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Frederick Douglass Religion

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In the year of 1800, Christianity was very prevalent among the times, and America’s dependence was on slavery. Frederick Douglass, one of the world’s best orators at the time, was a former slave that was primarily ignorant of most things, specifically religion as he questioned the exist and being of God regarding him and his people's situation in society. Eventually Frederick escaped slavery learning to become literate. With that came Fredrick’s ability to account for his situation in society, along with the morality of human beings and the divinity of this inanimate God. Overall Frederick Douglass came to accept catholic views, with his stances on, violence, poverty, and inequality. A way Frederick Douglass supports Catholic views is by …show more content…

“Everything looked clean, new, beautiful… I saw few or no dilapidated houses” (Douglass n.p). Douglass here discretely, is trying to display the adversity poor slaves face by portraying the lavishness of the white slaveholders. In addition, Catholic views are in agreement to Douglass’ views. “Within the community of believers there can be room for a poverty that denies anyone what is needed for a dignified life” (Deus Caritas Est ). The Catholic church is distinctly stating that physical poverty is wrong and among the “christian world” there should be none. Douglass’ views on spiritual poverty convincingly supports catholic values. “I finally found that change of heart which come by “‘casting all ones care’ upon God, and by having faith in Jesus Christ, as the redeemer, Friend, and savior of those who diligently seek him” (Douglass n.p). This brilliantly shows catholic values reinforced by douglass’ conversion after his previous doubt in God in his My bondage and my freedom (... Black Atheism). Disregard to human life and dignity destroys the spirit of the living. “For slavery can change a saint into a sinner, and an angel into a demon” (Douglass n.p). This relates to an earlier paragraph about the perverted mind which in this case eventually affects the spirit as well which leads up to eternal poverty, simply without God. Douglass again in complete agreement with the Catholic stance on spiritual poverty. …show more content…

For instance, during his fight with the “nigger-breaker”, Covey in My Bondage and My Freedom, Douglass earned a sense of freedom and manhood. There’s a underlying theme which goes to show Douglass’ support for just violence when necessary in order to achieve freedom. Moreover, Douglass subtly supports just violence, stating, “The thing worse than rebellion is the thing that causes rebellion” (Douglass n.p). Here Douglass amounts the blame on the cause of rebellion which in this case is slavery discreetly showing his support for the justified slaves resisting slavery. Likewise, Catholicism essentially supports just violence. “As long freedom has not bound itself definitely to its ultimate good which is God, there is a possibility of choosing between good and evil, and thus of growing in perfection or of failing and sinning. This freedom characterizes properly human acts. It is the basis of praise or blame, merit or reproach” (CCC 1732). Comparatively, Repudiation of violence is prevalent amongst Frederick Douglass’ stance. “ … mangled and emaciated creatures… the head, neck, and shoulders of Mary were literally cut to pieces. I have frequently felt her head and found it covered with festering sores caused by the lash of her cruel mistress” (CCC 1197). Indicated by these accounts master were able to maintain slaves by using dehumanization and violence as a tool, further, using female slaves to

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The Narrative of the Life of Fredrick Douglass challenges and enhances information from the textbook America a Narrative History. In Chapter 13 of the textbook, the Second Great Awakening is mentioned, and the author talks about how large camp meetings were held, which resulted in many converting to Methodism. Similarly, Douglass, as his master attended one, mentions a camp meeting, where Douglass hoped his master would become kinder or emancipate his slaves, however, instead it made his master crueler. In addition, in Chapter 15 the conflict between a true Christian and a Southern Christian is brought up. In both the narrative and the textbook, the fact that slavery is endorsed by the bible is brought up as part of the pro-slavery movement.

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Christianity was, to the slaves of America, (something with a double meaning). In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass an American Slave, Frederick Douglass, the author, argues about how Christianity can mean one thing to a free white man and something completely different to a black slave. The slave owners follow the ‘Christianity of the Land’ while the slaves follow the ‘Christianity of Christ.’ Frederick begins to build his credibility to a, white, northern, audience by including documents from trustworthy writers and by getting into personal experiences through his writing. Throughout the narrative, he is articulate in how he writes, and it shows the reader that he is well educated.

