Saints for Slavery

[Red Terror]

"Another illustrious saint-for-slavery is Ambrose. For him, enslavement is a path to rectitude, for 'the lower the station in life, the more exalted the virtue.' Needless to say, the aristocratic Ambrose never thought to exalt his own virtue by placing himself in servitude. For St. Ignatius, slaves should 'bear their slavery for the glory of God, that they may win from Him thereby a better liberty in the next life.' When Christian slaves proposed that their freedom be bought by funds from an Asian church community, Ignatius opposed the move. He feared that once free to indulge themselves, they would become 'the slaves of desire.'

Michael Parenti, History as Mystery, page 64.

My take: It took the Christian saints long enough to implement justice for the slaves, and this by people who claim to be endowed with the supernatural wisdom of the Holy Ghost and God. Ambrose lived in the 4th century. Do the math ... By the way for many centuries the Catholic Church was the largest slave owner in the world.

https://books.google.com/books?id=7b...page&q&f=false

[Jackson Richardson]

I expect slavery was endemic throughout the world, I'm sorry to say. At least Christianity taught they were equal before God and the evidence is that many of them were very attracted to it as a result, some reaching high office.

Slavery in the Roman Empire could be very different from slavery on American or Caribbean plantations. It wasn't necessarily racist and often important members of the household (the children's tutor, the steward, the housekeeper) were technically slaves.

And as revolutionary, Red, I'm sure you'd agree that all comrades should be totally committed to bringing about the revolution and bear their sufferings in the struggle in the hope of the socialist society of the future.

[Red Terror]

Slavery in the Roman Empire could be very different from slavery on American or Caribbean plantations. It wasn't necessarily racist and often important members of the household (the children's tutor, the steward, the housekeeper) were technically slaves.

Tell that to Spartacus and all those slaves who joined his rebellion.

[Jackson Richardson]

Many Christians at the time, many of whom were slaves, suffered under the Roman Empire like Spartacus' followers.

Tacitus tells us

"Therefore, to stop the rumour [that he had set Rome on fire], he [Emperor Nero] falsely charged with guilt, and punished with the most fearful tortures, the persons commonly called Christians, who were [generally] hated for their enormities. Christus, the founder of that name, was put to death as a criminal by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea, in the reign of Tiberius, but the pernicious superstition - repressed for a time, broke out yet again, not only through Judea, - where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also, whither all things horrible and disgraceful flow from all quarters, as to a common receptacle, and where they are encouraged. Accordingly first those were arrested who confessed they were Christians; next on their information, a vast multitude were convicted, not so much on the charge of burning the city, as of "hating the human race."

In their very deaths they were made the subjects of sport: for they were covered with the hides of wild beasts, and worried to death by dogs, or nailed to crosses, or set fire to, and when the day waned, burned to serve for the evening lights. Nero offered his own garden players for the spectacle, and exhibited a Circensian game, indiscriminately mingling with the common people in the dress of a charioteer, or else standing in his chariot. For this cause a feeling of compassion arose towards the sufferers, though guilty and deserving of exemplary capital punishment, because they seemed not to be cut off for the public good, but were victims of the ferocity of one man."

I said slavery wasn't necessarily like American slavery. I didn't mean to suggest it was all a picnic.

[Red Terror]

Many Christians at the time, many of whom were slaves, suffered under the Roman Empire like Spartacus' followers.

Tacitus tells us

"Therefore, to stop the rumour [that he had set Rome on fire], he [Emperor Nero] falsely charged with guilt, and punished with the most fearful tortures, the persons commonly called Christians, who were [generally] hated for their enormities. Christus, the founder of that name, was put to death as a criminal by Pontius Pilate, procurator of Judea, in the reign of Tiberius, but the pernicious superstition - repressed for a time, broke out yet again, not only through Judea, - where the mischief originated, but through the city of Rome also, whither all things horrible and disgraceful flow from all quarters, as to a common receptacle, and where they are encouraged. Accordingly first those were arrested who confessed they were Christians; next on their information, a vast multitude were convicted, not so much on the charge of burning the city, as of "hating the human race."

In their very deaths they were made the subjects of sport: for they were covered with the hides of wild beasts, and worried to death by dogs, or nailed to crosses, or set fire to, and when the day waned, burned to serve for the evening lights. Nero offered his own garden players for the spectacle, and exhibited a Circensian game, indiscriminately mingling with the common people in the dress of a charioteer, or else standing in his chariot. For this cause a feeling of compassion arose towards the sufferers, though guilty and deserving of exemplary capital punishment, because they seemed not to be cut off for the public good, but were victims of the ferocity of one man."

I said slavery wasn't necessarily like American slavery. I didn't mean to suggest it was all a picnic.

You would do well to read Parenti's The Assassination of Julius Caesar: A People's History of Ancient Rome. It is very accessible and readable without strenuous effort and yet very enlightening.