With Christian Nationalism in the news - here’s an artifact from America’s Puritan strand:
“The Way of Good and Evil”, drawn and published by John Hailer in 1862, is a circular allegorical image depicting the divergent paths of good and evil while on life’s journey.
It’s simple …
The path splits as a child leaves the school house either they turn toward the House of God and Eternal Life, or toward the House of Sin and Everlasting Punishment.
The “Good path” features a church, a schoolhouse, a peaceful home, and a college with an American flag flying above it. It leads to Good and the Eternal Life through "The Word."
The “Bad path” starts with “disobedience to parents and teachers,” then to a House of Sin to a tavern, a States Prison to Destruction and Everlasting Punishment. The path to destruction ends with a pitchfork-wielding demon in the fires of Hell.
Oh My. If swearing is a fucking sin then me and the rest of my East Coast friends are heading for the shitty depths of hell! God Damn!
With a few notable exceptions, I obeyed my parents and teachers, so maybe the Lord should pondereth how I ended up at the tavern?