The persecution of Christians

DamnYankee said:
Another straw man, suggesting that Christianity is to blame for slavery, a secular institution. :D
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I didn't suggest that. I don't think that a reading of the bible that allows for slavery is particularly crazy either, though. That's a perfectly reasonable interpretation, and one that those Christians made.
 
Emperor Nero said:
I didn't suggest that. I don't think that a reading of the bible that allows for slavery is particularly crazy either, though. That's a perfectly reasonable interpretation, and one that those Christians made.
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19th century quotations:

"[Slavery] was established by decree of Almighty God...it is sanctioned in the Bible, in both Testaments, from Genesis to Revelation...it has existed in all ages, has been found among the people of the highest civilization, and in nations of the highest proficiency in the arts." Jefferson Davis, President, Confederate States of America 1,2

"The right of holding slaves is clearly established in the Holy Scriptures, both by precept and example." Rev. R. Furman, D.D., a Baptist pastor from South Carolina. 3

"I give my daughter, Joyce Falkner, present wife of John Falkner, of the county of Fayette and State of Virginia, a negro girl by name of Gemima otherwise called Mima. I give her to the above Joyce together with said Mima's increase forever and for the only use of the said Joyce, to will and dispose of as to her seemeth fit, hereby revoking all other claims of right or title to the said Gemima alias Mima of her increase forever." The 1791 will of Toliver Craig, disposing of his assets (and children of his assets) in the event of his death. 4
21st century quotation:

"...the campaign to end slavery in the United States was for many years largely the work of a small number of Christians who opposed slavery on explicitly religious grounds and who at the time were regularly condemned as fanatical zealots, bent (as indeed they were) on imposing their religiously based views regarding this particular issue on all those who disagreed." Paul Campos 5

religious tolerance.com
 
PostmodernProphet said:
wtf, did you even bother to think before you posted?.......it is obvious that if the laws were not designed they have to be random....that doesn't mean you have to conclude they were designed.....it just means you have to admit they were random if you reject design......
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Are you just using random as a synonym for "not intelligent" here? Then what you've said is obvious. I was merely rejecting the implication that non-intelligently designed rules would be a bungled mess or chaotic, or that intelligently designed rules are some how inherently superior. We don't know why the rules of the universe are as they are. But, going based on our historical experiences with primitive explanations contrasted to actual discoveries, I'm inclined to believe that it'd probably be something amazing we couldn't have expected.

If God were behind it, well, besides conflicting with previous experiences, that would simply be so dreary and boring, it would make the universe seem like such a trivial place, wouldn't it? That begs the question, how do you go on living, believing in God? I would kill myself if I thought the universe were as empty and meaningless as your beliefs suggest, if my only "purpose" were to be a slave to some master. You seriously believe in nothing greater than yourself? Nothing greater than intelligence? That there's nothing amazing and wonderful in the universe, just some stupid copy of yourself you've place in the sky who is the end of discovery? No wonder depression is so common in America.
 
Emperor Nero said:
Are you just using random as a synonym for "not intelligent" here? Then what you've said is obvious. I was merely rejecting the implication that non-intelligently designed rules would be a bungled mess or chaotic, or that intelligently designed rules are some how inherently superior. We don't know why the rules of the universe are as they are. But, going based on our historical experiences with primitive explanations contrasted to actual discoveries, I'm inclined to believe that it'd probably be something amazing we couldn't have expected.
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either shit just happens or it was made to happen......you don't have a third alternative,,,,,and I commented on what you said, not what you're now pretending you said......
 
Emperor Nero said:
If God were behind it, well, besides conflicting with previous experiences, that would simply be so dreary and boring, it would make the universe seem like such a trivial place, wouldn't it? That begs the question, how do you go on living, believing in God? I would kill myself if I thought the universe were as empty and meaningless as your beliefs suggest, if my only "purpose" were to be a slave to some master. You seriously believe in nothing greater than yourself? Nothing greater than intelligence? That there's nothing amazing and wonderful in the universe, just some stupid copy of yourself you've place in the sky who is the end of discovery? No wonder depression is so common in America.
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and yet I'm a believer and you're not......and you're the one who's dreary and boring.....that sort of sucks, doesn't it.....
 
Emperor Nero said:
I didn't suggest that. I don't think that a reading of the bible that allows for slavery is particularly crazy either, though. That's a perfectly reasonable interpretation, and one that those Christians made.
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The New Testament allows slavery? That's news to me. *shrug*
 
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