The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave
             Another advantage I gained in my new master was, he made no pretensions to, or profession of, religion; and this, in my opinion, was truly a great advantage. I assert most unhesitatingly, that the religion of the south is a mere covering for the most horrid crimes,--a justifier of the most appalling barbarity,--a sanctifier of the most hateful frauds,--and a dark shelter under, which the darkest, foulest, grossest, and most infernal deeds of slaveholders find the strongest protection. Were I to be again reduced to the chains of slavery, next to that enslavement, I should regard being the slave of a religious master the greatest calamity that could befall me. (Chapter X, 33).
             This paragraph spoke loudest about Frederick Douglass' feelings toward religious slave-owners. He made the statement that he regarded being the slave of a religious man the greatest calamity that could befall anyone. Douglass went on to discuss more of why he felt this way towards religious men, having observed and lived among "religious" slave owners." He observed that religious men felt that "reminding him of his master's authority" was done by regular whippings, whether or not he had done wrong. He also noted that "religious" men used their religion as a cover-up for the "most cruel and cowardly" deeds done, in the name of their church (in this case the Reformed Methodist Church). It was these men who Douglass remembered as "religious," and not the ones who later helped him.
             In Chapter IX, he tells how his cruel master was converted to Christianity. The slaves who had hoped he would be bettered by his conversion were disappointed, as previously the master was just a mean man and afterwards found reasons for being cruel in the Bible. The cruel master even began to preach, converted others and entertained as many as three or fo...