Franklin & Deism Reflection

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin does in fact relate to Deism. I remember learning about Deism before, but for some reason I just can't remember what it means. Deism is defined as this: belief in the existence of a God on the evidence of reason and nature only, with rejection of supernatural revelation (Deism). In my own words this basically means that Deists believe in the existence of a God, but only in a rational sense. Deism is different from other religions such as Judaism and Christianity in the fact that they do not believe in revealed religion. Instead of just believing because they have been told to etc, they believe that as long as they can back it up with some kind of rational reasoning then it can be true. This is what we call a natural religion. It is basically the opposite of a revealed religion because instead of God guiding us through the Bible or other things of that nature, they believe that God is not revealing himself but rather we are just finding him (World Religions).

Benjamin Franklin was a Deist, which is kind of surprising considering that his father was a Puritan, and as we have learned in some of our previous reading, the Puritan faith is a great deal different from the Deism religion. As we already know, the Puritans definitely believed in a God. However, talking about some of the general Puritan communities, not all of them were so open for reason or rationalism. Many of them believed that everything that happened, whether it be good or bad, was God's doing. They did not ever consider there being a simple explanation for something unusual. They just assumed that it was either the devil's doing or God's doing (Miller 3). Benjamin Franklin was a Deist because he wanted to look at things from a more reasonable point of view. He did not deny that there was a God, but he liked to make sure his assumptions were reasonable and that he could back them up. He wanted to make sure that he knew the facts about his faith. Deists did not recite things that they had heard or read out of the Bible, they simply believe in what they can prove is true to them (World Religions). Ben Franklin was very smart and he knew that whatever his religion he wanted to be a better person and learn more about God in general and live a good life. Therefore, he decided to create his thirteen virtues.

These thirteen virtues were supposed to help him become a better person . Ben figured that you could always better yourself in some way or another. I really admire this in Ben Franklin because even though I do not always agree with all of his views and opinions, I do agree that you can always work harder to be a better person. I also admire him because I feel like he did not waste time. There are so many others things he could have been doing, but instead he decide to try and better himself. I think that is pretty impressive.

"Deism | Define Deism at Dictionary.com." Dictionary.com | Find the Meanings and Definitions of Words at Dictionary.com. Web. 26 Oct. 2011. .

"Deist Roots of America." Welcome To The Deism Site! Web. 26 Oct. 2011. .

"The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin." Archiving Early America: Primary Source Material from 18th Century America. Web. 27 Oct. 2011.

"World Religions." Religious Tolerance. Web. 27 Oct. 2011. .

Journal #14 - Ben Franklin's Apprentice

I believe that if I were an apprentice to Benjamin Franklin I would learn many things. Benjamin Franklin was a very smart man and was a big part of our county's history. He had many skills so I assume that I would be learning many skills from him as well. I also believe that I could learn many life lessons. I believe that if I were his apprentice, I would definitely learn a great deal about the rationalism time period. Benjamin Franklin lived in a time period in which the idea of knowledge and enlightenment was a pretty big deal. Because Ben Franklin loved to learn new things and loved the idea of gaining as much knowledge as possible, he was a huge fan of Enlightenment. Enlightenment replaced the idea of just using God as an excuse for everything and the ideas of reasoning and scientific knowledge. I believe that I would also learn many things about his thirteen virtues. If I was his apprentice during this time frame, I believe that I would hear a great deal about them and why learning them was so important to him. It would kind of be cool to be his apprentice because maybe I would try to better myself with his virtues as well. Then, I could also try to become a better person in general just like him. We would then talk about what virtues we have trouble with and the ones we need to do better on. I think in a way, it would also be super intimidating to work and help out Ben Franklin. He was crazy smart and it would kind of be hard to be around him without feeling like you had to be that smart too. Overall, I think that it would be an amazing experience just because you have the opportunity to learn so much. It is especially a good opportunity because not everyone during this time received a good education.

