Twinkie Defense," and the precedent raised a number of questions that persist, despite years of research on the subject. A 2006 study in found that teens who drank lots of soft drinks suffered from worse mental health compared to those who drank fewer. A study published earlier this year found higher levels of antisocial behavior in American college students who drank the most soda. [9] White's lawyers argued that the crime wasn't premeditated because White was hyped up on junk food and Coca-Cola. Other studies have further probed possible effects of unhealthy food, with one study finding poor mental health among Norwegian teens who drank a lot of soft drinks. Another study found antisocial tendencies among U.S. college students who consumed a lot of soda. [10]
BOSTON -- Teenagers who drink a lot of soda are more likely to get into fights and act violently, according to a new study. Harvard researchers asked more than 1,800 students in Boston public schools about their experiences with violence, including if they had carried a knife or gun the previous year. The students were also asked how much non-diet soda they drank in the past seven days. [11] The study is published in the Oct. 24 online issue of Injury Prevention. The researchers asked about 1,900 Boston public high school students how many non-diet sodas they drank during the last week, as well as whether they carried a weapon or had been violent toward family members or peers. Nearly 43 percent of teens who drank 14 or more cans of soda a week said they carried a weapon at some point, compared with 23 percent of teens who drank less than one can of soda a week. [10] Researchers from the University of Vermont analyzed survey responses from 1,878 teens from 22 public schools in Boston. Teens were asked how many sodas they had consumed over the past week, and whether they had been violent towards their peers, their siblings or people they had dated, or if they had carried a gun or a knife in the past year. The responses were divided into two groups: those who said they drank up to four cans over the preceding week (low consumption); and those how said they drank five or more (high consumption). [7]
For the latest study, Hemenway and colleague Sara Solnick surveyed more than 1,800 students in Boston public schools. During 40-minute sessions that covered a range of topics, kids answered questions about how much non-diet soda they had gulped down in the past seven days, whether they had been violent towards others, and if they had carried around a knife or gun in the previous year. [9]
Teens in the study who drank more than five cans of non-diet soda per day were significantly more likely report behaving violently towards others, and more likely to report having carried a gun or knife in the past year, the researchers said. [7] Teens who drank five cans of non-diet soda or more each week were more likely to behave aggressively than kids who reported drinking no soda, the researchers reported in Injury Prevention. They found that those who drank a lot of soda were 9 to 15 percent more likely to be violent toward others or to engage in aggressive activities.[11] Teens who drank lots of soda were also more likely to be aggressive toward a sibling -- 45 percent compared with 25 percent among teens who drank little soda. The authors were able to control for a number of factors including gender, race and tobacco and alcohol use but not for some other important factors that could affect the likelihood of violence, such as quality of parenting and poverty. Those who reported drinking lots of soda were also more likely to have also used alcohol or smoked cigarettes. Nearly 30 percent of the ninth to 12th graders said they drank more than five cans of soda a week. It's possible that the association is explained by the soda itself, researchers said. [10]
There was a similar "dose relationship" on other measures of violence. About 27 percent of teens who drank 14 or more cans of soda a week admitted to violence against a romantic partner, compared with 15 percent of those drinking less than one can a week. 59 percent of those drinking 14 or more cans a week had been violent toward peers, compared with 35 percent of those drinking one can or less.[10]
The study found that 23 percent of those consuming one or no cans of soda a week carried a gun or knife, while 15 percent had been engaged in violence toward a partner. In comparison, among those who consumed 14 or more cans a week, 43 percent carried a gun or knife and 27 percent had been violent toward a partner, the researchers found. [1] Most students were either Hispanic or African-American. Factors measured were how many cans of soda drank per week, if the person carried a gun or knife, if they had been violent towards their partner, and if they had been violent towards peers. Students were grouped into those who drank zero to one can per week, and those that drank around fourteen per week. [12]
Among the questions were how much carbonated non-diet soft drink, measured in 12-ounce (355-millilitre) cans, the teens had drunk in the previous seven days. They were also asked whether they drank alcohol or smoked, carried a weapon or showed violence towards peers, family members and partner. [8] Twenty-three percent of teens who drank fewer than one soft drink a week reported carrying a weapon, for example, compared to 43 percent who drank five or more cans a week.[9]
