The Killing Fields of America, Part 2: Using Chemical Aborticides

It is an awful analogy but it works, take the product that cleans clogged up drains in the sinks of Americans, Drano®, it could easily represent the chemical aborticides being used to kill and American unborn children draining our country of a talent pool of doctors, teachers, ministers, et al. Unwanted babies are like a clogged up drain. The drain could represent a person’s life. It gets “clogged” with an unexpected pregnancy. We no longer have our “freedom” to do as we please. Now what do we do? If our birth control pills do not work, then we have a couple of options. One, we can now kill the unborn baby, or dispose of the tissue, with what is gently, euphemistically called the “morning after pill” or “Plan B”, or with another lovely chemical aborticide called RU-486, known accurately as the “Abortion Pill”.

In a discussion on a public internet forum recently, I discovered that the “Morning After Pill” or “Plan B” is not the “Abortion Pill". A Toledo Blade article explains the difference between the so-called “morning after pill” and the “abortion pill”.

THREE POTENTIAL OR REAL ABORTICIDES

There are three types of potential aborticides. The first is the birth control pill, the likelihood is not as great as the “morning after pill” or the “abortion pill”, but it potentially will cause an abortion. See the discussion below. The “morning after pill” is not as likely to cause an abortion as the “abortion pill” or RU-486.

· Birth Control Pills: In an article by Randy Acorn, “Does the Birth Control Pill Cause Abortions?" he writes: “Reproductive endocrinologists have demonstrated that Pill-induced changes cause the endometrium [ The endometrium is the inner membrane of the mammalian uterus. It develops in preparation for the implantation of a fertilized egg upon its arrival into the uterus. Source ] to appear "hostile" or "poorly receptive" to implantation. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) reveals that the endometrial lining of Pill users is consistently thinner than that of nonusers—up to 58 percent thinner. Recent and fairly sophisticated ultrasound studies have all concluded that endometrial thickness is related to the "functional receptivity" of the endometrium. Others have shown that when the lining of the uterus becomes too thin, implantation of the pre-born child (called the blastocyst or pre-embryo at this stage) does not occur.”

The Rhythm Method and Natural Family Planning are more acceptable alternatives to birth control pills.

· “Emergency contraception pills: Also known as “Plan B” or the “morning-after pill,” it is a high dose of hormones taken orally that women can take up to five days after sex to prevent a pregnancy. This medication usually stops the release of an egg from the ovary, or blocks fertilization of a woman’s egg. However, IT CAN PREVENT A FERTILIZED EGG FROM ATTACHING TO THE WOMB — it’s this possibility that causes many anti-abortion groups to oppose it. The most recent battle over this drug has surfaced at the FDA. . .”

· “RU-486: Also known as Mifeprex, this drug is taken orally and can end a pregnancy up to 49 days after the last menstrual cycle. . . . It has been widely criticized by anti-abortion groups who see THE “CHEMICAL” OR “MEDICAL” ABORTION IT INDUCES AS NO DIFFERENT THAN TRADITIONAL TYPES OF ABORTION PROCEDURES. The FDA announced in July that it was investigating the safety of Mifeprex after four women died after using it.

The National Pro-Life Alliance (NPLA) reported in their Spring ’06 LifeLine Newsletter that “Since the politically-driven approval by the Clinton Administration in 2000, the RU-486 “Abortion Pill” has caused the documented deaths of at least seven women in America and caused serious and, in many causes, life-threatening side effects in more than 600 other women.”

HOLLY PATTERSON’S HORROR STORY

The following is from a WorldNet Daily article: "Planned Parenthood's outspoken activists remain stone-cold silent about Holly Patterson. She's the teenager who died of tragic complications from taking the abortion drug cocktail RU-486, which she obtained from a northern California Planned Parenthood clinic in September. Holly and her unborn child suffered a painful, bloody and prolonged death." "Patterson was seven weeks pregnant when she received the chemical abortion regimen. After seven days and two desperate trips to a hospital emergency room seeking help for intense cramping and bleeding, she succumbed to "septic shock, due to endomyometritis (inflammation) due to therapeutic, drug-induced abortion," according to an Alameda County coroner's report..."

