Nathaniel Hawthorne's - the Minister's Black Veil - Society and Sins Acceptance

Society and Sins Acceptance

In Nathaniel Hawthorne's, The Minister's black Veil, raise questions about secret sin. The town's minister never reveals what his secret sin is although the town continues to worship and respect him while at the same time fear his new look. Fear would be a true contradiction in with today's believers and nonbelievers because society now days ask questions and demand answers. The portrayal of alienation to keep his loved ones and parishioners from knowing what his sin was would cause controversy, if that transpired in today's time. People respect ministers for their position, look up to them for truth and expect that they are practicing what they are ministering to the congregation.

Ministers are admonish to be truthful, translucent and honest in the discharge of their duties in order to sustain the confidence of their members. In a world full of sin and mistake today, a congregation will hold the pastor exactly to that and would not allow the pastor to avoid answers for his new look like in Hawthorne's story when he writes "turning his veiled face from one group to another, he paid due reverence to the hoary heads, saluted the middle aged with kind dignity as their friend and spiritual guide, greeted the young with mingled authority and love, and laid his hands on the little children's heads to bless them. Such was always his custom on the Sabbath day. Strange and bewildered looks repaid him for his courtesy." (Hawthorne) The moral-religious law would have him to prove the congregation in the wrong and if not a pastor can be discharge of their duties. Also the congregation will begin to shrink if there is no believe in the pastor truthfulness.

In churches today, loss of respect would take place because of silent actions and could possibly turn into disrespect as seen so many times on TV. People automatically assumed that you are guilty when you do not defend or explain yourself and it makes it worse if you are religious. One has to think that why someone would not, of high regards, want to clear up any wrong information that could harm the reputation or lifestyle. Hawthorne's makes it clear that Hooper does not care what anyone think of him when he says "know, then, this veil is a type and a symbol, and I am bound to wear it ever, both in light and darkness, in solitude and before the gaze of multitudes, and as with strangers, so with my familiar friends. No mortal eye will see it withdrawn. This dismal shade must separate me from the world: even you, Elizabeth, can never come behind it!" (Hawthorne) If someone cooped that type of attitude in today time, they would be blasted all over the news. Disrespected verbally and would definitely have to step down because no one would have respect to even pay their tithes to what would be knows as a hypocrite.

Practice what you preach is one