Rationalist

The difference between rationalist and puritans is, all rationalist deny the doctrine of total depravity. Rationalist wanted freedom of will. When rationalism started things had changed from the puritan days. The colonial setting were growing and developing. Although disunited by geography and religion, hopes and promises of the new land united the colonies. Rationalist believed god is the creator because of the evidence of creation. Puritans believed Jesus died for chosen one and not for everyone. Puritans also felt man was evil. Rationalist felt man was both good and bad, they felt that man could improve himself with education. More importance was given to scientific reasoning than god’s wrath. The puritan reasons for everything that happen in life was bout god.

An example of Puritanism today would be someone believing that god is the reason for everything that happens and that if he wants you to live he will save you. People today still think that way. That’s why people pray to god. Because they believe everything is in the lord hand. I’m not a real religious person but I do believe in god, I think that everything that happen doesn’t necessarily has to do with god. I think when you believe good things happen, especially when you have faith in something.
A good example of rationalism today is a scientist, like when scientists study to find cure for cancer. If they just believed god will make it better or the cure is in the lord hand. Then there will be a lot of dead people. The reason I think a scientist is a good example is because they look for evidence before accepting anything, and that’s what the rationalist do. They look for evidence of why or they try to prove it with education.

Ben Franklin is a good example of rationalist because he tried to improve his life by being educated. As said in his autobiography he was never without religious principle, he never doubted the existence of deity, to him the most acceptable service of god was the doing good to men. This shows Ben is a rationalist because of his beliefs and the way he did things. He believed that man could improve himself by doing good and getting a good education. Unlike rationalist the puritans believed all men were evil. Ben Franklin was a good man who had respectable virtues and beliefs in life. He is a good example that you don’t have to be religious to have good things happen to you, just do right.

If I put my virtues in order, the same way Ben did they would be listed as follow:
Acceptance- considering circumstances especially those that can not be changed.
Forgiveness- To cease to feel angry or bitter towards a person.
Gratitude- being thankful for everything.
Openness- Ready and willing to talk.
Faith- knowing anything can happen if I hope and pray.
Ambition- always pursuing my dreams no matter what.
Generosity- always giving when I have, to help someone.
Tolerance- excepting more, instead of getting mad and wanting to fight.
Patience- Waiting more, instead of always being in a hurry
Curiosity- Desire to find out and know things.
Obedience- willingness to obey
Honesty- Telling the truth not lying or cheating
Organized- knowing what I have to do and doing it on time, instead of procrastinating
I don’t think I can reach perfection by listing this, no one in the world is perfect. I can try to change and have morals in life, but I know I want be able to be perfect them all. Because every person has flaws. I have a lot of flaws, some good and some bad but as long as I love me I don’t care what others think or feel about me. The way I feel is, every person should have morals in life. Even though we all have different morals or beliefs, we should be able to relate because most people want to be forgiving or obedient and even if that’s not your moral in life you should still respect it.


We hold the truth to be self- evident that all men are created equal. I think that statement is a rationalist thought because unlike puritans who believed all men are evil. Rationalist believed they were equal and men can make themselves better with good education. Rationalist wanted freedom of will. In the Declaration of independence it is declared to all colonies the right to be free and independent that’s a good example of rationalist thought. Because rationalist believed in freedom of will. Declaration of independence also states that their creator endows men. I think that’s a good example of rationalist thought, because rationalist believed in the creator because of the evidence of creation.

It seems that all the things the rationalist believes in or think is because of scientific evidence. I like the rationalist way of thinking they always study scientifically to figure out what they want to know. If Benjamin Franklin had believed everything happen because of god we wouldn’t know why lighting happened. The way rationalist think is interesting, I liked reading and informing myself about their way of living and their fascinating beliefs.