Compliance

Faith is not concerned with reason. Frederick Douglass often questioned (righteously) the existence of the benevolent, wise god he was raised to believe in. Ironically, in his most desperate moments, a simultaneous disbelief and attachment to the abstract figure emerged in him. Often after bantering about religion, and doubting on the existence of God, he would say something like, "...in the darkest hours of my career in slavery, this living word of faith and spirit of hope departed not from me, but remained like ministering angels to cheer me through the gloom..." This reminds me of the verse by Vinicus de Moraes 

"Quero só que surjas em mim 

como a fé nos desesperados"

Perhaps the only topic Douglass feels ambiguously about in his narrative is religion. Throughout the book he uses the word pious to describe the many slave holder's hypocritical display of virtue. The word pious can also be ascribed to the description of anyone devoutly religious, be them hypocritical or not.  A word which can potentially describe two very distant characters as are Douglass and any of his devout masters is then by nature ambiguous, as is religion. 

The role of religion in the development and sustainability of the "institution" of slavery in America is pivotal to say the least. In my research on the subject, I found an address delivered by Douglass in London in 1846 called "American Slavery, American Religion, and the Free Church of Scotland." Here Douglass develops on Christian derived churches' scandalous role in slavery's proliferation on American soil. In his address he denounces, "I have to inform you that the religion of the southern states, at this time, is the great supporter, the greater sanctioner of the bloody atrocities to which I have referred." And later states "As a proof of this, I need not do more than state the general fact, that slavery has existed under the droppings of the sanctuary of the south, for the last 200 years, and there has not been any war between the religion and the slavery of the south." Douglass needs not to restate the facts so evident in any segment of his memoir. Yet, it is curious to me how Douglass, aware of his religion's compliant role in the worst affair conducted by mankind, still chooses to subscribe to that faith.

Douglass' protest against the church and insistent attachment to it is a clear proof of the distinction between organized religion and faith. Today more than ever, it is evident that both can exist separately. 

Douglass chooses to continue believing. Faith has served an important purpose in his life, a most important role of moral support. In his own words, "I love the religion of our blessed Saviour, I love that religion that comes from above, in the wisdom of God, which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy." Douglass is therefore, according to the dictionary simultaneously, pious and not pious.