Fwd: Re: [Vision2020] "Slavery is evil" -- Doug Wilson?

[Douglas]

>Visionaries,
>
>I affirm and own all the quotations below, including the one from the 
>Trib. Furthermore, I cheerfully deny any contradiction between them. For 
>those who are genuinely interested in how to understand this, I refer you 
>to an upcoming letter to the editor in the Daily News from our church 
>board. For those who are not interested in understanding anything, you may 
>resume the Denouncing.
>
>And while you are all hot to denounce every form of slavery known to man 
>everywhere, shoot, why not go after some *contemporary* examples? Muslim 
>slavers still operate today in East Africa, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Malaysia, 
>and Indonesia. "But wait! What's that? I feel my *relativism* kicking back in!"
>
>Cordially,
>
>Douglas Wilson
>
>
>
>
>At 02:53 PM 11/20/2003 -0800, you wrote:
>>Douglas,
>>
>>In today's Lewiston Tribune article (Moscow Christians more than blip on 
>>radar), you are quoted as saying "that slavery is evil." Have you changed 
>>your mind recently?
>>
>>I certainly hope that you have, but I haven't seen anything on 2020 to 
>>indicate that. In your infamous booklet (Southern Slavery), for example, 
>>you say:
>>
>>"The reason why many Christians will be tempted to dismiss the arguments 
>>presented in this booklet is that we will say (out loud) that a godly man 
>>could have been a slave owner." -p.11
>>
>>"Our humanistic and democratic culture regards slavery in itself as a 
>>monstrous evil, and it acts as though this were self-evidently true. The 
>>Bible permits Christians to own slaves, provided they are treated well." --p.12
>>
>>"The Bible teaches that a man may be a faithful Christian and a 
>>slave-owner in a pagan slave system." --p.17
>>
>>"Owning slaves is not an abomination. The Bible does not condemn it, and 
>>those who believe the Bible are bound to refrain in the same way." --p.21
>>
>>If you have changed your views on slavery, that's great. I'm glad to hear 
>>it. But so far (with the exception of this morning's article), I have not 
>>seen any evidence that you have done so.
>>
>>[I know that you have (to your credit) said that the slave trade was 
>>evil, but you have not, to my knowledge at least, said that slavery in 
>>itself is evil (Although the board of Christ Church seemed to do so in 
>>their DN add.). In fact you have specifically denied it. --see p.12 
>>quoted above.]
>>
>>If you have changed your mind, then please let us know. But if you stand 
>>by your previous statements, then you should contact the Tribune and ask 
>>for a correction.