Slavery, Part 1

As I sit here on a plane to Prague via London out of Chicago, the lady in front of me is watching 12 Years a Slave.  It was by far one of the most moving cinematic features I've ever seen.  Such raw emotion throughout, and several things that made me think about current situations.

One is immigration reform.  There's a scene where a woman is torn from her children and she just bawls her eyes out, as any mother would.  Some propose sending all the 'illegals' back home.  The problem with that is they would leave their children back here due to the opportunities we have here.  Watch that scene and pay close attention because it is exactly what would happen if we deported them all as some on the political right suggest we do.

Another is how slave owners used the Bible to justify their beliefs in slavery.  It really makes me wonder if we do the same thing today toward homosexuals.  I bought a book called 'Slaves, Women and Homosexuals' and how the Bible addresses each of them.  It seems like we've realized slavery and women's rights are okay but homosexuality is not.  I truly wonder how much of that is our culture and how much is from the Bible.

People say we should follow the whole Bible.  Then they apply that to certain aspects only.  I just finished the New Testament and am amazed once again about how much it speaks against women in leadership roles in the church.  Many people say that's a cultural thing but homosexuality is a core principle of a godly life or lack thereof but I'm not so sure.

Many use the Bible to back up their own particular worldview, no matter how unloving it may be.  We're all guilty of this to some degree in my opinion.  That is why a position of humility is needed in regard to our approach to Scripture and how we interpret it.

When I searched Amazon for that book another one popped up that I want to read after the first one about a complementarian's response to the book.  So I'm guessing he doesn't believe in slavery but believes in women not being in leadership and no homosexuality either.  I'm not sure, that's why I want to read it.  People often use Philemon as a defense of why slavery is not okay in the New Testament any longer.  There are other verses though that tell slaves to obey their masters.