Letters from a Skeptic

​In Jonathan Edward’s sermon, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God”, Edwards uses fear and intimidation to persuade his congregation to escape the wrath of God. In the sermon he uses metaphors to gain control over the congregation. Another reason why Jonathan Edwards uses metaphors is to prove his point to the congregation. Edwards also links the spiritual world to the physical world of the listeners. He uses metaphors to dramatize human powerlessness. He states that human has much chance of keeping out of hell.

“But the foolish children of men miserably delude themselves in their own schemes, and in confidence in their own strength and wisdom; they trust nothing but a shadow.”(9) is a quote which represents the presumptuousness and hubristic attitudes of a Sinner. People who sin tend to “see through” and do not know that they are in fact sinners, this leads to the overconfident attitude in them. Edwards uses diction in the quote to emphasize the word delusion, which is basically pointing out how blind sinners are and using it to convince his church. The church would in turn realize what sinning can do to them, so they would never try

Jonathan Edwards, a negative and realistic man, focused on how God is a judgemental god and sinners will be put to a painful death, they should be fearful. He says in the first few lines of his speech, Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God, “So that, thus it is that natural men are held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell; they have deserved the fiery pit.” (Edwards, Pg. 23) Edwards implies that everyone deserves to be in hell and he goes on to say that God is an angry God and that no one had done anything to try to ease His anger. Edwards also played a large role in the Great Awakening. He wanted people to experience Christianity in an intense and emotional way. In his speech, he said, “O sinner! 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, Pg. 26) Edward’s speech was opportunity knocking at everyone’s doors. He influenced people to want to be saved in a way that made many fearful of what could happen to them if they weren’t saved or a child of God. Edwards believed that God set the world in motion, but was not active in everyone’s life. Edwards believed that God created the world and

Edwards uses words like “wrath” and “omnipotent” to display the power that God posses, and chooses negative connotation words to describe the relationship between God and man (para. 15, 46). Making the comparison of the relationship between God and humans like a spider web or thread, the author wants the audience to know that it can be broken at any time, and that the “pit is prepared” down in hell for sinners (para. 17). Edward chooses diction that leaves humans hopeless, and at the mercy of God. He wants the audience to know that God is always in control, using words like “if God should permit” and “the mere pleasure of God” (para. 13, 7). Additionally, Edwards uses diction to portray God as merciless and immoral, saying that has God is “without pity” and “will have no compassion upon you” (para. 41). This leaves the audience despaired, and they feel as if they have no choice but to reestablish their relationship with God, or certainly face an “everlasting destruction” at any time God pleases to (para.

Edwards use of repetition and diction to build up the concept that God is an angry one by mentioning, “Yea, God is a great deal more angry with great numbers that are now on earth: yea, doubtless, with many that are now in this congregation”. By choosing to repeat the word “yea” in the beginning of his statements, he is able to assure the audience that his perspective is right, which in turn influences them as his assertive tone establishes himself as a more credible character as he seems confident in his statements. Furthermore, the ambiguity when mentioning the sinners on earth, allows the audience to believe that they are not part of these statistics, in which he uses to make the people vulnerable as he references those in the sermon to be some of the many God is angry with. As a result of juxtaposing a much larger world to the people in the gathering, this enforces an idea that nobody is safe as even in their close proximity there are many who have earned God’s wrath. His use of repetition is also seen as he introduces “that eternal and immutable rule of righteousness that God has fixed between

Figurative language is another important factor for the story. In the story, he talked about wickedness in a person’s body. “Your wickedness makes you as it were as heavy as lead.” This will make you think that the amount of wickedness in one’s body is equivalent to the weight of lead. This might persuade people to go be “reborn” since they would want to get rid of most of that wickedness. Another example is the comparison of a person to a spider. “The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider.” Edwards use this to say that we’re no different than spiders in God’s eyes. We could be squished or dropped to our doom in a mater of seconds. Edwards also compared God’s wrath to the great waters. “The wrath of God is like great waters that are damned for the present, they increase more and more, and rise higher and higher, till an outlet is given, and the longer the stream is stopped, the more rapid and

Edwards misused many texts and took a verse out of context. He used it to prove what context denied : God will not restore his people. He applied the imagery of fire to frighten unidentified listeners into repentance. He invoked God’s temporary negative corporate sanctions to scare men regarding permanent negative personal sanctions and invoked God’s wrath against public corporate apostasy top justify preaching against invisible personal

During my walk in Oral Robert University, I have discovered new adventures and paths that lead me to believe Jesus is and will always be the best thing that ever happened to me. In my discipline, which is biology, I have seen and experience many ups and downs, I have heard the mentality of some of my school mates when they tell me their view between biology and Christianity. Thankfully I never doubted about my beliefs. I am thankful I did not mix my knowledge of biology and my faith with Jesus in a way that I would have to stop believing either one. I love biology, but I love Jesus the most. Instead, biology did in fact helped me realize the amazing creation of our God behind every part of science. How do we show that to the rest of biologist out there? It is important to switch the presupposition that goes against or in different ways to Christianity, to ultimately reveal the truth to even those who are strongly opposed to Christ in the scientific world; introducing a Christian Theism world, and finally guide their beliefs and actions towards the living Christ.

