“Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” was terrifying, but most definitely not as terrifying as it must have been when it was given by Pastor Jonathon Edwards. Considering that we are Americans of the twenty-first century, a good fraction of the population is either not Christian or not religious at all. But even with this in mind, if this speech were given today it would still strike fear into the hearts of thousands of men and women across the country. In one part of the sermon, Edwards states “Sometimes an earthly prince meets with a great deal of difficulty to subdue a rebel, who has found means to fortify himself, and has made himself strong by the numbers of his followers. But it is not so with God. There is no fortress that is any defence from the power of God” (Edwards 93). What Edwards is saying is that no matter what measures someone takes to protect themselves from the wrath of God, they are useless when in the face of God. This quote plays against the one of the most reactive human emotions, helplessness. By saying this, Edwards made people of the early Americas feel vulnerable, as if they had no control over any aspect of their lives. This still holds true today, when a person feels vulnerable and insecure panic results. If this sermon were given today, there would most definitely not be the same size reaction. Though the amount of people reacting would be smaller, the emotions felt would be the same. There is no time barrier between emotions and the terror that would ensue proves this well.
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