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Manwe Todako
Minmatar Disciples of Ston
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Posted - 2011.08.29 14:20:00 -
[1]
Dear Ms. Goldcore,
Let me introduce myself. My name is Manwe and I am a Disciple of Ston. You recently posted on my thread discussing stellar core phenomena. Thank you for your interest. I recognized your name as the author of this thread and thought that my perspective on the value of freedom might be helpful. I am a former slave. As a slave, I was not free to study and explore the stellar phenomena we have been talking about. I was not free to to travel from system to system in search of scientific explanations. I was not free to interact with you, or with men and women of other nations and races. I was not free to write about my theories and explanations of phenomena in this universe. I was not free to expand my education to learn of these things and take advantage of my God-given aptitudes and intelligence. Now as a free man, I VALUE all the things I was denied as a SLAVE. I am not just speaking of these things, I am experiencing them.
As a slave, I was not free to explore faith in God. I was told what that faith had to be and that I had to accept it only as a slave of the master race, the Amarr. I was told that only the Amarr were God's chosen and they they would rule the kingdoms of the universe. As a slave, I was denied sincere spirituality. I am now free to love God. This I highly VALUE.
I say these things not because I disrespect you, but out of respect for someone who is willing to broach the subject. However, Ms. Goldcore, you cannot honestly explore this issue and expect that you should not be challenged to free your slaves. You deny them the freedom of exploring all that God has created them to be intellectually, physically, and experientially.
Ms. Goldcore, There was a man in ancient earth legend named Frederick Douglas. Like me, he was a slave that was able to gain his freedom. He became a great orator, something he was not FREE to do as a slave. His oratory inspired many to join the cause of abolition and emancipation. I would like you to consider something he said: No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck. Ms. Goldcore, as long as you hold slaves, you hold yourself in slavery. You are not free as long as you deny freedom to another. I hope that as you learn the value of freedom, you will learn it well enough to see this truth. May God guide you.
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Manwe Todako
Minmatar Disciples of Ston
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Posted - 2011.08.29 20:41:00 -
[2]
Ms. Goldcore, It is time to begin allowing the Spirit of your God to soften your heart instead of finding new arguments to try to soften the truth about slavery. You do not impress me as a person who is irretrievably convinced that slavery is true to your faith. Perhaps God is calling you to begin a movement of abolition among your own people. Perhaps this search for the value of freedom will lead you to your own freedom; a freedom from slavery for master and slave alike. Manwe
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Manwe Todako
Minmatar Disciples of Ston
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Posted - 2011.08.30 13:28:00 -
[3]
Originally by: Thgil Goldcore Now, my views on slavery often lead people to think I'm just one step away from freeing my slaves. While I do care very deeply for my subjects, God placed me in a position to take care and guide my flock. I will not betray his divine will, nor the trust of my people. They are within my loving grasp and I will not let go. But know they are very well cared for and we share a trust that is far deeper than many could understand.
I ran this response by Ston before submitting it to you, Ms. Goldcore. I wanted to make sure that I did not represent the Disciples without someone else to review my reaction.
I had thought you to be a fairly well-reasoned individual until I read this statement in your recent post. Please do not think that I am insulting you by questioning your reasoning. I am warning you that your perception of yourself represents the height of religious arrogance. ôMy Flock?ö ôMy Flock?ö Please tell me you are not serious. ôYour loving grasp?ö ôWe share a trust?ö
Is God pleased with your messiah complex? Is God pleased with you trying to displace him as Savior? Is God pleased with your presumption to be for His people what only He can be? Perhaps it is time to bring you back to reality. They are not your flock; they are your Thralls. You are not their shepherd; you are their owner. They are not in your loving grasp; they are enslaved by you. You do not share a trust with your slaves. They give you what they know you expect and need. They are wise enough to make the best of their situation, but they do not trust you.
Your slaves are not within your loving grasp. No, they are within your fearful clenches. You are afraid to free them. You are afraid to admit that you have created a god within your own image to justify the injustices of your culture. You are afraid that if you let go of this self-made god, you may spark reformation first in yourself, then in others. You are afraid of being called ôheretic.ö You are afraid of the cost of justice. You, Ms. Goldcore, will never understand the value of freedom until you value it enough to free those you have enslaved.
