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To: Thatcherite
I am somewhat unclear on how literalist Christians can actually do anything else as the Bible codifies slavery and Jesus refers to it without condemnation. Fitzroy's attitude was completely consistent with Biblical authority.

A discussion of the doctrines of Christianity is not the topic of this thread. However, I will just say that the doctrines given specifically to the Hebrews by God are not necessarily doctrines that apply to Christians in our day. If that were the case, then we would be executing adulterers, etc. Second, the type of slavery in ancient Israel (bond slavery) is not the same as chattel slavery of antebellum south, and their enslavement in ancient Israel was either due to debt or a judgment from God for wickedness. In the NT, Paul commands masters to love their slaves and slaves to love their masters, but does not condone nor prohibit slavery. When this command is followed, the inevitable result is the end of slavery. In short, this issue takes a careful and long study of scripture as it is a difficult issue, particularly for a non-believer who does not look to the bible as a source of truth.

292 posted on 10/08/2005 10:24:09 AM PDT by SmartCitizen
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To: SmartCitizen

So what you are saying is that the clear and unambiguous instruction to slaves to obey their masters, even when their masters are unjust, will lead to the end of slavery.

And you are saying that Biblical slavery was less oppressive than say, Southern slavery, because masters had to pay a fine if a slave died within 24 hours of a beating. But if the slave lived 24 hours and one minute, everything was OK.


305 posted on 10/08/2005 11:11:16 AM PDT by js1138 (Great is the power of steady misrepresentation.)
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To: SmartCitizen
In short, this issue takes a careful and long study of scripture as it is a difficult issue, particularly for a non-believer who does not look to the bible as a source of truth.

And even more so for the believer who objects to slavery, and desperately wants to escape the repeated biblical endorsement and codification of the practice, including approving endorsement by Jesus of slave-beating.

312 posted on 10/08/2005 11:50:00 AM PDT by Thatcherite (More abrasive than SeaLion or ModernMan)
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