This I Believe by Thomas Mardik

“Faith, Truth, and Tolerance in America,” is a speech by Edward M. Kennedy established through literary devices. As he spoke to the college through this dialog there was historical, political and social views but also historical political views and points in which the speech had progressed by expressing views of religion being an aspect in how the government were to rule. Though there is multiple literary devices that are used to create ethical, emotional, and logical appeal, although the majority is ethical, he brings historical factors of political views of past politicians of whether or not it should be an aspect or an influence in government, most of which were presidents at one time or another. Thus informing the audience of the support

Ethos is an appeal to ethics, which gives the author credibility to persuade their attended audience. For instance, both Lukianoff and Haidt give a little insight about who they are, “Greg Lukianoff is a constitutional lawyer and the president and CEO of the Foundation for Individual Rights in Education, which defends free speech and academic freedom on campus, and has advocated for students and faculty involved in many of the incidents this article describes; Jonathan Haidt is a social psychologist who studies the American culture wars.” (Lukianoff and Haidt). Using this rhetorical strategy to start their argument off was a strong approach to persuading their attended audience because it provides credibility to the readers to prove to them that the authors know what they’re talking about and it makes the argument much more effective. Another example of ethos that the authors provide is, “Today, what we call the Socratic method is a way of teaching that fosters critical thinking, in part by encouraging students to question their own unexamined beliefs, as well as the received wisdom of those around them… But vindictive protectiveness teaches students to think in a very different way… A campus culture devoted to policing speech and punishing speakers is likely to engender patterns of thought that are surprisingly similar to those long identified by cognitive behavioral therapists as causes

In Stephen Prothero’s Religious Literacy: What Every American Needs to Know – and Doesn’t (New York: Harper Collins Publishers, 2008) 1 – 372, Prothero discusses how the American society was once a religiously literate nation, how we became religiously illiterate, and how (if willing) we can become religiously literate again. Prothero states that “this book argues for both the constitutionality and the necessity of teaching about religion in public schools and higher education.” He further explains that the main goal of this piece is to “help citizens participate fully in social, political, and economic life in a nation and world

This use of ethos here should appeal to the clergymen since they are in fact believers in Jesus and claim to know Him. King tells of the “racial nightmare” bound to happen if the white brothers keep overlooking the nonviolent direct actions which would cause the activists to resort to searching for solace in black nationalist groups. Therefore, like most people in society, they all claim to be Christians but they cannot show that same Christianly love to negroes and when Martin Luther King wants to fight for what is right, he is criticized and called and “extremist.”

Top of the seventh page is another great example of ethos in this letter. Martin Luther King Jr. makes reference to Jesus, Amos, Paul, Martin Luther, John Bunyan, Abraham Lincoln and Thomas Jefferson for all being an extremist. King views himself as an extremist for equality. I think King first makes note of naming Jesus to refer back to the bases of the clergymen's religion. All these men that he names were men who stood alone in someway for what they believed in. They all stood for what was right according to what we see today, but not at the time they made a move.

At the beginning of the semester, I wrote: “Religion is the institutional manifestation of feeling and believing in something beyond yourself” (Kelley 2016). Twelve weeks later, I consider this definition incomplete and problematic; nevertheless, it reveals how religious thinkers such as James Frazer, Emile Durkheim, William James, Mircea Eliade, Jeffrey Kripal, and Bruce Lincoln infiltrate our quotidian definitions of religion. In this paper, I hope to develop a new conception of religion, recognizing the impact of such historical thinkers on personal conclusions. In other words, I hope to show that we are

King letting the audience understand him in his part of religious leader. This has is a position in which the individual is often seen as generally good, trustworthy, fair and believable. The general point is that Dr. King was utilizing ethos as a way of reminding the reader about his part as a religious pioneer, as opposed to an alternate part that would have been similarly valid. An important thing to note is this letter was composed amid a period of racial turmoil, and the letter was to religious leaders that were white. So Dr. King calling them “fellow clergymen” was likewise utilizing an ethos claim of being an equivalent in status and stature. This was especially paramount on the grounds that Dr. King was in prison at the time the letter was

