I had difficulty finding connections between the Puritan society and ours today because I have not lived in America for almost a year and I received maybe 5% of what I would normally hear about on the news when I was in Japan; most of it Obamafever or the sort (they really like him). In spite of that, there are connections.
It seems that nothing has changed in many respects. First is that the Protestants still hate the Catholics still hate the Puritans still hate the heathens etc. etc. even though they all preach the same thing. Especially about the "For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many." (I Corinthians 12:13-14) part. Today the innumerable number of sects and denominations in Christianity keep growing. "Indivisible under God" doesn't make sense anymore; we're only "United" in geography.
But Vowell gives us a little hope by showing her readers a personal example of unity: during the aftermath of the 9-11 attacks. "We were all members of the same body, breathing the cremated lungs of the dead and hoping to clean the teeth of the living." (p. 53) In times of hardship (crossing the Atlantic and attempting to survive in the New World vs. dealing with terrorism) we seem to work best as team players. In my opinion, it is the only time a large amount of people can unite to try and make things better. Because if there isn't a problem, then there's no point in putting in the extra effort. Humans are naturally a selfish creature, with the ability to only think for themselves.
The Massachusetts Bay Puritans and Modern Day Americans have the ability to unite, and we also have the ability to be united against our enemies, the same ones about whom Jesus says, "But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;" (Matthew 5:44). See multiple references (pp.25, 46, 57, etc.) to the Native Americans, and the Al Qaeda, respectively. Although war and killing is a necessary evil, or the necessary evil for population control, it is obvious to see that nobody here is following Jesus' command. Why? Why is this, such a simple command, so difficult to follow? Why are humans such adverse people? We do see the pacifists and peaceful protesters in people like Martin Luther King Jr., who fought against such adversity. But why not everyone?
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99.99% of people in this world are perfectly fine, peaceful, and would never even dream of killing another human. However, it's only the 0.01% that don't listen to Jesus's commands, and they are the ones who see killing as population control or a way to 1-up on someone else. These are the people who go to hell for what they've done, and they probably knew it when that committed the horrifying act of murder. It's not as bad as you say it is.
ReplyDeleteI like how you quoted the part of the bible saying that "we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles." The problem with all the different denominations of Christianity have different interpretations of that. Just by human nature, you believe that your religion is the best, and all others are subordinate to yours.
An interesting point about 9/11 . . .
ReplyDeleteI remember hearing a soundbite of a man claiming that we "needed another terrorist attack to unite the country." Apparently he thought that American casualties would repair the disconnect and bipartisanship our country has been experiencing. I was completely appalled by the notion that our divided country could only come together at the cost of death.
But I won't deny my memories of post-9/11 comradery.
I'd like to think that we can unite in positive ways too, not just in the aftermath of tragedy.