Angelina Grimke's approach to this very controversial issue was genius. She started her appeal with a humble attitude and reminded her readers of their connection as Christians. She pointed out that the founding documents of the country were based on the biblical principles “ that all men are created equal, and that they have certain inalienable rights among which are, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”<br> She used logically reasoning to conclude that if this was true then slavery is obviously a contradiction of their religion and the constitution. She then follows by calling slavery what it is, a "horrible system of oppression and cruelty, licentiousness and wrong" and directs them on actions to take. What amazes me is that Christians had to be persuaded on this subject. True believers should have known this system was against Christian morality.
- Oct 2020
- Sep 2020
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It is evident that Nat Turner was influenced by the religious teachings that came out of the second Great Awakening. His character and personality were not easily controlled even as a child and his leadership tendency was apparent. The spiritual visions he claimed, resembled aspects of biblical ideas and metaphors such as the white man sweating droplets of blood much like what Christ experienced in the garden. The hieroglyphics resembled the writing on the wall that the Babylonian king witnessed in the Old Testament. Nate Turner's account prior to the rebellion sheds light on the reason for his return to the area and the upcoming rebellion. He really felt a spiritual calling.
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The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect, over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked; his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times so abominable in his eyes as the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince: and yet ’tis nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment; ’tis to be ascribed to nothing else, that you did not go to hell the last night; that you was suffered to awake again in this world, after you closed your eyes to sleep: and there is no other reason to be given why you have not dropped into hell since you arose in the morning, but that God’s hand has held you up; there is no other reason to be given why you han’t gone to hell since you have sat here in the house of God, provoking his pure eyes by your sinful wicked manner of attending his solemn worship: yea, there is nothing else that is to be given as a reason why you don’t this very moment drop down into hell.
Jonathan Edwards presents God as being so angry that He's just waiting to cast the listeners into hell. The imagery accomplishes the goal; to provoke fear and a sense of helplessness. The message was to create an understanding that salvation and regeneration was an individual matter; not obtained by being in the church or having an elite status The Puritan church was a product of the Catholic and Anglican churches,so the intimidation factor is understandable. . The Christian church had drifted so far from the original gospel message and I find the sermon tone to be a stark contrast to the famous New Testament verse, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son, that whoever believes in Him will be saved." (John 3:16).
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You probably are not sensible of this; you find you are kept out of hell, but don’t see the hand of God in it, but look at other things, as the good state of your bodily constitution, your care of your own life, and the means you use for your own preservation. But indeed these things are nothing; if God should withdraw his hand, they would avail no more to keep you from falling, than the thin air to hold up a person that is suspended in it….
This references the dependence the people had on their own ability to avoid God's judgement; looking at their own material blessings, status, health, labor, etc. as the reason for being "kept out of hell" rather than understanding that the only thing keeping them "out of hell" is "the hand of God". If His hand were to be removed, nothing from their own ability would keep them from falling into the burning pit.
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