So not only does the RU-486 kill babies it kills or hurts their mothers as well. For this latter reason alone the “Abortion Pill” should be banned by the FDA. But the resistance from NARAL and Planned Parenthood and their allies (who are purported to be such strong supporters of woman’s rights) seem to care little of a few casualties of the use of RU 486. There was more of an uproar over unproven silicone breast implants being harmful, which had no scientific proof before they were banned and manufacturers were sued and lost cases based on false evidence.

CONCLUSION

Abortion is murder and unnatural. Using any of the chemical (medications) such as birth control pills, “Plan B” or RU-486, may or will cause abortions and should not be used. I believe that even though the chance of abortion may be small using birth control pills, there is still a chance and therefore birth control pills should not be used. A Good Choice is using the Rhythm Method or Natural Family Planning mentioned above in lieu of any of the three "pills" any of which may cause abortions.

The Killing Fields of America, Part I: Introduction

We were and are all outraged by atrocities from all around the world, such as: the holocaust and genocide that have occurred in Nazi Germany, the Soviet Union, Red China, Cambodia, Uganda, and Sudan by corrupt cruel godless dictators. We are shocked by the senseless killing of civilians here and abroad by Islamo-fascist terrorists and Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim religious fundamentalists in the name of protecting and preserving their “precious” religions.

All of this pales in comparison with the atrocities perpetrated in America since 1973 when Roe v. Wade became the “rule of man”. This will be a first of a series of at least four articles on how we “legally” kill babies’ everyday. America has “progressed” very far down the road to our own destruction by what we have allowed to happen to our values, our principles, our beliefs. People of faith, true faith-based Christians, are beginning to get aroused about what we have allowed to happen in our schools, in our culture. Hopefully the tide can still be turned. Hopefully we will wake up and we will strengthen the things that remain.

Initially we will discuss how to prepare to kill, then we will examine the various methods we have implemented or are considering to implement to actually commit, or by our inaction condone the murders.

REQUIRED PREPARATION

GET GOD OUT

First, you must convince yourself that there is no God. If there is no God, then there are no consequences to what I do. Deny that marriage is the only legitimate relationship in which to gratify your sexual passions. After all we live in an age of enlightenment. If it feels good do it. If an unplanned pregnancy occurs as a result of having fun, then call Planned Parenthood, they’ll give you good direction. Deny that all life is sacred in God’s eyes. Deny that every human being ever conceived was known and loved by God. Deny that terminating a pregnancy or killing an embryo is snuffing out a life.

IT'S ONLY TISSUE

Second you must convince yourself that the embryo is not a human being; it is a just mass of cells, just tissue, just an appendage of a female’s body says all the wise scientists. The glob of tissue is not a human until it separates from the female’s body. Deny that God (who doesn’t exist, right?) formed my every part while in my mother’s womb and had a purpose and a plan for my life.

PICK A TIME

Third, you must select pick a number 1 to 9. Anytime during the female’s nine month pregnancy, from the first day or the last day, is okay to do away wit the “life-less” fetus. After all, it is just part of the female’s body and she can chose to do whatever she wants with her body. Again, at this point it is easy, no God, no life, no problem.

PICK THE POISON

Fourth, pick your poison, err, method of extermination. The next post will deal with the “Drano” or chemical solution. There is also the “Slice & Dice” or surgical solution. There is the “advanced” “D & X” procedure. We could also discuss embryonic stem cell research, cloning and infanticide.

In the next post we will discuss the killing-by-chemical solution.

Do no harm?

Last week a story about doctors and nurses aiding in the execution process aired on the far left PBS TV news magazine NOW. The first premise of the report was that the presence of doctors and nurses at executions is necessary in order for the condemned person to be spared any unnecessary pain. The second premise was that it is unethical for doctors to participate in executions because they have sworn by the Hippocratic Oath to “do no harm”. They don’t come out and say that they are against the death penalty, but this is obviously what they are underhandedly trying to get their audience to conclude. Their main purpose is probably to get their mostly liberal audience an argument against capital punishment.

The purpose of punishment is to satisfy God’s requirement of justice. The issue is not whether the death penalty is an effective means of controlling crime. The issue is that it is simply immoral to spare criminals from their proper punishment. The more serious the crime is, the more serious the punishment should be.

The most obvious flaw in their argument is that there is nothing wrong with inflicting pain on murderers or any other justly convicted capital offenders. Under the Law of Moses, people were whipped, stoned, and burned to death. If these punishments are unjust, then God is unjust because He is the one who commanded that they be done.

