Frederick Douglass: Rich Tyrants vs. Slaves
on Friday, July 14, 2017Frederick Douglass Money Quote saying in 1852 that religion turned a blind eye to rich slave owners and encouraged slavery and oppression of the poor. Frederick Douglass said:
“A religion which favors the rich against the poor; which exalts the proud above the humble; which divides mankind into two classes, tyrants and slaves; which says to the man in chains, stay there; and to the oppressor, oppress on; it is a religion which may be professed and enjoyed by all the robbers and enslavers of mankind” — Frederick Douglass
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In this quote, Frederick Douglass is strongly criticizing a religion or ideology that favors the privileged and powerful over the disadvantaged.
He suggests it divides society into oppressors and oppressed, telling the poor and enslaved they must accept their condition while telling the rich and proud they can continue to exploit others.
Douglass implies this is an unjust system that allows those who rob and enslave humanity to still profess and benefit from the religion.
The quote highlights Douglass’ view that any faith tradition that sanctions inequality and oppression by condoning the actions of tyrants while blaming the oppressed serves only to perpetuate injustice and is not a true religion of moral righteousness.
Birthday: c. February 1817 – Death: February 20, 1895