Okay.  Apparently after reading quotes from their own Holy book we have a few Christians out there not getting the point, so to make this point clearer I obviously have to spell it out for them.  When I wrote the original post I really didn’t think it was necessary to do so if it had quotes within it, but I guess old habits don’t die that fast so here we go again.

The claims they make go as such..

1. The Bible (being translated from Greek) does not discern the difference between slave, indentured servant or temporary resident.
2. GOD is all-knowing and knew that people would be enslaved.
3. GOD allowed slavery as a punishment for sin.
4. What’s seen has harsh now was not seen as harsh during Biblical times due to cultural differences.
5. Christianity does not take a stance on slavery, and is not for or against slavery
6. GOD does not encourage slavery.

The writers of the Bible made it very clear that a “temp worker” and an actual “slave” held different positions are in the family of the slave master, and they go as such: 

Exodus 12:43: “..Any slave you have bought may eat of it after you have circumcised him, but a temporary resident and a hired worker may not eat of it.”

 As you can plainly see the quote here refers to humans being bought as slaves [in Hebrew “awbadim”], and shows a clear distinction between slaves verses hired help.  This shows they were fully aware of the differences between the three mentioned here, and now that the above has made this more apparent to us check this out: 

Exodus 21:1: Now these are the ordinances which you shall set before them.  When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s and he shall go out alone.  But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for life.

As you can plainly see the concept of slavery was entrenched into their society, and you know this because they needed ordinances (laws) scripted in a holy book for the treatment of slaves.  The word “buy” has been thrown in for good measure, and for starters “he shall serve.. FOR NOTHING” sounds like a big clue they were talking about slaves.  Then there is the separation and kidnapping of family members that gives you another clue, and they used the word slave and master within this passage too.  Besides that the slave could only keep his family via blackmail, and this meant he would have to vow to be a slave FOREVER!! 

Exodus 21:20: If a man beats his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies as a direct result, he must be punished, but he is not to be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two, since the slave is his property.

No doubt they had different levels of servitude, but much of what’s mentioned about slavery in the Bible mirrors the African slave experience to the letter.  African’s were beaten to or almost to death, families separated, children kidnapped, and so on.  In fact it looks like the old American slave masters took a page right out of the Bible for their treatment of slaves, and they seemed to have followed much of these rules to the letter to justify their treatment of slaves too. 

Besides that the Bible gives you an actual protocol for the treatment of slaves, thus the Bible does condone slavery, does not confuse slaves with temp workers, and thus its views for or against slavery is clear as well.  So my questions are as follows:

1. As GOD if you are here to save humanity how can you not see something wrong with slavery?
2. If you are not for or against slavery how can you make laws that govern it?
3. In an imperfect world I can see how a fallible being like humans could not see that slavery is wrong, but what excuse does a GOD have for such behavior?
4. How is it that a human can see that it is wrong, but GOD cannot?
5. Does this make the abolishment of slavery a sin or is the institution of slavery voluntary for every nation in GODs eye’s?
6. Being that Jesus is the son of GOD does that means he agrees with his father on this matter of slavery?

Jesus also treated slavery as if it was the norm, and were not progressive enough to see that it is wrong or that he should speak against it.  He had opportunities to do so, but you cannot find one passage where he does.  He has even spoken to slaves, but still he remained silent on the issue.  But I think there is a reason as to why, and it goes like this:

1. The Jews claim to be GODs’ chosen people.
2. Jewish law was written down and said to be from GOD.
3. Jesus was a Jew too.
4. And Jesus strictly followed Jewish law
   Matthew 5:17-18 “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I didn’t come to destroy them, but to fulfill them, because I tell you with certainty that until heaven and earth disappear, not one letter or one stroke of a letter will disappear from the Law until everything has been accomplished.
5. Jews had rules for slavery (as seen above)
6. Thus we now know why Jesus showed the level of complacency he did when it came to the topic of slavery.  Because as stated earlier it was entrenched into the Jewish culture during that time.

When you look at it this way you can see that Jesus didn’t speak against slavery because like many Jews during that time he accepting of the idea of it.  It’s that simple!  My question is why?  How could an all-knowing GOD not know that slavery is evil this?

