Warning: Undefined variable $num in /home/shroutdo/public_html/courses/wp-content/plugins/single-categories/single_categories.php on line 126
Warning: Undefined variable $posts_num in /home/shroutdo/public_html/courses/wp-content/plugins/single-categories/single_categories.php on line 127
While reading “Faith and Doubt” I found it interesting how many people turned the devastation around to rejuvenation. As humans we always look for meaning in why things happen to help us wrap our minds around why disasters happen. Christians believed that the fire was an act of God punishing the city for its wrongdoings and sins. This idea that God had a hand in the “purification” of the city is very interesting to me. In times of devastation and destruction people cling to ideas and faith to help cope with the loss of their earthly belongings. Giving a positive spin on what otherwise is negative gives people the strength and hope to pick up the pieces and move forward. The fire brought of a great cleansing brought on by God giving the city a second chance to rise from the ashes and start over (Biel 146), much like the phoenix giving new life.
The worst in society are often brought out in times of need and hardship. Smith explains a greater sympathy for the rich due to their higher losses, but he also claims that the fire wasn’t necessarily bad because it helped purge the poor areas. The lower classes are often seen as the scapegoat when morality is in question. As Armando35 mentioned the fire vanquished the poor neighborhoods gave to city a chance to be morally upright again in the eyes of the upper classes.
a