Did the Christian God end slavery in the U.S.?

[Agnostic75]

A Christian said the following in another thread:

".......the slaves relied upon God to end their bondage and 300,000 Christians died to free them."

No, I do not think that a God would free slaves, and still injure and kill them with hurricanes, and cancer, etc.. and continue to refuse to give food to starving people. That would not make any sense.

A Wikipedia article on slavery at Slavery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia says the following:

"The Greek Stoics advocated the brotherhood of humanity and the natural equality of all human beings, and consistently critiqued slavery as against the law of nature. Emperor Wang Mang abolished slave trading (although not slavery) in China in 9 CE. Toyotomi Hideyoshi banned slavery in Japan in 1590."

Obviously, the Christian God did not free the slaves that the Stoics, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi freed. Ancient Christian slave owners acted against the moral opinions of the Stoics.

The person who I quoted used the word "relied." The Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary defines the word "rely" as follows:

"1. to be dependent, the system on which we rely for water.

2. to have confidence based on experience."

It is obvious that the word "relied" was not the right word to use since historically, all slaves could not rely on the Christian God to free them, and since the experiences of many slaves over thousands of years was to live, and die as slaves.

Today, the biggest amount of racism in the U.S. is generally in states that have the highest percentages of conservative Christians, which are mostly Southern mostly Bible Belt states.

 

[Sunstone]

So far as I've been told, the Northern Abolitionists found inspiration for their cause in the Bible, just as the Southern slaver owners found equal inspiration for their cause in the same Bible.

 

[Sultan Of Swing]

All good deeds are from God. He is the supreme goodness and the source of all goodness.

So yes, He did free the slaves.

 

[Jayhawker Soule]

So far as I've been told, the Northern Abolitionists found inspiration for their cause in the Bible, just as the Southern slaver owners found equal inspiration for their cause in the same Bible.

Just as the Civil Rights movement found profound resources in the church.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

So far as I've been told, the Northern Abolitionists found inspiration for their cause in the Bible, just as the Southern slaver owners found equal inspiration for their cause in the same Bible.

I'll agree with this. I'll also point out though the Bible does seem to advocate slavery.

The New Testament says in Ephesians I believe for slaves to submit to their master as they would the Lord.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

A Christian said the following in another thread:

".......the slaves relied upon God to end their bondage and 300,000 Christians died to free them."

Okay, well...
How do we factor in the Christians who died trying to keep their slaves?
If the slaves relied on God, why did he take so long?
Is slavery evil from a moral standing, and is this an eternal truth?

As you've already touched on, how is it possible to reconcile this belief with lands where it was not Christians who freed slaves, or where there was neither Christianity nor slavery in the first place.

 

[lewisnotmiller]

All good deeds are from God. He is the supreme goodness and the source of all goodness.

So yes, He did free the slaves.

In terms of debate-style, that's kinda like playing poker and pulling out an eleven of Spades.

 

[AmbiguousGuy]

So far as I've been told, the Northern Abolitionists found inspiration for their cause in the Bible, just as the Southern slaver owners found equal inspiration for their cause in the same Bible.

Years ago a liberal activist friend told me about a conversation he had with a black woman during the 60s. He was a nominal Southern Baptist, even though an atheist, and he was decrying the church's role in holding back progress for black civil rights.

The black woman looked at him quizzically. What the heck was he talking about. The church was the very center and focus of the push for civil rights.

He was talking about the white church. She, about the black.

There is no such thing as Christianity. There are just different people and groups who think and march under the same banner. So it seems to me.

 

[LuisDantas]

There is a lot of truth to that, AmbiguousGuy.

While people like to talk about "the Church" or even specific denominations, much of the point of organized religion is bringing an appearance of unified purpose and understanding in spite of the actual lack of same.

That may be a good thing, but it has definite downsides as well.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

For a long time the Church in the UK fought against the abolition of slavery.... They owned large plantations in the Windies.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

For a long time the Church in the UK fought against the abolition of slavery.... They owned large plantations in the Windies.

For a long time Christians had no problem with slavery. Its perfectly moral In the Bible.

 

[ChristineES]

People in the USA abolished slavery and a lot of them were Christians. Some of them were not. If God did do it, He did through people.

I say that belief in God or the idea of God might influence people to do good, and it could influence people to do evil. But we do the actual work. I think God might have approved of the abolishment of slavery, though.

 

[ChristineES]

I'll agree with this. I'll also point out though the Bible does seem to advocate slavery.

The New Testament says in Ephesians I believe for slaves to submit to their master as they would the Lord.

I think they accepted it, but I don't know if God approved or not. But slavery in the Bible was synonymous with being a servant- a paid servant or a person working of his debt. I don't know that for sure, but I've read arguments plenty on the debate, and I tend to agree with this.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I think they accepted it, but I don't know if God approved or not. But slavery in the Bible was synonymous with being a servant- a paid servant or a person working of his debt. I don't know that for sure, but I've read arguments plenty on the debate, and I tend to agree with this.

Not sure I'd agree slavery in the bible was like being a paid servant since the Torah says you only have to release Jewish slaves after a fixed period. It says nothing about releasing Gentile slaves.

 

[ChristineES]

Not sure I'd agree slavery in the bible was like being a paid servant since the Torah says you only have to release Jewish slaves after a fixed period. It says nothing about releasing Gentile slaves.

I don't know. Maybe they considered them "prisoners of war". I'd have to do a lot more study.

 

[Devillif311]

As far as i'm concerned Abraham Lincoln played the main factor in freeing the slaves.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

As far as i'm concerned Abraham Lincoln played the main factor in freeing the slaves.

That's true, but not many people are aware of Abe's motives. He wasn't the friend of African Americans some often pretend he was either. He had his agenda for wanting the slaves free.

Try doing a search on Lincoln greenbacks.

Hope this isn't too off topic

 

[Devillif311]

:sorry1: yeah my comment was a little too off topic and sarcastic, my apologies and thanks for the info

 

[Philomath]

".......the slaves relied upon God to end their bondage and 300,000 Christians died to free them."

How odd. As far as I know the Christian god's religion was partially to blame for the enslavement of my ancestors.

 

[Vinayaka]

Yeah, the founders of democracy, the Greeks, were well known for their slaves. Some democracy!