I can't begin to pick my favorite of these three essays: "The Turning-Point of my Life," "A Scrap of Curious History" and "Bible Teaching and Religious Practice." Well, the second one was not my favorite but it's a toss up between the former and latter.
In "The Turning-Point of my Life," Twain explains that the crossing of the Rubicon was the turning point because he, like so many others, was a result of that action. This first part of his essay really made me stop and think. You could drive yourself mad, living life thinking that way! "If only my grandpa had spotted the RIGHT 'girl in the green dress' then maybe I wouldn't have naturally meaty thighs." Obviously it is true that everything is an effect of something and a cause of something else, but Twain's portrayal of the crossing of the Rubicon really drove that home.
The second part of "The Turning-Point of my Life" had much more to do with Twain, describing how his case of the measles lead him to be the literary figure he became. I could easily connect with that, because had I not been bullied and teased in high school, I would not have become chemically addicted to exercise and had I not spent 2-3 hours in the gym nearly every day for four years, I would have broken my jaw, hip, and right knee when I was run over by a Range Rover my sophomore year of college. My doctor told me that my love of exercise saved my life. Funny how fate works!
"A Scrap of Curious History" interested me less than the previous reading because I had no personal connection to the stories mentioned, but one of the last paragraphs really pulled at my heart strings: "He was hanged. It was a mistake." I also appreciate the comparison between France and America and that Martyrdom is universal.
I was particularly excited by "Bible Teaching and Religious Practice" because my final project focuses largely on Twain's view of Religion. The analogy between the Bible and a drug store tickled my funny bone but had me nodding along thinking, "So true, so true." I am Catholic but not a particular fan of organized religion. I believe that religion should be between a person and God and that there's no need to brag about going to church three days a week, mainly because the worst people in my town are all the people who go to church every Wednesday and Sunday and look down on those who don't. One girl who tried to steal my now ex-boyfriend by doing the most dreadful of things actually told me that I was going to hell because I swear like a sailor. Apparently do not covet thy neighbor's wife didn't mean anything to her?
People pick and choose which parts of the Bible to adhere to and it makes no sense to me. Interpretations are different too. Twain's description of the witch fiasco drives that home. People thought they were ridding the world of people who offend God but shouldn't murder of those people offend God? I am totally on Twain's side here.
I am sorry to hear about the hypocrisy among Christians in your town. It saddens me to think that Christians are not living like Jesus would have had us live. I hope that does not turn you away from following Jesus, because His Love and Grace has changed my life personally. We are all covered in Grace no matter what we have done (even if you swear like a sailor hehe), and nobody, and I mean nobody is perfect. For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. All that is, but Jesus, whom the Lord sent to be an offering for us.
ReplyDeleteTwain's view on religion seems to be in keeping with Gandhi's observation, "I like your Christ, but not your Christians." He, like Twain, noticed the difference between what the Bible teaches and how people chose to act despite it. It is a sad thing, but I think Twain just felt jaded and like nothing could be done about it.
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