I was asked to write a short essay on human trafficking from a religions perspective. This is what happened. The views expressed here are not my own. This is a thought experiment meant to show that religion is not always good source from which to draw one's morals.
The nineteenth century saw many great advances in human rights. Few eras in history have seen equal progress in slavery, women’s rights, racial bigotry and labor conditions. While it feels good to reflect upon our successes, we must also engage other, more painful thoughts. How much farther do we have to go? Have we gone too far? This last question might seem somewhat Machiavellian at first, but Machiavelli was arguably a secular man; he may not have felt it necessary to answer a higher power, and his morality was not laid out in type as a good Christian’s is.
The nineteenth century saw many great advances in human rights. Few eras in history have seen equal progress in slavery, women’s rights, racial bigotry and labor conditions. While it feels good to reflect upon our successes, we must also engage other, more painful thoughts. How much farther do we have to go? Have we gone too far? This last question might seem somewhat Machiavellian at first, but Machiavelli was arguably a secular man; he may not have felt it necessary to answer a higher power, and his morality was not laid out in type as a good Christian’s is.
There is no doubt that the modern slave trade is sinful
beyond measure, not because slaves are kept, but because they so often used for
carnal sin, and if not that, then they are more like than not to be mistreated
by their masters. The Bible teaches us that we should care for our slaves. Both
the New Testament and the Old lay out clear rules for the treatment of those
bound in servitude. Any good Christian should feel outraged when he/she hears
of slaves being beaten, dehumanized or used for fornication. We must never be
overeager to beat our slaves, and we must remain in control should a heavy hand
be found necessary. As Exodus teaches us:
“When a man strikes
his male or female slave with a rod so hard that the slave dies under his hand,
he shall be punished. If, however, the slave survives for a day or two,
he is not to be punished, since the slave is his own property (Exodus
21:20-21 NAB).”
Clearly there must be some temperance in regards to how slaves are
treated. There is no good reason to beat a good working horse to death; surely
there is no good reason to do the same to a slave. As Christians, we should
remember that in many ways we fulfill the position of Christ to our slaves, for
it is written, “Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and
fear. Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ (Ephesians 6:5
NLT).” Slaves should be treated with respect. They are after all fellow
children of almighty God. In fact, one day it may fall upon us to be slaves
ourselves. Should this happen we must accept it with humility before God. The
Bible teaches us that:
“Christians who are slaves should give their masters full respect so that the name of God and his teaching will not be shamed. If your master is a Christian, that is no excuse for being disrespectful. You should work all the harder because you are helping another believer by your efforts. Teach these truths, Timothy, and encourage everyone to obey them (1 Timothy 6:1-2 NLT).”
It is plain that God, the glorious, the loving, the kind, accepts
slavery. Yet, as with all things he has set rules regarding it. We should keep with
his ways in all things and at all times. We should not lean upon our own
understanding, but on his great wisdom, for He is the creator of all that is,
has been, and will be.
As Christians, we
must reach out to the world and attempt to right what is wrong. Perhaps the
best way to improve the lives of those suffering in sinful slavery is to fully
acknowledge their suffering. Let us make slavery legal once again. Let us make
the world once more a Godly place to live. Let us not ignore what is unpleasant,
but face things as they are. Some estimates tell us that there are perhaps
hundreds of millions of slaves living right under our very noses, hiding in a
world that pretends they do not exist. Let us bring both them and their masters
into the fold, and if not that, then let us bind them to a more just and
Heavenly law. Protect the slaves, not be freeing them into an unforgiving
world, but by finding for them masters who are Christ like. Let us never again
fall into the pit of racism. Let everyone, slaves and masters alike, be equal
before the Father and subject to his laws, which guide us and sustain us in our
times of trouble.
Somewhere out there,
there is a child who is suffering. She is being violated and abused, humiliated
and defiled. That very same girl, forgiven and innocent before God, could be
the slave of a God-fearing master. She could have pride in her life and joy in
her soul. All it would take is the legalization of slavery, and a Biblical
legislation to guide that legalization. We can make this the beginning of the
end. Let it be so, amen.
