Racism and so-called Christians

[distracted]

i saw this show on PBS the other night. This woman studied (in college?) about how this one family (deWolf) bought and kept slaves long after importation of slaves was outlawed in 1808. They were in the sugar industry… and even though they did all this illegal stuff, they were “respected” by the entire town…

I think it was one of the descendants of the deWolf family who said, when interviewed (though don’t quote me about him being a deWolf…) that, even after learning about his ancestors and what thye did… he wasn’t sure he could say, even “now”, that Whites were not superior to Blacks!! I can’t believe that someone would say such a thing, even in the interest of honesty…

The ironic thing: In making this statement, he proved, beyond a doubt, that Whites are NOT superior… :whacky:

I think he rather tended to prove the opposite, if anything…

Anyway, it reminds me ofthe Thread "Are Protestants Christian? because it makes me wonder what the best (most real) definition of Christian is… I think it is this: A person who listens to Christ’s teachings and follows them with all his/her heart, no matter the consequences… A racist, to me, should never call himself Christian…

 

[KingAlfred]

Unfortunately, racism has always co-existed with religion – religion of all kinds, Christianity included. Somehow many practicing Christians in racist societies have been able to compomise their beliefs. Not all, of course. Not all by a long shot; but many, indeed.

 

[bpbasilphx]

** and kept slaves long after importation of slaves was outlawed in 1808.**

The US Constitution banned the importation of slaves in 1808. It did not ban slavery itself until after the Civil War.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

** and kept slaves long after importation of slaves was outlawed in 1808.**

The US Constitution banned the importation of slaves in 1808. It did not ban slavery itself until after the Civil War.

Of course, just because something is legal does not make it moral. Case in point: abortion.

Unfortunately, law has a way of perpetuating immoral behavior. People tend to think that if something is legal, then it is morally acceptable.

 

[distracted]

** and kept slaves long after importation of slaves was outlawed in 1808.**

The US Constitution banned the importation of slaves in 1808. It did not ban slavery itself until after the Civil War.

i wasn’t very clear… this family (and others?) IMPORTED them also… some government official just turned a blind eye to the ships entering the harbor with slaves…

 

[distracted]

Of course, just because something is legal does not make it moral. Case in point: abortion.

Unfortunately, law has a way of perpetuating immoral behavior. People tend to think that if something is legal, then it is morally acceptable.

right and that is what is particularly distubing about Blacks in this country being so Democrat and so (generally speaking) pro abortion…

which reminds me of how important it is to educate oneself… read books that are not on the college curicula… because you won’t hear of a lot of importnat history in schools… (except maybe Catholic schools, but never been to one of those).

 

[JimR-OCDS]

i saw this show on PBS the other night. This woman studied (in college?) about how this one family (deWolf) bought and kept slaves long after importation of slaves was outlawed in 1808. They were in the sugar industry… and even though they did all this illegal stuff, they were “respected” by the entire town…

I think it was one of the descendants of the deWolf family who said, when interviewed (though don’t quote me about him being a deWolf…) that, even after learning about his ancestors and what thye did… he wasn’t sure he could say, even “now”, that Whites were not superior to Blacks!! I can’t believe that someone would say such a thing, even in the interest of honesty…

The ironic thing: In making this statement, he proved, beyond a doubt, that Whites are NOT superior… :whacky:

I think he rather tended to prove the opposite, if anything…

Anyway, it reminds me ofthe Thread "Are Protestants Christian? because it makes me wonder what the best (most real) definition of Christian is… I think it is this: A person who listens to Christ’s teachings and follows them with all his/her heart, no matter the consequences… A racist, to me, should never call himself Christian…

This was on the Bill Moyer’s program, and it will be aired on POV, on PBS soon. She discovered that her families wealth was made on the slave trade. Her family, the DeWolf’s of Providence RI, was a slave trader, being responsible for bringing some 10,000 slaves to America.

The other interesting point on Bill Moyer’s program, was the author he had on, Douglas Blackmon, “Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II.”