Award-winning journalist, Lee Strobel wrote The Case for Christ to retrace and enlarge his journey toward becoming a Christian. Strobel once atheist, and now Christian, shares how he began to look upon the Bible and God. As an atheist, Strobel lived the life of selfishness and only worried to please himself. When his wife began to go to church he wasn’t very pleased until after he saw the positive and attractive change in her. This is the start of his curiosity and investigation about Christianity. He wanted to understand what changed her like this. He wanted to relate with his wife so he decided to study about this and attend church services with her. Strobel began his journey and interviewed thirteen leading scholars who defended their views concerning the historical reliability of the New Testament. Strobel splits the case for Christ into three basic sections: Examining the Record, Analyzing Jesus, and Researching the Resurrection.

In the fourteenth chapter of Thomas C. Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor, Foster depicts all the elements found in a Christlike character. To begin, a simple fact is stated; “we live in a Christian culture” (124). Foster declares this to establish the fact that Christianity is a predominant religion on Earth, and it greatly impacts it’s surrounding civilizations. “Culture is so influenced by it’s dominant religious systems” that religion may sneak into a writer's work, no matter their personal beliefs on the religion (125). While knowledge of religion is helpful - especially to a reader - too many religious beliefs can lead problems. Foster articulates that intelligent readers possess a diverse knowledge in multiple religions,

Edward’s sermons would have been seen by many people as more vivid when he talks about god and his religious beliefs and views. For example “The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked” (126) this depiction that Jonathan gives to the audience may seem very frightening. Compared to the somewhat more loving depiction that Anne Bradstreet gives “And to God my heart did cry To strengthen me in my distress” (line 8-9) Anne tells the audience that God strengthens her in her distress which is a very different depiction from Jonathan’s sermon. One of the few similarities about their religious would be near the ending of Jonathan’s sermon it states “And now an extraordinary opportunity, a day wherein Christ has thrown the door of mercy wide open, and stands in the door calling and crying with a loud voice to poor sinners” (129)this context differs from the beginning of Jonathan’s sermon and can be compared to the tone of some of Bradstreet’s writing. For example a piece of Anne’s writing “That when we live no more, we may live ever.” (12) this piece of context tells that she if she loves her husband and he loves her than then they shall live in heaven when they die. Both of these examples tell

Edwards' creative choice of words that he uses describes the power of God and the terrible Hell awaiting sinners. These words easily infiltrate into the minds of his congregation and frighten them beyond belief. These choices of words and his use of such vivid images are mostly successful in their intent, to scare and put fear into his audience. Edwards held his audience locked up with his promises of eternal damnation if proper steps were not taken. The congregation felt the intense impact of his rhetorical strategies and lived on the fear of the power of God. In this way, he was able to keep his followers from sin and away from the fiery pits of Hell.

Edwards’ had a completely opposite way of conveying his message. His use of imagery, restatement, repetition, and biblical allusions helped him explain to his readers why they needed to be saved. His tone during his sermon was monotone and calm even though he was describing hell. Many people were terrified of his vivid descriptions of hell. In paragraph one, Edwards’ describes hell as “that lake of burning brimstone.” This is just one of his many descriptions of hell.

This example only further demonstrates that Taylor used his writing for intimate relationships whether with God himself, as most of his works, or for human relationship as in the case with the peculiar Elizabeth Fitch. Nonetheless, Edwards Taylor’s audience is meant for himself and his worship of god through the use of vibrant and colors and thoughts. It is not until his work is released in 1937 that critics and esteemed authors elaborate on the true meaning and symbolism of his works. Despite worshipping the same God, Edwards depicts his God in a vengeful and almost violent way to instill fear in his listeners. In order to grab the attention of his listeners, Edwards implement lots of imagery that causes shock or fear so that people actually listen to his words. Taylor on the other hand incorporated lots imagery as well but fit instead served the purpose of reverence not dread. Jonathan J. Edwards, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Communication Studies at Northwestern University reveals that Jonathan Edward’s intention in writing was to comfort those who were already sinners. However, at the same time he wanted to force those who were in the wrong (away from the church) to consider their spiritual state. He did not want to just

In Bradstreet’s poem Upon the Burning of Our House she says, “Yet by His gift is made thine own; There’s wealth enough, I need no more.” (119-50) Her way of writing is gentle and her deep appreciation of God is made known, without having to be threatening in her poems. Even when all her possessions are gone, the grace of God is enough wealth for her. Unlike Bradstreet, Edward’s make it a point to embed fear with his sermons, and he uses it as leverage in Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God he says, “You are ten thousand times more abominable in his eye, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours.” (127) This give a clear indication that his way of delivering the message is aggressive and intense. A completely different way then how Bradstreet wrote in her poems, Edward strike at the fearful heart of the people and makes his point well known from the start.