Another flaw in their argument is that the Hippocratic Oath is not the law. It is a pagan concept and it is not Biblical. One could argue, in fact, that such an oath is sinful on several grounds. It may prohibit one from doing his or her duty as a Christian and an American. Jesus said “Let your yes be yes and your no be no.” The producers of NOW should be the last ones to be using this argument, since they are constantly touting the benefits and necessity of legalized abortion which are performed by doctors. “Do no harm”? They should be taking the Hypocritical Oath. It is only acceptable to for a doctor to make an agreement not to harm INNOCENT human beings.

They quoted the 8th amendment to the U.S. Constitution several times in the program. It states that there shall not be “cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.” Unfortunately, one of the flaws in our Constitution is that in a very few places our constitution uses relative terms and is therefore vague. One person's idea of what is cruelty and what is unusual may differ from some else’s. The same amendment states that “excessive bail shall not be required”. How much is excessive? It is unreasonable to interpret “cruelty” to mean painful. There is no way to totally extract pain out of punishment. It really isn’t punishment anymore, then, is it? In a world of painless punishments, no realizes what the consequences of sin are. I believe that there should be a limit to the amount of punishment that can be carried out upon a criminal by the state, but the presence of doctors should not be necessary for this. The Bible does set a limit of 40 lashes for the crimes in which whipping was appropriate. I think that the interpretation of the 8th amendment should be that no punishment should go beyond limits that were set in the Bible. I believe this is what the Founders had in mind.

The real question we should be asking is, “What parts of the Law of Moses concerning punishments for crimes should apply to governments today?” This is a difficult question. One man was put to death just for picking up sticks on the Sabbath. Jesus said, “He who has not sinned cast the first stone.” Cain and David were not put to death even though they committed murder. This is a really difficult question.

Liberal Patriot or Liberal Traitor?

The following comment was posted to this blog on Friday, 07/14/06, by an anonymous poster who refers to himself as “A Tax Paying Citizen of the United States of America.” My comments follow his tirade.

”Mr. Taxpaying Citizen” Writes:

A good tree does not bear bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit (Matt 7:18). It is time you opened your eyes and thoughtfully absorb the consequences of supporting an administration for partisan, patriotic, or even religious purposes. I am sure that many of you who have staunchly defended these leaders have done so for altruistic purposes. However, there comes a point in time that one must sincerely consider, critique, and act upon facts rather than rhetoric.

How can any of you believe that George W. Bush is a man of God when the fruits of this man’s presidency are burning before our eyes? He has lied from
day one of his candidacy for 2000, beginning with his claims of being a “Compassionate Conservative,” and a “Uniter, not a Divider,” and he continues to lie. Has America been a good neighbor under this administration? Have we been good world citizens? I would argue that we have not. We have not considered the innocent people of Iraq in our calculations, under the leadership of an administration that contradicts itself as it claims, “We are the liberators of Iraq,” while telling us that “We’d rather fight them over there.” We have not considered the brave patriots that we have squandered in our battle of false premise. We have not thoughtfully scrutinized not only the devastating impact upon the Middle East, but the impact that these actions have and will ultimately continue to have on American families. What happened to the good-will of the entire world for our country? They have not been wise stewards.

When will this man be held accountable for his lies and the devastating consequences of those lies? There was courage upon the “Hill” to impeach a president guilty of personal indiscretions, personal dishonesty, but when it comes to a president and his administration that has cost this world unquantifiable hardship and a disturbing loss of life that continues to unfold; cowardice is the mode of operation.

Our political leaders have used their pens to send our bravest citizens into what has now become a nest of barbarity while tacitly encouraging savagery that has already cost our soldiers and their families dearly. Why? They have flagrantly dismissed the rules of war and have consistently strived to circumvent the Constitution that they claim to defend. Why? They said is was to protect us. That was a lie. They said it was to liberate. That was a lie.

Are you going to be complacent in this struggle? We are fighting for more than the prevention of terrorism—we are fighting for our true moral purpose in this world. And I ask you, what is it that you think the moral purpose of our country is? Is it to bear good fruit, or is it to complacently rally our leaders regardless of their actions or the consequences of those actions?

We must fight with our pens now—pick up your pen for this country. Pick up your pen for our service men and women; pick up your pen in opposition to greed, in opposition to arrogance, in opposition to deceit, and in opposition to the oppression of our neighbors. This administration must be held accountable.