On Behalf of the Disciples of Ston Manwe
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Manwe Todako
Minmatar Disciples of Ston
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Posted - 2011.08.31 00:55:00 -
[4]
In ancient earth legend, at the time of a great struggle between abolitionists and those in favor of slavery, there was a pro-slavery man named John Wilkes Boothe who also referred to the abolitionists as "traitors" to their country. History would vilify him and honor those he scorned.
Ms. Goldcore, if your compassion for your slaves is as parental as you claim, do what a good parent would do. Equip your "children" for independent life. Set them free to be productive citizens wherever they may choose to go. You compassion argument cannot end in the justification of continued slavery. Again, do you value freedom? Free your slaves! Free your slaves! Free your slaves!
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Manwe Todako
Minmatar Disciples of Ston
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Posted - 2011.08.31 13:26:00 -
[5]
I will try to be brief. There is a two pronged reason why Terran theory is so threatening to those who would perpetuate slavery. First, Terran theory posits that we all are brothers and sisters genetically. We are all of one race. There is no master race. We are of the human race and we ought not enslave one another. Second, ancient Terran literature addresses the issue of slavery through its legends and accounts of great struggles to free slaves and become a just society. The solutions presented in Terran history inevitably lead to abolition.
The staunch slave holder will seethe red the minute you mention the Terran connection. Let us keep mentioning it.
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Manwe Todako
Minmatar Disciples of Ston
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Posted - 2011.09.02 18:41:00 -
[6]
The Value of Freedom...that is the name of this thread. Bear with me while I tell a story. This story comes from ancient historical and religious legend. It goes like this...
There was a man named John Newton. He was a vile and perverse man, though he began his depravity even before becoming a full man. At age eleven he began working aboard trade vessels where his reputation for undisciplined and profane behavior grew. From there he went on to serve aboard military vessels but was so very unruly that he ended up out of the military and working in the slave trade. This he took to since it fit his temperment. Along the way and through the course of fear and trial, he came to believe in God. At first this belief in God did not change his involvement in the slave trade. But, over time, the spirit of God began to change his heart and he saw, in his own words; "I was once an active instrument in a business at which my heart now shudders."
As part of this journey, he met man by the name of William Wilberforce. They forged a deep friendship, one which helped Wilberforce become a political force of abolition among his people and Newton to become a great spiritual force among his people. Both Wilberforce and Newton lived to see the slave trade outlawed in their culture. What is remarkable is that the theism of Newton was not static. At first his belief in God did not impact his view of slavery; that came later. I make remark to this because of the strange position that many Amarrian slave holders take that somehow their theism is static with regard to slavery; that there can be no sudden about face. Newton did not have to reject his faith in God to reject slavery. On the contrary, the growth of his faith in God led him to reject slavery. But with this came humility. He came to know God not as the stern faced visage often reflected in Amarrian portraits but ultimately as a God most characterized by grace.
The Slave trader turned abolitionist wrote some very beautiful poetry that I wish to share with you my human Amarrian brothers.
Amazing grace how sweet the sound That saved a wretch like me I once was lost, but now am found Was blind, but now I see
Doesn't your religion allow you to admit that perhaps with regard to slavery, you too are blind. Perhaps the hope is that the Amarrian God may be discovered to be that God of grace afterall whose power turns slave holders and slave traders into abolitionists. I do believe John Newton discovered the value of freedom on many levels.
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Manwe Todako
Minmatar Disciples of Ston
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Posted - 2011.09.02 19:28:00 -
[7]
You will note that in all these references, I always mention "legend." I do believe I am within set bounds to do this as long as the issue of "legend" is acknowledged. The Pandora's box of the Terran connection is open. I only wish to take advantage of the wealth of these legends. I never refer to these stories as canon. They serve the purpose of illustration and illumination only. Peace.
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Manwe Todako
Minmatar Disciples of Ston
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Posted - 2011.09.05 02:13:00 -
[8]
Edited by: Manwe Todako on 05/09/2011 02:14:23
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