OT: this is hysterical: the Gift Basket

LOL too funny!

I had to stop and start it to get my breath back from all the laughing!

Now THAT's good for the soul!

and yet despite numerous requests, you refuse to enlighten us with your definition of racism

Finally watched it. ROFLMFAO! That was great. Thanks for sharing.

I had trouble breathing!

Gabriel ate his friend's fried chicken! Cold!

:-D

With all the bad new around us, it is nice to see friend like these. Gabriel ate his friend's fried chicken! Cold!

:-D

LOL Classic!

On 5/21/18 12:36 PM, T wrote:

so slavery being condoned in the bible means it wasn't a christian belief?

The Bible contains several references to slavery, which was a common practice in antiquity. The Bible stipulates the treatment of slaves, especially in the Old Testament.[1][2][3] There are also references to slavery in the New Testament.[4][5] Israelite slaves were to be offered release after six to seven years of service, except when the male Israelite slave chose to remain with his wife; the male slave, the female slave and all children would consequently endure bond-slavery throughout their lives. [6][7][8] A foreign slave could be bequeathed to the owner's family,[9] and be made to serve for the life of the slave, except in the case of certain injuries.[10] The Biblical texts outline sources and legal status of slaves, economic roles of slavery, types of slavery, and debt slavery, which thoroughly explain the institution of slavery in Israel in antiquity.[11] Each section ? Exodus 21, Deuteronomy 15, and Leviticus 25 ? provides an outlook into the understanding of recent slave relations and gives guidance to the Israelites on how to further their life in a proper manual.[11] Philo, one of the philosophers of the time, wrote texts on how to properly treat slaves, indicating that slavery was an important part of Jewish life, but also emphasizes the humanitarian perspective offered up by many Ancient Near East scholars.[12] One such way of showing this is through the sharing of products, such as food and cloth, with other, underprivileged members of society.[11] As shown by the number of rabbis at this time writing about the treatment of slaves, there were standards on how they should be treated.

Slaves had a variety of different purposes. To determine the function, many scholars look at repetitive descriptions in texts that were written around the same time and reports of other cultures from the well-documented Graeco-Roman culture.[12] One of slaves? main functions was as status symbols for the upper members of society, especially when it came to dowries for their daughters. These slaves could be sold or given away as needed, but also showed that the family was capable of providing generous amounts for their daughters to be married off. They also catered to the needs of the temple and had more domestic abilities such as keeping up the household and raising farm animals and small amounts of crops. Masters often took advantage of their slaves being at their beck and call by requiring them to perform duties in public that the master had the ability to do himself. This showed a level of luxury which extended beyond the private sphere into the public.[12] In addition to showing luxury, possession of slaves was necessary for a good family background, and many wealthy men viewed their colleagues who possessed only few slaves as the type of individual who needed to be pitied.[12]

The rabbis are rarely described as having many slaves, but in the documents they write about slaves, it is always from the master?s point of view, which is seen by scholars as an attempt to distinguish the middle class citizens from slaves who could possibly have held higher positions in society because they were owned by a wealthy man.[12] However, owning many slaves was regular among priests in the First Temple days. This was an especially common practice in Greek religion which was supported by references to high priestly slaves in Josephus? works. These works painted the priests in a negative light, and showed the end of the institution coming after the Second Temple days in 70 AD.[12]

Many of the patriarchs portrayed in the Bible were owners of slaves from the upper echelons of society and enslaved those in debt to them, bought their fellow citizen?s daughters as concubines, and perpetually enslaved foreign men to work on their fields.[12] It is important to note that most of the owners of these slaves were men, and it is not evident that women were able to own slaves until the Elephantine papyri in the 400?s BC.[12] There is also little historic evidence that points scholars towards the understanding that people from all levels of society were able to own slaves. During certain reigns, especially those of Kings Solomon and David, statewide slavery may have been instituted for large building projects or work that was deemed intolerable for free men to do.[12] Other than these instances, it is unclear whether or not state instituted slavery was an accepted practice. It was necessary for those who owned slaves, especially in large numbers, be wealthy because the masters had to pay taxes for Jewish and non-Jewish slaves because they were considered part of the family unit. The slaves were seen as an important part of the family?s reputation, especially in Hellenistic and Roman times where the slave companions for a woman were seen as a manifestation and protection of a woman?s honor.[12] As time progressed, domestic slavery became more prominent, and domestic slaves, usually working as an assistant to the wife of the patriarch, allowed larger houses to run more smoothly and efficiently.[12]

The Bible was cited as justification for slavery by defenders.[13][14] Abolitionists have also used texts from both the Old and New Testaments to argue for the manumission of slaves, and against kidnapping or "stealing men" to own or sell them as slaves.[15][16]

Hi ZZyXX,

The Early church use to buy slaves their freedom. There was a reason for that.

"stipulating" the treatment of slaves was a compromise. The societies Christians lived in were steeped in this atrocious practice. Slaves were human beings, not "Animals with human feet" (a reference to what the Greeks referred to slaves as). If you can't get rid of the practice, at least moderate it.

Christians have always found the practice repugnant. And as previously stated, its took 620,000 souls to end the practice in the United States. Keep in mind that the worst sin in Christianity -- the one that is unforgivable -- is doing evil and attributing it to God. Claiming they has the right to treat other human beings like that and say it was Christian was totally disgusting.

Here is a link to a blog on what the Ancient Church believed about it. It is very informative.

You will note this from the blog:

"the earliest hierarchs pretty much made freeing one's slaves a condition of baptism and would excommunicate those that owned slaves (which actually led to the collapse of slavery in the Roman Empire).

Saint Emily is a wonder example of what was the Ancient Christian experience with slaves:

After her children left home, Saint Emily was persuaded by Macrina to forsake the world. Together they founded a monastery for women. Emily divided the family property among her children and freed her slaves. Retaining only some meager possessions, she and Macrina withdrew to a secluded family property in Pontus, picturesquely located on the banks of the Iris River and not far from Saint Basil's wilderness abode. A number of liberated female slaves desired to join the pair, and a convent was formed. They lived under one roof and held everything in common: They ate, worked, and prayed together, serving the Lord in with a singular purpose. They were so eager to advance in virtue that they regarded fasting as food and poverty as riches. The harmony of this model community of women was unspoiled by anger, jealousy, hatred, or pride. Indeed, as the Church sings of monastics, they lived like angels in the flesh.

The Ancient Church is also know as the Orthodox Church today. Same folks.

-T