TASK ONE:
The Puritans believe in quite a few basic but frightfully depressing religious ideas: They say that everyone is born a sinner and that God views us as 'loathsome; he holds us above the fire as one would hold a despicable insect'. Besides regarding everyone as worthless bugs, God plays favorites, saving only 'the worthy'. Going along with that idea, Puritans say that Jesus only died for a particular group of people. Aside from worshipping God for keeping us suspended above the fiery pit of Hell, Puritans believe that the only ones comparable to God's glory are the saints and prophets. Lastly, and at this point not surprisingly, Puritans describe God's grace as being freely given; there is no way to deny it--and no way to earn it.
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TASK TWO:
+---Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God---+
To be frank, Puritanism goes against everything I believe in. The phrase 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God' is the most basic summary of Puritan belief, and is also what I declare immoral (but not without good reason). If I were asked to summarize Puritanism into a few words, I would say: 'Religious corruption'. This religious corruption is evident in how the saints ruled over their followers--through fear. They would preach that '[humans] deserve the fiery pit [of Hell]', and that 'You have offended Him infinitely more thant ever a stubborn rebel did his prince'. Through fear and constant reuse of Hell references, these 'saints' were able to gain total control over the Puritans. Was Puritanism created because God truly despised his people? Or was it invented by man to control man? I allege that the Saints in that time were using God as a 'tool' in which to bend and persuade the minds of the people.
In the video, there were several different evident beliefs I heard. Basically, Puritan principles all state the same thing: that God hates all of us, sometimes chooses to like a few people, and can and should toss us into Hell at any given moment. God to the Puritans was like a playground bully, his power great and his love rare. Going back to the their belief of Unconditional Election and Limited Atonement, what I'd like to know is--how does God decide who is worthy of his love and protection? If we are all born unrepentant sinners--and all of us deserve Hell--then why should God save any of us? If the only difference between God and Satan was that God happened to be holding us back from Hell if we prayed excessively, then would God not be considered a demon as well? He just happened to be a demon with a tough love complex.
+---Of Plymouth Plantation---+
A reoccurring idea I saw in Of Plymouth Plantation was that God was the only mentioned source for the Pilgrim's abundance and gifts. When good things happened to them, (such as their initial landing in the New World), they praised God and stated their good fortune to be a result of God's grace rather than of their own actions. This core belief ties in to another of the Puritan's ideas: that everyone is born a sinner and God only saves the 'chosen ones'. The Pilgrims were apparently 'chosen ones' because they survived the treacherous journey. And of course, they were so trained by now that their first thoughts were 'this is God's work!' This idea, to me, is misleading and sadly manipulative. While I do believe in some unseen, protective force watching over us, I primarily support the idea that every individual holds immense power in shaping the world around him/her. The Puritans didn't think for a second that they held any power individually or as a whole.
The Puritans believed they were all sinners incapable of making good things happen for themselves. That much I've gathered so far. In the complex story of the Pilgrim's struggle in the New World, there are countless obstacles for them to overcome, but after each one was triumphed, they would only worship God for the turnout. 'The Lord is never wanting unto His in their greatest needs; let His holy name have all the praise...' Even the events occurring outside the Pilgrim's control were 'heaven sent'. When an Indian named Squanto came to assist them and be their translator, they turned their eyes straight to the sky. 'Squanto continued with them and was their interpreter and was a special instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectation'. 'For the good beyond their expectation'. This phrase indicates that the Puritans, while accepting that the only good would come from God, didn't expect anything good in the first place.
Perhaps my interpretation of the Puritans' lifestyle is comparable to a harsh, judgemental accusation, or perhaps it hits the bull's eye, but either way I firmly believe that these were the most miserable people of that time. How could you not be when God hated you for all eternity and couldn't wait to drop you into hell?
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TASK THREE:
+---Total Depravity - Everyone is born sinful---+
The Puritans believe in quite a few basic but frightfully depressing religious ideas: They say that everyone is born a sinner and that God views us as 'loathsome; he holds us above the fire as one would hold a despicable insect'. Besides regarding everyone as worthless bugs, God plays favorites, saving only 'the worthy'. Going along with that idea, Puritans say that Jesus only died for a particular group of people. Aside from worshipping God for keeping us suspended above the fiery pit of Hell, Puritans believe that the only ones comparable to God's glory are the saints and prophets. Lastly, and at this point not surprisingly, Puritans describe God's grace as being freely given; there is no way to deny it--and no way to earn it.
`````````````````````````````````````````````````````````
TASK TWO:
+---Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God---+
To be frank, Puritanism goes against everything I believe in. The phrase 'Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God' is the most basic summary of Puritan belief, and is also what I declare immoral (but not without good reason). If I were asked to summarize Puritanism into a few words, I would say: 'Religious corruption'. This religious corruption is evident in how the saints ruled over their followers--through fear. They would preach that '[humans] deserve the fiery pit [of Hell]', and that 'You have offended Him infinitely more thant ever a stubborn rebel did his prince'. Through fear and constant reuse of Hell references, these 'saints' were able to gain total control over the Puritans. Was Puritanism created because God truly despised his people? Or was it invented by man to control man? I allege that the Saints in that time were using God as a 'tool' in which to bend and persuade the minds of the people.
