Religious Beliefs In The Crucible By Arthur Miller

Religious beliefs in todays society and in the Salem Witch Trials are strikingly similar. In current events, religious groups come together to protest, and rival against people and even other religions. Religion is favoured over morality and misused as an excuse to cover up wrongful acts leading to false perceptions of what religion is really for. The Crucible by Arthur Miller shows just that. How the stubbornness of religious beliefs in 1692 lead to compulsive lying, false accusations, witch trials and executions in Salem. Were these events in Salem to rid of sin or to simply have an excuse to sin? Are we just as stubborn as the people in Salem believing that we are doing right by doing wrongful acts in the name of God?

Decisions made in

Salem always came down to Puritan beliefs and what their reputation within the church was frustrating. Their society was based on religion, the Puritans believed that their goodness lied with how religious they were. Today, society does not force religious practices upon us. But religion is the main a reason why wars happen in such places as Syria, Iraq, Israel and Palestine. The main problem with religion today, is that religious people become displeased if someone doesn’t follow a religion or has different opinions on faith. Much like, in The Crucible, when Reverend Hale tells Elizabeth and John that Elizabeth was named in court, (Act II, Scene 3) Hale questions John Proctor on his absences at church. Having suspicions about Proctor’s faith, Hale tells him to recite the Ten Commandments to test his faith – Puritans should be able to recite a basic list of all commandments. Coincidentally, Proctor names 9 commandments except ‘thou shalt not commit adultery’. Proctor says it was a small fault – although the only commandment he couldn’t recall was the one that he broke. Hale then tells Proctor “Theology, sir, is a fortress; no crack in a fortress may be accounted small.” (Act II, Scene 3) Thus shows Hale’s displeasure with the extent of Proctor’s religious knowledge. For what reason should how much of the bible one remembers by heart be an indication of how good of a Puritan they are?

As the Witch Trials continue and more people are accused, the executions of innocent people begin and my frustration grows more.

Why? Because the people of Salem turn on each other and point fingers in the other direction just because of Abigail’s obsession with Proctor and unwillingness to admit to her fault. Instead she chooses to divert the attention away from herself and the girls involved with real witchcraft. Isn’t this just human nature though? Not wanting to take the blame… not wanting to let everybody down… With no real proof but the churches opinion and religious expectancies, no one in Salem wants to speak out in fear of accusation. These people have ignored their moral code and gut feelings in the name of God. This reminds me a lot of World War II; when people were too afraid to speak out against the actions of the Nazis. Similarly, in Nazi Germany and Salem, no one fought against what was happening because they feared imprisonment or death. The executions continued in Salem because no one spoke up or admitted to their mistake. Even when it went too far and the judges realised that they have made a mistake. If the Puritan’s weren’t so stubborn with their beliefs and didn’t care what the church thought of them the continuous chain of sins could all have been

avoided.

During Proctors confession, Hale, Parris and Danforth prompt him to sign a written confession but Proctor refuses to sign it, saying that it is enough that he has confessed verbally. “You will sign your name or it is no confession, Mister!” Danforth says angrily. (Act IV, Scene 4) Even when trying to save somebody from the noose they still need to please the man upstairs and provide evidence for the townsfolk of Salem. Proctor fights back telling Danforth that he is the “high court your word is good enough!” (Act IV, Scene 4) It is absurd and downright stupid that they won’t accept the word of truth without proof to save lives. The judges want to let Proctor and the other accused people live, but they just need something or in this case, someone to put the blame on. Because you know, religion is stronger than morality I guess.
Back to the future though, I can’t think of anybody who could commit a heavy crime but holds a higher status within the community and automatically get given a lesser jail sentence. Oh wait, Brock Turner, a rapist, who did 3 months in jail just because daddy can get him a get out of jail free card. So does that mean if you go to church every Sunday does that clear you of all your sin and grief? Does that grant you a free pass? Is Abigail Williams is telling the truth just because she is the niece of a reverend?

There are so many questions that doubt the whole holiness of the Salem Witch Trials and the idealism of religion today. But with doubts, proof and uncanny similarities between Puritan’s in Salem and how it reflects on religion today it can only be helped in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.