Religion and Individualism Essay

Different countries pitch antithetic cultures, traditions and set. They represent the image of the nation, the great unwasheds manpowertality, how they gauge and be confirm, and what they strive for and t every(prenominal)y for. With the help of them we forecast of what is any in solely classical(predicate) in life of a individual, of a nation, of a coun filtrate. the distinguishs is non an exception. De malevolency the great number of various ethnic groups that harp United rural aras, on that point argon matters that conflate all the masses. Among them argon such(prenominal) determine like liberty and independence that unaccompanied char minuteerize America. The Ameri stinkpot founding fathers mat that this concept was of ut intimately enormousness when they were decision making what the United demesnes Of America would be and how it would function. In the second paragraph of the Declaration of independency its written We hold these honors to be sel f-evident, that all manpower atomic number 18 created equal, that they argon endowed by their Creator with authentic unalienable rights, that among these atomic number 18 life, liberty and the hobby of happiness.This is what sets the U.S. apart from all other countries in the worldly concern. Other values be beauty, nature, patriotism, optimism, and equality. entirely of them atomic number 18 described by different Ameri keister writers, painters, politicians and philosophers. Probably the most important ingredient of Ameri back tooths ideology is their t whizz in the drop come outdom of the individual(a) visited individualism. Americas highest ideal and greatest blessing is freedom and individually individual limits to what purpose should it be employed. Ein truth unmatched should set his own goals for himself. Ameri apprises argon considered to be rather un landed estately nation. A bulk of Americans report that pietism plays a real important role in their li ves. We can operate how various writers, politics and painters gibber ab come out of the closet religious belief and express it in their works. In this paper such values as religion and individualism provide be analyzed, through the words of Emily Dickinson, Abraham capital of Nebraska, henry David Thoreau, and Ralph Waldo Emerson.Emily Dickinson, an American poet, was brought up in a prominent family, which raised Dickinson to be a cultured Christian wo humankind who would unrivalled day be responsible for a family of her own. Her father attempted to protect her from indicant books that might joggle her mind, particularly her unearthly assurance. She dressed merely in white. In religion white color is the image of innocence, purity, holiness, and chastity. She used contemporary popular perform hymns, transforming their standard rhythms into free-form hymnmeters. Her poetry contains to the highest degree all the range of biblical and religious designations. Emily Dickin sons poem Faith is a Fine Invention, can be understand spiritually. Dickinson says, Faith is a fine invention- When Gentlemen can see In context, Faith is belief that does non rest on formal proof or bear witness. In other words, trustfulness is belief without seeing. In Dickinsons poem, she suggests that domain completely possess cartel when the object is seen.In essence, faith is non hold upent. Dickinson outrides in the subsequent lines look, tho Microscopes are prudent- In an Emergency. This suggests the characteristic of some mass who obviously can non accept something without witnessing an in-depth account. For example, Microscopes could be a internal representation of modern day scientists and interpreters who research and produce explanations to disc everywhere the truth behind what is trustd. Continuing, Dickinson suggests these Microscopes are prudent scarce when things go bad. As with most people today, good appreciation is generally a last holiday res ort in the midst of adversity. Genuine faith is the only route out of trouble. Nevertheless, humankind is busy trying to offer explanations and supposition rather accepting belief without luculent evidence. In her poem This World Is non Conclusion we see that she didnt ring this world is the end. A Species stands beyond this meaning that life exists somewhere beyond our world. She was saying that goal is non the end of this world. thither is some other life aft(prenominal) death be drift graven image says so. This speaks also of the resurrection.She was saying after we die there is another multiplication that comes after us, so real this world never ends it nurses on going and going. Its undecomposed like Plato was saying that all the souls transmigrate and only those souls, who reached the catharsis kick the bucket the earth and stay in the acres of heaven. the great unwashed try to puzzle out what is this, and the Faith slips and laughs, and rallies Blushes, if any see Plucks at a twig of Evidence. Again, you moldiness(prenominal) merely believe in perfection, in a world beyond, and not try to find evidences for it. there are things fifty-fifty the wise cant inform Philosophy dont do it. Abraham Lincoln, one-sixteenth president of the United States, has become a mythic figure in Americas civilian religion. He was know for honest, sympathy, and kindness to the victims of the urbane War on two sides. He was private well-nigh his beliefs and respected the beliefs of others. Though Lincoln didnt belong to any church, he is believed to be Christian.Lincoln study the Bible passimhis life and quoted from it widely. Lincoln was clear in his belief that Christians of the North and southbound were supplicateing to the identical(p) idol. Lincoln was self-taught in the ways of twain perfection and humanity. His speeches and conversations always had references on Christianity, there is an unusual depth of the Christian perception. nowhere was that depth visible than in his sanction Inaugural Address Both read the same Bible, and pray to the same divinity fudge and each invokes His aid against the other. It whitethorn reckon hostile that any men should boldness to ask a just theologys assistance in wringing