Biblical Slavery - How Could A Loving God Condone It?

[Subduction Zone]

Actually, the law of Moses has many remarkable legal protections for slaves, making it markedly different than the human trafficking seen in the world

Yes, you could only beat them within an inch or two of their lives. That was great protection. There was also some limited protection for slaves as well in southern states. It was not universal. Finding examples of how either the south or the Bible gave a little protection to its victims does not make it any less evil.

 

[Subduction Zone]

The slave trade was largely ended by groups of mostly evangelical religious people, such as Wilberforce. Religious folk tended to elevate people made in the image of God and were motivated to help them.

( I have some problems with Finney's theology, as he is the most strongly palagian American Evangelist but that's another subject )

How is going against the laws of the Bible doing something in "the image of God"? There morality was superior because it was not Biblical.

 

[sooda]

"Quakers formed the core of abolitionism in the early days; they were the only large denomination to have officially banned slave holding. But the movement’s dynamism sprang from New England and the territories farther west, newly populated by Yankee farmers. In Boston and its surroundings, Unitarianism had recently all but supplanted traditional Christianity, but elsewhere Yankee Presbyterians and Congregationalists had taken up revivalism. In upstate New York, Charles Finney spurred huge revivals with thousands of converts. Finney preached that genuine conversion would always result in a changed life. Indeed, evangelicals formed a series of societies devoted to reform causes. The American Anti-Slavery Society, organized in 1833, was only one of these."

You don't honestly expect anyone to believe it was Atheists who were the driving force behind the end of slavery, do you?

The big slavers from the 16th to 18th century were the Portuguese, Dutch, Spanish and English. .. Christians.

 

[Subduction Zone]

The big slavers from the 16th to 18th century were the Portuguese, Dutch, Spanish and English. .. Christians.

I might have a Scotsman handy for our opponents.

 

[whirlingmerc]

Yes, you could only beat them within an inch or two of their lives. That was great protection. There was also some limited protection for slaves as well in southern states. It was not universal. Finding examples of how either the south or the Bible gave a little protection to its victims does not make it any less evil.

Joseph did describe his brothers selling him to slavery as evil

Just because the Bible has restraints on some practice also does not mean it condones it. In Malachi God says 'I hate divorce' but gave Moses laws to keep a bad situation from being worse

 

[Maximilian]

those people had to go against the teachings of the Bible to be against slavery.

Now you're just being mendacious. Carrying away any individual against their will was kidnapping which was strictly proscribed in ancient Israel under pain of death and slave trading is proscribed at 1 Timothy 1:8-10. (cf. Exodus 21:7; Leviticus 25; 2 Kings 4:1-7)

 

[Maximilian]

The big slavers from the 16th to 18th century were the Portuguese, Dutch, Spanish and English. .. Christians.

That was Catholicism, an evil perversion, not Christianity. Try again.

 

[whirlingmerc]

I might have a Scotsman handy for our opponents.

people are people and we are sinners who make mistakes

Not as much slavery in Presyterian Scotland by Scotts I would guess, except when the liberal and Catholic British enslaved them perhaps

 

[sooda]

The slave trade was largely ended by groups of mostly evangelical religious people, such as Wilberforce. Religious folk tended to elevate people made in the image of God and were motivated to help them.

( I have some problems with Finney's theology, as he is the most strongly palagian American Evangelist but that's another subject )

There were economic factors over and above altruism.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Joseph did describe his brothers selling him to slavery as evil

Just because the Bible has restraints on some practice also does not mean it condones it. In Malachi God says 'I hate divorce' but gave Moses laws to keep a bad situation from being worse

And the Bible was fine with slavery, as long as the enslaved were not Hebrews. That is indefensible. At least if you are going to claim a moral god. If God can tell you not to eat oysters why was it so difficult for him to say that you cannot own people?

 

[Subduction Zone]

That was Catholicism, an evil perversion, not Christianity. Try again.

I knew that Scotsman would come in handy!

 

[Subduction Zone]

people are people and we are sinners who make mistakes

Not as much slavery in Presyterian Scotland by Scotts I would guess, except when the liberal and Catholic British enslaved them perhaps

Whoosh!!!

 

[whirlingmerc]

And the Bible was fine with slavery, as long as the enslaved were not Hebrews. That is indefensible. At least if you are going to claim a moral god. If God can tell you not to eat oysters why was it so difficult for him to say that you cannot own people?

As I said, God hates divorce but gave guidelines to keep a bad situation from being worse

 

[sooda]

That was Catholicism, an evil perversion, not Christianity. Try again.

The Dutch and English were't Catholic.

 

[Subduction Zone]

As I said, God hates divorce but gave guidelines to keep a bad situation from being worse

Let's not change the subject.

 

[whirlingmerc]

Whoosh!!!

Whoosh?

no no... not a Scott here

 

[whirlingmerc]

The Dutch and English were't Catholic.

Dutch Africaners were on the liberal side
English were Catholic by leadership at times in their history

 

[Subduction Zone]

Whoosh?

no no... not a Scott here

That was the sound of an obvious joke flying over your head.

 

[Subduction Zone]

Dutch Africaners were on the liberal side
English were Catholic by leadership at times in their history

I see that you need that Scotsman as well:

Your logical fallacy is no true scotsman

Don't worry, I have them to spare here.

 

[whirlingmerc]

That was the sound of an obvious joke flying over your head.

Jesus said some laws were given 'out of the hardness of your hearts' as restraints (like that of laws concerning handling divorces)