Narrative Of The Life Of Frederick Douglass Religious Irony Essay

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In the Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass there is irony relating to religion. During Douglass’s life there was an abundant amount of religious irony dealing with the fact that slaves were seen as property, but yet Christianity was the main religion of the southern states, which Christians believe in showing love through Christ to everyone. Slaves were rarely shown love from their masters.

In the appendix of the narrative Douglass starts off by talking about the difference between real Christianity and the Christianity of the land. “I love the pure, peaceable, and impartial Christianity of Christ: I therefore hate the corrupt, slaveholding, women-whipping, cradle-plundering, partial and hypocritical Christianity of this land (Douglass 71).” He hates the Christianity of this land because it wasn't real, it was a lie given the name Christianity.

In chapter 9, Douglass writes about his former master, Thomas Auld, who found religion but got harsher to his slaves. He whipped a girl plenty of times and recited Scripture for an excuse, “... and in justification of the bloody deed, he would quote this passage of …show more content…

Frederick Douglass, in chapter 10, hosts a Sabbath school and teaches slaves to read. While he taught them, he understood the bible and what christianity really is. “... we were trying to learn how to read the will of God… (Douglass 48).” His Sabbath school was soon broken up by religious leaders in the church he was hosting it at. “Wright Fairbanks and Garrison West, both class-leaders, in connection with many others, rushed in upon us with sticks and stones, and broke up our virtuous little Sabbath school, at St. Michael’s - all calling themselves Christians! Humble followers of the Lord Jesus Christ! But I am again digressing. (Douglass 48)” Douglass continues his Sabbath school at a free black man’s house and progressively learned more about

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