re: #139 calochortus

The fact is that in the 19th century, religious leaders did argue that the bible supported slavery. Many people believed it to be so.

They were wrong and support from the Bible was flimsy and inaccurate. Most Christians today, a vast plurality of sects, overtly reject that race based slavery is in any way moral.

Even the LDS Church which was abolitionist yet practiced separation of races and denied full access to all of their offices to blacks rejected the arguments a generation ago and now consider reacial prejudice not worthy of its members.

If you look at the 19th century preachers teachings and exhortations on slavery it is almost always based on social tradition and not scripture. The scriptural justifications are flimsy.

Again you cannot accurately judge a religion based on a misinterpretation or even outdated interpretation of its doctrines and beliefs. Conversely religions have done much to improve our culture and society but they are not immune to contemporary biases of those societies.