John Woolman's Argument Against Slavery 2

In Some Considerations on the Keeping of Negroes, John Woolman clearly expresses his opposition to slavery. The writer stresses the theme of equality and the universal human experience. He writes of a brotherhood that binds all creatures, regardless of color. Woolman expresses a "do unto others" philosophy throughout his work, and makes an argument that slavery is a contradiction of religion. He supports this argument with frequent biblical references. These biblical references, which fill both …

…the Keeping of Negroes. Beginning subtly, and being admittedly vague in his description, Woolman outlines his beliefs, using biblical passages to further illustrate his points. Woolman conveys a sense of unity among all creatures, black or white, by listing universal human experiences. He also makes strong use of the Golden Rule. This "do unto others" principle occurs many times in Woolman's work, and it is through that he explains the contradiction between slavery and Christianity.