Today’s difficult question
Is there anything inherently sinful with Slavery? {Please note I don't like Slavery these questions are written to start discussion}
posted by SocraticFool | 6:33 AM
Socratic Corner
Wisdom is sometimes known for what it does not say and sometimes it is known only when it admits that it does not know what it once thought it did.
About Me
- Name: Bryan
- Location: Dallas, Texas, United States
I am an undergraduate student in humanities currently at Criswell College. I Enjoy a good discussion.
24 Comments:
First of all - welcome back!!!
Second - what do you mean by "inherently?"
No, there is nothing inherently sinful with slavery.
to sophigirl:
Perhaps the Question would be better put as Is owning a salve morally wrong ?
I would answer the question directed towards sophigirl with my own opinion. No owning a slave is not morally wrong. :)
It would be morally wrong for me to own a slave. It would be unethical in most parts of the world and it is illegal in the United States and therefore a sin to us according to scripture.
It was morally wrong for Jews to eat pork, it was unethical in their part of the world to do so, and it was definately illegal as well; yet it is not sin for me to eat bacon.
The key here is in identifying the sin. While only God defines sin the scripture is clear in that to defy God is sin. If God has commanded us to abide within the law of the land then to defy Him in this commandment is sin whether we find the law to be moral or immoral. Civil disobedience is allowed only where the law of the land actually and truly does violate the commandment of God.
Kc:
Differnce between being unethical and wrong ?
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Wrong is a violation of the will of God where unethical is a violation of what men agree is moral.
KC, I feel somewhat disturbed continuing on in the manner of arguing as I have. I have attempting to play my sofyst role for the purpose of getting you two (or any other) to distinguish between the different types of slavery.
The reason I say that nothing is wrong with slavery and attempt to defend the practice of slavery is because in so making the overarching claim that all slavery is inherently wrong and necessarily sinfule you would necessarily have to disqualify Paul's statements of being a slave to Christ and our LORD's commands concerning like slavery.
You must distinguish between the slavery that one is in when one is a Child of God and the slavery that exist when one human being exerts himself as better than another and makes the other a slave. Yet even then we do not consider the type of slavery where one willingly places oneself in slavery to because of debts. This is not servanthood as one is not paid, this is slavery as one becomes a slave of his now master.
You must distinguish between these when you make your claim that 'slavery is sin'.
Adam thanks for your kindness and your point is well made and well received on my part. From this perspective the slavery Paul identified with and that I consider to be “unindentured servitude” is not sinful by any means. ;-)
Then are you recanting your previous statement of it being 'sin' according to Scripture? :)
"It would be morally wrong for me to own a slave. It would be unethical in most parts of the world and it is illegal in the United States and therefore a sin to us according to scripture."
I believe this statement to be true.
Well then let us dissect it. The first part of it being morally wrong for YOU to own a slave I have no qualms with. As it relates the subjective aspect of you owning the slave being morally wrong and does not attempt to develop some overarching statement against the act of slavery being morally wrong (as this would encompass God's slavery which is obviously not wrong).
The second part of it being unethical in most parts of the world likewise cannot find disagreement with me as it in no way attempts to say whether this opinion of the world is correct or not. The way I understood your statement is to simply say that it is found to be unethical in some parts of the world; an observation which I would not disagree with as it is true.
Unless of course you are attempting to use this second phrase with the third one to prove the final point, then attempting to say that because it is found to be unethical in most parts of the world and likewise because it is illegal in the United States then it is sin to us according to Scripture. If this is your stance (which I do believe might be), then I will necessarily have problems with it.
I am assuming once more that the reason you say it is sin 'according to Scripture' is because of it being illegal in the United States and likewise because Paul tells we Christians to submit to the governing authorities. Yet you must realize that simply because Paul does make this true statement and simply because something is deemed as illegal according to the laws of the United States, this does not mean that it is necessarily sin according to the Scripture.
An obviously hypothetical example can be given of the US declaring Christianity to be illegal; in which case it would--by your logic--be sin (according to Scripture)to practice Christianity. But we know this to be ridiculous as it is never illegal to be like our LORD.
Therefore, it is only sin--according to Scripture--if the act forbidden by the US is likewise forbidden by the Scripture.
Adam - don't equivocate (ha!) material/physical institute of slavery with a spiritual analogy (emphasis on analogy) that Paul is using to describe our relationships with God.
kc - so what is the source of ethics?
Adam it is a sin for us to own a slave, not a sin to be a slave to Christ.
Sophi ethics are an agreement among men on what is moral. They are the collective judgment of men as to how we should live.
Alina, I would argue that the analogy is not so analogous.
KC, ...neither a sin for Christ to own slaves?
Ah, the nature of sin. Is it possible for God to sin? ;-)
kc: and where does this agreement come from?
sophyst: ah?
Alina the origin varies, as do the resultant ethics, with necessity and the values of those involved in the agreement.
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