Journal #13 - The American Dream

Journal #13 – The American Dream
We learned a lot about the American Dream in 20th Century history class last year. However, the American Dream has obviously changed since the 1950’s. Back in that time, the dream consisted of living in a little suburb where most of the houses are cookie cutter, and having a family that included usually two to three children. If you have ever seen Pleasantville, that was basically what people were going for. They liked the image of having a perfect family in a perfect little community. So that was the American Dream back then. I do not think that today’s American Dream differs that much from the old American Dream. In fact, I think that it is basically the same. People have different definitions of success. However, I define success as not always having money, although that would be nice, but getting a good job and supporting yourself as well as your family. I think that is quite an accomplishment. I also think that most people hope to end up and live in a nice and safe community, especially if they have a family to look after. Even though living in the suburbs in not what everyone wants, I think that it is overall, still an American Dream just because it is a perfect place to raise a family and it is nice to live in. It’s not too fancy, and it’s not too small. It is perfect. I think that living the American Dream would also include having a good job. Especially living in a time like this when work is sometimes hard to find, I think that most people want a job that they like as well as getting paid a descent amount. I think that would have to be part of the American Dream because if you do not have a decent job, then you will not be able to pay for the other stuff that you want like a nice house, etc. So overall, I do not think the American Dream has changed that much.

Journal #12 - Right & Wrong

I think that this topic is super hard to write about because I feel like I could never just take control and make up random rules that were made just for me. I think that would be really selfish of me and inconsiderate to other people and what they think about what should be right and wrong. I know this is just a journal, but if I had to make such a big decision like this in real life I would probably be so overwhelmed and just cry. Therefore, I would probably get someone to help me make the rules up, that way at least I could get someone elses opinions about what should be right and wrong. If I had to make at least one rule up, I would say that all of the work should be done strictly in school and no homework should be given out. I think many people would appreciate this rule, including myself and I think that it would get many followers. Another rule that I would iniciate is the rule that we should be able to take other classes in the place of fitness or whatever. I like fitness alright and I do not mind doing it, but just last year I had to decide between two classes that I wanted just because I had to fit fitness somewhere in my schedule. Once again, I like fitness, so I am not really complaining but I do not think it should be required all four years. Other than little things like that, I really have no idea what I would make right and wrong. I wish I could be more creative in this way, but I honestly have no desire to make up rules that I personally think are right and wrong. I would much rather have vote with a whole bunch of people or something along those lines. I think that would be better for everyone else and myself included.

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin - Reflection

Benjamin Franklin's writing style is most definitely different from the previous writing styles we have looked at this year. Compared to other writers like Anne Bradstreet and William Bradford, Ben Franklin's writing style takes a more rational approach. For example, going back to Anne Bradstreet's Upon the Burning of Our House, Bradstreet talks a lot about God and how material things mean nothing to her anymore. "There's wealth enough, I need no more," and "My hope and treasure lies above," are two great examples of how she portrays this (Bradstreet 91). Anne Bradstreet has great faith in God and believes that life on earth is not a permanent thing, but that she will one day go to heaven and it will not matter how much money she has, etc. You can tell that this was written in the Puritan/Pilgrim time period for many reasons. First of all, in this time period, everything pretty much revolved around God and the church. That is why Bradstreet makes so many references to God and is not near as rational as Ben Franklin. Rationalism had not yet come during this time. Also, this was before the time of Enlightenment. Enlightenment changed the way that people thought about nature, God, and society. It was a time in which knowledge and rationalism became more important, rather than just thinking about God and the church. Another writer that reflected the Puritan/Pilgrim time was William Bradford. Like Anne Bradstreet, Bradford also makes many references to God in the passage, Of Plymouth Plantation. For example, the statement "as by God's good providence, they did"(Bradford 64). These are just two writers that wrote during this time period. Another difference that I noticed is that Ben Franklin noted things like the places and times. He wrote down details whereas the other writers did not note things like that. "Then one of the company knew the place to be Cooper's Creek,"(Franklin 108) is an example of how Franklin adds these little details in the passage. Another thing that I believe changed drastically during the rationalism period is the fact that you could go to different churches and not be criticized for it. In The Autobiography of Ben Franklin, there is a paragraph in which Ben Franklin walks into a Quaker meeting and just falls asleep."I joined them, and was thereby was led into a great meeting-house of Quakers"(Franklin 108). Back in the time of Puritan styles you had to go to your church and your church only. That is why it is really interesting and kind of cool that Ben Franklin just went in and sat down. That is kind of a big deal and shows a great difference between the two time periods. As you can see, there are many differences between Ben Franklin's writing style and other writers that wrote in the time of Puritan practice. However, with those differences comes many similarities as well. Rationalism was a big change in society because it changed the way people thought and it also changed the way that we wrote as well.

Franklin, Benjamin. The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 104- 108. Print.

