Religion Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass is one of America’s greatest autobiographies, and it has forever changed America’s view on the evils of slavery. Frederick Douglass’s style was something to truly marvel at, and it is truly one of America’s most important historical documents of that the time period. Although, many may consider this book to be simply anti-slavery propaganda, but there is an extremely vital underlining theme of religion, and its role in the slaves’ treatment. Douglass’s focused on religious hypocrisy, the book’s appendix, and his countless descriptions of his so-called Christian slave master quoting the bible’s scriptures against the slaves; are the three main ways he shows religion as one of his most important
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Douglass’s writings convey that a slaveholder’s Christianity does not make him automatically holy, but it’s solely a hypocritical ploy that illustrates the slave master’s true sanctimonious barbarism. For example, Douglass speaks of his master Covey whom claims that he is a Christian, but flagrantly partakes in the terrible sin of adultery. Covey holds a slave named Caroline as his main “breeder”, and he has hired a married man to have sex with her; so Convey can own as many slaves a possible. This was a strong point in his theme of religious hypocrisy, because adultery was considered to be a terrible sin that Christians should avoid. That religion was used to keep slaves down, and uplift the slaves maters own self image. Douglass seems to focus on how slave masters constantly raped their slaves, and this shows that these so called Christian slaves’ masters were truly a hypocritical Christian. The slave owners used their religion to backup their cruelty to each slave. Also, many times using their religion to help them believe they were actually helping the …show more content…
This inclusion of the appendix was imperative, and helped keep his faith based audience attention. In this appendix he basically says that he does not have a problem the Christian faith, and he actually loves the true values of it. However, he does make a great distinction between the true Christian faith, and the way the southern Christians use their religion to keep slaves down. It was genius usage of the appendix, because this reassured his readers’ faith in the message he was trying to convey. Douglass states, “To remove the liability of such misapprehension, I deem it proper to append the following brief explanation. What I have said respecting and against religion, I mean strictly to apply to the slaveholding religion of this land, and with no possible reference to Christianity proper; for, between the Christianity of this land, and the Christianity of Christ, I recognize the widest possible difference--so wide, that to receive the one as good, pure, and holy, is of necessity to reject the other as bad, corrupt, and wicked”. (Appendix 1) He made sure in his appendix he was clear that always made it clear that he loves the peacefully and loving sprit of Christ, and that the Southern Church has corrupted this pure faith. This appendix shows how important religion was in his time period and in his
Douglass’s writings convey that a slaveholder’s Christianity does not make him automatically holy, but it’s solely a hypocritical ploy that illustrates the slave master’s true sanctimonious barbarism. For example, Douglass speaks of his master Covey whom claims that he is a Christian, but flagrantly partakes in the terrible sin of adultery. Covey holds a slave named Caroline as his main “breeder”, and he has hired a married man to have sex with her; so Convey can own as many slaves a possible. This was a strong point in his theme of religious hypocrisy, because adultery was considered to be a terrible sin that Christians should avoid. That religion was used to keep slaves down, and uplift the slaves maters own self image. Douglass seems to focus on how slave masters constantly raped their slaves, and this shows that these so called Christian slaves’ masters were truly a hypocritical Christian. The slave owners used their religion to backup their cruelty to each slave. Also, many times using their religion to help them believe they were actually helping the …show more content…
This inclusion of the appendix was imperative, and helped keep his faith based audience attention. In this appendix he basically says that he does not have a problem the Christian faith, and he actually loves the true values of it. However, he does make a great distinction between the true Christian faith, and the way the southern Christians use their religion to keep slaves down. It was genius usage of the appendix, because this reassured his readers’ faith in the message he was trying to convey. Douglass states, “To remove the liability of such misapprehension, I deem it proper to append the following brief explanation. What I have said respecting and against religion, I mean strictly to apply to the slaveholding religion of this land, and with no possible reference to Christianity proper; for, between the Christianity of this land, and the Christianity of Christ, I recognize the widest possible difference--so wide, that to receive the one as good, pure, and holy, is of necessity to reject the other as bad, corrupt, and wicked”. (Appendix 1) He made sure in his appendix he was clear that always made it clear that he loves the peacefully and loving sprit of Christ, and that the Southern Church has corrupted this pure faith. This appendix shows how important religion was in his time period and in his