Religion
In reply to the discussion: Why Did So Many Christians Support Slavery? [View all]Exultant Democracy
(6,594 posts)Last edited Tue Apr 24, 2018, 03:17 PM - Edit history (2)
The world had ever seen? I think that is the real question.
I see a lot of post here about how ever other major religion held slaves, but those deflections are only just that. No other group but Christians ever invented a form of slavery as horrible as what was built in the American Plantation.
I would suggest David Walkers Appeal is required reading for this discussion, more specifically. ARTICLE III.OUR WRETCHEDNESS IN CONSEQUENCE OF THE PREACHERS OF THE RELIGION OF JESUS CHRIST.
http://docsouth.unc.edu/nc/walker/walker.html
"The Pagans, Jews and Mahometans try to make proselytes to their religions, and whatever human beings adopt their religions they extend to them their protection. But Christian Americans, not only hinder their fellow creatures, the Africans, but thousands of them will absolutely beat a coloured person nearly to death, if they catch him on his knees, supplicating the throne of grace. This barbarous cruelty was by all the heathen nations of antiquity, and is by the Pagans, Jews and Mahometans of the present day, left entirely to Christian Americans to inflict on the Africans and their descendants, that their cup which is nearly full may be completed. I have known tyrants or usurpers of human liberty in different parts of this country to take their fellow creatures, the coloured people, and beat them until they would scarcely leave life in them; what for? Why they say "The black devils had the audacity to be found making prayers and supplications to the God who made them!!!!""
I would also suggest Frederick Douglass' addendum to his autobiography which is entirely about the Christianity and slavery. As Douglass noted it was the most christian slave owner who were far and way the most twisted and evil. When a slave got sold on they would pray in hope that their new owner would not be a godly man.