Bradstreet, Anne. Upon the Burning of our House. Comp. Jeffrey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D. and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw-Hill Companies, 2009. 91. Print.

Bradford, William. Of Plymouth Plantation. Comp. Jefferey D. Wilhelm, Ph.D and Douglas Fisher, Ph.D. Glencoe Literature. American Literature ed. Columbus: McGraw- Hill Companies,2009. 64-67. Print.

Journal #11 - Aphorism

As our Glencoe Literature book defines it, an aphorism is a "short, pointed statement that expresses a wise or clever observation about human experience." I am sure that there are many aphorisms that can relate to something in my life, but the one aphorism that comes to mind is a quote by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson states, "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." It is funny that we have to write about this topic today I feel that this quote just recently is now relating to my life a little. Just the other day I was talking about college and school in general with my parents. I was all down and out because it seems like all of my friends make really good grades without even trying that hard and already know kind of what they want to do after high school. I, myself, absolutely have no idea and my grades are only okay. My dad brought up a really good point though. He said that no matter what I decide to do, I should always do it with a good attitude and do that job to the best of my ability. This quote by Emerson talks about exactly that. You could be the smartest person in the world, and could go far, but if you so not have a good attitude and do your job well, people are not going to take you seriously. Many bosses and people in general notice when you have a good attitude and a good work ethic, and that can help you work your way up the career "ladder." Having a good attitude is not always easy to have, but it is good to know that just by being a good person, can affect the way your life turns out. Of course I will continue to work on my grades, but I will also try to remember to have a good attitude whether I am working really hard on school, or working a job, or just hanging out. So, that is how the quote, "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm," relates to my life and is a very good aphorism.

"Nothing Great Was Ever Achieved without Enthusiasm. by Ralph Waldo Emerson."Quotations, Famous Quotes at Quote World. Web. 11 Oct. 2011. .

Wilhelm, Jeffrey D., and Douglas Fisher. Glencoe Literature. New York: Glencoe McGraw-Hill, 2009. Print.

Thomas Paine - Reflection Blog

Unlike the Puritan views, Thomas Paine distributes a more rational way of thinking. This particular view is called Rationalism. Rationalism is something that many writers use, Thomas Paine being one of them. Before the time of Enlightenment most people looked at things from a more religious standpoint. After awhile, Enlightenment came around. Enlightenment was a time in which people started to look at things more logically instead of religiously. It was a time for knowledge and ideas rather than using spiritual elements. Thomas Paine portrayed rationalism in The Crisis No. 1. Although Thomas Paine often refers to God in this speech, he does not blame God for anything. For example, when he states, "However, the fault if it were one, was all our own" (Paine 135). In some of the other previous reading that we have read in our book this year, they were often written from a more religious point of view. They would often use God as an excuse for everything and blame Him when things went wrong or did not go their way. Thomas Paine did not do this. Thomas Paine instead, comes to terms and realizes that ultimately it is their own fault for what had happened and it was in fact not God's fault. This is a good example or rationalism because it is using more knowledge rather than blaming others for your own mistakes. From reading Crisis No. 1 we have learned many things. From this passage we learn that Thomas Paine in fact a Patriot. He did want a war with Britain because he greatly wanted to be separate from them. With this knowledge, I am assuming that Thomas Paine is writing to both Patriots and Loyalists because he probably wanted to rally up support. Although Mr. Paine wanted to be separated from Britain, he makes it very clear that he does not support the war. For example, in Crisis No. 1 he states, "Not all the treasures in the world, so far as I believe, could have induced me to support an offensive war, for I think it is murder; but if a thief breaks into my house, burns and destroys my property, and kills or threatens to kill me and those who are in it, and to bind me in all cases whatsoever, to his absolute will, am I to suffer it?" (Paine 136) This is saying that regardless of whether you are killing one person or a whole bunch under a war, it is still murder regardless. Thomas Paine sounds like he is very passionate about this subject and he absolutely does not want to start a war with Britain because it involves unnecessary murder. This also shows more support that Thomas was saying these things to not only just Patriots or just Loyalists, but both. He would have directed this toward both groups so that he would be able to gather up more supporters for not starting a war. In this passage Thomas Paine shows great rationalism while stating his points about the war with Britain and the separation from them.

Wilhelm, Jeffrey D. "The Crisis No. 1. " Glencoe Literature. New York, NY: McGraw Hill Glencoe, 2010. 134-36. Print.