Sam responds:

I see by your posting that (1) you are a Liberal; (2) you definitely say nothing to demonstrate that you a Christian; (3) You are more concerned about the world’s opinion and not at all concerned about what God thinks.

You consider removing a tyrant from leadership of a county is bad; one who murdered, raped, paid $25,000 to families of suicide bombers, and wanted to destroy Israel. This is bad for the Middle East? This is pure nonsense.

Who’s guilty of personal indiscretion? What about sending troops into Somalia, sent in without enough fire power to do the job, and pulling out when the troops run into difficulty.

This is what set the United States up for 9/11.In conclusion, are you a terrorist sympathizer, you sure sound like one?

Who's Agenda Does America Follow Anyway?

The following article is based on a discussion that I recently had on the "In the News" Forum. The following is my response to a general statement that the "conservative agenda" is what is hurting and harming America.

I found Hans Zeiger's definitions of conservatism and liberalism most helpful: "Conservatism is the belief that the moral values of an inevitably flawed society should be preserved and individuals should take responsibility for their lives and their government because they are accountable to God. Liberalism is the belief that the moral values of a perfectible society should be changed and the state should take responsibility for its people because it is accountable to the progress of humanity."

To help me better illustrate and contrast these opposing worldviews I put Mr. Zeiger's definition in table format. This may not be every conservatives definition of "conservatism", however it does capture my philosphy quite well. I am a social and a fiscal conservative. There are also variations between these two concepts. Perhaps you could think of each as ends of a continuum. Everyone gravitates to one end of the continuum or the other.


PHILOSOPHY: …….… CONSERVATISM: ……... LIBERALISM:

BELIEF: ……….………… moral values of an ……… moral values of a
…………………………..….… inevitably flawed ……..… perfectible society
………………….………..…… society should be …..... should be
………………….……….….… preserved…………...…..…changed

RESPONSIBILITY: ... individuals should ….… the state should
………………….……..……… take responsibility …..… take responsibility
………………….………..…… for their lives and …....... for its people
………………….…..………… their government

ACCOUNTABILITY: ...individuals are ……..… the state is
…………….………………..….accountable ……………… accountable to
…………….…………………….to God………..………….… the progress
…………….……………………………………….…………,…… of humanity


There are two philosophies or worldviews vying for the hearts and minds of Americans. Conservatism recognizes absolute moral standards. Conservatism emphasizes individual responsiblity in how we live and how we govern ourselves. Conservatism realizes that that we are ultimately and solely accountable to a Higher Authority, Almighty God, which becomes the our motivation and purpose for living.

On the other hand, liberalism recognizes no absolute moral standards, standards must be dynamic and flexible to reflect the changing, evolving, and ever perfecting society. Liberalism emphasizes the state's role in being responsible in working for society, the common good of all. Liberalism realizes that the state is accountable to improving the lot of humanity, in other words the state is accountable to society for improve life for the common good of all.

No, it is not the conservative agenda that is hurting America. Actually, the conservative agenda was the Founding Fathers' agenda. The Founding Fathers were predominately men of faith in God, Jesus Christ and adherents of the Judeo-Christian bible.

The agenda advanced by the extreme liberal left, which is made up of an amalgamation of secular humanists, atheists, man-centered "Christians" (an apostate form of Christianity typified by the recently appointed bishop of the US Episcopal Church), the baby-exterminators, the homosexuals, and other radical individuals and organizations.

First and foremost, therefore, it is the seventy-year systematic stealth march of the liberal left foisting its agenda on America that has caused America greatest harm. Second, it is conservatists that have lost or lack laser sharp focus and have essentially stepped aside and let the left march on by . . . This is our challenge, this is our mandate to first stop the Liberal agenda, and then to turn back the progressives' trampling of America's moral foundations and values. Make A Good Choice and join the fight to restore the conservative agenda.

Slavery Part 6: Spiritual Slavery

Anyone who has a total aversion to slavery cannot be saved. The Bible teaches that whoever wants to become great must be a servant (Matthew 20:26). In fact, in order to be saved, one must become a servant. Matthew 7:21-23 says, “…he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” Who must we serve? Jesus said, “My Father will honor the one who serves me.” (John 12:26) We should be “… like slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart.” (Ephesians 6:6). But how does one know that he is serving God? What principles does God stand for? Romans 6:19 says, “…you used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and ever-increasing wickedness (lawlessness), so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.”

