Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl #2

I found pages 64- 87 quite interesting. One part that was discussed in the reading was religion. On page 70 it said “Servants, be obedient to the that they are your master according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart”( Jacobs 70). Since slaves were no longer allowed to be given religious instruction for another black person they had to be taught by a white person which gave them the wrong perspective on Christianity. The text says “ The class leader was the town constable-a man who bought and sold slaves, who whipped his brethren and sisters of the church at the public whipping post” (72). I was so amazed by how one could teach about God but be such a contradiction and so hypocritical about his ways. I t made such a huge impact on how a slave could see his or her life, as if they were made to be a slave and that it is God purpose for them. Which also make them believe that if this is what God made me to do then I don’t want to go against God, and shouldn't be the one to go against God and change whats happening. Linda speaks of how surprised she is that Mr. Flint joined the church, I was shocked by how Mr. Flint replayed by saying “It was proper for me to do so. I'm getting in years, and my position in society requires me it”(77). For people like Mr. Flint it was no longer about the actual practice of the religion but another stage in life, and show to but on to make it seem like you are a righteous man. Another part of the treading talks about how a slaveholder would tell a clergyman who would go to the south for the first time about how good slavery was and how slaves had so many privileges which of course was a lie. But if you knew slavery was bad enough to lie about it why do you continue to do it. Another part that interesting is how horrible slavery was that your own mother it constantly repeating that it would be better if you were just dead. Lind says “How earnestly I prayed that she might never feel the weight of slavery's chain”(81). The reading also made me realize how the small things as reading and writing are so normal to us but such a big deal to them. Also how one or two things go wrong and we think we've had it tough, but they had to live through never ending chain of hardships.