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Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship

Welcome to Varied Expressions of Worship

This blog will be written from an orthodox Christian point of view. There may be some topic that is out of bounds, but at present I don't know what it will be. Politics is a part of life. Theology and philosophy are disciplines that we all participate in even if we don't think so. The Bible has a lot to say about economics. How about self defense? Is war ethical? Think of all the things that someone tells you we should not touch and let's give it a try. Everything that is a part of life should be an expression of worship.

Keep it courteous and be kind to those less blessed than you, but by all means don't worry about agreeing. We learn more when we get backed into a corner.

Saturday, January 11, 2014

Opus 2014-9: Founders: The Legacy of Slavery, part 1 of 6

Slavery has always been with us.

Slavery is making a comeback.

Slavery has never been just an American issue.

The Founding Fathers struggled with the concept of slavery.  Even people who owned slaves realized that the institution was a problem and deeply immoral.  We often are taught that it was totally ignored, but that is not true.  The Constitutional Convention almost came apart because of the passion against it.  By the time the Constitution was ratified the northern part of the country had already either made it illegal or began the process of eliminating it.

One of the insightful Founders was George Mason.  He represented the paradox.  He hated slavery with a passion, yet he owned slaves.  It is easy to judge and hard to get into the minds of people living in a world where slavery was accepted and normal.

I find one quote of Mason rather prophetic.  This is from a Website at Gunston Hall.

“This infernal trafic [sic] originated in the avarice of British Merchants. The British Govt. constantly checked the attempts of Virginia to put a stop to it. The present question concerns not the importing States alone but the whole Union…. Slavery discourages arts & manufactures. The poor despise labor when performed by slaves. They prevent the immigration of Whites, who really enrich & strengthen a Country. They produce the most pernicious effect on manners. Every master of slaves is born a petty tyrant. They bring the judgment of heaven on a Country. As nations can not [sic] be rewarded or punished in the next world they must be in this. By an inevitable chain of causes & effects providence punishes national sins, by national calamities….[It is] essential in every point of view that the Genl. Govt. should have power to prevent the increase of slavery.”

To be continued...

homo unius libri

2 comments:

  1. That quote is very true, though some would be offended at one of the thoughts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I think you repeat yourself. The big question is whether the offense is because it is true, not politically correct or actually offensive.

      Grace and peace.

      Delete

Comments are welcome. Feel free to agree or disagree but keep it clean, courteous and short. I heard some shorthand on a podcast: TLDR, Too long, didn't read.