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From: orb@whuxl.UUCP (SEVENER)
Newsgroups: net.religion,net.religion.christian
Subject: Re: What does it mean to be a Christian?
Message-ID: <626@whuxl.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 7-May-85 14:04:44 EDT
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Posted: Tue May  7 14:04:44 1985
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> From Frank Silberman: 
> The pro-slavery Christians ignored the Hebrew laws regulating "slavery".
> Under Mosaic law, a man could sell himself into slavery (e.g. to pay depts)
> but for at most SEVEN YEARS.  There was no such thing as lifetime slavery.
> Furthermore, children of slaves were free.  Such servitude is more of
> a contractual agreement, reminicient of the status of many Irish immigrants
> when they entered this country.  In the Bible, there is no assumption
> of a permanent servant class, race or nation.
> 
> This is an example of people reading into the Bible what they want to believe.
> This is why some churches are uncomfortable when laymen try to interpret
> the Bible.  No doubt many pro-slavers would have insisted that they received
> their interpretation by divine inspiration.
> 
> 	Frank Silbermann

So does this mean slavery is justified for seven years?
Or should the interpretation of religion be a living and growing
thing which is not locked into staid dogmas?
 
              tim sevener  whuxl!orb