Slavery Today

[JudeBrando]

For all of those of you who are so quick to so frequently condemn slavery in the Bible, are you as concerned about slavery today? Where is the outrage? I thought you say we people today are so much better now than those ancient barbarians? Are we really?


"There are more slaves today than were seized from Africa in four centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The modern commerce in humans rivals illegal drug trafficking in its global reach—and in the destruction of lives."

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0309/feature1/


"Yes, we mean real slavery. People held against their will, forced to work and paid nothing.

Sometimes the slave holder ‘pays’ a few grains of rice to keep the slaves alive, or uses a bogus payment that the slave holder reclaims at the end of the month. But the end result is what slavery is today and has always been—one person controlling another and then forcing them to work.

Through Free the Slaves’ research, first published in Kevin Bales’ Disposable People, our conservative estimate is that there are 27 million people in slavery today. This means that there are more people in slavery today than at any other time in human history. Slavery has existed for thousands of years, but changes in the world’s economy and societies over the past 50 years have enabled a resurgence of slavery."

https://www.freetheslaves.net/SSLPage.aspx?pid=301


"Slavery Defined

While definitions differ of what constitutes slavery in contemporary society, these factors are typically present:

The victim is induced into slave-like exploitation through fraud, force or coercion;
The enslaved are subject to physical abuse and/or psychological intimidation;
Victims are not readily able to free themselves from their situation.

However, there are some crucial differences between historical and modern forms of slavery:

There's no longer a need for legal ownership; people can be bought, sold and bartered among "owners" who take temporary possession;
People caught up in slavery today can be purchased and sold for as little as $100 (compared to 10 times that much in the 1850s). As a result, people become "disposable;" i.e., easily replaceable.
Slavery cuts across nationality, race, ethnicity, gender, age, class, education-level, and other demographic features
Slavery's business side --- human trafficking --- is a global enterprise that can involve not just criminal gangs, but also corrupt law enforcement, drug dealers, and even families."

http://www.freedomcenter.org/slavery-today/


http://listverse.com/2009/01/14/10-fascinating-facts-about-slavery/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_slave_trade
http://www.arabslavetrade.com/
http://www.abolishslavery.org/slavery-today
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/slavery1.html
http://acrimesomonstrous.com/
http://www.state.gov/g/tip/what/index.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_modern_Africa
http://www.africanholocaust.net/articles/21stcentury slaves.html
http://frontpagemag.com/2011/06/10/the-dark-world-of-the-arab-child-slave-trade/
http://truthandgrace.com/muslimslavery.htm
http://www.answering-islam.org/ReachOut/slavetrade.html
http://www.islam-watch.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=683

 

[tyr_13]

For all of those of you who are so quick to so frequently condemn slavery in the Bible, are you as concerned about slavery today? Where is the outrage? I thought you say we people today are so much better now than those ancient barbarians? Are we really?

Wait, you think that the people who condemn slavery in the Bible don't condemn slavery today? What makes you believe such an obscene thing?

All the people I've seen condemn slavery in the Bible hold the evils of slavery as self-evident, and use that self-evident evil as one pillar of evidence that not everything the Bible teaches is good. Never have I seen someone suggest that slavery is evil because it's in the Bible. Slavery is evil and the Bible endorses it in places.

People today who don't practice slavery are better today than those in the Bible for it. Many people today ARE better than those ancient barbarians.

But I know, you're 'just asking questions' again.

 

[slingblade]

For all of those of you who are so quick to so frequently condemn slavery in the Bible, are you as concerned about slavery today?

Because it would just make sense not to be, right?

Where is the outrage?

I keep mine in the fridge. Cold outrage is always better.

I thought you say we people today are so much better now than those ancient barbarians?

If that's what you think the argument is, I'd say you haven't been paying attention.

Are we really?

Who's this 'we,' Kemosabe?


Any other questions? You know, with meaning this time?