Also most of what was quoted comes from Hebrew and not Greek as it was the Old Testament, so the idea that this is some Greek construct is null at this point.  Confusing the facts doesn’t make them right, so just read and accept what is true.  The Bible is not against slavery, and to not be for or against would be just as big a crime for a GOD who can command millions with the snap of a finger!  How could an all-knowing GOD not know this?

Now as far as an all-knowing GOD punishing people for committing sins with slavery; that’s just plain sick, and there is no need to quote scripture to prove that.  An all-knowing-all-powerful GOD actually allowing the enslavement of his servants shows a failure on his side, and is only a reflection of his boundless limitations.  This would be the same as a dead beat dad allowing someone else to severely discipline his kids because he failed to lead them the right way.

Bottom line here is whether you are a slave, servant or guest worker; If you are not getting paid, aren’t free to leave, your family is being kept against their will, and your GOD okays the whole dam thing.. Then dammit!  You’re a slave, and that’s just not right.

Exodus chapter 12 verse 43: [Feed your slaves.. Again GOD is okay with slavery.]
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “These are the regulations for the Passover: No foreigner is to eat of it. Any slave you have bought may eat of it after you have circumcised him, but a temporary resident and a hired worker may not eat of it.

Exodus Chapter 21, verse 1: [Freed slaves, break up the family, keep the wife and children unless the slave stays for life]
Now these are the ordinances which you shall set before them.  When you buy a Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, and in the seventh he shall go out free, for nothing. If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s and he shall go out alone. But if the slave plainly says, ‘I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,’ then his master shall bring him to God, and he shall bring him to the door or the doorpost; and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl; and he shall serve him for life.

Exodus Chapter 21, verse 20: [Its okay with GOD if you beat slaves almost to death, and you are only punished if a slave dies.]
If a man beats his male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies as a direct result, he must be punished, but he is not to be punished if the slave gets up after a day or two, since the slave is his property.

Exodus Chapter 21, verse 32: [GOD places monetary value on human lives]
If the bull gores a male or female slave, the owner must pay thirty shekels of silver to the master of the slave, and the bull must be stoned.

Leviticus Chapter 22, verse 10: [Children born into slavery]
No one outside a priest’s family may eat the sacred offering, nor may the guest of a priest or his hired worker eat it. But if a priest buys a slave with money, or if a slave is born in his household, that slave may eat his food.

Leviticus Chapter 25, verse 44: [Humans can be property to be bought, and God okays the buying of humans]
Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.

Luke, Chapter 7, verse 2: [Jesus (the Christians' son of GOD) never admonishes the slave master for having a slave, and appears to be just fine with it as if its the norm!!!  Probably because his father was just fine with it himself.]
Now a centurion had a slave who was dear to him, who was sick and at the point of death. When he heard of Jesus, he sent to him elders of the Jews, asking him to come and heal his slave. And when they came to Jesus, they besought him earnestly, saying, “He is worthy to have you do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he built us our synagogue.” And Jesus went with them. When he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to him, saying to him, “Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presume to come to you. But say the word, and let my servant be healed. For I am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me: and I say to one, ‘Go,’ and he goes; and to another, ‘Come,’ and he comes; and to my slave, ‘Do this,’ and he does it.” When Jesus heard this he marveled at him, and turned and said to the multitude that followed him, “I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.” And when those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave well.

Colossians, chapter 3, verse 22: [God commands slaves to obey their slave masters]
Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters, not with eye service, as men-pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing the Lord. Whatever your task..

Titus, chapter 2 verse 9: [God commands slaves to be submissive to their slave masters]
Bid slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to be refractory, nor to pilfer, but to show entire and true fidelity.

As you can see GOD does not admonish anyone for taking humans as property, and in fact gives man instructions on how to effectively do so.  One thing to point out is that there is nothing said in code here, and everything quoted is quite literal.  So if the Bible is the word of GOD, and GOD approves, instructs and forgives slavery, how do you then as me to worship him?  Jesus/GOD seems to be a very big advocate of one of the most heinous human rights crimes ever committed on earth, and by today’s standards may even qualify for a trial for crimes against humanity!

