Things Fall Apart Christianity vs. Animism - 1871 Words

Christianity vs. Animism A major aspect of one’s society is religion. Without it, the way people hold themselves accountable would be nonexistent. In addition, many moral standards that exist today are values taken directly from religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Currently, there exists a feud between people who believe in a god, and of those who do not. Eventually those who believe in a higher power will fight against each other. In â€Å"Things Fall Apart†, Chinua Achebe brings to light the differences and similarities of Christianity and Animism in order to demonstrate the effects of religion upon one’s society, which is exemplified by Okonkwo and his people. This is noticed in the lives of the Ibo, the missionaries, and†¦show more content†¦Throughout the novel, the egwugwu are mentioned on several occasions. These â€Å"spirits† are really just masked men of the clan, but instead of them being seen as just symbolic figures, they are believed to be ac tual spirits of their past ancestors, â€Å"The egwugwu house was now a pandemonium of quavering voices: Aru oyim de de de dei! Filled the air as the spirits of the ancestors, just emerged from the earth, greeted themselves in their esoteric language† (88). These men or â€Å"spirits† are seen throughout various rituals in the book, but their true effect upon the Ibo is not fully seen until a court proceeding at which the egwugwu decide a man’s punishment for breaking a law (87 – 94). In most, if not all, predominantly Christian countries, the citizens have some sort of judiciary system where he or she is punished for their crimes. The Ibo would not be any different if it were not for the reason that the jurors are believed to be the spirits of dead ancestors but in actuality are just men. This practice allows the select few egwugwu to judge their peers as if they themselves were gods. Not only does the judiciary process differ between the two religions, but as does the judgment of one’s actions that effect their spiritual lives. The Ibo believe that one man’s transgression has the potential to cause punishment towards the entire clan. This fear is observed when Okonkwo beats his wife during the Week of Peace, and he is commanded to make a sacrifice to AniShow MoreRelatedEssay on Christianity vs. Animism in Achebes Things Fall Apart1863 Words   |  8 PagesChristianity vs. Animism in Achebes Things Fall Apart A major aspect of one’s society is religion. Without it, the way people hold themselves accountable would be nonexistent. In addition, many moral standards that exist today are values taken directly from religions such as Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Currently, there exists a feud between people who believe in a god, and of those who do not. Eventually those who believe in a higher power will fight against each other. In â€Å"Things FallRead MoreCulture And Religion : What Is Religion?1758 Words   |  8 Pagesculture in which they assimilate, which sometimes reinforces their religious preference. Most times with minimal proof and fact to substantiate the ideologies and beliefs that are held to be the most correct and realistic. Unfortunately, there is a thing that we call science and although it is a soft science and very similar to theology and understanding of one’s environment and interpretation of reality, the substance in which it is based is tangible thro ugh data and experimentation to substantiate