The irony in An Indians Looking-Glass for the White Man Essay

The irony in An Indians Looking-Glass for the White Man - Essay ExampleThe paper tells that William Apess was a Native American who accepted the Christian faith. He continued to labor among the Native American Indians as a Christian minister and advocated gracious rights in his sermons and writings. The period in which he wrote marked an age of cruel slavery and anti-miscegenation laws which prohibited the exogamy between Whites and Colored people. Apess uses the notable technique of irony in which he would expose the hypocrisy of the Whites employing their throw religious doctrines and ideologies.The superficiality of the White mans doctrine is a point of argument in Apess work. Apess observes that one whitethorn learn how deep (the White mans) principles are...I should say they were skin deep. The foundation of the White mans objection to the non-Whites enjoyment of their absolute human rights is based on the skin tone. Skin pigmentation or exterior is not of value in any substa ntial and profound argument for what lies on the inside forms the core and matters most. In his day, Apess would have been old(prenominal) with the Great Chain of Being philosophy which privileges the Whites at the head of the human races and relegates the Other to occupy debase tiers. Whites used this belief to justify their subhuman treatment of separate races. The irony of using skin discolor as a means to exalt oneself and debase another reveals the truth of the proverb, All that glitters is not gold. In time, the go up of any object is defaced and gradu eachy stripped away. External appearances deceive however, only nature is real and enduring. Apess reiterates I am not talking about the skin, but about principles.Apess makes a stirring appeal to the tenets of Christianity, the questionable White mans religion. White men would use their religion to validate conquest, segregation, and the institution of slavery, however, Apess wields the Holy Bible, the book which instruc ts Christians in defence of human rights, equality, justice and brotherhood. The Christian Bible quotes that God is no respecter of persons-Thou shalt heat the captain thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul, with all thy mind, and with all thy strength-Thou shalt hunch forward thy neighbor as thyself. By this shall all men know that they are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. Let us not love in word but in deed. Repeatedly Apess preaches to the people who should be acquainted with their own doctrines of love. Apess concept of God differs from the White mans God. Judging from the professing Christians cruelty, greed, and antagonism, the Apess shows that according to the white mans principles, the Christian God would have to be an unfair and loatheful deity who would favor a cross section of people and belittle others. authoritative religion in Apess eyes is an inclusive religion. One which inspires love and compassion. Apess laments that in Christian America th ere remains active voice practice of cruelty, systematic oppression, inhumanity and hostility. Apess argues that a Christian should never be a slave-owner for doing so puts at detriment his own soul and contravenes the founding principles of his faith. He urges the equality and brotherhood of Negroes and Whites according to the Christian doctrines and wonders at White Christian hypocrisy. To add force to his arguments, he quotes numerous scriptural texts from the Bible from Matthew, John and Romans. To hate and propagate division is not only unchristian but also unethical. Gods unconditional and impartial love is a perfect example of the love that man must have for his fellow. Greed, selfishness and prejudice are the current motivators of discrimination that have poisoned the heart, turning it from human compassion. Vices such as sloth, greed and materialism are other adverse effects of the White