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Sharing similar priorities with Douglass, Socrates humbly accepts Callicles’ refutations and allows his reputation to be vulnerable. Douglass’ speech exemplifies the Beautiful when discussing the impact slavery has on the church. In response to slavery, the ministers, “strip the love of God of its beauty and leave the throng of religion a huge, horrible, repulsive form.” (Douglass). Appalled at the church for supporting the ugliness and injustice of slavery, Douglass claims that slavery is in no way “divine” and that

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Douglass tells us this by saying that he believes anyone who is a slave owner cannot be a Christian. In his view, he believes being a slave owner violates the very principles of being a Christian. Auld quote he believes that the Christianity practiced by the Slave owners and the Christianity practiced by non-slave owners are two

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Both King and Douglass were advocating for the same thing: their constitutional sanction of freedom. Both men, in their respective letters touch upon parallel thoughts and beliefs that revolve around the much bigger topic of racial inequality and discrimination. Both men were discriminated against and they talk about their experiences and plight in their very distinctive yet special styles. Born in the year 1817, in an era of open and unashamed slave trade, Frederick Douglass’s story begins as a serf to Mrs. Hugh in the city of Maryland.

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On July 5th 1852 Fredrick Douglass gave a speech to the anti-slavery society to show that all men and woman are equal no matter what. Douglass uses ethos, pathos, and logos in his speech to make look reasonable. Douglass demonstrates ethos by speaking in first person that of which he had experience slavery: "I was born amid such sights and scenes"(Douglass 4). When Douglass spoke these words to the society, they knew of his personal knowledge and was able to depend on him has a reliable source of information. The anti-slavery society listening to his every word, considering that Douglass spoke with integrity, knowledge and emotions.

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During the time when Douglass wrote this book, there were several myths which were used to justify slavery. The slaveholder during his time justified this inhuman practice using different arguments. The first argument they used was the religion. From the narrative, Douglass says that slaveholders called themselves Christians which was the dominant religion by then.

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In “Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave” there are many ironic actions related to religion. Douglass does his best to give us personal accounts of events he witnessed. Douglass also gives the reader a better understanding of how slaves were treated and how many people backed up their actions with

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Here, Douglass exposes the Christian attempt to wash their hands of any guilt or wrong doing. Overall, Douglass exposes the truth behind this hypocrisy; when these slaveholders use God as a

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He proclaims that "…While we are…living, moving, acting, thinking, planning, living in families as husbands, wives and children, and, above all, confessing and worshipping the Christian's God, and looking hopefully for life and immortality beyond the grave, we are called upon to prove that we are men!" By showing the mundanity of the slave, Douglass shows the audience that the slaves are human and therefore unable to be considered property. He forces his audience to examine their own lives and realize their similarities to the slaves and the hypocrisy of slavery. He doesn't give his audience a chance to disagree with his stance on slavery because he makes such a blunt argument. Douglass asks again, "Must I undertake to prove that the slave is a man?

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Frederick Douglass’s narrative provides a first hand experience into the imbalance of power between a slave and a slaveholder and the negative effects it has on them both. Douglass proves that slavery destroys not only the slave, but the slaveholder as well by saying that this “poison of irresponsible power” has a dehumanizing effect on the slaveholder’s morals and beliefs (Douglass 40). This intense amount of power breaks the  kindest heart and changes the slaveholder into a heartless demon (Douglass 40). Yet these are not the only ways that Douglass proves what ill effect slavery has on the slaveholder. Douglass also uses deep characterization, emotional appeal, and religion to present the negative effects of slavery.

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Douglass encountered multiple harsh realities of being enslaved. For example, the ex-slave was practically starved to death by his masters on multiple occasions. In fact, “[He was] allowed less than a half of a bushel of corn-meal per week, and very little else... It was not enough for [him] to subsist upon... A great many times [he had] been nearly perishing with hunger” (pg 31).

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Douglass has shown how religious slaveholders are the worst especially when entertainment comes into play. The first being from one of his slaveholders Master Thomas, he whipped a young woman while reading a quote from the scripture to explain his reason for whipping her. The next example was with his other Master Mr.Covey, he would go to church and preach the word but come back beating slaves and going against the almighty God. The last example that is shown is again shown with Mr.Covey, he was guilty of compelling his woman slave to commit the sin of adultery. All of the examples illustrate that religious slaveholders are worst than non-religious slaveholders.

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Also, in the same chapter, Douglass’ expresses his feelings for Mr.Freeland stating, “I will give Mr.Freeland the credit for being the best master I ever had” (Douglass 49). Douglass’ states that Mr.Freeland was not religious but he was the best master he ever had. It is ironic that non-religious slaveholders treat their slaves better than religious slaveholders. Therefore, Douglass notes the irony of religious and non-religious slaveholders: religious slaveholders being more cruel than non-religious slaveholders. Douglass perceives how slaves are treated worse than animals.

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Frederick Douglass was a great writer, but he wasn’t always. He was an escaped slave who used that in his speeches as a topic to gain the attention of his audience. His audience was a seemingly sympathetic one and got to them through rhetorical questions. Douglass wanted to convey the message that there are many changes that need to be made.

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