How Does What We Believe Influence What We Do Both Positively and Negatively?

Religion 300

11/30/2007

How does what we believe influence what we do both positively and negatively?

When someone has a strong belief that is built upon concrete ideas their actions to the final goal can have a negative or positive effect. There were many examples of how beliefs that people had gave certain consequences while reading the book by Marsh.

In one instance Mrs. Hamer believed that everyone should have the chance to vote whether or not they are black, white, or another color. She had a strong belief for civil rights, “Well, killing or no killing. I’m going to stick with civil rights.” (Marsh,17) She was so determined to become a registered voter that she didn’t care what she had to do because she wanted change, change in the way black people are treated and represented in the United States, and in the southern states, “Now, you cain’t have me fired ‘cause I’m already fired, and I won’t have to move now, because I’m not livin’ in no white man’s house. I’ll be back here every thirty days until I become a registered voter.” (Marsh, 17)

Although Mrs. Hamer had a strong belief in civil rights she also believed that God made everyone equal, and that everyone should have the same opportunity no matter what color the person is, ““[God] hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth.” Indeed all races are as one in God’s sight.” (Marsh, 23)

The bible also gives great influence on the way people believe, especially when talking about segregation and equal rights, “There cannot…be any true Christian worship at all which is not intercession in behalf of all mankind….for Jesus Christ died and rose again for all.” (Marsh, 128) This statement from the letter of the bishop turned the way Cunnginham thought about having only whites in the church for prayer and changed his decision to let blacks worship in the sanctuary on behalf of his decision. Although the belief of using violence as a mean to make change in civil rights King believed that it wasn’t the way for change to happen, “To abandon nonviolence was to open the way for fear and hate and to love; it was to lose the Movement.” (Marsh, 150) Ed King believed that his life was going towards the biblical reflections of suffering because he too was suffering from physically and mentally but believed it was a must, “ For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in him but also suffer for his sake.” (Marsh 151)

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