In the video, there were several different evident beliefs I heard. Basically, Puritan principles all state the same thing: that God hates all of us, sometimes chooses to like a few people, and can and should toss us into Hell at any given moment. God to the Puritans was like a playground bully, his power great and his love rare. Going back to the their belief of Unconditional Election and Limited Atonement, what I'd like to know is--how does God decide who is worthy of his love and protection? If we are all born unrepentant sinners--and all of us deserve Hell--then why should God save any of us? If the only difference between God and Satan was that God happened to be holding us back from Hell if we prayed excessively, then would God not be considered a demon as well? He just happened to be a demon with a tough love complex.
+---Of Plymouth Plantation---+
A reoccurring idea I saw in Of Plymouth Plantation was that God was the only mentioned source for the Pilgrim's abundance and gifts. When good things happened to them, (such as their initial landing in the New World), they praised God and stated their good fortune to be a result of God's grace rather than of their own actions. This core belief ties in to another of the Puritan's ideas: that everyone is born a sinner and God only saves the 'chosen ones'. The Pilgrims were apparently 'chosen ones' because they survived the treacherous journey. And of course, they were so trained by now that their first thoughts were 'this is God's work!' This idea, to me, is misleading and sadly manipulative. While I do believe in some unseen, protective force watching over us, I primarily support the idea that every individual holds immense power in shaping the world around him/her. The Puritans didn't think for a second that they held any power individually or as a whole.
The Puritans believed they were all sinners incapable of making good things happen for themselves. That much I've gathered so far. In the complex story of the Pilgrim's struggle in the New World, there are countless obstacles for them to overcome, but after each one was triumphed, they would only worship God for the turnout. 'The Lord is never wanting unto His in their greatest needs; let His holy name have all the praise...' Even the events occurring outside the Pilgrim's control were 'heaven sent'. When an Indian named Squanto came to assist them and be their translator, they turned their eyes straight to the sky. 'Squanto continued with them and was their interpreter and was a special instrument sent of God for their good beyond their expectation'. 'For the good beyond their expectation'. This phrase indicates that the Puritans, while accepting that the only good would come from God, didn't expect anything good in the first place.
Perhaps my interpretation of the Puritans' lifestyle is comparable to a harsh, judgemental accusation, or perhaps it hits the bull's eye, but either way I firmly believe that these were the most miserable people of that time. How could you not be when God hated you for all eternity and couldn't wait to drop you into hell?
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TASK THREE:
+---Total Depravity - Everyone is born sinful---+
"Let them confess before the Lord His lovingkindness and His wonderful works before the sons of men."
"And here is to be noted a special providence of God, and a great mercy to this poor people."
"...they have deserved the fiery pit, and are already sentenced to it..."
"...and they have done nothing in the least to to appease or abate that anger..."
The Puritans believed they were all sinners incapable of doing enough good to please God. The only living things capable of being saved were the saints and prophets--the chosen ones interpreting God's will.
Though it's not very clear, these words hint how the Puritans believed that they were sinners. "Let them confess before the Lord His lovingkindness." Because the Puritans were convinced they were sinners, they would confess to God and praise him for his kindness. I'll revert to the schoolyard bully again--the Puritans were children bowing down to him, attempting to please him by telling him of his glory and kindness despite that he was always ready to destroy them. "...a great mercy to this poor people." In the sermon (the last two quotes), it is much easier to see how the Puritans were looked upon and how they looked upon themselves.
+---Unconditional Election - God saves only a few people---+
"What could now sustain them but the Spirit of God and His grace?"
"...were Englishmen which came over this great ocean, and were ready to perish in this wilderness; but they cried unto the Lord, and He heard their voice and looked on their adversity."
"Let them therefore praise the Lord, because He is good: and his mercies endure forever."
"Yea, let them which have been redeemed of the Lord, show how He hath delivered them from the hand of the oppressor."
"...neither is God in the least bound by any promise to hold them up one moment..."
"...it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up."
"What could now sustain them but the Spirit of God and His grace?"
"...were Englishmen which came over this great ocean, and were ready to perish in this wilderness; but they cried unto the Lord, and He heard their voice and looked on their adversity."
"Let them therefore praise the Lord, because He is good: and his mercies endure forever."
"Yea, let them which have been redeemed of the Lord, show how He hath delivered them from the hand of the oppressor."
"...neither is God in the least bound by any promise to hold them up one moment..."
"...it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up."
The power of Unconditional Election was in God's hands, and the Puritans could never utilize it, nor could they earn or deny it. In each of these quotes is a suggestion that God was choosing to save the Puritans from hell--using Unconditional Election to keep them from burning in the fire. "...He hath delivered them from the hand of the oppressor." I sense, especially when reading Of Plymouth Plantation, that the Puritans were frightened of God, paranoid that he would neglect to offer them any forms of aid. "...neither is God in the least bound by any promise to hold them up one moment..."
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