The White Man's Burden

[Minimalist]

Atlas' commentary on Colonialism - which he essentially nailed - inspired me to create this thread.

I shall begin with these words of Frederick Douglass on that most xtian of atrocities, slavery.

Frederick Douglass (1818–1895), who also escaped from slavery and became a leading abolitionist in his day, had some harsh things to say about Christian slave owners of the South:

Were I to be again reduced to the chains of slavery, next to that enslavement, I should regard being the slave of a religious master the greatest calamity that could befall me. For of all slaveholders with whom I have ever met, religious slaveholders are the worst. I have ever found them the meanest and basest, the most cruel and cowardly, of all others.

Douglass continues elsewhere:

I can see no reason, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity. I look upon it as the climax of all misnomers, the boldest of all frauds, and the grossest of all libels…. We have men-stealers for ministers, women-whippers for missionaries, and cradle-plunderers for church members. The man who wields the blood-clotted cowskin during the week fills the pulpit on Sunday, and claims to be a minister of the meek and lowly Jesus. The man who robs me of my earnings at the end of the week meets me as a class-leader on Sunday morning, to show me the way of life, and the path of salvation. He who sells my sister, for purposes of prostitution, stands forth as the pious advocate of purity…. We see the thief preaching against theft, and the adulterer against adultery. We have men sold to build churches, women sold to support the gospel, and babes sold to purchase Bibles for the poor heathen! All for the glory of God and the good of souls! The slave auctioneer's bell and the church-going bell chime in with each other, and the bitter cries of the heart-broken slave are drowned in the religious shouts of his pious master. Revivals of religion and revivals in the slave-trade go hand in hand together.

As reprinted in Chapter 8 of John Loftus' Christianity is Not Great.

God really screwed the pooch on the slavery issue.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

I like that Douglass guy.  He's doing some good things.

Boru

[Minimalist]

One that Ingersoll got wrong.  In an 1867 speech to the colored people of Galesburg , Illinois he said:

An Address to the Colored People
by Robert G. Ingersoll
1867
An address delivered to the colored people at Galesburg, Illinois, 1867.



I feel like asking your forgiveness for the wrongs that my race has inflicted upon yours. If, in the future, the wheel of fortune should take a turn, and you should in any country have white men in your power, I pray you not to execute the villainy we have taught you.

One word in conclusion. You have your liberty -- use it to benefit your race. Educate yourselves, educate your children, send teachers to the South. Let your brethren there be educated. Let them know something of art and science. Improve yourselves, stand by each other, and above all be in favor of liberty the world over.

The time is coming when you will be allowed to be good and useful citizens of the Great Republic. This is your country as much as it is mine. You have the same rights here that I have -- the same interest that I have. The avenues of distinction will be open to you and your children. Great advances have been made. The rebels are now opposed to slavery -- the Democratic party is opposed to slavery, as they say. There is going to be no war of races. Both parties want your votes in the South, and there will be just enough negroes without principle to join the rebels to make them think they will get more, and so the rebels will treat the negroes well. And the Republicans will be sure to treat them well in order to prevent any more joining the rebels.

The great problem is solved. Liberty has solved it -- and there will be no more slavery. On the old flag, on every fold and on every star will be liberty for all, equality before the law. The grand people are marching forward, and they will not pause until the earth is without a chain, and without a throne.

https://infidels.org/library/historical/...eople.html


In 1867 even a genius like Ingersoll could not envision the utter scumbaggery of ignorant southern whites.  Well, he never claimed to be a prophet.

By the way, the library at infidels.org plays this little game when you go to access it where you have to write "Yes" in the box to gain access.  It's free but it is a pain in the ass.

[WinterHold]

Atlas' commentary on Colonialism - which he essentially nailed - inspired me to create this thread.

I shall begin with these words of Frederick Douglass on that most xtian of atrocities, slavery.

Frederick Douglass (1818–1895), who also escaped from slavery and became a leading abolitionist in his day, had some harsh things to say about Christian slave owners of the South:

Were I to be again reduced to the chains of slavery, next to that enslavement, I should regard being the slave of a religious master the greatest calamity that could befall me. For of all slaveholders with whom I have ever met, religious slaveholders are the worst. I have ever found them the meanest and basest, the most cruel and cowardly, of all others.

Douglass continues elsewhere:

I can see no reason, but the most deceitful one, for calling the religion of this land Christianity. I look upon it as the climax of all misnomers, the boldest of all frauds, and the grossest of all libels…. We have men-stealers for ministers, women-whippers for missionaries, and cradle-plunderers for church members. The man who wields the blood-clotted cowskin during the week fills the pulpit on Sunday, and claims to be a minister of the meek and lowly Jesus. The man who robs me of my earnings at the end of the week meets me as a class-leader on Sunday morning, to show me the way of life, and the path of salvation. He who sells my sister, for purposes of prostitution, stands forth as the pious advocate of purity…. We see the thief preaching against theft, and the adulterer against adultery. We have men sold to build churches, women sold to support the gospel, and babes sold to purchase Bibles for the poor heathen! All for the glory of God and the good of souls! The slave auctioneer's bell and the church-going bell chime in with each other, and the bitter cries of the heart-broken slave are drowned in the religious shouts of his pious master. Revivals of religion and revivals in the slave-trade go hand in hand together.

As reprinted in Chapter 8 of John Loftus' Christianity is Not Great.

God really screwed the pooch on the slavery issue.

The religious institution gives the oppressors -either slave owners or corrupt judges...etc- the needed justification for abusive behavior. You always get a criminal who picks their way out of the mess they made by playing the "God gave me the right" card.

With that you have all the joints controlling the society's moral code held inside a small building under the mercy of few individuals, justifying their disgusting grip over people with claiming a "divine inspiration".

The result is terrible things like slavery.

[Minimalist]

Kipling's fucking poem is here.

http://historymatters.gmu.edu/d/5478/