What IS good, and how do we determine it?

[Randy Carson]

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Ah...Funnily enough I do have to disagree here (wow, this is bittersweet). I think it is impossible to believe the Roman Pontiff is infallible and to disagree with slavery but I don't actually think that actually extends to Protestantism (Orthodoxy suffers the same trap as Catholicism, but to a much lesser extent as their claims to infallibility are far less grandoise).

We know there was a serious reshuffle in what was good/bad between the OT and NT and several commands contained in the NT like "there is neither gentile or jew" can very easily be extended or reinterpreted to be against slavery. I don't have a problem with Protestants claiming that slavery is immoral, many of them freely admit they can read the verse incorrectly but I do find it curious that the infallible mouthpiece of God can change his mind on the matter.

Two things.  First, the serious reshuffle is bogus.  It is just Christian bullshit propaganda.  The words of Jesus as recorded in Matthew 5:

17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.


Of course, Christians typically pretend that Jesus didn't really mean what he said.  But we have there Jesus endorsing all of the laws, which includes the laws pertaining to slavery.

This is incorrect. Christians understand that Jesus meant what he said, and they understand what he meant. You may not.

When Jesus says, "I have not come to destroy but to fulfill," you have the answer. Jesus DID fulfill the law and the prophets. The Greek word translated as "fulfill" actually means "to make complete." The New Covenant of Jesus thus includes and concludes the Old Covenant; it both perfects and transforms it.

And while the sacrificial laws of the OT expired with the sacrifice of Jesus, the moral law (Ten Commandments, etc.) was retained and refined.

I may also add that the idea that God got it wrong and had to correct things with Jesus is theologically problematic.  If there had been a drastic change, that would mean that God was drastically wrong in the first place.  Even a little change means that God was a little wrong.

Nope.

Stage 1: tough love in the OT
Stage 2: Love God and neighbor in the NT

God implemented as much as WE could bear in the OT; He stepped it up in the New. It's very obvious to those who do not need this as on of their pet arguments against Christianity, pyrrho.

Second, the New Testament tells us that slaves are supposed to obey their masters.

It did.

You would think that Jesus and the New Testament would have a different view of slavery, but slavery is still approved of in the New Testament, as the following passages show.
 
    Slaves, obey your earthly masters with deep respect and fear.  Serve them sincerely as you would serve Christ.  (Ephesians 6:5 NLT)
 
    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)
 
    In the following parable, Jesus clearly approves of beating slaves even if they didn't know they were doing anything wrong.
 
    The servant will be severely punished, for though he knew his duty, he refused to do it.  "But people who are not aware that they are doing wrong will be punished only lightly.  Much is required from those to whom much is given, and much more is required from those to whom much more is given."  (Luke 12:47-48 NLT)

http://www.evilbible.com/Slavery.htm

So, the message about slavery is, slaves should obey their masters.  That is the "good news" of the New Testament.  It is only in rejecting such evil drivel that one can be an abolitionist.  The Bible is simply proslavery, regardless of whether we confine ourselves to just the New Testament or not.

So I stand by my original comments.  It is only in rejecting parts of the Bible, AND parts of what Jesus said (as reported in the Bible), that one can be an abolitionist.  That applies whether one is protestant or catholic or anything else.

Are you not in error because you do not know the scriptures? Yeah, you have NO idea what you are talking about...you keep parroting the same crap over and over because you are IGNORANT. Paul encourages slaves with these words:

1 Corinthians 7:21
Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so.