Th researchers also saw an association between soda and weapons even when kids drank less than 14 cans. About 33 percent of teens who drank two to four cans a week said they'd carried a knife or a gun at some point, as did 38 percent of teens who drank five to seven cans of soda. [10] Researchers surveyed almost 19,000 14 to 18-year-olds from 22 Boston schools. They found 43 percent of kids who had 2 or more cans of regular soda a day carried a weapon. That's compared to 23 percent of non-soda drinkers. [4]
Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health found a "shocking" association between teen violence and soda drink consumption, according to a study published in Injury Prevention journal. [5] "We were surprised at how large the effect was," said David Hemenway, director of the Harvard School of Public Health's Injury Control Research Center in Boston. "It was maintained even when we controlled for alcohol and tobacco and family stuff like eating dinners together," he said. "There was a very strong, stable relationship between more soft drinks that people said they drank and more fights with things like pushing and shoving." [9]Michael Moore,CEO of the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA), said the findings probably tell us more about the people who drink a lot of soft drink rather than suggesting a causal link between soft drink and anti-social behaviour. "The study really cries out for more research to understand why heavy use of soft drink may be an indicator of poor behaviour and what are the social conditions that lead to such heavy use," he said. "Such a study would also need to look at the impact of alcohol, caffeinated drinks and illicit drugs which we do know have both an indicator and a causal link." Professor Mike Daube, Director of the Public Health Advocacy Institute and the McCusker Centre for Action on Alcohol and Youth said he would "suggest an exceptional degree of caution in interpreting these findings". [6]
Teenagers who drink lots of soft drinks get into more fights and carry more weapons than their peers who drink less, found a new study. [9]
Violence towards peers rose from 35 percent in the low-consumption group to 59 percent in the heaviest soda-drinkers. It's far too soon to claim that soda causes violence, and the new study only shows a correlation, said Bernard Gesch, who researchers diet and behavior at the University of Oxford in the . [9] More than 58% of high soda consumers were violent towards peers, while only 35% of low soda drinkers displayed peer violence. Remember this is a correlation study and does not prove any one part of the soda is directly linked with violent behavior. [12]
Drinking lots of soda may increase the risk of violent behavior in teens, a new study suggests. [7] Teens who drink lots of soda could be missing important micro-nutrients found in healthier foods, according to background information in the study, or could be drinking soda to combat low blood sugar, which is linked to irritability or violence. [10] The study, which was published in the journal Injury Prevention, found that the teens who drank five cans of nondiet soda or more each week were more likely to behave aggressively than kids who reported drinking no soda. [1]Nearly 30 percent of respondents reported consuming more than five cans of soda each week, the researchers reported in Injury Prevention. Heavy soda drinkers didn't seem to get less sleep than anyone else, but they were more likely to have indulged in alcohol and tobacco over the previous month. Even when the researchers controlled for alcohol, tobacco, BMI and other details, though, they found a steady rise in violence alongside higher levels of soda drinking. [9]
There is also good evidence that people who perpetrate violence tend to have abnormalities in that glucose-digesting process. Consuming massive amounts of sugar could set those people up to commit violent acts. In his own research, Gesch found a 26 percent drop in discipline-worthy offenses among prisoners who were given nutritional supplements, while behavior stayed the same in a group that was randomly assigned to take placebo pills. A similar study by Dutch researchers showed a 48 percent drop in bad acts with supplementation. "The evidence that links diet with heart disease could easily fill a warehouse," he added. [9] In 1979, U.S. lawyers successfully argued that a defendant accused of murder had a diminished capacity to understand his actions as a result of switching to a junk food diet, a legal precedent that became known as the "Twinkie Defense." It's possible that thecaffeine and sugar in the soda may directly affect teens' behavior, the researchers said. It's also possible that people who violent have a penchant for soda. [7] Soda consumption, for example, may be a marker of heightened violent tendencies already present in the teen, or of poor parenting, the researchers said. [10]
