Christian Slavery - Bad News About Christianity

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Abolition of Slavery Slave owning by Christians continued for centuries despite criticism from rationalists and freethinkers. The story now propagated by some Churches — that they were responsible for abolition — is simply false. The first country to abolish slavery, was France, under an anticlerical revolutionary government in the 1790s 36 . Opposition to slavery was developed by the very people that the Christian Churches regarded as their worst enemies: blaspheming philosophers, atheists, Deists and Quakers: men like Thomas Paine and Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin Franklins' Address to the Public, 1789 promoting the abolition of slavery Abolition came in Britain in the early nineteenth century, in the teeth of fierce opposition from the Anglican Church, and it was achieved through the efforts of an alliance of unbelievers, freethinkers, Utilitarians, Quakers and fringe Christians who galvanised public opinion. In the USA it came in the second half of the century, again in the face of intense opposition from the Churches. The Unitarian Wedgwood family and the Darwin family family were closely related. (Charles Darwin was Josiah Wedgwood's Grandson). Both families included prominent abolitionists. This provided traditionalist Christians with a seam of humour - likening and making fun of the godless idea of regarding black people as brothers, and the godless Darwinian idea of regarding apes as cousins. One line of humour was to suggest that evolutionists should create a Gorilla Emancipation Society - making a parallel with the Slave Emancipation Society, another was to play on the motto of the Slave Emancipation Society: "Am I not a man and a brother". Wedgwood's medallions bearing the motto had become iconic - so famous that they probably accelerated abolition in the UK. A Jasper-ware cameo, designed and produced by Josiah Wedgwood, 1787 Cartoon from Punch London 18 May 1851
After the American Civil War, the Vatican was asked for an authoritative statement on slavery,following the adoption of the 13th amendment to the U. S. Constitution, which banned The abolitionists won largely because slavery was no longer financially viable. The alliance of Church and slave owners lost the battle in one country after another because of monetary considerations. Following traditional teachings, and unrestrained by Western economics or political correctness, Christians in Ethiopia are still making captured prisoners into slaves well into the twenty First century. The simple, if embarrassing, truth is that no Christian society has ever abolished slavery while the practice continued to be profitable. Even after the abolition of slavery, traditional slave punishments continued for many years. In 1995, the Southern Baptist Convention officially apologised for its earlier defense of slavery. The Church of England apologised for its part in 2006. In a debate held by the Church's governing body, before the vote Rev Simon Bessant described the Church's central role in the slave trade, saying: "We were at the heart of it." and "We were directly responsible for what happened. In the sense of inheriting our history, we can say we owned slaves, we branded slaves, that is why I believe we must actually recognise our history and offer an apology." 37 . The Catholic Church has moved its position slowly over the centuries. From as early as 1435 Popes have condemned "indiscriminate" slavery38. These statements are sometimes cited as evidence that the Church has long been opposed to slavery, but on the contrary it supported the practice of slavery into the twentieth century. In 1839 Pope Gregory XVI criticised the international Negro slave trade, but without condemning the institution of slavery or the practice of owning slaves. In 1866, the Holy Office in an instruction signed by Pope Pius IX declared: Slavery itself, considered as such in its essential nature, is not at all contrary to the natural and divine law, and there can be several just titles of slavery, and these are referred to by approved theologians and commentators of the sacred canons … It is not contrary to the natural and divine law for a slave to be sold, bought, exchanged or given".
Page 1 and 2: Slavery Click below for more inform
Page 3 and 4: Church & State Symbiosis Meddling i
Page 5 and 6: Children inherit their parents' sta
Page 7 and 8: seizure of their land. Like other b
Page 9 and 10: On the Law of Barbados, which impos
Page 11 and 12: On November 29th, 1781 the crew of
Page 13 and 14: Below are some notable highlights.
Page 15 and 16: Since they were merely property, th
Page 17 and 18: from the Old and New Testaments by
Page 19 and 20: Slavery was not confined to selecte
Page 21 and 22: In America opposition to slavery wa
Page 23: wholesale (moral) pollution. The wa
Page 27 and 28: civilisation of the society and the
Page 29 and 30: Documents Runaway Slave Poster, in
Page 31: Slave Chains from west Africa (Roya
Page 38: Slave Transport in Africa
Page 41: Slave sale, Charleston Advertisemen
Page 45 and 46: The Official Medallion of the Briti
Page 47 and 48: Slave masks, collars and shackles U
Page 49 and 50: US Slave Collar - the bells make it
Page 51 and 52: US Slave Collar - Reproduction by F
Page 53 and 54: Franklin and Armfield Office, was s
Page 55 and 56: Slave collar and mask. The collar h
Page 57 and 58: another run-away slave, 1854 - note
Page 59 and 60: “Salve Auction” in Richmond, Vi
Page 61: The Voice of the Clergy (Philadelph
Page 66 and 67: Other areas of social reform: Racis
Page 68 and 69: Edict of the King: On the subject o
Page 70 and 71: Signed Moriceau. Bad News About Chr
Page 72 and 73: (Decretals of Gregory IX, Book Four
Page 74:
New Haven: Yale University Press, 1
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Christian Slavery - Bad News About Christianity

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