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Role of religion in early american society
How did puritanism reflected in benjamin franklin and his writings
Role of religion in early american society
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The Puritans were a group of people that were discontented with the church in England. The moved from England because it was expected to have religious, moral and social reforms. They lived by the bible because they believed that the Bible was the very true law of God. Although they rejected the church's authority. They were seeking to purify of a not only church but also their everyday lives.
The Puritans are also frightened by all the talk of G-d’s wrath and immense strength that they realize their subordination to this almighty G-d simply has to be accepted. G-d cannot be thwarted by man because man is just too helpless to math his inconceivable
The Puritan’s voyage to the New World was recorded in “Of Plymouth Plantation” by William Bradford. The Puritans made this voyage to escape the persecution they were facing in Europe and in hopes of starting a new life that would exert their right to religious freedom. The Puritans believed God’s active and persistent “hand” was present in all aspects of their lives. It was the grace of God that was the sole explanation of every daily occurrence or event. God created everything and therefore he played a significant role in the lives of the Puritans.
Puritans brought along their own religious practices which were still protected. This sort of situation gives opportunity for influence or in a philosophical way a possible infection in their way of life. The Puritans strict rules and lifestyle, fear of an angry God that communicated through divine providences or events that occurred, and their failure to abide to the high expectations that they burdened themselves,
Puritans thought that the Devil was about as real as God is. It is said that they believed Satan would select the weakest out of them all, which was mostly women, children, the insane and punish them. The ones that followed Satan were considered witches. This was one of the greatest crimes say the Puritans. These kind of things truly shape how the religion is now.
How Puritans were required to follow a certain lifestyle, they were enforced to adopt the divine law and live according to it. Any alteration to this system meant the parting of their chance of salvation. Edwards continually makes allusions about Gods wrath, this is used as tool to instill fear on its audience. Consequently he believed fear was an imperative tool
To add, Puritans were fundamentalists; they believed that every word in the Bible was the true word of God. For example, they hung witches because they believed that was what God had wanted. Exodus 22:18, King James’s version of the Bible, the scripture Puritans read and lived by, includes the quote, “Thou shalt not suffer a witch to live.” The quote was interpreted literally by the Puritans leading them to want to hang all alleged witches. Moreover, Puritans also strongly believed in Satan and believed that the devil could unwillingly enter the body of a weak-willed person leading them to become a witch.
The Puritans were a fearful, strict, and highly religious group. The Puritans feared the worst things to happen to themselves and to the community. By fearing many things, they were well prepared. They took extreme caution in everything that they did.
The pursuit of religious freedom is not a contemporary idea. For centuries many have valiantly fought against oppression and persecution in order to worship freely without restraint and judgement. Some of the earliest immigrants who migrated to this country did so with the hopes of being able to worship in a manner than aligned most closely with their religious beliefs. Many of the principles that founded this nation are based on the premise of religious freedom and toleration. Undoubtedly one of the most influential and prominent religious factions to land on these shores in pursuit of this right, were the Puritans.
The Puritans based their lives on the covenants they made when they came to New England. The covenant was agreeing to base their life around God or face the consequences. When the Puritans broke the covenants they were punished by public humiliation, exile from the community, and even death ("Puritans (1600-1754)."). The Puritans were hellbent on keeping sin out of the colonies because many people watched their loved ones die on the journey to New England. They also suffered through a harsh winter and battled starvation so they took it upon themselves to do anything to “purify” the colonies ("Puritans (1600-1754).").
Were the Puritans tolerant of others? When the Puritans arrived after the Pilgrims in the 1630s, they established Massachusetts Bay Colony, the New Haven Colony, the Connecticut Colony and Rhode Island. When they came over to the new world, they came with their strong religious beliefs that set the foundation of our country today. One of the key influencer of this Puritan movement was John Winthrop.
The Puritans’ life involved a domineering religion which included every family member attending church. They lived off the land and had primitive ways of surviving and raising their
One popular assumption that was made was the idea of the accusers living in boredom. The thoughts and beliefs of a Puritan were of pure quality. They carry strong beliefs in the spirit of God's laws and any deviation in life was a strong setback to their version of a healthy well being. In addition the Puritans also strong beliefs in the power of God. For example, if someone were to die that day, it would be believed as a message from God that the event was destined.
In the eighteenth century, prior to the mass exodus of the Puritans to America, there were strict laws in Europe that made same sex relationships illegal. Due to the conservative and fearful nature of European culture, violence enforced these laws. Contradictory, controversial conversations regarding same-sex relationships were permitted and common (Hari). Easily offended, these educational discussions, including Puritan prosecution, further drove them out of England. Once in America, the Puritans, a branch of the Church of England, sought to simplify worship and limit access to recreational entertainment.
Puritans are a people with a very strong belief in both God and the power of God. When people see power, they interpret it in different ways. Some know of power through anger and impulse, while others see power through the goodness the powerful one shows. Although Anne Bradstreet and Jonathan Edwards are both puritan poets, their writings convey mainly different, though sometimes similar, views on God because they have different perceptions of His will and the use of His power. Anne Bradstreet listens to and accepts anything that God wishes, and that is shown through her poem Upon the Burning of my House.
