Jonathon Edwards wrote "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". I have read an excerpt from it and I am stunned by his thought of God. In the excerpt, Edwards depicted God as someone very angry and more importantly, a merciless executioner. Edwards pictured God to be in rage with bow and arrow in hand, pointing it directly towards you, and ready to release the arrow at any moment he chooses. He also said that God holds you over the pit of hell and in his eyes, you are worthless and you should be cast into the pit of hell. In these situations, you are not tenable at all.
What a diabolic way of depicting God? I attended a Catholic school in the past and there, I was taught that God is a merciful and loving god. This is probably the major difference between the two philosophical ideas. Catholics believe God as a pretty nice person that would cut you some slack. However, according to Edward's rules, God will punish the sinners for every mistake and sin they have committed. In a way, he tells his listeners such as Puritans that their God is a carping god. Puritans would probably have believed Edwards because they live a very strict life so that they can get into heaven, and knowing that every mistake they make will count toward their chances of getting into heaven, they will believe Jonathon Edwards.
I don't believe what john edwards says about God, how he's waiting for you to commit a sin so he can condemn you. Like you as you already know, was taught that God is loving and merciful, He loves everyone equally.
ReplyDeleteWell you're saying that they will believe Jonathon Edwards but do you think they were forced to believe him base on their strict believes. If you think God as having a pleasant personality, then what is the point of people not committing sins if they could always confess and be forgiven for their sins after they had committed it? In your mind, what qualifies someone for a journey to paradise after death? Are those requirements the same as what Johnathon Edwards said or something else you had in mind?
ReplyDeleteCommenting on Yi Dong's comment of "If you think God as having a pleasant personality, then what is the point of people not committing sins if they could always confess and be forgiven for their sins after they had committed it?" With the teachings of a good religion will come to the good works of mankind. Knowing that you did something wrong and trying to repair it through God means that you are willing to change and was guilty. Threatening people to do good is not the key to a righteous society. Faith and good works is needed to qualify for salvation.
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ReplyDeleteWe just had to read that text as well in our American Lit.. I think Edwards is just trying to scare people into becoming obsessed (not correct word, I know) with God, which is, in my opinion, just wrong. Religion is supposed to relieve you, not scare you to death.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you about religion being something to relieve you. The Puritans believed in his idea because they were traumatize by his depictions and such. Believing what he said about every mistake counts, they just listen to him even more because they want to get into heaven.
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