Ethos is also effective because it tells the reader what the right thing to do is. Most people will do their best to follow in the pathway that is considered the right way. Chavez states, “the burdens of generations of poverty and powerlessness lie heavily in the fields of America. If we fail, there are those who will see violence as the shortcut to change” (Chavez). This is ethos because it is saying we are who have to protect people from violence and if we fail, then it is our own fault. This is hitting a reader’s moral side to do the right thing, or believe the right thing. This is effective because it works alongside the pathos being used. The pathos grabs the reader’s attention then the ethos takes that attention and tells you what to do and how. This is effective because if the writer has their readers attention by use of ethos and pathos and can get them to take the blame, they will be more likely to follow what is being said in order to redeem themselves. This way of blaming the reader is especially effective because people naturally do not like taking the blame and will take paths that allow them to escape this

While the pathos was highly mentioned in the above paragraphs of this essay through the way he mentions his family and children, the use of ethos might be concealed by the pathos. While he states the information of how there are just and unjust laws, he then states “I would be the first to advocate obeying just laws”( 14). That statement itself shows he is trying to persuade others to follow the laws because he himself, a good person who is fighting for what he believes is right would do it as well. Not only this, but it would have many people respect him for the fact that he follows the laws which he believes are just, meaning he has morality and logic which guides him instead of just emotions. Combining this with the pathos used throughout the paragraph strengthens it to the point in which people will fully sympathize with him and follow him on whichever journey he takes. Not necessarily because of his letter and bravery to stand up to a few comments given to a newspaper, but rather for his bravery altogether in the letter and how he connects himself with others then explains underneath the words how he sets the example for other men and women who are angry with the

Rather than simply presenting evidence with no clear explanation of its relevance, it is evident that the author ensured that each sentence had value and context regarding the main idea of the passage. The author’s technique seems to be to present a general view and explanation with reasoning and then evidence to follow. It is this organization that makes the passage continuously understandable. An example of this is the author's careful elaboration of the freedom of religion and how it has evolved through time. The author explains how people’s conclusions made about the amendment may differ from the true meaning of it, which can contribute to its evolution.

Hey Diana, I am writing this letter today with hopes to inform you about a religions course I am taking. I know you are a history guy so I thought it would be interesting to write about the religious history of America. The United States happens to be one of very few major nations in history to be founded and established on principles of separation of church and state. This book I am reading, “The Religious History of America”, by Edwin Gaustad and Leigh Schmidt, gives a great overview of the different strand of religious development in the United States. They are divided into four fundamental time periods: the Colonial times; the Revolutionary War to the Civil War; Post Civil War to

Ethos, Greek for character, referring to the writers “ethical appeal” or how he or she presents herself to the audience. In this case to the clergymen. Whether he seems reasonable, knowledgeable and trustworthy. How does he treat his opponents who may disagree with him? With fairness and respect. “I think I should indicate why I am here in Birmingham, since you have been influenced by the view which argues against “outsiders coming in.” I have the honor of serving as president of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, an organization operating in every southern state, with headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia. We have some eighty-five affiliated organizations across the south, and one of them is the Alabama Christian movement for

Ethos is also applied on a spiritual level by mentioning his present faith and making Biblical references. He states that “more than twenty years ago [he was] introduce[d] …to Christian faith [with] obligations to love one another, to care for the sick and lift up the poor” (Obama, par. 13). He noted how “black people merg[ed] with the stories of David and Goliath, Moses and Pharaoh, the Christians in the lion’s den, [and] Ezekiel’s field of dry bones” (Obama, par. 16).

This I Believe is an organization where people can submit essays that share their beliefs without the fear of being criticized. Founded in 1951 by Edward R. Murrow, This I Believe invites “people of all kind who need have nothing more in common than integrity” to “talk out loud about the rules they live by, the things they have found to be the basic values in their lives.” (Edward Murrow, “Introduction to the Original This I Believe”) Whether someone writes their essay about climbing Gasherbrum II (Pakistan) like Phil Powers or a belief in waffles like Brenda, everyone has beliefs and everyone has the right to share them. Murrow found a way to allow people to do this.

The subject of religion in public schools is one that has been debated vigorously and passionately. The warriors from the Right and Left fail to appreciate the facts because they are caught up in the rhetoric and have difficulty viewing this emotional topic dispassionately (Haynes, 2011). Both sides are right about one thing: this is an important subject.