Even if soda consumption doesn't cause violent behavior, it may be a useful marker for aggressive, the researchers say. [7] Overall, frequent soft drink consumption was associated with a 9 per cent to 15 per cent increased likelihood of engaging in aggressive behavior, researchers said. [1] "There was a significant and strong association between soft drinks and violence," researchers concluded. "There may be a direct cause-and-effect relationship, perhaps due to the sugar or caffeine content of soft drinks, or there may be other factors, unaccounted for in our analyses, that cause both high soft drink consumption and aggression." [5]
While the study couldn't determine whether soft drinks actually cause violence, the findings add to a growing - yet still controversial - body of research on the effects of nutrition on behavior. [9] One researcher says the study says more about the people drinking the soft drinks than the drinks themselves. [6]
"We don't know why. There may be some causal effect but it's also certainly plausible that this is just a marker for other problems - that kids who are violent for whatever reason, they tend to smoke more, they tend to drink more alcohol and they tend to maybe drink more soft drinks. [13]
While there's a chance that the sugar and caffeine from carbonated drinks contributes to violent behavior, the study shows an association, not a cause-and-effect. [10] The results held even after the researchers took into account other factors that have been linked to violent behavior, including age, alcohol and tobacco use, and the frequency of family dinners. [7]
Sara Solnick, a co-author of the study, said there's no reason to think that drinking soda causes teens to be violent and the study was intended to better understand factors that lead to youth violence. [11] A recent study conducted in Boston shows a correlation between high soda intake and violence among teens. [12]
MONDAY, Oct. 24 (HealthDay News) -- Teens who drink lots of soda seem to be prone to violence, new research suggests. [10] The studies on the effect of caffeine and sugar on behavior are inconclusive, said another expert. "There's no definitive explanation that this explains how or if this might affect behavior," said Dr. Alan Manevitz, a psychiatrist with Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City. "soda could be showing that this person is not having a healthy diet or they don't have a great upbringing," Solnick said. "Those things are connected to violence." [10]
Paris - Researchers in the U.S. said on Tuesday they had found a "shocking" association - if only a statistical one - between violence by teenagers and the amount of soda they drank. [13]
Teens who consumed fourteen cans of soda per week were far more likely to carry a gun or knife and be violent towards others. [12]
The new study was based on answers to questionnaires filled out by 1,878 public-school students aged 14 to 18 in the inner Boston area, where Hemenway said crime rates were much higher than in the wealthier suburbs. [8] The research has also exposed a higher crime rate among wealthier suburbs than other children of same age. David Hemenway claimed that the study has also pinpointed the need to study the impact of home environment along with factors such as tendency of kids to enjoy meals with the family. [3]
SOURCES
1. Grabbing a second soda? New study says think again | The State Column
2. Sugary Soda | Violent Teens | The Daily Caller
3. Carbonated Drinks Increase Aggressive Behavior, Says Study | TopNews New Zealand
4. Sugary soda makes teens more violent, researchers claim
5. Teen violence linked to soda consumption: study - GlobalPost
6. Study links teen violence to soft drink consumption | News.com.au
7. Soda Consumption Tied to Aggression | Teen Violence | My Health News Daily
8. Teen violence linked to fizzy drinks | News.com.au
9. Study: Drinking Soda May Cause Teen Violence | Fox News
10. Soft drinks linked to violent tendencies in teens
11. Soda Linked To Teen Violence, Study Says - Health News Story - WCVB Boston
12. Soda Linked to Teen Violence
13. Teen violence linked to soda: News24: Sci-Tech: News
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Apakah Kaum Muslim Perlu Merayakan Halloween?
Dari arkib Hidayatullah.com--Sebentar lagi akan memasuki akhir bulan Oktober. Sebagaimana biasa dalam tradisi Barat, malam tanggal 31 Oktober dirayakan pesta Halloween. Pada hari ini anak-anak berpakaian aneh-aneh dan seram. Mereka berkeliling dari pintu ke pintu meminta permen atau coklat, sambil berkata "beri kami permen atau kami jahili."
Halloween atau Hallowe’en adalah tradisi perayaan malam tanggal 31 Oktober, dan terutama dirayakan di Amerika Serikat.
Halloween berasal dari tradisi masyarakat Celtic—yang dulu mendiami Irlandia, Skotlandia, dan daerah sekitarnya—yang percaya kalau pada hari terakhir bulan Oktober, para arwah gentayangan di bumi. Tapi tradisi ini sebenarnya telah berpulang lama.
Sekitar abad pertama Masehi, masyarakat Celtic ditaklukkan oleh warga Romawi, yang kemudian menambahkan kebudayaan mereka ke dalam tradisi Halloween. Mereka menambahkan dua festival bernama Feralia, diperuntukkan untuk menghormati mereka yang telah meninggal, dan Pomona, yaitu festival untuk merayakan musim panen, diambil dari nama seorang dewi.
