In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, written by himself, the author asserts that the Christianity of the slaveholders is hypocritical and used to justify their actions. Douglass supports his claim by, first, talking about the affairs that the white men had with female slaves. The wife’s knew about it but, did not think any of it since slaves were considered property. Also second, Douglass’s purpose is to point out the hypocrisy of slave owners who profess to be Christian in order to treat the slaves as not as people. Based on Douglass detailed writing is for people in power make a change in slavery.
Although at the time slavery was common and justified in Douglass’s time. Many slaveholders thought nothing
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They are, in the first place, a constant offence to their mistress. She is ever disposed to find fault with them; they can seldom do anything to please her; she is never better pleased than when she sees them under the lash, especially when she suspects her husband of showing to his mulatto children favors which he withholds from his black slaves.” (Douglass 27) which meant In a Christian marriage, being unfaithful is a sin, but the wife is knowledgeable of her husband’s infidelity with the slave girls. Perhaps the wife tolerates this due her perception that the slave is a possession and not a person, therefore it is not a sin and the children from this union are not to be treated any better than the other slaves in her eyes. Secondly Douglass says “I speak advisedly when I say this, -that killing a slave, or any colored person, in Talbot County, Maryland, is not treated as a crime, either by the two courts or the community. Mr. Thomas Lanman, of St. Michael’s, killed two slaves, one of whom he killed with a hatchet, by knocking his brains out.” (Douglass 40) meant that A true Christian would follow the commandments,