Essay on Role of Morality and Religion in Slavery

Introduction

The practice of slavery has been in existence in the United States as well as in almost all other nations globally. According to DeBow, a big party in America believes that holding people captive is not ethically right; the party bases it's believes on the teachings of the Holy book of God and approaches it as the standard of religion and morality. On the other hand, Foster accuses the church ministers in America for being responsible for slavery by engaging in heinous crimes. Today the Bible is sought out for guidance on religious and accepted ethical practices, but still, we find it right to have other individuals held as slaves. This essay analyses the role of morality and religion in the past and how they contributed to the practice of slavery.

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From instances in the Bible, we can see that slavery started way long during the era of our ancestors. For instance, Joseph the son of Jacob was sold by his brothers to the Ishmaelites in return for 20 silver pieces (DeBow 1). This account of Joseph's life proves that this sale of slavery was practised widely in the nation during that period. Another narrative on the practice of slavery is seen in Abrahams relation with his servants that he purchased with his money. He viewed his servants as property since that is how they were perceived in his country. Not only were the servants regarded as properties to the historical man but their offsprings were also considered to be owned by Abraham.

In DeBow's document, he states that the practice of slavery is somehow right basing on Abrahams story. Because if God deemed it immoral, He would have taught Abraham on how to treat his people and not to buy and use his servants as he pleased, but instead the Lord required him to perform other things (DeBow 3). This approach by God on Abrahams' activities showed that the association of the slave and master needs to be observed during the era of Abraham as well as the coming generations. It is also evident on the morality of slavery when God's angel meddled between Hagar and Sarai; he aimed to make the slave adhere to the chastisement imposed by the mistress (DeBow 4). On the other hand, using the story of the Israelites, God issued them with guiding principles through Moses. These laws were to be followed as fountains of morality and none was to be perceived as morally incorrect. Therefore, everything predestined by God could not be considered as wrongdoing since everything in which He gives the first authorisation is to be considered right.

On the other hand, Foster refutes the issue of slaveholding as being morally right as stipulated by religious laws provided by God. He perceives the clergy and church in America as an institution of murderers, pirates, thieves, and adulterers (Foster 2). Foster claims that the church ministers from the south were eager of enabling slavery to have a supply of concubines from its destitute sufferers (Foster 1). By briefly analysing the issue of slavery, Foster accuses the ministers with murder, piracy, man-stealing, adultery, and notorious theft. An individual who enslaves others, that is, by robbing them of their rights, their feet, head, and hands, and converts them from decent liberal agents to sheer brides, and forces them to obey his rules and go against God's, is guilty of all the accused criminal mayhem.

From a religious approach, we can attest that slaves are properties which are sold and bought for money. The services provided by the servants are for their masters, and they can be fired without getting consent from them (DeBow 2). The master, on the other hand, has the right to chastise or punish the servants as well as hurt them anytime. This rights exercised by the masters, cannot be dared by any workers in the southern plantations nor any African American, and they cannot fail to adhere to the harsh treatments as well. The issue of racism is evident in this manner since the blacks are perceived as unproductive and illiterate beings who work as servants for others, thus the historical practice of slavery in U.S history.

Conclusion

We, therefore, see God gave the rules for governing, inheriting, and buying slaves (Debow 4). He came with policies of finding men and their offspring as properties, and the right of trading this property with no limitations, to punish the servants but if one dies under their master's arm, the master should be castigated. These rules on the slaves are so harsh and not as good as those of the Southerners. Thus the practice of slavery is being encouraged by individuals who admit that the Bible is inspired by the Almighty and proves that in employing, selling, and buying slaves, there is no guilt in morality. Similar to all Deity bodies, holding slaves can be a crime if the slave faces abuse, but the practice itself is moral and right. But Foster refutes this by claiming that this practice is a crime by accusing the clergy and church in America for being slaveholders by facing guilty charges of the accused crimes of adultery, theft, and man-stealing. Thus according to the two authors, religion plays a significant role in the practice and morality of slavery and racism.

Works Cited

Debow. "Slavery And The Bible. ." Fair Use Repository. N. p., 1850. Web. 30 Apr. 2018.

Foster, Stephen Symonds. The Brotherhood of Thieves, Or, A True Picture of the American Church and Clergy: A Letter to Nathaniel Barney, of Nantucket. P. Pillsbury, 1843.