Can religion define a person’s life? Can it motivate a person to do something extraordinary? Can it be an origin of great joy or sorrow? No matter what a person’s views are, religion and faith are a source of great influence in the world. Belief in all-powerful, all-knowing beings has dated back to Ancient Egypt. “it is clear that the ancient Egyptian venerated many deities, that those gods were inherent in nature, and that they enabled the Egyptian to correlate human, natural, and divine life.” (Egyptian Religion 1). Since that time, beliefs have changed, churches have been created and destroyed, and faith has evolved. In the United States today, one can easily see the aftermath of a nation that has a foundation in religion. Money has “In
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Puritans in The Scarlet Letter believed that a community was only as strong as each member in it. If one member sinned, they all had to be punished for that sin. It’s this belief that brought each member to have a strong religious conviction. They knew that if they didn’t follow the rules of their theocracy, the whole town would fail. That’s also why each member became a better Puritan individually. One journal states that “American Puritans believed that just as God chastised elect individuals to prepare them for heaven, rather than destroy them, he chastised New England” the author goes on to say, “The New Englanders therefore understood that their afflictions, no matter how severe, were not ultimately destructive” (Winship 415). Most religious leaders have good intentions and are striving to make each person better based on what they know to be true. Puritans were told to spend “their time in hard work, plain living, and prayer.” (Beauchamp 45). Following these simple instructions can easily make any villager happy if that’s what they believe will make them happy. They believe it will make them happy because they’ve been told it should. But the same thing that makes you and me happy isn’t going to be the same thing that makes a 17th century Puritan happy. Lisa Anderson, Jennifer Mellor, and Jeffrey Milyo say “ all major religions exhort their followers (to some degree or another) to show compassion …show more content…
There are so many different beliefs, commandments, and rituals that it’s hard to keep track of them all. Does its’ broadness make religion a bad thing for the world? In some ways, it does. The large variety of faiths can cause disputes and conflicts. Religion can take advantage of its followers. It can have complete control over a government. It can even get cause physical injury or death. But one should look past all that and see the good that comes from religion. First of all, religion helps make people make decisions by providing them with a moral compass. It forms a spiritual bond that grows communities closer. It encourages self-confidence and personal growth. Faith helps people realize their meaning in this world. It gives hope to those experiencing hopelessness. In The Scarlet Letter, religion gave Hester a reason to live. Even when she was punished and shamed by the community, she never gave up. She didn’t let their hate tear her down. She was comforted by the hope that she could be redeemed in the eyes of God. She trusted that if she stayed true to her beliefs and practiced them no matter what others said, she would rise up victorious. And that’s exactly what happened. She clung to her faith in a time of trouble and it paid off in the end. Religion may be one of the easiest things to acquire. James Van Slyke says ”Religious concepts are easier to learn and retain among the numerous
Puritans in The Scarlet Letter believed that a community was only as strong as each member in it. If one member sinned, they all had to be punished for that sin. It’s this belief that brought each member to have a strong religious conviction. They knew that if they didn’t follow the rules of their theocracy, the whole town would fail. That’s also why each member became a better Puritan individually. One journal states that “American Puritans believed that just as God chastised elect individuals to prepare them for heaven, rather than destroy them, he chastised New England” the author goes on to say, “The New Englanders therefore understood that their afflictions, no matter how severe, were not ultimately destructive” (Winship 415). Most religious leaders have good intentions and are striving to make each person better based on what they know to be true. Puritans were told to spend “their time in hard work, plain living, and prayer.” (Beauchamp 45). Following these simple instructions can easily make any villager happy if that’s what they believe will make them happy. They believe it will make them happy because they’ve been told it should. But the same thing that makes you and me happy isn’t going to be the same thing that makes a 17th century Puritan happy. Lisa Anderson, Jennifer Mellor, and Jeffrey Milyo say “ all major religions exhort their followers (to some degree or another) to show compassion …show more content…
There are so many different beliefs, commandments, and rituals that it’s hard to keep track of them all. Does its’ broadness make religion a bad thing for the world? In some ways, it does. The large variety of faiths can cause disputes and conflicts. Religion can take advantage of its followers. It can have complete control over a government. It can even get cause physical injury or death. But one should look past all that and see the good that comes from religion. First of all, religion helps make people make decisions by providing them with a moral compass. It forms a spiritual bond that grows communities closer. It encourages self-confidence and personal growth. Faith helps people realize their meaning in this world. It gives hope to those experiencing hopelessness. In The Scarlet Letter, religion gave Hester a reason to live. Even when she was punished and shamed by the community, she never gave up. She didn’t let their hate tear her down. She was comforted by the hope that she could be redeemed in the eyes of God. She trusted that if she stayed true to her beliefs and practiced them no matter what others said, she would rise up victorious. And that’s exactly what happened. She clung to her faith in a time of trouble and it paid off in the end. Religion may be one of the easiest things to acquire. James Van Slyke says ”Religious concepts are easier to learn and retain among the numerous