The author through historical search of records, shows how institutional slavery went on long after the Civil War ended, and continued through 1930. Some of the southern states wrote laws which would make the easy for the arrest and conviction of African Americans, who would then be placed on prison work crews, which were sent out to work on privately owned farms, coal mines and other industries requiring hard labor. The prisoners of course were not paid.

Jim

 

[KingAlfred]

Of course, just because something is legal does not make it moral. Case in point: abortion.

Unfortunately, law has a way of perpetuating immoral behavior. People tend to think that if something is legal, then it is morally acceptable.

Careful. We need the ‘law’.

 

[PhilotheaZ]

Careful. We need the ‘law’.

Of course we do. But civil law needs to be based on natural law, which is ultimately God’s law. Any system of law which legitimizes the direct killing of innocent persons violates natural law.

I have no problem with law per se, but rather with law that codifies evil.

 

[KingAlfred]

Of course we do. But civil law needs to be based on natural law, which is ultimately God’s law. Any system of law which legitimizes the direct killing of innocent persons violates natural law.

I have no problem with law per se, but rather with law that codifies evil.

We live in a secular democracy, and so far, that’s been the expressed majority will. Yes…it’s immoral, particularly from a Catholic perspective. Nonetheless, we don’t live in exclusively Catholic societies. As Catholics, we ourselves benefit from the protection provided by the same legal codes you’re criticizing. If Protestants had their way, Catholicism would be outlawed in many countries. Imagine that – not having to fight legalized abortion any longer, but instead having to fight for the legalization of your *religion. *

 

[distracted]

Some of the southern states wrote laws which would make the easy for the arrest and conviction of African Americans, who would then be placed on prison work crews, which were sent out to work on privately owned farms, coal mines and other industries requiring hard labor. The prisoners of course were not paid.

Jim

I usually struggle with the concept of eternal Hell… but not when i read stuff like this… St. Faustina says that the fires of Hell are lit by the anger of God…

If we humans can get so angry at sin, just think how angry God must get? He hates the way we treat each other…

 

[distracted]

If Protestants had their way, Catholicism would be outlawed in many countries. Imagine that – not having to fight legalized abortion any longer, but instead having to fight for the legalization of your *religion. *

i sometimes feel that i already have to do that… and there are subtle ways in which Catholics are persecuted and kept from practicing their religion… For instance, if i were to be as outspoken about my Faith as i would like and as much as i feel i SHOULD… i… well… what can i say?? It is bad enough as it is… doing what “little” i do…

anyway… all this lawlessness started w/ Martin Luther and the whole OSAS thing…

that old: "I can do whatever i want because Jesus loves me and i am saved and can never lose my salvation… so i can enslave people, violate the law, make up unjust laws… etc… because God loves me… (etc)

What a bunch of hooey… (to say the least)…

 

[estesbob]

This was on the Bill Moyer’s program, and it will be aired on POV, on PBS soon. She discovered that her families wealth was made on the slave trade. Her family, the DeWolf’s of Providence RI, was a slave trader, being responsible for bringing some 10,000 slaves to America.

The other interesting point on Bill Moyer’s program, was the author he had on, Douglas Blackmon, “Slavery by Another Name: The Re-Enslavement of Black Americans from the Civil War to World War II.”

The author through historical search of records, shows how institutional slavery went on long after the Civil War ended, and continued through 1930. Some of the southern states wrote laws which would make the easy for the arrest and conviction of African Americans, who would then be placed on prison work crews, which were sent out to work on privately owned farms, coal mines and other industries requiring hard labor. The prisoners of course were not paid.

Jim

Immediately after the Civil war the South tried to reinsitute slavery in all but name. That is one of the reasons Andrew Johnson imposed reconstuction on them. Of course in 1876 the North washed their hands of the forner Slaves and allowed, as you pointed out, blacks to be virtually reinslaved. it was at this time that both the North and the South created the myth of a war over States rights and soldiers on both sides being “honorable” men. No one had clean hands , either in the North or the South, as far as slavery goes.