 

[kerikiwi]

I thought you say we people today are so much better now than those ancient barbarians?

What made you think that? Can you provide a quote?
Why the question mark?

 

[Captain Obvious]

If legislation does not force bankers/insurers/speculators/"politicians"/"journalists" to be slaves for one year in every five years constituting their "careers" then there's no justice in the World*.


* not that there ever was any justice in the World. Justice will always be best left to powers above those of mere short-lived human beings.

 

[SezMe]

For all of those of you who are so quick to so frequently condemn slavery in the Bible, are you as concerned about slavery today? Where is the outrage?

Where is YOUR concern? Or do you think posting on an internet board constitutes an effective counter to the wrongs of slavery?

I thought you say we people today are so much better now than those ancient barbarians? Are we really?

Could you provide a cite for this assertion? But to reply to your question: I would hope so but admittedly there is still much to be done. Which brings me full circle back to the question: What are you doing about the problem beside posting on JREF?

 

[dafydd]

When I saw the thread title I thought it was referring to the mental slavery of religion.

 

[Craig4]

For all of those of you who are so quick to so frequently condemn slavery in the Bible, are you as concerned about slavery today? Where is the outrage? I thought you say we people today are so much better now than those ancient barbarians? Are we really?


"There are more slaves today than were seized from Africa in four centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The modern commerce in humans rivals illegal drug trafficking in its global reach—and in the destruction of lives."

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0309/feature1/


"Yes, we mean real slavery. People held against their will, forced to work and paid nothing.

Sometimes the slave holder ‘pays’ a few grains of rice to keep the slaves alive, or uses a bogus payment that the slave holder reclaims at the end of the month. But the end result is what slavery is today and has always been—one person controlling another and then forcing them to work.

Through Free the Slaves’ research, first published in Kevin Bales’ Disposable People, our conservative estimate is that there are 27 million people in slavery today. This means that there are more people in slavery today than at any other time in human history. Slavery has existed for thousands of years, but changes in the world’s economy and societies over the past 50 years have enabled a resurgence of slavery."

https://www.freetheslaves.net/SSLPage.aspx?pid=301


"Slavery Defined

While definitions differ of what constitutes slavery in contemporary society, these factors are typically present:

The victim is induced into slave-like exploitation through fraud, force or coercion;
The enslaved are subject to physical abuse and/or psychological intimidation;
Victims are not readily able to free themselves from their situation.

However, there are some crucial differences between historical and modern forms of slavery:

There's no longer a need for legal ownership; people can be bought, sold and bartered among "owners" who take temporary possession;
People caught up in slavery today can be purchased and sold for as little as $100 (compared to 10 times that much in the 1850s). As a result, people become "disposable;" i.e., easily replaceable.
Slavery cuts across nationality, race, ethnicity, gender, age, class, education-level, and other demographic features
Slavery's business side --- human trafficking --- is a global enterprise that can involve not just criminal gangs, but also corrupt law enforcement, drug dealers, and even families."

http://www.freedomcenter.org/slavery-today/


http://listverse.com/2009/01/14/10-fascinating-facts-about-slavery/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arab_slave_trade
http://www.arabslavetrade.com/
http://www.abolishslavery.org/slavery-today
http://www.infoplease.com/spot/slavery1.html
http://acrimesomonstrous.com/
http://www.state.gov/g/tip/what/index.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Slavery_in_modern_Africa
http://www.africanholocaust.net/articles/21stcentury slaves.html
http://frontpagemag.com/2011/06/10/the-dark-world-of-the-arab-child-slave-trade/
http://truthandgrace.com/muslimslavery.htm
http://www.answering-islam.org/ReachOut/slavetrade.html
http://www.islam-watch.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=683

Yes, slavery is bad. Slavery justified in your big book of fairy stories is bad. Slavery practiced by people who believe in other fairy stories is bad too. Slavery is bad.

