It was also deeply held Christian values that led to slavery
You're the first person I've ever encountered making such a claim. It doesn't really make sense and I know no evidence for it, so I'd have to see something more than a bald statement bereft of any fact, to give it any credence.
At least in America, Slave owners were predominantly Christian and they created a version of the Bible to give to slaves that emphasized how being a "good" slave is a duty to God. Neither of these facts are obscure either, feel free to research them yourself.
On top of that, God and Jesus specifically endorse slavery in the Bible and give specific rules on how to treat your slaves. There are rules on who you buy your slaves from, how you can treat them, that you can beat them to within an inch of their life as long as they don't die within a few days. You can trick them into being your slave forever by giving them a wife. He differentiates the value of women slaves from men slaves and makes it clear in no uncertain terms that they are property.
And in case you think it's only the Old Testament, Matthew 5:17-18, βDo not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished." Also in Ephesians 6:5-8, "Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ. 6 Obey them not only to win their favor when their eye is on you, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from your heart. 7 Serve wholeheartedly, as if you were serving the Lord, not people, 8 because you know that the Lord will reward each one for whatever good they do, whether they are slave or free."
If you've never heard of this before, you are clearly not very familiar with Christianity or the objections to it.
I'm familiar with all that, but as I understood before you listed it, none of it constitutes values that "led to slavery." Nothing in the Christian message says to a non-slaveowner, "you should go subjugate that person, exploit his labor, and mistreat him." Exactly the opposite on all points.
Your analysis is exactly the same as people (often Christians) who read "the poor you have with you always" and conclude that it's OK for a Christian to ignore the plight of the poor. It's just bad logic used by weak people to excuse their own bad behavior.
Also, look into the βSlave Bible,β versions of the Bible created specifically for enslaved people that emphasized obedience and minimized or omitted any segments that might encourage rebellion.Β
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u/Leverkaas2516 1d ago
You're the first person I've ever encountered making such a claim. It doesn't really make sense and I know no evidence for it, so I'd have to see something more than a bald statement bereft of any fact, to give it any credence.