Puritans & Rationlists

Puritans

1. The Purtians believed that everyone was a born sinner, because of the original sin, Adam and Eve. They also believed that God only saved a few chosen people, and that Jesus didn't die on the cross for everyone. God's grace wasn't earned or denied. It was only given. The few chosen by God have full power to interpret the will of God anyway they like. The rest were all doomed to the pits of hell. Only a few by chance would make it to heaven.


2. The puritans seemed to have more fear in going to hell, then enjoying life and the thought of going to heaven. Every last one of them were thought to be doomed to hell. Only a few were to be chosen into heaven and they were never to know who those few were until their judgement day. So they lived their lives boring, and trying to do right, never knowing if it would pay off in the end.

I feel that the religion is very depressing. It's not the type of religion I would ever base my life on. Why would you want to be involved in a religion that states your doomed to hell regardless? Knowing that your going to hell either way, why even have faith or belief? Why not live your life the way you feel it should be lived if the outcome will be the same in the end?

They revolved their lives around a religion, that seems to me, doesnt revolve around them. it reminds me of a relationship between two people, where one person changes their whole lifestyle and is head over heels with the other person, but that other person could care less about them.

The sermon, Sinners in the hands of an Angry God states that "Natural men are held in the hand of God, over the pit of hell, they have deserved the fiery pit and are already sentenced to it and God is dreadfully provoked..." To me that's saying that at any moment you could be dropped into the pits of hell, and you deserve it. But there beleif was that you couldn't gain God's grace, it was just given. So no matter how hard you try to live right, it's already decided whether it will be given to you or not.


3. Total depravity is the conception of the original sin. Because of Adam and Eve everyone is a born sinner. In the Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God he states, "...they have deserved the fiery pit and already sentenced to it." This to me explains how everyone deserves to go to hell because they are all sinners. They are already sentenced to it, because of Adam and Eve.


Rationalist

1. Puritans believe that everything happens because that's the way God has planned it out. Rationalist don't accept this. They feel that everything must be researched and explained. Puritans didn't agree with the way Rationalist questioned God. They didn't find it neccessary to try and figure out exactly why something happened, they felt God had control over the whole universe and did with it what he pleased. Like for example, Hurricane Katrina. Rationalist would do reasearch on the hurricane to see what started it why it landed where it did, and why it made so much damage. A Puritan might say that the people in New Orleans were bad people so God hit them with a hurricane and that's that.

2. Benjamin Franklin felt the need to understand things. So he did experiments to figure out how things work. That right there proves he was a Rationlists. Puritans don't bother with those things,, it just is, because of the will of God. Franklin wanted to further make sense of lightning and electricity. So he did and experiment involving a kite and a key. He wanted to draw the lightning from the clouds. He conducted this experiment to figure out why things were, a question a Puritan would never ask.

3.
1. Optimism- Always look on the bright side; things could be worse.

2. Stress-Deal with in positive ways.

3. Attitude- Have a good attitude towards everything.

4. Listen- When people try to help you out, listen.

5. Calmness- Be calm in stressed situations.

6. Motivation- Always push youself..

7. Honesty- Never lie. be honest with others so they will be honest with you.

8. Advice- Give the best advice when you can and take into mind others advice for you.

9. Pride- Be proud of everything you do.

10. Grateful- Take nothing for granted.

11. Self- esteem- Don't look down on yourself; you have to love you before anyone else can love you.

12. Goals-Set them and reach them.

13. Love- Love for the right reasons.