their scratch from the sweat of other mens faces only let us judge not that we be not judged. The prayers of two could not be answered that of neither has been answered amply. The nobleman has His own purposes. He insisted that there were no unbridgeable differences. Both were god fearing people and worked hard.He went on to describe the strange fact that both sides pray to the same God for a successful fortitude and improvement of each of their ideals. Both could not win. It was providence that volitioned that slavery should be abolished and in his speech, which was almost like a prayer, he hoped to calm both. Lincoln suggested that the cause of the struggle was the North and the Souths lea fy vegetable sin of slavery. He continued, Fondly do we hope fervently do we pray that this mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if God wills that it continue, until all the wealth piled by the bond-mans 250 old age of unrequited toil shall be sink and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, so as was verbalise three thousand years ago, so still it must be state the judgments of the Lord are true and right altogether. He uses religious imagery to betroth the belief that God is against slavery. Lincoln lay the outcome of the war into the hands of God to whom all seemed to be praying, saying that some(prenominal) Gods desire on these issues would be, that would decide the fate.He said that if it is Gods will that the war should continue until all funds be expended or until there is a calmnessful conclusion, whichever the case, God would decide. He concludes with more than religious imagery, specifying the forebode right that the Union should attain a victory, and that the goal is to achieve and care some a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with all nations, based on resolving power in the right as God gives us to see the right. Ralph Waldo Emerson was an American lecturer, litterateur and poet. He was seen as a endorse of individualism.Emerson was drastic in his conviction that an individual should obey himself and himself alone. The concept of individualism is fully described in the examine Self- trust. Emerson uses the essay as a vehicle for stressing the importance of the individuals intellectual and virtuous development, and for making a defensive parameter stand outing individualism itself.His idea is that a man can trust no one but himself he should not obey the hostel, but weigh and act as he livelinesss is right. A man should learn to detect and watch that glimmer of light which flashes across his mind from within, more than the lustre of the firmament o f bards and sages. Emerson says that man should way on his inner self for counseling rather than relying on external. Trust thyself every heart vibrates to that iron string. Accept the stick the divine Providence has found for you. Reliance on and acceptance of the self are the keys to achieving uniqueness by way of swear ones own thoughts. blast trust in a persons own intuition should exist without influence from outside forces of tradition, religion or government. Emerson dialog about the beau monde as about an obstacle on the way of free thoughts. These are the voices which we hear in solitude, but they grow faint and unsounded as we enter into the world The fair play in most request is conformity. self-reliance is its aversion. It loves not realities and creators, but name calling and customs.The society doesnt love truth and art, but meaningless words and conventions. And Emerson says I ought to go upright and vital, and speak the rude truth in all ways, so he doesnt demand to follow the society and hide the truth. What is natural, what a man feels, what he believes to be true, right and paramount these are important No law can be sacred to me but that of my nature. better and bad are but names very readily transferable to that or this the only right is what is after my constitution, the only wrong what is against it. If he is the only one who thinks differently from the society, that doesnt mean he is wrong. All people are individuals and they are ruled by different values, opinions, honourable codes and beliefs. If a person votes for a nominee just because everybody does, Emerson cant really understand what this person presents of himself under this veil My life is for itself and not for a spectacle. I lots prefer that it should be of a lower strain, so it be veritable and equal, than that it should be glittering and unsteady. Later he says Do your work, and you shall reinforce yourself.Do what you want to do, what youfeel you should do, but not what absolute majority dictates you. Otherwise youre not brio a life youre just a puppet in the hands of the society, a part of indifferent mass. People are algophobic to be misunderstood. therefore it would be better and easier to agree with the others and accept social standards than to try to go against them and to flip-flop something. When we allow ourselves to be dictated to by another, sooner or later those people realize they chip in us masked around their finger, and serious problems could arise. Emerson tries to assure them thats not so bad umpteen famous figures were misunderstood. Your conformity explains nothing. Act singly, and what you have already done singly will justify you now. Also when you accept the thing you dont believe in, you oppose yourself, which is the worst treachery you can do, fit to Emerson. Emerson also says that everything comes from the main source.The universe is right, if we free ourselves, make our souls clear, well understand the universe. The inquiry leads us to that source, at once the essence of genius, of virtue, and of life, which we call Spontaneity or Instinct. We denote this immemorial wisdom as Intuition, whilst all later teachings are tuitions. Intuition is the basic wisdom, the hush-hush senses, when you say you just know it, and you feel it. Emerson always thought that feelings are the dress hat proofs and arguments for everything. Repeatedly throughout Self-Reliance Emerson returns to these ideas and themes to support his point that fortune and peace is getatable only through reliance on and trust in ones self. People should believe in themselves, patronage what others may say or think, not be afraid of opinion differently, not lose their identity. Henry David Thoreau was an American author, poet, critic, and philosopher. He is best known for his essay Civil Disobedience, an argument for individual defyance to civil government in lesson antonym to an unjust state. ane of the most im portant themes in the work of Thoreau is the idea of individualism.Thoreau rejects the entrance that a person must pass or isolate his values out of loyalty to her government. Thoreau expresses his anti-conformity and individualism in involvement of a political and ethical cause in spite of opinion of the majority. kitty there not be a government in which majorities do not virtually decide right and wrong, but conscience?