Sekitar abad ke-8, gereja Katolik mulai merayakan tanggal 1 November sebagai hari untuk menghormati para santo dan santa yang tidak memiliki hari perayaan khusus. Maka mulailah tradisi bahwa misa yang diadakan pada hari itu disebut Allhallowmas, yang berarti misa kaum suci (red: dalam bahasa Inggris disebut hallow). Malam sebelumnya, tanggal 31 Oktober, lalu disebut All Hallows Eve. Inilah cikal-bakal Halloween.
Lalu beranjak memasuki abad ke-18, banyak warga asal Eropa yang berimigrasi ke Amerika. Kebudayaan ini tetap mereka pertahankan, dan bentuk perayaannya terus berkembang sampai sekarang.
Bagi anak-anak, Halloween berarti kesempatan untuk memakai kostum dan mendapatkan permen. Bagi orang dewasa, Halloween mungkin merupakan kesempatan untuk berpesta kostum.
Simbol Halloween biasanya dekat dengan kematian, keajaiban, dan monster-monster dari dunia mitos. Karakter yang sering dikaitkan dengan Halloween, misalnya karakter setan dan iblis dalam kebudayaan Barat, manusia labu, makhluk angkasa luar, tukang sihir, kelelawar, burung hantu, burung gagak, burung bangkai, rumah hantu, kucing hitam, laba-laba, goblin, zombie, mumi, tengkorak, dan manusia serigala. Di Amerika Serikat, simbol Halloween biasanya dekat dengan tokoh dalam film klasik, mulai dari Drakula dan monster Frankenstein. Hitam dan oranye dianggap sebagai warna tradisional Halloween, walaupun sekarang banyak juga barang-barang Halloween yang berwarna ungu, hijau, dan merah.
Bagi toko, acara ini kesempatan bagus untuk pemasaran atau promosi. Singkat kata, sungguh tidak terbatas bentuk perayaan Halloween di Amerika.
Sementara itu, di belahan selatan benua Amerika, tepatnya di Meksiko, setiap tanggal 31 Oktober merayakan Hari Para Arwah (El Dia de Los Muertos), untuk menghormati para kaum suci. Berawal dari tradisi gereja Katolik, perayaan itu sampai sekarang dianggap sebagai salah satu hari besar keagamaan dan dirayakan dengan meriah.
Tanpa Makna
Halloween berasal sebuah perayaan untuk menandai awal musim dingin dan hari pertama Tahun Baru bagi orang kafir kuno dari Kepulauan Inggris. Pada kesempatan ini, mereka meyakini bahwa roh-roh dari dunia lain (seperti jiwa-jiwa orang mati) dapat mengunjungi bumi selama waktu ini dan berkeliaran.
Pada saat ini, mereka mengadakan perayaan untuk dewa matahari dan penguasa yang mati. Matahari mengucapkan terima kasih atas hasil panen, dan memberikan dukungan moral untuk menghadapi "pertempuran" dengan musim dingin. Pada zaman kuno, orang-orang kafir membuat pengorbanan hewan dan tanaman untuk menyenangkan para dewa.
Mereka juga percaya bahwa pada 31 Oktober penguasa (Tuhan) yang mati mengumpulkan semua jiwa-jiwa orang-orang yang telah meninggal pada tahun itu. Jiwa-jiwa setelah kematian, akan tinggal di dalam tubuh binatang, maka pada hari ini tuhan akan mengumumkan bentuk yang seharusnya diterima oleh mereka selama tahun berikutnya.
Masalah Aqidah
Hampir semua tradisi Halloween didasarkan dalam budaya pagan kuno, atau dalam budaya kekristenan. Dari sudut pandang Islam, kepercayaan ini sama dengan bentuk penyembahan berhala alias syirik. Sebagai Muslim, kita seharusnya menghormati dan menjunjung tinggi iman dan keyakinan kita. Bagaimanapun Tuhan kita adalah Allah SWT, selain itu tidak ada.
Adalah kesalahan besar ketika kita, anak-anak, dan keluarga kita merayakan sesuatu tanpa tahu latar-belakang dan tujuannya, hanya karena di antara teman-teman kita sudah biasa melakukan. “Ah, kan sudah tradisi!” begitu sering kita dengar. Atau ada lagi yang melakukan karena ketidakmengertian mereka yang sangat parah. “Just for fun aja.” (untuk bersenang-senang).
