Are all white people guilty of slavery?

[jb41908]

Are all white people guilty of slavery because some white people owned slaves? Is collective guilt just, wise, or merciful?

How is it different than the notion that all people who ever exist being guilty of original sin?

[Wootah]

[Replying to jb41908]

Slavery has existed in every culture in the world. So no.

[Divine Insight]

Are all white people guilty of slavery because some white people owned slaves? Is collective guilt just, wise, or merciful?

How is it different than the notion that all people who ever exist being guilty of original sin?

Can you please explain which theology, doctrine or dogma holds that view?

It's my understanding that people of the same races have held people of their own race as slaves simply because they were captured in battles with other tribes. And sometimes they even made slaves of lower class citizens of their own cultures.

Isn't it also true that Africans were capturing other Africans to sell to white slave traders?

Finally, isn't it also true that white northern soldiers fought to free the the black slaves from the south during the American civil war?

Slavery isn't always about race. But granted it was about race in the American South at one point in time. And sadly there are some southerners who would like to see it reinstated even today.

[jb41908]

The slavery example is an example of collective guilt.

Original Sin is a Christian doctrine of collective guilt holding all mankind guilty of Adam’s original Sin in the Garden.

How is that just, fair, or wise?

[Wootah]

The slavery example is an example of collective guilt.

Original Sin is a Christian doctrine of collective guilt holding all mankind guilty of Adam’s original Sin in the Garden.

How is that just, fair, or wise?

I don't know if Christians have to believe the doctrine of original sin. We are guilty of our own sins.

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 1 by jb41908]

Jehovah's Witnesses have the correct understanding of the consequences of "the original sin" in that it is not about collective guilt its about inherited imperfection.

• It is often said: "nobody's perfect". This is true, the bible simply explains WHY the adage, (which I have heard even atheists admit), is a sad reality. When people say "nobody's perfect" they don't realize they are in fact saying in biblical terms "We are all imperfect" meaning "Everybody sins" . Sin is biblically just another way of saying "not perfect".

It is wrong to say we are all guilty of Adam's sin (we are not) but we all suffer the consequences of that sin, and that, without Jesus, is totally inescapable.

JW

[polonius]

The slavery example is an example of collective guilt.

Original Sin is a Christian doctrine of collective guilt holding all mankind guilty of Adam’s original Sin in the Garden.

How is that just, fair, or wise?

I don't know if Christians have to believe the doctrine of original sin. We are guilty of our own sins.

RESPONSE: Catholics do. And if we didn't have that belief, the Immaculate Conception infallible teaching has to be seriously modified or deleted.

Incidentally, I assume you know that the Catholic Church's teaching is that if infants die before baptism they have to spend eternity in hell because they have the guilt of Adam's sin. It is sometimes called the "stain of Original Sin."

[polonius]

[Replying to post 1 by jb41908]

Jehovah's Witnesses have the correct understanding of the consequences of "the original sin" in that it is not about collective guilt its about inherited imperfection.

• It is often said: "nobody's perfect". This is true, the bible simply explains WHY the adage, (which I have heard even atheists admit), is a sad reality. When people say "nobody's perfect" they don't realize they are in fact saying in biblical terms "We are all imperfect" meaning "Everybody sins" . Sin is biblically just another way of saying "not perfect".

It is wrong to say we are all guilty of Adam's sin (we are not) but we all suffer the consequences of that sin, and that, without Jesus, is totally inescapable.

JW

RESPONSE: Lets see if I am following your argument. A child inherits the guilt of Adam's original sin and suffers the consequences of that sin.

And this was directed by a God who is just and loving?

Do recognize any conflict in this type of argument?

[JehovahsWitness]

[Replying to post 8 by polonius.advice]

Do you disagree? Are you suggesting someone is perfect?

or are you asking why God has allowed "nobody's perfect" ?

JW

[Wootah]

The slavery example is an example of collective guilt.

Original Sin is a Christian doctrine of collective guilt holding all mankind guilty of Adam’s original Sin in the Garden.

How is that just, fair, or wise?

I don't know if Christians have to believe the doctrine of original sin. We are guilty of our own sins.

RESPONSE: Catholics do. And if we didn't have that belief, the Immaculate Conception infallible teaching has to be seriously modified or deleted.

Incidentally, I assume you know that the Catholic Church's teaching is that if infants die before baptism they have to spend eternity in hell because they have the guilt of Adam's sin. It is sometimes called the "stain of Original Sin."

Well maybe reconsider being a Catholic? Or to put it another way, can you help explain why Christians should believe it?