Although Puritans and modern Americans both exhibit paranoia, they deal with their fears differently.
Whether it is suicide bombers, disease breakouts, or simply going to Hell, both Puritans and Americans have reasons to be afraid. Jonathan Edwards preached to his congregation about the consequences of sinning and not pleasing God. Edwards ask the congregation to “consider the fearful danger you are in: it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell” (Edwards 4). Jonathan Edwards warns his congregation of the repercussions of wrongdoings to God. Although Edwards …show more content…
In “Upon the Burning of our House”, Anne Bradstreet describes what she experiences when she watches her house burn down. In her poem, Bradstreet said, “When I could no longer look, I blest His name that gave and took, That laid my goods now in the dust” (Bradstreet 13-15). Bradstreet is explaining that she blesses His name for burning her house down. When Bradstreet mentions His name, she is referring to God. Bradstreet blesses God for burning her house down because she believes that it was God’s reminder not to express vanity and to avoid materialism. Bradstreet avoids materialism in fear for going to Hell. The Puritan society saw this paranoia. In modern American society, people deal with paranoia differently. Instead of avoiding materialism, they take safety precautions. In today’s society, people are constantly hearing of the dangers that the world presents. To deal with the fear of those dangers, people take safety precautions such as installing a security system inside their house, improving airport security, and even checking the weather for natural disasters. While the Puritans deal with their paranoia by avoiding materialism, Americans actually embrace materialism. Modern Americans deal with theirs fears through taking safety
Whether it is suicide bombers, disease breakouts, or simply going to Hell, both Puritans and Americans have reasons to be afraid. Jonathan Edwards preached to his congregation about the consequences of sinning and not pleasing God. Edwards ask the congregation to “consider the fearful danger you are in: it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell” (Edwards 4). Jonathan Edwards warns his congregation of the repercussions of wrongdoings to God. Although Edwards …show more content…
In “Upon the Burning of our House”, Anne Bradstreet describes what she experiences when she watches her house burn down. In her poem, Bradstreet said, “When I could no longer look, I blest His name that gave and took, That laid my goods now in the dust” (Bradstreet 13-15). Bradstreet is explaining that she blesses His name for burning her house down. When Bradstreet mentions His name, she is referring to God. Bradstreet blesses God for burning her house down because she believes that it was God’s reminder not to express vanity and to avoid materialism. Bradstreet avoids materialism in fear for going to Hell. The Puritan society saw this paranoia. In modern American society, people deal with paranoia differently. Instead of avoiding materialism, they take safety precautions. In today’s society, people are constantly hearing of the dangers that the world presents. To deal with the fear of those dangers, people take safety precautions such as installing a security system inside their house, improving airport security, and even checking the weather for natural disasters. While the Puritans deal with their paranoia by avoiding materialism, Americans actually embrace materialism. Modern Americans deal with theirs fears through taking safety