In addition to serving God (or how we are to serve God, in a way), we must also serve others. The one who rules should be the one who serves (Luke 22:26). Paul made himself “a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible.” (I Corinthians 9:19) Phoebe was a “servant of the church in Cenchrea”. (Romans 16:1) “If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.” (Mark 9:35)

Jesus set the example of what being a servant is all about. (Matthew 12:18) As I mentioned in a previous post, Jesus washed his disciples’ feet, a task usually only performed by the lowest of servants. This was the way Jesus showed them how much he loved them. (John 13:1) Christ set the example for us in that “he made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father.” (Philippians 2:7-11). In the same way, we should be slaves to obedience (Romans 6:16). “Christ has become a servant of the Jews (circumcision) on behalf of God’s truth, to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs” (Romans 15:8).

The only other alternative to being a slave to God is being a slave to sin. The Simon the sorcerer was a “captive to sin” (Acts 8:23). To serve sin means to serve one’s appetite (Romans 16:18), in a lawless and impure way (Romans 6:19) which leads to corruption (II Peter 2:19). Serving sin leads to death (Romans 6:16). Everyone who sins is a slave to sin (John 8:34). (Read my earlier post “God Made Man in His Own Image” if you haven’t already.) But by the Spirit, one may put to death the misdeeds of body (Romans 8:13) and the body of sin is done away with by being crucified with Christ (Romans 6:6). One is disqualified unless he makes his own body his slave (I Corinthians 9:27). No one can serve two masters (Luke 16:13). But Paul makes a distinction between being a slave to sin in mind and being a slave to the law of sin in the flesh (Romans 7:25). The former means being free from the control of righteousness (Romans 6:20). The latter means the struggle between the mind and the flesh explained in Romans 7:14-24. A person can follow rules which sound good to the world, but which fall far short of God’s standards. Such a person is a slave to a law (of Moses, for example) but this is really only another way of being a slave to sin. (Galatians 4:8-11, 21-31)

For those of us who choose to follow in the way of Christ’s teachings, that is, in the truth, we have the promise of being set free by the Son (John 8:31, 32, 36, Galatians 5:1-6). Though we must share in his sufferings (Romans 8:14-17), the servant of Christ will become the friend of God (John 15:14, 15). Because “God sent his Son, born of woman,” and “born under law” we can go from being slaves to sons of God (Galatians 3:28-4:7). But slaves of sin have already become sons of the devil (John 8:40-47). Our adoption as sons comes with the redemption of our bodies (Romans 8:23). This comes with being free from fears such as the fear of death (Hebrews 2:15, Romans 8:15). Even creation itself will be free from its bondage to decay (Romans 8:21). The 2nd law of thermodynamics will come to end.

Do you want to be set free?

Slavery Part 5: Slavery in the World Today

There are forms of bondage in the world today that you might not think of as being slavery.

You may recall that in the first part of this series I talked about how the Egyptians put themselves into bondage in exchange for food during the seven years of famine. Joseph agreed to allow the people to live on their land and take the Pharaoh’s grain in exchange for 20% of their crops indefinitely. This was considered bondage. In our society, most of us pay much more in taxes than 20%, even though we or our ancestors were never in the position where we needed to make such a deal to save our lives as these Egyptians did.

In part 2 of the series, we also discussed the ways that a person could “sell himself” into slavery if he needed to for lack of means to meet his families’ needs. In doing so, he gives up some (but by no means all) of his rights as a citizen. Likewise, in our society, when a person declares bankruptcy, he gives up some of his usual rights in exchange for protection from creditors. Similarly, once a person commits a crime (including a war crime), and is convicted, he gives up some (or all) of his rights as a person and he is not given a choice in the matter.

You may have heard about proposals from the Bush administration about a Guest Worker Program. You may not know that Bush’s proposed program is an expansion on an already existing program. Though it is limited, this program employs foreigners at wages often less than minimum wage, and once the worker chooses an employer, he must stay in the program for the agreed amount of time and is not allowed to work for anyone else. This is about the same thing as temporary slavery under the Mosaic Law.

For other forms of modern slavery, see Greg’s post on the subject. In my next post, I will talk more about spiritual slavery.

