fore they are born? If a person is deemed to be destined for damnation will he not turn against the damning religion and find one more suitable and forgiving? Factors and thinking such as this played a large role in the failure of the religion. People would not accept that a merciful and venerable God would allow them to burn in hell after they had lived a pure, Christian lifestyle. This basic principle increased the allure of other religions that were more forgiving and offered a better chance at salvation. The Puritans chose to live in a theocracy while in the new world, with the Reverend as the interpreter of God’s will. The reason for this was that the Puritans saw God as infallible. They, in turn, could find no better way of governing their society than by using a perfect being. “…a Holy Commonwealth governed by God or God’s Representatives. The clergy were the representatives. They wereMen of vigorous intellect, deeply learned in theology.” (P.3) Here, however, is an example of mixing politics with religion, an age-old mixture that often ends in disaster. The problem with this system is God’s will, in any religion, is left open to personal interpretation. As long as the puritans remained in a theocracy, there would always be people that would attempt to take advantage of the people in the name of God. Greed, the natural flaw present in people, compels them to take advantage of situations such as these for personal profit. This weakness in the governing of the society caused a weakening in both the society and in the religion, as both were linked. The weakness of this system was seen in Salem village, when the reverend Paris uses this power to manipulate the town for his own gains. It was his will, not God’s, that he receive large sums of money, extra wood, and a house. He later used his power to extend the length of the witch trials and he refused to do anything to stop it as he was usin...
