Essay Slavery in the Bible

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Today, slavery is not something you see in modern day society. For the most part, people are treated fairly while working, are given benefits such as holidays and the option to take a sick day when feeling ill, and are paid a good wage for their services as an employee. But unfortunately this was not the case back in the 1800s where slavery was popular among the southern parts of the United States.

Slave as defined by the dictionary means that a slave is a person who is the property of and wholly subject to another; a bond servant. So why is it that every time you go and visit a historical place like the Hampton-Preston mansion in Columbia South Carolina, the Lowell Factory where the mill girls work in Massachusetts or the Old town of Williamsburg Virginia they only talk about the good things that happened at these place, like such things as who owned them, who worked them, how they were financed and what life was like for the owners. They never talk about the background information of the lower level people like the slaves or servants who helped take care and run these places behind the scenes.

One of the first things that attracted the African American slaves to Christianity was a way of obtaining the salvation of theirs souls based on the Christian’s idea of a future reward in heaven or punishment in hell, which did not exist in their primary religion. The religious principles inherited from Africa sought purely physical salvation and excluded the salvation of the soul. However, they did believe in one supreme God, which made it easier for them to assimilate Christianity.

It can be assumed that Christianity shaped slave culture in several ways such as developing a common bond among slaves. At the some time, it could also be argued that slavery altered Christianity in various ways including the formation of Methodist and Baptist denominations. However, these were not the only manners in which both cultures had an effect on each other. Black converts dramatically increased the number of Christians in the New World. The ideas instilled in slaves by Christianity gave some slaves thoughts of rebellion and influenced African-American music and dance. Not to mention the church was a major supporter of the proslavery argument which conveyed slavery as a positive thing during the

Slavery. A “curse” brought by North American settlers that started around 1619. Evidence proves that a Dutch ship transported around 20 slaves to Jamestown, Virginia. Slavery quickly spread throughout Virginia and other surrounding states. By the early 17th century Slavery had become crucial for Europeans, French, and Spanish settlers. Slaves mainly were forced to work rice, tobacco, and indigo plantations.

The Bible is the best-selling book of all time, and with good reason. For the stories written in it have changed the way many think and even believe when it comes to the power greater than this world. The Bible holds very specific opinions on things such as slavery, who humans should treat each other, and ultimately social justice. It has been one of the most important foundations for allowing social reform to occur in modern day history as well as the history of the whole world. However, it is forgotten in history class how prominent the ancient texts have changed the people. When looking at the history, it is discovered to be the strength of great people who have used its wisdom to bring about a change for those who could not do it on

Slavery in Exodus 21-The Old Testament deemed to be a common practice. Modern readers should gain understanding like other nation, slavery was rampant and flourished in the Israelites, but the biblical slavery is very different from the modern slavery. The old testament lacks slavery condemnation but it has a clear teaching on ethical treatment of slaves, which was part of the culture of the surrounding nations. Slavery in the bible in the time of the Jews was not an exploitation act but rather an act of enabling the poor to provide for themselves. The word slave was used in referring to various forms of servile situations, not the slave familiar to many modern bible readers. In the ancient Israel, the “slave” referred to both a person who is under the masters’ law and to any subordinate person in the social status ladder. Westbrook lists subjects of a king, heads of households, debtors volunteering to service to pay their debts and non-citizens to be examples of servile situations encompassed in Israel in the ancient times. The bible engages the reader in many passages regarding slavery and further tells one how to obtain the slaves, how they should be treated, and how to draw the moral and ethical line between a slave male and female slave.

After coming across your famous essay, Slavery and the Bible, it was very interesting to come across your opinion on the relationship between slavery and Christianity. You believe that slavery is supposed to be implemented into society because it is authorized in the Bible, and because the Bible is the book of Christianity, there should be no controversy about practicing slavery in the states. You believe it is in the right mind of the slaveholders to dehumanize slaves on a faulty inference from the Bible. Your interpretation of the Bible about slavery is absolutely incorrect. There is no validity in the assumptions you made. You twist the powerful, pristine words of God into false, ignorant beliefs that slavery is humane. God would not be

Frederick Douglass was born into the lifelong, evil, bondage of slavery. His autobiography, Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass, An American Slave, Written by Himself, depicts his accomplishments. The narrative, however, is not only the story of his success. It is not simply a tale of his miraculous escape from slavery. Frederick Douglass' narrative is, in fact, an account of his tremendous strides through literacy. He exemplifies a literate man who is able to use the psychological tools of thought to escape the intense bonds of slavery.

The book of exodus speaks about slavery of the Israelite by the Egyptians and how God uses Moses to release them out of captivity. The Israelite was in slavery for a number of years before they were release. Pharaoh had ordered all the male babies of the isrealites to be killed. Pharoah was scared of the strength that these babies will have when they become men. God send a number of plagues on the Egyptians before he finally released them.

As we moved further into the Old Testament, we got to the Book of Exodus and the story of Moses, as well as the deliverance from Egypt. In the Old Testament, Abraham was promised to by God that he would have several descendants, more than he can count. For more than 400 years, the Israelites, all of Abraham’s decedents, were slaves in Egypt. Moses was sent by God back to Egypt to tell Pharaoh to “let God’s people go.” Pharaoh did not listen to God. After this, God then sent dreadful plagues to Egypt. Why did He do this? This was God’s way of proving his wonderful powers. God’s power was far way greater than any power these

In the Bible, the Israelites were enslaved in Egypt and Moses was chosen by God to lead them out. At first, nobody listens to Moses then people begin to realize that God is working through Moses to help free them from enslavement. Ultimately, God’s involvement through Moses helps give the Israelites freedom. Exodus shows examples of literal slavery in the Bible yet, slavery is a metaphor for anything that can hold us back.

The Hebrew Bible is focused in the justice to the poor and the freedom to the slavery. This bring to my mind Abraham Lincoln who had knowledge of the Bible, I wondered if his idea to abolish slavery came from the Bible as way to advocate for the freedom of others. Being free is a value the human beings have taken as part of their rights. However, there are some countries were people is not completely free for instance, I have a friend who is from India; she asked me if I have the freedom to choose my partner. This question made me think about the definition of freedom, which is defines as the power to act, speak, or think as one wants without limits. So, religion has a huge influence in people’s values.

The fact that practices like slavery are not only tolerated, but actually advised and regulated in the Torah of all places is very ironic.