The word “nigger” has changed its meaning so much throughout history that even the top linguistic scholars get tangled in its historical web, and in some cases even its original meaning gets lost in translation.  To this day the stereotype of the lazy African still exists from slavery days, but this does not fit the description/attributes of a slave.  Slaves work hard, and America’s economy was largely successful due to the free slave labor force also called “niggers”.  These same “niggers” are the reason why America’s “White House” stands erect on its foundation today, and much of the money made from free “niggers” labor still runs through the blood of corporate America to this very day!!!!

The word “nigger” has been around for centuries, and has taken on many meanings throughout.  The word was once used by Europeans to describe the skin color of Africans, and then turned into a way for the slave master to describe his discontent towards these enslaved humans.  Since then the word has been less associated with the Spanish/Latin adjective for the color “black”, and more with unfounded negative stereotypes of a people whose past is more complicated than the slur being used to describe them.

The slang term “nigger” was one of the European ways of attempting to break and/or remove the spirit of Africans in an attempt to keep them under control by berating them, and was a part of a larger system of controlling Africans through physical and mental terror.  It was important for whites then to keep Africans under control, because slaves were the cash cow of that day.  This was their perverted way of maintaining their investments, and keeping it all under a terroristic form of control. 

The “N-word” was used so often that it crept its way into the slave vernacular, and was used by fellow slaves to create further division.  This aided in the slave masters in their ”divide and conquer” approach to controlling slaves, and it has been in uses amongst African American ever since.  In fact African Americans still seem to be affected by this, because much of the things found in the slave environment still exist within the African-American family (not just the use of the “N-word”).

During the 60’s-70’s the word took new shape amongst Africans in America looking to make America live up to its Constitutional promises after fighting many wars for this country they called home.  They tried to place a positive spin on the word as a few in the past have tried, because the word had come to mean so much more for Africans by this time.

In some strange way it made a quantum jump from a term meant to mentally subdue to then represent those who were brothers and sisters in the same struggle, and it was at this time it became a term of endearment, a badge of brother and sisterhood, and a way to identify with those who were like minded.  Nigger suddenly became synonymous with the word brother, sister, cousin, and family, while still maintaining its edge to be used a weapon depending on how it was used by fellow Africans.

The word became something that only African-Americans could use and identify with, and was looked down upon if anyone esle used it because you could never be sure of that persons intent.  Later the “N-word” morphed into a double edged sword, because some people then felt that if its such a bad word why are African-American’s still using it.  In short what started off as a way to berate an entire race of people suddenly transformed into a way to identify some people of the same struggle as family,  and now it seems that the MTV generation (and maybe even corporate America) wants in on this part of Black culture as well.  They have already tried to exploit much of so-called Black culture already (e.g. Rock N Roll, Hip-Hop, R&B, Sports Stars, and the list goes on), so ”nigger” suddenly became just another cool slang word that even young European-Americans want to call themselves “niggers”.  They have even tried putting a spin on the word, so now some Euro-American’s call themselves “Wiggers” (inotherwords White Niggers).

While it was fine for African Americans to apply the word (with its new meaning) to themselves it was still seen in its original light if European-Americans used it, because with them came the reminder of its original intent.  Thus we have these drawn-out debates over a word that we give so much power to because of the affect it has had on America as a whole.

It now has a different meaning depending on who was using the word, and this causes some discomfort for other races because African-Americans are some of the most emulated people across the globe.  We now have people from around the world rapping, singing, dancing and just all out enjoying so-called Black culture, so many claim that this is confusing because they hear the “N-word” in music, movies and the likes.  But they fail to acknowledge the legacy of the “N-word”, and will continue to willingly have issue with something complicated but obviously not of their own.  While the African experience has always been a part of America, the Black experience has now (again) become part of America’s capitalist assembly line. 

We now sell every household item you could think of using R&B, Hip-Hop, Reggae, Dance Hall, etc., and we are again making them money though our culture.  But due to our culture now becoming watered down MTV-type culture more people want in, and more people want the “N-word” as just another “Black slang” word they can use to be cool while ignoring its past.

