Religion, particularly Christianity, offers Phillis Wheatley an avenue to connect with and influence her readers. Wheatley appears to embrace Christianity without offering criticism or pointing out hypocrisies. However, a closer reading of his poetry suggests that he uses his new religion to convey a message about the injustices of slavery. In “On Being Brought from Africa to America,” Phillis Wheatley makes an effort to use Christianity with an emphasis on redemption, so that there is a hidden implication of equality and the idea that all slaves can be saved. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The first four lines of Wheatley's poem, "On Being Brought from Africa to America," confirm the ideals of Christianity: "It was mercy that brought me from my heathen land, taught my darkened soul to understand that there is a God, that there is also a Savior: I once did not seek or know redemption. In these lines, she admits that she was once a pagan, but God removed her from this sin and led her to the path of redemption. Instead of beginning with a condemnation of slavery, he calls it “mercy brought me from my pagan land” (Wheatley, “On Being Brought from Africa to America,” line 1). It also implies that the discovery of a God and savior has allowed his once tainted soul to be redeemed (lines 2-4). This simple confirmation of the Christian belief system would have made this poem extremely well received during the time it was written. Wheatley credits slavery with a positive impact on the her life because it led her to Christianity. While his Christian faith was authentic, it was also a safe subject for an enslaved poet in a predominantly white society. Expressing gratitude for his slavery may be unexpected for most readers. However, it was the only way Wheatley could relate to her audience at the time and convey her message without being condemned. She uses the phrase “mercy brought me” (line 1) and the title “On Being Brought” to downplay the violence of being kidnapped and forced into slavery. This could also be read as a denial of power to those people who captured her. She does not submit to them, but gives all the credit to God. Wheatley's motivation in condemning her previous beliefs most likely developed from her fragile position in American society. For his poetry to be well recognized, it would have to appeal to a white Christian society. Her audience would have been quite interested in the idea of ​​a black woman giving up her pagan ways in favor of Christianity. If the poem had focused significantly on the equality between slaves and whites, it would never have been lost in white society. The non-confrontational tone that Wheatley uses along with the idea that slaves can become Christians inertly leads the reader to conclude that slavery is wrong in both a moral and religious sense. In the last four lines of “On Being Brought from Africa to America,” Wheatley subtly establishes the concept of equality among all races: some look upon our black race with a scornful eye, “their color is an evil die.” Remember, Christians, Negroes, blacks like Cain, can be refined and join the angelic train. In the seventh line of the poem, Wheatley writes "Remember, Christians, niggers, black like Cain" ("On Being Brought from From Africa to America", line 7). The biblical reference to Cain is used to draw a parallel between the racist idea that African Americans are slaves,>.