 

[uk_dave]

I suspect Jude has got this forum confused with some other forum he frequents. It can happen if you don't pay enough attention to what you're doing.

 

[Lamuella]

Jude, I know this will come as a shock to you, but we think slavery happening today is a bad thing, too.

 

[Dave Rogers]

For all of those of you who are so quick to so frequently condemn slavery in the Bible, are you as concerned about slavery today?

Yes.

Dave

 

[Xero]

Thanks for the laugh!



...what do you mean you weren't joking? :/

 

[Cuddles]

For all of those of you who are so quick to so frequently condemn slavery in the Bible, are you as concerned about slavery today?

No, of course not. Slavery in the bible is a minor historical point whose only use today is as a rhetorical point in pointless arguments with anti-reality fundamentalists. Slavery today is a serious humanitarian concern affecting millions of real, living people. Anyone who hopes to be taken seriously when they call themselves "human" is far, far more concerned about slavery today than they are about arguing with trolls on the internet.

 

[Foster Zygote]

For all of those of you who are so quick to so frequently condemn slavery in the Bible, are you as concerned about slavery today?

Yes.

Where is the outrage?

Right here.

I thought you say we people today are so much better now than those ancient barbarians?

I've never said that.

Are we really?

So this is your defense of the endorsement of slavery found in the Bible? You're just going to say, "Oh yeah? Well we can still find places in the world where people are enslaved today"? You're just going to offer a "tu quoque"?

 

[uk_dave]

oh! You mean..... jude is defending the accounts of slavery in the bibble by pointing to accounts of slavery in the 21st century?

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh kaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay

** Backing away from the thread, carefully and slowly **

 

[ponderingturtle]

For all of those of you who are so quick to so frequently condemn slavery in the Bible, are you as concerned about slavery today? Where is the outrage? I thought you say we people today are so much better now than those ancient barbarians? Are we really?


"There are more slaves today than were seized from Africa in four centuries of the trans-Atlantic slave trade. The modern commerce in humans rivals illegal drug trafficking in its global reach—and in the destruction of lives."

This shows a failure to understand history. By and large ships did not capture slaves in africa, that would be too time consuming. They purchased slaves there. Most of the slaves in the trans atlantic slave trade were originally captured and then sold by africans.

 

[learner]

I think Jude is in two minds as to wether slavery is good or not. The Bible condones it but all common sense and decency says its wrong. Much confusion ensues

To suggest that other, uninfected people are in two minds is just plain stupid.

 

[BStrong]

Let me try to digest this -

If one objects to the endorsement of slavery in the bible, the same one doesn't object to slavery in the current world?

Examples please.

Or is this another "Hooray for Jesus! and **** you" threads?

 

[Unabogie]

By the way, I clicked on one of Jude's links.

"Islam Watch".

http://www.islam-watch.org/index.ph...gst-british-muslims&catid=143:roddy&Itemid=58

That's some Grade A crazy, right there. It explains...well, everything.

 

[Schrodinger's Cat]

Well, we are better today in that at least slavery is something which is illegal and which we seek to combat, rather than something that is an accepted norm.

And why on earth would anyone be against Biblical slavery but okay with slavery today? That makes no sense.

I actually have done extensive volunteer work and organization in Florida and Mexico through Catholic run programs that combat slavery in the form of forced agricultural work.

The Coalition of Immokalee Workers, based in Florida, also fights for improved working conditions and pay as they are notoriously bad even for Florida's tomato pickers who aren't actually enslaved. They've had a lot of support from the Catholic Church and Jewish groups over the years (and perhaps other religious groups others I am not aware of) in addition to secular supporters.

http://www.ciw-online.org/

Another great program is S.T.A.R, which seeks to help teenage prostitutes get out of the life (many of whom were forced into it in the first place or kept in the life through intimidation and violence).

http://www.brooklynda.org/star/star_project.htm

Jude, what anti slavery organizations are you involved in?