“Well, there are unwritten laws for being president. Believe or not it is even written in some school textbooks, some of those rules. All presidents have been Christian, All have been Men, All have been White, and All have been Married. Recently it looks like we have the opportunity to at least change one rule. The textbooks may need to be updated, Obama may be the one rewriting a rule AS THE FIRST BLACK PRESIDENT. Despite the fact that Clinton was honored as the first black president at the Caucus Dinner. As far as religion goes in America everyone does have freedom of religion but America is ran based off of Christian views. I don’t think the religion is pushed upon Americans, However I don’t know anyone that claims another religion in politics. IT IS WHAT IT IS…………”  

The USA Constitution

 

 

First let me state that the Constitution of the U.S.A. was intentionally written as a secular (non-religious) document from its inception to guide our nation, and this was intentionally done after many debates amongst the founding fathers of these united states we call America.  Luckily for us Thomas Jefferson’s team won that battle, but the  religious right is still trying to wage war on these fronts.  All of this even after the words for our Constitution was agreed upon and inked on parchment, the war for a Christian state still wages on for the religious right.  Thomas Jefferson’s version of America (as seen in the U.S. Constitution) is very different from the version that the religious extremist are attempting to create.

Nowadays the Christian right uses lobbyists because they have amassed enough of a following to affect the out come of elections (or at least to challenge what the candidates claim they believe in). So some candidates feel they have to pander to this groups wants, thus we have these politicians who feel they have to be the “all-you-can-be” candidate to make their way into the seats of political offices. Now every four years we have this mad rush of people trying to become super politicians, and they try to appear to have solutions to every problem (or at least the problems that could possibly have an affect on who votes for them).

This attention given to special interest groups, lobbyist and the likes seems to add to the illusion that these matters are as important to American society as other major issues like the economy, global warming, energy, international affairs, or even racism, and causes some people to vote for the lesser qualified guy (GW Bush) rather than the more qualified (A. Gore) because one appears to have more “faith in god” than the other.  This gives these religious issues the appearance of merit while our time is wasted in these matters, and we loose ground on more important things like stem cell research matters.

Crazy huh?  Some candidates have really bad views on policies like these, but appear to be faithful church goers.  People will actually vote for some one in the U.S. if they appear to go to church, and that’s enough to at least turn heads their way.  They could care less about the issues that really matter, and wonder why gas is a negative factor in our lives these days.  American Christian Extremist have waged a full out assault the very idea’s that Thomas Jefferson struggled for in the form of a type of some type of religious P.R. (public relations) campaign, and now they have campaigns to make Mr. Jefferson appear more Christian in his views though it has clearly been documented that he was somewhat of a materialist (e.g. check out the Thomas Jefferson Bible).

Thus this idea of TRUE freedom of religion has been lost to modern day intentional mistranslations of history, and they have been successful at making people think that these ideas are the norm.  But nowadays these ideas could not be further from the norm, and they mislead people partial due to TV sound bite, too much TV coverage, and even the written (typed) word, legislation, TV commercials, TV shows/networks and radio shows.  All in an attempt to create this idea that Christianity is the “natural/more reasonable choice”, and all other schools of thought are mere options.

I think SOME Christians in this country feel a since of superiority in their position here, and if you were to ask another Atheist, Muslim or Jew how they feel at times they will tell you its not freedom of religion they feel; it’s TOLERANCE.  Proof of the TOLERANCE of religion in this country is all around us, and when Christian America thought that Mr. Obama was Muslim it reared its ugly head again.  And there is a history of this in American politics, but it goes beyond the office of president.  This idea of only having a Christian president in a country that is supposed to be free for all religions is a reflection of its people as a whole, and is in direct opposition to the very tenants written by Mr. Thomas Jefferson in our constitution.

The idea of the separation of church and state was done so that we could not develop a national or state religion, so the problem with an “unspoken rule/law” in American politics regarding all candidates being Christian is that it an admission to all that I wrote!  When you are so heavily saturated with one religion throughout your life you’re in fact becoming indoctrinated rather you like it or not.  The emphasis placed on Christianity here makes it even more evident when it’s so infused into the idea of running this country.  It’s as if someone else could not do a better job than George W. Bush because they are Jewish, Muslim, Hindu or even Atheist, and this could mean that we are passing on someone more qualified to do the job because of their religion.

