The Slavery of Sugar
The Slavery of Sugar - by Adam Keegan 2nd (Rudd) Draft
There is a lot of talk about sugar and it's addictive qualities at the moment. While I agree that there are dangers of consuming too much refined sugar, the link between sugar and slavery has another, often overlooked, and possibly more powerful link.
While many hold to a relative, social based (or humanistic) moral code, we don't have to look far to see the results of this belief. When we base our morals on what we see around us an ‘internal check’ or social norms, many terrible things can and do occur.
Slavery is a obvious example. Only a couple of hundred short years ago, society in general accepted and condoned the live slave trade. People were treated worse than dogs, stolen from their homes / families, flogged, beaten and shipped (in squalid conditions) to be sold to 'civilized' western countries. And people thought there was nothing wrong with it...
Many people will have heard of William Wilberforce and some even of John Newton in regard to the slave trade. They were instrumental in bringing down the slave trade but had the help of a large group of 'unknowns' like you and me (this is where the sugar comes in). 
John Newton started life as a sailor. He was then forcibly enlisted in the navy from which he tried to escape (this resulted in 39 lashes which nearly killed him). When he recovered, he headed toward the slave trade but ended up being treated worse than a slave in Africa. After being rescued, he worked his way to becoming the captain of a slave ship where he was quite successful for a number of years.
What changed in John Newton to confront the accepted practices of the day which were a large part of the economy (and his own trade)? Was it an inner knowing? Was it looking around at acceptable practices or the actions of others? Social norm? No - as a very learned man (who taught himself to read Greek, Hebrew and Latin) he studied continually.
When he studied the Bible and came to a knowledge of it and the God it described, working in the slave trade became a difficult internal battle. Far from an outdated book that condoned the slave trade, the Bible was sympathetic to slaves as the Israelites had themselves come from that background under God-less rule in Egypt. The Bible taught about all men being equal, a love for others above self, that this love was itself a result of God Himself and Jesus directly condemned those who mis-used the law without mercy and justice. The Bible acknowledged that slaves did exist, but insisted that masters and slaves treat each other well (surely a wiser solution than violence?) and that masters even release their slaves on a regular interval.
It is interesting to note that the requirements of the law to the poor and the re-distribution of wealth (described thousands of years before Christ), could put the current system in many (western) countries to shame if followed. The slaves described often sold themselves into the position - it was a willing choice - maybe comparable to us taking a long term job contract to pay the bills we have or save for what we desire...very different to what Newton was seeing. In fact provision was written with a procedure for permanent position as slave as the bond of love was so great between slaves and masters!
Newton had seen the forced imprisonment, cruel treatment and lack of mercy first hand - and no one was being released. After falling ill, Newton left the slave trade and started to preach from the Bible. Soon after, he started preaching against the slave trade and was influential with William Wilberforce. Wilberforce was another who was working hard for what he thought God wanted him to do.
But there were other, faceless crusaders who helped bring down slavery. They were the many wives and mothers who simply refused to serve sugar to their families. They weren't slaves to sugar (sugar consumption was minuscule compared to todays standards!) but it was a product that came from the slaves so they refused to buy it.
By their small, seemingly insignificant contribution, they helped bring about a monumental change to help out other humans. They did it because they thought slavery was wrong based on the preaching of Biblical people. God created people equal and declared that in His word. God, through the Bible was influencing the hearts of people and changing society.
There are many, many other things declared by God in the Bible that disagree with the culture we see around us. You may have grown up surrounded by them and everyone you know may support (or benefit from) them. But if we return to the Bible, we get to see the standard by which God wants us to live - as opposed to the one we have accepted. What was true then is true today - the further we get from God and the Bible, the worse we get in ethics and morals towards our fellow man.
Never under-estimate what you can achieve when it is in alignment with God's will. And always look to the Bible to find out what this is. The Bible is not an ordinary book, but one that can be verified by so many disciplines. If you haven't looked into it I encourage you that if you do it with your whole heart you will be truly amazed.
I will finish with the words of one of the many songs written by John Newton. As a rough sailor involved in the slave trade, he experienced the truth of these words. Very close to his death, he answered someone who was asking what he remembered with these words: "I know that I am a great sinner and that Christ is a great Savior"
"Amazing Grace, How sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost, but now am found, I was blind but now I see"
John Newton
If you would like further information on the Bible or would like to start to read / study it please contact me. Adam Keegan