Essay On Life Affirmation

Life affirmation simply refer to the confessions that life is real. This enables people to accept, appreciate and improve their lives (Bernard 5). The phoenix affirmations were developed by a group of clergy members to safeguard the Christianity (Erick 26). Today, Christians view these affirmations as the most valuable, clear and progressive to their faith (Tickle 144). The three concepts of phoenix are love of God, neighbours and love of self. Christians believe love for God offers redemption to man through His gift for eternal life. Love for others enables the man to offer redemption to fellow men by treating them equally without any discrimination regardless of their religion or race. The neighbours feel that their lives are worth. Whenever people love themselves it denotes that they are able to appreciate their lives and aspire to live to fulfilment hence affirming life.
Harold and Maude is a 1971 romantic dark comedy film by Ashby. According to this movie, the two characters are obsessed with death although Maude loves her life. The two regardless of their ages fall in love and this gives Maude a chance to teach Harold about the circular nature of life. In this film, Maude portrays life and influences Harold to be full of life and energy (Canby 87). Maude’s philosophy for life is, reach out, take a chance and get hurt equally. Maude is implying that one should try to interact with different people in life. Maude believes that death does not terminate one completely but people retreat from life. She further relate the locker room to a place where people go when they die. Therefore, Maude encourages people to live to their fullest taking opportunities before death.

Work cited

Tickle, Phyllis. The Great Emergence: How Christianity is Changing and Why. (Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2008), p. 144.
Canby, Vincent. “Harold and Maude' and Life: Hal Ashby's Comedy Opens at Coronet Ruth Gordon, Bud Cort Star as Odd Couple”. New York Times 21 December 1971,
[url=http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/5862/xhigginnsscreenplay]http://www.geocities.com/RainForest/5862/xhigginnsscreenplay, p.87 – 88, 1971.
Reginster, Bernard. The Affirmation of Life: Nietzsche on Overcoming Nihilism. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard University Press, 2008. Internet resource. P. 5
Elnes, Eric. The Phoenix Affirmations: A New Vision for the Future of Christianity. San Francisco, Calif: Jossey-Bass, 2013. Internet resource. P. 26