America: Freedoms Lost & Found

AOL News reported today that the Soledad cross, because of a Supreme Court Justice's ruling, may remain standing for now. This historic monument marks the cemetary of Korean War veterans in San Diego, California. Because one lone atheist was "offended" by having to look at the cross, legal action was brought about against the City of San Diego. The ACLU and this atheist have had this legal action in court for 17 years.

Isn't it tragic that on America's 230th birthday we must fight to keep a cherished symbol of our faith and tradition standing? The wave of extreme Liberalism that has swept across our nation and has left great destruction in its wake including effectively:


· Murdering millions upon millions of innocent babies;

· Banishing God, Jesus Christ and all things Christian from our schools, our government and our society making it unlawful even to acknowledge God our Creator in our schools and in our courtrooms;

· Nullifying centuries old sodomy laws, overturning precedent, accepting and promoting this deviant homosexual lifestyle as normal, natural;

· Instilling in our children and society the false idea condoms are the answer to premarital sex, not abstinence and teaching of morality and virtue;

· Condemning and ridiculing movies like the Passion of the Christ, but raving and promoting trash such as the immoral Brokeback Mountain;

· Teaching exclusively the unproven theory of evolution, over the equally and even more plausible Intelligent Design and Creationism concepts;

· Taking as “gospel” the unproven hypotheses about global warming and other so-called environmental crisis issues;

· Applying the doctrine of emanate domain by our courts taking away property from private owners and not for roads or for other society benefits but to enrich other private property owners; and

· Refusing to carry out prescribed death penalty sentences using every excuse and delay tactic and rationale conceivable, caring nothing about bringing about justice for the victim.

These are but a few of the charred damages to ou once moral, principled, Christian and free society. We have essentially lost our way, we have lost a great deal of our freedom of religion, our freedom of speech [that is, unless you spew vulgar and vile filth like Howard Stern or our many rap “artists”]; and most tragically, many babies are continue losing their right to life, liberty and the pursuit of their happiness, because of his or her mother’s and father’s irresponsibility, and because of the baby exterminators disguised as Planned Parenthood and their comrades in harm.

Reflecting on this nation's great freedoms past, I am hopeful that a revival, a renewal, yes, maybe even a revolution may ensue that will restore ,once again the values and principles that made this country the great land of liberty. These things I pray in the name of Jesus Christ and for His sake. Actually, it is He, who is the only hope for America. Our forefathers knew that very well.

“The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity…I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and the attributes of God.” - John Adams, June 28, 1813; Letter to
Thomas Jefferson

"[July 4th] ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.”–John Adams in a letter written to Abigail on the day the Declaration was approved by Congress

America is teetering on the brink of loss of its sovereignty and independence. Even President Bush, who may be more of a closet liberal than a true conservative, has secretly been setting in motion the so-called North American Union which portends the dissipation of our sovereignty. America, it is time to wake up and strengthen the things that remain, before it is everlastingly too late.

May God once again see fit to bless America? Yes, but it must start with individual radical heart transplants. To be truly free, must recognize that we need Him. This is the foundation upon which America was been built, the firm footing, the Rock, on which we stand, and the future in which we now hope. This is really A Good Choice, the best choice you could ever make.

TAKE ACTION

(1) Listen to an audio update by Jay Sekulow.

(2) Sign the petition asking President Bush to intervene by making the cemetery and the cross federal property.

Slavery Part 4: Negro Slavery in America

Most people in Pennsylvania and the New England states believed that the slavery practiced in the other colonies was against the American principles of “all men are created equal” and the guarantee of “life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness”. Unfortunately, for the sake of winning their own freedom against the oppressive British tyranny, they were willing to compromise and join a union of states which did allow rights of blacks to be violated.

