Should white people be forgiven for slavery?

[Autumnleaf]

White ancestors had slaves of black ancestors. Should the black people today forgive the white people today?

 

[mafwons]

White ancestors had slaves of black ancestors. Should the black people today forgive the white people today?

They have nothing to be forgiven for, my ancestors may have owned slaves, but I however did not. I cannot be held accountable for what happen over 100 years before I was even concieved. Slavery was wrong but the past cannot be undone. What does need to be done however is to end this game of racism that is being played at all levels in the black and white community, we all belong to the human race, color is nothing more than a genetic trait.

 

[Desk trauma]

White ancestors had slaves of black ancestors. Should the black people today forgive the white people today?

The last legal slave in the US is dead as is the last person to legally own one, it's too late for them to forgive each other if they had not done so.

 

[Steve Petersen]

Most white people WERE someone's slave during the feudal era in Europe.

 

[durangodawood]

Its too late to forgive any living individuals, obviously.

But the society that was built on slavery lives on.

 

[BL2KTN]

Should we forgive the Bible that teaches slavery is OK?

No.

 

[mafwons]

Should we forgive the Bible that teaches slavery is OK?

No.

Does the Bible teach that slavery is OK? I feel that deserves closer examination. What scripture specifically advocate for slavery?

 

[Wug]

Yes, because I don't think there is a white person alive today that was living back then during slavery than owned slaves.

 

[Hank]

I'm white, so I can't answer that question.

If you want to forgive, forgive. If you don't want to forgive, keep in mind that the slave trade is thousands of years old. Guess you hunted 'good' slaves and sold them to Arab, Roman, Indian, European and American buyers?

 

[quigonj]

Even if we count the Bibles putting sin on children to the fourth generation, then that would be 80-100 years, not 150 years. For many years, as a Southerner, I was taught it was all my fault somehow. Turns out none of my ancestors owned slaves (only a quarter of Southerners did, even at its height), but my great grandfather was an adjutant general and Lt. Col. fighting for the New Jersey regiments.

To answer the question, no, whites should not be placed in a position to apologize for their forebears actions, especially not to the degree the media asks of us. I'm almost 50, and schools were desegregated and the Jim Crow laws struck before I was born, so I won't apologize for those either. I can feel bad it happened, but all I can do is promise not to do that myself.

 

[seashale76]

White ancestors had slaves of black ancestors. Should the black people today forgive the white people today?

There's nothing to forgive. Only those responsible should be held accountable. Not to mention there are a very large amount of white people out there whose ancestors never owned slaves. If people hate white people because some of them had ancestors that owned slaves- that's racism.

 

[bhsmte]

White ancestors had slaves of black ancestors. Should the black people today forgive the white people today?

Should you be forgiven for the sins of Adam and Eve?

 

[JustMeSee]

White ancestors had slaves of black ancestors. Should the black people today forgive the white people today?

What is there to forgive of individuals of today?
Slavery ending well over a hundred years ago.

It was the ending of an institution and the beginning of another.

While slavery ending long ago, many of us lived through and remember the harsh really that extended into the middle of the last century. There are personal and second hand stories from parents, grandparents, and friends. History that many want to forget or ignore. .. or white wash.

I don't believe any individual should carry the burden of actions for which they did not commit. Being white, descendants of slave holders or not, should not be a call for an apology.

The usa government, on the other hand, has a repeated history of doing a horrible job repairing and giving reparation to groups unjustly treated in its borders. They, the government hierarchy, are mostly dead and buried. Forgiving dead officials is a bit harder to do.

Should I forgive the bigoted people in my personal life?
I suppose. My grandmothers were a product of their experiences and time. My former in laws where sheltered elitists who lacked tack or any real understanding that they were racists. Not slavery, but bigotry. My understanding of their human behavior is much more rewarding than any thought of prolonged animosity.

I know some of my ancestors were slaves. Some of my ancestors were probably slave holders or involved in the industry. It is what it was.

I see it as ridiculous to harbor and direct some expectation of guilt or forgiveness when dealing with someone that is not responsible for other people's actions.

 

[Section10]

The internet says between 21 and 36 million people are in some form of slavery in the world today. That sounds like a lot. I'm sure some of them are in America. It sounds nice to be against slavery, but wouldn't you think that if it were really an engaging passion slavery would cease to exist. It's illegal, but lots of illegal things still go on just because most people aren't that concerned with getting involved.

 

[rockytopva]

The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him. - Ezekiel 18:20

Somehow or another people need to get away from stereotyping. People do not choose which hide they are born in. If you get some poor kid that is born in a dysfunctional home what do you propose to do... Roast the guy because of something his forefather did? In which he had no control over? Every race has its share of evil and virtue. You cannot hold people accountable for something their kinfolk may have done.

 

[blackribbon]

Should you be forgiven for the sins of Adam and Eve?

If I never sinned myself, I'd not be burdened with the sins of Adam & Eve. Unfortunately, every person actually does sin for themselves and that is the sin they need to be forgiven for.

I know my ancestry...we never owned a black slaves. Actually part of my lineage was very ant-slavery in a time when it was acceptable to own slaves. Do I still need to be forgiven just because I am white?

 

[Red Fox]

Its too late to forgive any living individuals, obviously.

But the society that was built on slavery lives on.

Yes it does.

 

[Neogaia777]

Slavery still exists in America today, we have traded physical slavery for economic slavery...

The uneducated and those too dumb to make it through High School, let alone College, are the slaves of today...

The only difference is we've traded "racial" slavery and discrimination, for "intellectual" slavery and discrimination

God Bless!

 

[South Bound]

White ancestors had slaves of black ancestors. Should the black people today forgive the white people today?

I know for a fact that my family owned slaves. I know that several members of my family fought for the Confederacy, as I would have.

Honestly, if somebody "forgave" me for that, I'd just laugh.

Yes, slavery is wrong, but to "forgive" somebody who didn't actually take part in the slavery is silly.

 

[Red Fox]

Slavery still exists in America today, we have traded physical slavery for economic slavery...

The uneducated and those too dumb to make it through High School, let alone College, are the slaves of today...

The only difference is we've traded "racial" slavery and discrimination, for "intellectual" slavery and discrimination

God Bless!

Physical slavery may not exist anymore, but discrimination against minorities is still alive and well in this country. Excellent post, by the way.