Final Draft Douglass
Lucia Brammer
Professor Chris Roberts
E&D, MWF 1:50-2:50
November 17, 2014
The Misuse of Christianity in Frederick Douglass
Christianity is the majority religion people affiliate with in the United States. During the 1800’s Christianity was especially prevalent. Slavery was also a huge part of the 1800’s. Many slaveholders were Christian and used the Bible as justification for the existence and treatment of slaves. People who did not consider slavery to be justified started to appear in the North and called themselves abolitionists. These abolitionists called upon an escaped slave, Frederick Douglass to write a personal narrative on his experience as a slave. Frederick Douglass mentions Christianity and its relation to slavery several times in his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. In the appendix, Douglass explains that people who do not know his religious views believe him to be, “an opponent of all religion” (810). Here Douglass must continue to explain how he views Christianity explicitly in the South rather than Christianity as a universal religion. This is actually quite unnecessary because through clearly addressing Christianity in the South and examples of slaveholders utilizing Christianity, Douglass asserts that Christianity is incorrectly used in the south; thus, it is impossible for a slaveholder to be a “true Christian”.
Foremost, Douglass directly addresses Christianity in the South to emphasize how absurd it is for a slaveholder to be a “true Christian”. Douglass explains:
“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…For of all slaveholders with whom I have ever met, religious slaveholders are the worst. I have ever
Professor Chris Roberts
E&D, MWF 1:50-2:50
November 17, 2014
The Misuse of Christianity in Frederick Douglass
Christianity is the majority religion people affiliate with in the United States. During the 1800’s Christianity was especially prevalent. Slavery was also a huge part of the 1800’s. Many slaveholders were Christian and used the Bible as justification for the existence and treatment of slaves. People who did not consider slavery to be justified started to appear in the North and called themselves abolitionists. These abolitionists called upon an escaped slave, Frederick Douglass to write a personal narrative on his experience as a slave. Frederick Douglass mentions Christianity and its relation to slavery several times in his autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, an American Slave. In the appendix, Douglass explains that people who do not know his religious views believe him to be, “an opponent of all religion” (810). Here Douglass must continue to explain how he views Christianity explicitly in the South rather than Christianity as a universal religion. This is actually quite unnecessary because through clearly addressing Christianity in the South and examples of slaveholders utilizing Christianity, Douglass asserts that Christianity is incorrectly used in the south; thus, it is impossible for a slaveholder to be a “true Christian”.
Foremost, Douglass directly addresses Christianity in the South to emphasize how absurd it is for a slaveholder to be a “true Christian”. Douglass explains:
“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…For of all slaveholders with whom I have ever met, religious slaveholders are the worst. I have ever