Frederick Douglass: The Narrative of the Life
The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American SlaveAnother advantage I gained in my new master was, he made no pretensions to, or profession of, religion; and this, in my opinion, was truly a great advantage. I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the south is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes,--a justifier of the most appalling barbarity,--a sanctifier of the most hateful frauds,--and a dark shelter under, which the darkest, foulest, grossest, and most infernal deeds of slaveholders find the strongest protection. Were I to be again reduced to the chains of slavery, next to that enslavement, I should regard being the slave of a religious master the greatest calamity that could befall me. (Chapter X, 33).This paragraph spoke loudest about Frederick Douglass' feelings toward religious slave-owners. He made the statement that he regarded being the slave of a religious man the greatest calamity that could befall anyone. Douglass went on to discuss more of why he felt this way towards religious men, having observed and lived among "religious" slave owners." He observed that religious men felt that "reminding him of his master's authority" was done by regular whippings, whether or not he had done
However, after three classes the class was raided and the participants driven off, as it was illegal to teach slaves to read. Frederick Douglass, thus learned that the Christians in the North were not the tyrants and sadists they had been in the South. The slaves who had hoped he would be bettered by his conversion were disappointed, as previously the master was just a mean man and afterwards found reasons for being cruel in the Bible. He also noted that "religious" men used their religion as a cover-up for the "most cruel and cowardly" deeds done, in the name of their church (in this case the Reformed Methodist Church). One would think that today, with most people in the world being able to read and learn from the lessons history has taught, that people would be much kinder and respectful of human rights for all people, but this kind of debasement of the human spirit continues to be found from time to time. In Chapter IX, he tells how his cruel master was converted to Christianity. He found relief in the friendship of a Mr. When the Nazis in Germany in 1944 decided to kill all the Jews, there were many in that country who were Christians who turned a blind eye to the systematic persecution of the Jewish people. The shocking revelations from the prison in Guantanamo, the foibles of cruel dictators, such as Idi Amin, the former Ugandan leader, the genocide that occurred in Rwanda in 1994 and is occurring in Darfur today (Genocide 2007), all continue to show us that mankind has a cruel streak, that if it is allowed to fester, even to be encouraged and supported by fellow humans, can become full-fledged genocide (Genocide 2000). Michael's who convinced another slave owner to free his slaves. This man called in the preacher when it was time for Frederick to get married.
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Acceptance Essays