Ingatlah, setiap amal dan perbuatan kita selalu berimplikasi hukum yang akibatnya akan dipertanggungjawabkan di akherat nanti.
Jadi apa yang bisa kita lakukan, ketika anak-anak kita melihat orang lain berpakaian, makan permen, dan pergi ke pesta? Walaupun mungkin tergoda untuk bergabung, kita harus berhati-hati untuk melestarikan tradisi kita (tradisi Islam) sendiri dan tidak sepatutnya membiarkan anak-anak kita menjadi rusak dengan fenomena ini.
Dalam satu riwayat, Rasulullah pada suatu hari didatangi oleh utusan orang-orang Mekah, yang di antara mereka itu adalah al-Walid bin al-Mughirah, Aswad bin Muthalib, dan Umyyah bin Khalaf. Mereka menawarkan titik temu persamaan agama antara Islam dengan agama orang-orang kafir pada saat itu. Mereka menawarkan untuk memeluk dan menjalankan agama Islam pada masa satu tahun dan pada tahun berikutnya berharap Rasulullah dan pengikutnya untuk menjalankan agama mereka menyembah berhala. Kerjasama saling menguntungkan ini diharapkan bisa saling bergantian. Dengan kerjasama seperti ini, mereka merasa tidak ada yang saling dirugikan antara kaum kafir dan Islam.
Tawaran itu serta merta ditolak Rasulullah diawali dengan kalimat “aku berlindung dari orang-orang yang menyekutukan Allah.” Dalam masalah aqidah dan tauhid, Rasulullah tidak berstrategi ataupun berpolitik untuk tawaran ini.
Sejak itu, Allah langsung menurunkan wahyu, yaitu Al-Quran QS 109:1-6 atau sering disebut Surat al-Kafirun (orang-orang kafir).
Dalam surat al-Kafirun ayat pertama disebutkan, “Qul (katakan ya Muhammad) wahai orang-orang kafir, aku tidak akan menyembah apa yang kalian sembah”. Ayat berikutnya berbunyi, “aku bukanlah penyembah apa yang engkau sembah.”
Ayat ke-4 mengatakan, “Aku selamanya bukanlah penyembah apa yang kalian sembah.” Jadi jelaslah, ayat ini menunjukkan sikap berbeda dan harus diambil oleh setiap orang Muslim terhadap orang kafir.
Maka bagi kita umat Islam yang mengikuti perayaan agama non-muslim, sekalipun hanya dengan mengucapkan “selamat” saja, maka itu juga melanggar ketentuan Allah. Maka sikap yang paling baik adalah jangan pernah menggangu mereka dalam perayaan ibadah atau perayaan mereka sekecil apapun, dan sekaligus jangan pernah tersentuh sekecil apapun untuk mengikutinya.
Dan dari Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-Ash r.a, dia berkata, “Barangsiapa yang berdiam di negeri-negeri orang asing, lalu membuat tahun baru dan festival seperti mereka serta menyerupai mereka hingga dia mati dalam kondisi demikian, maka kelak dia akan dikumpulkan pada hari kiamat bersama mereka.” [Lihat ‘Aun Al-Ma’bud Syarh Sunan Abi Daud, Syarah hadits no. 3512]
Nabi kita, Rasulullah Muhammad, telah memuliakan dua hari yang patut dirayakan. Dua hari itu tak lain adalah Idul Fitri dan Idul Adha. “Sesungguhnya Allah telah menggantikan bagi kalian untuk keduanya dua hari yang lebih baik dari keduanya: Idul Adha dan Idul Fitri.” [Dikeluarkan oleh Imam Ahmad di dalam Musnadnya, No. 11595, 13058, 13210]
Seorang ulama bagi penganut Salafi, Syeikh Muhammad bin Shaleh Al-Utsaimin bahkan tak kalah kerasnya. Menurut beliau, hari raya atau perayaan yang dikenal oleh Islam hanyalah; Idul Fitri, Idul Adha, dan Idul Usbu' (hari Jum'at). Dalam Islam tidak ada hari raya lain selain tiga hari raya tersebut, maka setiap hari raya yang diadakan di luar tiga hari raya itu ditolak alias bid'ah dan batil. [cha, berbagai sumber/www.hidayatullah.com]Rep:
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