planet dan - the Bible very specifically says that the slave is "PROPERTY."  It says that if a slave owner beats his slave so badly that the slave goes unconcious for days, but then wakes up, the owner receives NO punishment for, "he is his property."\n\nFor those of you believe that the New Testament nullifies all this, I do not understand how you make sense of the fact that God ever gave this law in the first place!  Was God cruel in "Old Testament" times?  Did he suddenly have a change of heart 2000 years ago?\n\nAnd saying the Buddhist faith is lazy is about the most inaccurate thing I have ever heard.  Buddhists meditate and this is NO easy task.  In fact, it is probably the most difficult thing, to gain control of one's mind and to work on their own inner traits and become more compassionate and good people without the negative traits of anger, etc.\n\nBuddhism is hard work, but it is worth every bit of it.