In the narrative of the life of Frederick Douglass, the author analyzes how the Christian religion is practiced in the antebellum South. From Douglass's perspective as a slave, he finds Christianity in the still slave-holding South hypocritical. Although he is personally committed to the Christian religion, for Douglas Christianity, as expressed through the behavior of slave owners, violates the true Christian belief system. Douglass sees this false Christianity that advocates oppression and violence as a misrepresentation of the word of God. He is a man dedicated to his faith and uses it to fight for justice and to denounce America for corrupting the true message of mercy , love, freedom and equality of God. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay. Douglas realizes from an early age that many slave owners practice false Christianity. When Douglass was 13, he befriended a black slave named Charles Lawson. Douglass called him his spiritual father. Lawson told Douglass, “God has destined you for more than the life of a slave, and you would do a great work preaching the true gospel.” Christianity was divided, the slaves believed one side while the white men and slave owners believed another version. Masters and slave owners used Christianity as an excuse to behave horribly towards slaves and call them racist names. Slaves would find hope in Christianity and justify their masters. Additionally, Captain Thomas Auld, Douglass' former slave owner, was part of the dangerous alliance between slave owners and false Christianity. Captain Auld was the son-in-law of Douglass' former owner. Douglass recalls how when Mr. Auld converted to Christianity, he became even more cruel towards the slaves. “After his conversion, he found religious sanction and support for his cruelty as a slaveholder. He made the greatest claims of mercy. His house was the house of prayer." Captain Auld thought that Christianity allowed him to treat slaves in humiliating ways, but treat other people of his race better. Douglass always referred to religious slave owners as “the worst.” Furthermore, another of Douglass' former slave owners, Edward Covey, was religiously motivated in morally wrong ways. Mr. Covey was a religion professor and a class leader at his church. He had a reputation for being a "slave destroyer". Slave owners sent their worst-behaved slaves to Mr. Covey who punished them by working his land and even disciplining them with violence. “He found religious sanction and support for his cruelty as a slaveholder.” Mr. Covey also encouraged slaves to act drunkenly on holidays to make them not want to pursue freedom since that's what they would think freedom is like; being drunk and fooling around with little to do. Douglass knew not to act that way during the Christmas holidays because it wouldn't do him any good and he religiously hoped to become free. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom EssayDouglass argues that a person cannot be both a Christian and a slave owner. As Christianity spread to the South during that time, slavery worsened. Many of its former owners, including Captain Auld and Edward Covey, are prime examples of slave owners whose behavior violates the..