# J. Edwards and American Slavery



## Roldan (Sep 13, 2006)

Has this been discussed here anywhere?

I have been getting alot of opposition because of his endorsement and defense of slavery in his day, what would you guys say to this cause frankly I am confused


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## Kevin (Sep 13, 2006)

Confused how?


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## Roldan (Sep 14, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Kevin_
> Confused how?



Well, he preached against slavery, then bought slaves


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## Richard King (Sep 15, 2006)

Well, I am only speculating but I know some people did have slaves and treated them fair and even taught them to read and also read the Bible to them. 
I suppose in that day some may have justified buying slaves if they were treating them with human dignity and in fact saving them from a worse fate.


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## RamistThomist (Sep 15, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Roldan_
> Has this been discussed here anywhere?
> 
> I have been getting alot of opposition because of his endorsement and defense of slavery in his day, what would you guys say to this cause frankly I am confused



Bite the reductio and agree with them--for the moment, if it is true. Logically--and this is where you put the hurt on them--what does "Jonathan Edwards owning slaves" have to do with the truth of falsity of his system? Absolutely nothing.

Abe Lincoln was a white supremacist who despised black people; does that make him wrong?


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## turmeric (Sep 15, 2006)

Actually, I'm not sure I believe he bought slaves, they didn't tend to live long in the New England climate and were never a big thing there.


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## Roldan (Sep 15, 2006)

> _Originally posted by Draught Horse_
> 
> 
> > _Originally posted by Roldan_
> ...



Yes Yes, that has been my tactic.


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## py3ak (Sep 16, 2006)

Meg, according to Marsden's biography Edwards did have one or two slaves. Roldan, where did he preach against slavery?


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## RamistThomist (Sep 16, 2006)

Sure enough, on p.135, he did have a slave to help with the household kids. The slave was treated better than other slaves and probably lived better than most white people below middle class. In other words,, she probably did better than a good percent of white people.


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