The Need for Communities to Stand Up for What is Right

Both of the readings for today gave strong insight into what a community should be, as well as what it takes for a community to thrive. In reading Winthrop's " A model for Christianity" one major thing stood out to me that was a little different from Thoreau's work.

In "A model for Christianity", Winthrop's main notion of a stable and thriving community is one that is conducted and governed under God's divine purpose for the community. He thought that it should be a Christian community and that its inhabitants should contribute to the idea of selflessness. He felt like everyone had a right to do as they so pleased as long as they abide by the laws of government.Winthrop also felt if God's purpose wasn't implemented in the community and people began to disobey not only the laws of government as well as the plan of Christ, then they would be punished with God's wrath and the community would fail to flourish.He stated, "The eyes of all people are upon us. So that if we shall deal falsely with our God in this work we have undertaken, and so cause Him to withdraw His present help from us, we shall be made a story and a by-word through the world". This suggests that Winthrop believes that God shall play an important role in New England's fate and he is giving warning that they must all abide by this plan.

In "Civil Disobedience", Thoreau's idea of community was very different from Winthrop. He believed that government should not play a big role in people's lives when he stated in his opening paragraph, ""That government is best which governs not at all". In my opinion he felt as though government did not help to strengthen the sense of community but only weaken it. He doesn't disagree with all aspects of government as seen when he states, "Governments show thus how successfully men can be imposed upon, even impose on themselves, for their own advantage. It is excellent, we must all allow". I think that Thoreau's main claim was that government should not be at the forefront of society's endeavors especially one that supports slavery which was one of biggest oppositions to the government. He believes that we should be able to think and do for ourselves without having the confinement of rules and laws or having to agree with a government that contradicts our morals.

It was obvious that Winthrop's main pull on having a stable community was having God's plan implemented in its structure whereas Thoreau's main point that the people should be put first in a community. The main similarity I saw between these two people was that they both wanted America to be a place of love and unity. Above all, they both wanted the foundation of America to be that f solid beliefs in which the individual has contributed. Although they gave different reasons and explanations of how one should go about achieving this, they both wanted the same for America in the end. This is proven when Winthrop stated, "We must uphold a familiar commerce together in all meekness, gentleness, patience and liberality. We must delight in each other; make others’ conditions our own; rejoice together, mourn together, labor and suffer together, always having before our eyes our commission and community in the work, as members of the same body". He is making the claim that through everything that a society must face, they must do it in a way of unity. Thoreau takes on a similar claim when he stated, "I please myself with imagining a State at last which can afford to be just to all men, and to treat the individual with respect as a neighbor". This suggests that Thoreau also longs for unity and equality that will solidify his idea of a strong community and an even stronger America.

One connection I had with today's reading was with Thoreau's idea of civil disobedience and the ideas of Ginsberg. They both seem to have an idea of not conforming and acting out on one's free will. They are not too impressed with government and both seem to prefer a society that is ran on individual choices rather than laws.

In Winthrop's thesis he speaks highly of God ans his plan that he has set out for the people. Do you think his view on slavery could have been similar to that of Thoreau's being that he had such a high respect for God and the government?