- This topic has 8 voices and 26 replies.
-
Posts
-
Remember what happened to that scientist that Ashcroft declared a "person of interest" during our national anthrax paranoia?? His life and career were destroyed because a public official decided that he deserved to be made an example of.? THAT scares the sh-t out of me and happens far too often and THAT qualifies as evil.
More often then we are probably even aware of.
Remember what happened to that scientist that Ashcroft declared a “person of interest” during our national anthrax paranoia? His life and career were destroyed because a public official decided that he deserved to be made an example of. THAT scares the sh-t out of me and happens far too often and THAT qualifies as evil.
I don't think, first of all, that it would benefit anyone to make an example out of a person known to be innocent. My hunch therefore is that it was not known that the person was innocent, as you suggest he is. Second, Richard Jewell underwent similar circumstances during the 1996 Olympic bombing in Atlanta. This was during the Clinton Administration.I don't think that one can parallel unfortunate events toward innocent people to any "rise in religiosity", such as the Great Awakening. I think that innocent people can get reamed at any time.
I have to disagree to a certain extent. Religion many times has been the cause of suffering to innocent people. No religion in particular but it has happened.
Stumpfoot, I agree that religious fervor has at times caused innocent people to suffer in the past. With that said, I don't know how one would equate an increase in religious behavior with that of oppression of innocent people. Like I pointed out with Richard Jewell, innocent people can be oppressed by people outside the name of religion.
I don't think, first of all, that it would benefit anyone to make an example out of a person known to be innocent.
Thats because your a nice guy. There are people in this world who would sacrifice their own mother if it would get them to where they want to go. There not thinking about benefiting anyone but themselves. And in the world of politics? I think it's safe to say there are a few there. I dont think what historywonk was talking about had anything to do with religion (maybe he did, but I dont).
I think the Great Awakening is a series of religious revivals. When people started believing God is their Savior.
Well, since this thread's alive again…
Religion many times has been the cause of suffering to innocent people.
True. But on the other hand, religion has brought much peace, humanitarian assitance and aid to people who suffer.
I think the Great Awakening is a series of religious revivals. When people started believing God is their Savior.
Well yes sort of. To be more exact, the Great Awakening was a theological movement that pitted emotional (charismatic) religious expression versus dogmatic (intellectual) religious expression. In other words, it was "the New Birth" versus traditional catechism. The end result was an end to the Anglican/Congregational domination of the colonies and the rise of lay itinerant preachers who lacked formal education from the "established" divinity schools. This in turn led to the evangelicalization of the colonies and the first intercolonial cultural shift away from England.
Please correct me if I'm way off target but was one of the reasons leading up to the acceptance or popularity of the Great Awakening due in part to the Salem Witchcraft trials? The social tensions within the Massachusetts Puritan settlements were at their highest when accusations were made about the use of witchcraft. Then once the trials were over and people saw first hand the results of what had occurred, people questioned the authority of the church. I've always viewed the trials as one of those episodes in history that make the participants and those near it, say to themselves, “huh, lets reaccess our situation”.
Please correct me if I'm way off target but was one of the reasons leading up to the acceptance or popularity of the Great Awakening due in part to the Salem Witchcraft trials? The social tensions within the Massachusetts Puritan settlements were at their highest when accusations were made about the use of witchcraft. Then once the trials were over and people saw first hand the results of what had occurred, people questioned the authority of the church. I've always viewed the trials as one of those episodes in history that make the participants and those near it, say to themselves, "huh, lets reaccess our situation".
The Salem Witch Trials were an anomoly all unto themselves. The connection to the Great Awakening (which happend decades later) is remote at best (and probably no connection can reasonably be made at all really). The Great Awakening was a trans-Atlantic phenomenon that might have been touched off by intellectual movements such as the Scottish Enlightenment for example....but even that is a stretch. I would argue that the Great Awakening was a spontaneous event that gained its own momentum because of the frenzied nature of the New Light revivals and the almost orgasmic release (for the lack of a better phrase) that was typical of them. It was kinda like going to a party and getting drunk on the new wine, but as with all parties and strong drink, the effects soon wear off and the inevitable hangover sets in.
Your explanation is very similar to my professor's but a fellow studymate keeps insisting this incident in history played an important part towards the Great Awakening. I can't figure out why he's so insistent about this topic but for whatever reason he seems glued to his position. He can go on believing and I'm satisfied that the trials are of no bearing at all to the Great Awakening.
Your explanation is very similar to my professor's but a fellow studymate keeps insisting this incident in history played an important part towards the Great Awakening. I can't figure out why he's so insistent about this topic but for whatever reason he seems glued to his position. He can go on believing and I'm satisfied that the trials are of no bearing at all to the Great Awakening.
You will find that in History, if you can make a case, you can be accepted for anything in the scholarship community....however, only the scholars who are willing to admit errors and retract from misguided hypotheses ever succeed in the field.