At various times, the importation of slaves is prohibited in various states. In 1777, Vermont becomes the first colony to abolish slavery. In 1780, the Massachusetts Constitution is adopted with a freedom clause that is interpreted as abolishing slavery. To prevent cruelty to slaves, owners in South Carolina were prohibited from working slaves more than 15 hours between March 25 and September 25 and not more than 14 hours between September 25 and March 25. In 1780, Pennsylvania adopted a law that gradually emancipated slaves that are born after 1780 when they turn twenty-eight. In 1784, Connecticut and Rhode Island adopted gradual emancipation laws. In 1785, slavery was prohibited in the newly formed Northwest Territories. In 1799, New York adopted a gradual emancipation law. In 1804, New Jersey adopted a gradual emancipation law. Southern states began making demands that for every Free State admitted to the union, there must also be a slave state admitted to the union. The Missouri Compromise of 1820 made slavery illegal in the Louisiana territory that is north of the Missouri border. Missouri was admitted as a slave state and Maine was admitted as a free state. In 1844 slavery was prohibited in Oregon. In 1850, California was admitted as a free state. As a compromise, the slave states Utah and New Mexico were admitted without restrictions, but the slave trade was banned in Washington D.C. In 1858, Kansas was admitted to the Union as a free state. In 1863, slavery was abolished in Utah. In 1864, the Fugitive Slave Law was repealed. Slavery was abolished in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Missouri. [1]

I have heard some people say that Negro slavery in America was not that bad—that slave owners usually treated their slaves well, and that could win their freedom when they were treated too harshly. I haven’t found any evidence of the latter. In fact, in Virginia, for the commission of petty offenses; slaves could be whipped, branded, or maimed. [1] In 1723, manumission became illegal in Virginia. [1] A person of color was not permitted to testify against a white Christian, according to a 1717 Maryland law.[2] Another Maryland law declared that slaves would be punished by death, branding, or whipping if found guilty for murder, arson, larceny, association with whites, insolence, and traveling without permission. [1] Slaves in Virginia were also not allowed to leave the plantation without written permission from their master. This was punishable by 60 lashes [1] (which goes beyond the limit of 40 set by Mosaic Law, Deuteronomy 25:2, 3) and placement in a pillory where the slave’s ears were cut off. [1] The only punishment which is as harsh as this under the Mosaic Law is the cutting off the hand (Deuteronomy 25:12), but this was for something else, not for disobedient slaves. In the case, State v. Mann, North Carolina Supreme Court justice Thomas Ruffin ruled that masters could not be prosecuted for assaulting their slaves. In 1740, the Negro Act is passed in South Carolina. The act made it illegal for slaves to gather in groups, earn money, learn to read, and raise food. The act permits owners to kill rebellious slaves. [1]

Slavery was not just legal, but was subsidized. In 1663, the proprietors of North Carolina encouraged settlers to have slaves by promising that they would be given 20 acres of land for every black male slave and 10 acres for every black female slave brought to the colony within the first year. [1]

In 1819, blacks were prohibited from learning to read in Virginia. An 1831 North Carolina law prohibits teaching slaves from learning to read and write. In 1831, Virginia passed a law that prohibits slaves from gathering at night for religious services. [1] In 1844 free blacks are denied citizenships in North Carolina. [1] In 1837, Pennsylvania and Mississippi took away the right of blacks to vote. [1] In 1712, freed blacks are prohibited from owning property in New York. The 1857 Dred Scott decision denied citizenship to all slaves, ex-slaves, and slave descendants. The decision effectively declared that blacks were only property and not persons under the law. The modern day equivalent is the Roe v. Wade decision which declares that unborn babies are not persons under the law.

In Maryland and in other states, blacks were forbidden from marrying whites. The Bible says that it is wrong to forbid people from marrying. Miriam was struck with leprosy when she spoke against Moses for marrying an Ethiopian woman. Solomon’s romance in the Song of Solomon was to a black woman. (Moses and Solomon were not “white”, but surely anything that would apply to a Jew should also be allowed for a Caucasian.)

Some people criticize the Lincoln administration for suspending the writ of habeas corpus and for violating the first amendment by having people arrested for speaking out against the Civil War. These critics should also consider that in 1836 the U.S. House of Representatives adopted a “gag rule” which automatically tabled abolitionist material. [1]

Slavery was something that God did not intend in the beginning, but allowed it under certain conditions and with certain limitations in the Old Testament. Slavery in America went well beyond these limitations, especially in states south of Pennsylvania. The Old Testament had guidelines for how a person could become a slave. There is nothing in the Bible that says slaves could be prohibited from owning property. Though Americans were not the ones who originally enslaved the blacks, they were guilty of encouraging and participating in the unjust treatment of those who were most likely wrongfully enslaved by Biblical standards. The fact that a certain race was singled out for unjust treatment is what makes this all the more disturbing. For more about slavery under the Law of Moses, see my previous post. Also see what Greg wrote about slavery in the world today. I will have more to say about this in my next post.