Religion In Moby Dick

Religion is something that is mentioned to a great extent in the novel Moby Dick by Herman Melville. Father Mapple delivers the story of Jonah and the Whale, in which he speaks about a man named Jonah who tries very hard to get away from God which has a horrible aftereffect. Every time he tries to further himself from God, the consequences worsen. Once Jonah finally decides to accept what he did wrong, God forgives him and gets him out of harm's way unscathed.

What does the story of Jonah have to do with Ishmael’s telling of the Story? The answer to that is religion is something that is very important to Ishmael, So before he went on his voyage he stopped by a “Whale man’s Chapel “and heard Father Mapple’s preaching. …show more content…
How then could I unite with this wild idolater in worshipping his piece of wood? But what is worship? thought I. Do you suppose now, Ishmael, that the magnanimous God of heaven and earth – pagans and all included – can possibly be jealous of an insignificant bit of black wood? Impossible! But what is worship? – To do the will of God – that is worship. And what is the will of God? – To do to my fellow man what I would have my fellow man to do to me – that is the will of God. Now, Queequeg is my fellow man. And what do I wish that this Queequeg would do to me? Why, unite with me in my particular Presbyterian form of worship. Consequently, I must then unite with him in his; ergo, I must turn idolater. So I kindled the shavings; helped prop up the innocent little idol; offered him burnt biscuit with Queequeg; salamed before him twice or thrice; kissed his nose; and that done, we undressed and went to bed, at peace with our own consciences and the entire world.” This quote shows how Ishmael saw himself as someone who was a very religious man who was always an exceptional Christian. Since Ishmael was a good Christian it confused him on why he was united with a man who worshipped something that seemed so moronic to him. That forced him to raise a question on why God someone so powerful and noble would be jealous of a piece of wood. Ishmael then proposes the idea that God would want him …show more content…
There was Queequeg, now, certainly entertaining the most absurd notions about Yojo and his Ramadan; – but what of that? Queequeg thought he knew what he was about, I suppose; he seemed to be content; and there let him rest. All our arguing with him would not avail; let him be, I say: and Heaven have mercy on us all – Presbyterians and Pagans alike – for we are all somehow dreadfully cracked about the head, and sadly need mending. This quote further show why trying to change someone's religion is not such a good idea. He knows that Queequeg’s religion was crazy to him and made very little to no sense but he knew that Queequeg was happy with himself and that it would be be pointless to try to change Queequegs judgments. He just hoped that God will be willing to show compassion towards everyone on earth because all men and women on earth alike are messed up and need