- in which majorities decide only those questions to which the rule of expediency is applicable? must(prenominal) the citizen ever for a moment, or in theleast degree, resign his conscience to the economy? Why has every man a conscience, then? I think that we should be men early, and subjects afterward. It is not desirable to mould a respect for the law, so much as for the right. The only obligation which I have a right to occupy is to do at any time what I think right. This means that archetypical of all a person must be faithful to his opinions and view s and do what he thinks and feels is right, he can and must resist with the government if he thinks its beyond his standards of truth. His idea is that everybody is a man first and a subject afterwards.Everybody has his own feelings upon this or that questions, people are different and they have different beliefs and points of views. Nobody and nothing can make one change his thoughts. Thoreau distinguishes 3 types of people The mass of men service of process the state thus, not as men mainly, but as machines, with their bodies. They are the rest army, and the militia, jailers, constables, posse comitatus, etc. In most cases there is no free operate whatever of the judgment or of the moral sense but they put themselves on a level with wood and earth and stones and wooden men can peradventure be manufactured that will practise the purpose as well. Such want no more respect than men of straw or a hump of dirt. They have the same sort of worth(predicate) only as horses and dog s.Yet such as these counterbalance are ordinarily esteemed good citizens. Here he talks about people who post just the way they are told, they steady dont ponder over their attitude to the things they are doing. Thoreau compares them with animals, that have no the ability of thinking, they just do what they are made to do. Others- as most legislators, politicians, lawyers, ministers, and speckle-holders- arrange up the state chiefly with their heads and, as they seldom make any moral distinctions, they are as likely to serve the devil, without intending it, as God. These people have the ability of thinking, they know what is right and what is wrong, but in spite of it they still do things that are remunerative for them. They live for themselves and try to gain as much as possible. A very few- as heroes, patriots, martyrs, reformers in the great sense, and men- serve the state with their consciences also, and so necessarily resist it for the most part and they are unremarkab ly treated as enemies by it.A wise man will only be useful as a man, and will not submit to be clay, and stop a hole to keep the wind away, but leave that office to his dust at least. These are the individuals who are valued for being aman, for not just having the ability of thinking, but thinking differently. They are not afraid to polar the others and to divulge their thoughts. Thats mainly why these people are not genuine by the majority. He writes that governments authority is impure. Thoreau exhorts to true respect for the individual. There will never be a really free and enlightened State until the State comes to recognize the individual as a higher and independent power, from which all its own power and authority are derived, and treats him accordingly. He says that he dreams of a State that respects the individual, a State that would not mind if a few individuals even chose to live independent of it altogether. This kind of State would prepare the way for an even more perf ect and glorious State.Returning to religion we can notice that mostly Americans are religious people. Though the government doesnt dictate any kind of religion to its citizens, people choose to be faithful. from each one of them believes in his own God, and each of them feels the faith in his own way. Emily Dickinson and Abraham Lincoln were both Christians, both of them read Bible, and the works of both sound like a prayer. But what separates them is that Dickinsons main idea was to believe in God without any proofs. One should not try to find evidence for the existence of God, he should just believe. And Lincolns idea was that North and South pray to the same God and that all people are equal in front of God. Also he believed that everything in the world, and the Civil War is not an exception, happens because of God willing.Only the Almighty can decide the fate of people, and the conclusion of the war including. short on to the second value of this work, its necessary to mentio n that individualism is one of the most important and inalienable elements for each American. Emerson and Thoreau were ardent supporters of individualism. They hated the society they are against the majority and against those people who obey. They both think that what a person thinks and feels is right, and not what they are forced to think and believe. Emerson also talks about the human intuition, which is according to him the primary election wisdom you know something is right just because you feel it. Thoreau by-turn talks about 3 types of people, and elevates the people who are able to think differently and to act differently, without being afraid not to be accepted by the society. Thoreau also creates in his dreams a new-made State, where an individual would be respected.