To drive my point home lets read the words of America’s forfathers:

In his autobiography (referring to the Virginia Act for Religious Freedom) Mr. Jefferson stated: “Where the preamble declares, that coercion is a departure from the plan of the holy author of our religion, an amendment was proposed by inserting ‘Jesus Christ,’ so that it would read ‘A departure from the plan of Jesus Christ, the holy author of our religion;’ the insertion was rejected by the great majority, in proof that they meant to comprehend, within the mantle of its protection, the Jew and the Gentile, the Christian and Mohammedan, the Hindoo and Infidel of every denomination.” [Thomas Jefferson – Referring to the Virginia Act for Religious Freedom] 

Wherever the real power in a Government lies, there is the danger of oppression. In our Governments, the real power lies in the majority of the Community, and the invasion of private rights is chiefly to be apprehended, not from the acts of Government contrary to the sense of its constituents, but from acts in which the Government is the mere instrument of the major number of the constituents. [James Madison to Thomas Jefferson, October 17, 1788]But a short time elapsed after the death of the great reformer [Jesus] of the Jewish religion, before his principles were departed from by those who professed to be his special servants, and perverted into an engine for enslaving mankind, and aggrandizing their oppressors in Church and State. – [homas Jefferson, in a letter to Samuel Kercheval, 1810]

History I believe furnishes no example of a priest-ridden people maintaining a free civil government. This marks the lowest grade of ignorance, of which their political as well as religious leaders will always avail themselves for their own purpose. – [Thomas Jefferson, in a letter to Baron von Humboldt, 1813] And I have no doubt that every new example will succeed, as every past one has done, in shewing that religion & Government will both exist in greater purity, the less they are mixed together. – James Madison, letter to Edward Livingston, July 10, 1822

Persecution is not an original feature in any religion; but it is always the strongly-marked feature of all law-religions, or religions established by law. Take away the law-establishment, and every religion re-assumes its original benignity. – Thomas Paine, The Rights of Man, 1791-1792 

As you can see, from reading the above quotes, America was in a very different place back then, and our Constitution tries to keep us aligned with reason.  But in these trying times people are again trying to create what America’s forefathers’ set to avoid.

This is a total re-write from my original post because somehow “wordpress” erased the original during a save, but I will try to capture the essence of the original the best I can. 

Lets start with a question:

 Is it possible for someone other than a Christian to be an efficient president in the USA?

I would think that that the writers of our Constitution (namely Thomas Jefferson) would answer this question with a resounding “YES!”, because he was one of many who actually fought hard to make sure that there would be no state mandated religion in this country (as Islam is in Saudi Arabia).  Thomas Jefferson was very outspoken about his views on religion in this country, and at one time was type-cast by the “religious right” as an Atheist, Agnostic, heretic and you know the rest. 

It was he who aided in making sure the constitution included the freedom of religion, and he even made his own Bible by cutting out the miracles of Jesus Christ leaving only the moral and materialistic values intact.  This became known as the “Thomas Jefferson Bible”, and this Bible has actually been printed and is sold to this day.

Our third president, from the red state of Virginia, helped to write the United States Declaration of Independence, and within that he made sure to put in the idea of “Freedom of religion”.  And he has written much on the idea that government and religion should not rule one another, and no one should be forced by government to be of any particular religion.  But sad to say I believe if he were a candidate today he would have lost to G.W. Bush, because now all you have to do is be a Christian to stay in the race for more than a month.

Okay.. Considering the above here my questions to you all are:

WHY can’t we vote for someone who is not Christian now?

WHY should a person’s religion determine if he is taken seriously when it comes to the seat of Presidency?

WHY must religion be a factor in a country that is supposedly “not religion bias”?

Though Christianity is not America’s national religion, WHY do we act as if it is?

WHY was it such a big deal that Barrack Obama may have been Muslim at one time?

If Mr. Obama was a Muslim and then later a Christian doesn’t that POSSIBALY give him a wider world view in a time when radical Muslims are “all the rave”?

Can only Christians contribute to this society without bringing fears that they are trying to bring America to its knees?

I know many may disagree with what I am saying, and may think I am painting with a broad brush.  But when you listen to people, watch the news, read the paper, listen to the radio, and so on, this it what you hear.  What I can tell you is that for someone who leans in the direction of a Thomas Jefferson I would think that these are legitimate concerns!

I myself am not an atheist or an agnostic, but I’d like to think of myself as a FREE AGENT/THINKER.  And as a free agent I will vote for whomever I choose without prejudice.