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Essay / The Exodus and the Work Ethic - 1557
Oppression is something that has been repeated throughout history all over the world. Whether it is the oppression of black Americans during the Jim Crow period or the oppression of Jews in Nazi Germany during World War II, oppression is an unethical act that humanity has not yet overcome. Looking to the Bible as a source of Christian ethics in terms of fighting oppression and promoting equality draws attention to how God wanted his people to be treated, especially the poor and powerless. The book of Exodus is a primary guide on what the work ethic should be in the workforce to avoid oppression. We could refer to the story of the Israelites in the book of Exodus. The Israelites are under the control of the Pharaoh and the Egyptians who force them into forced labor. The grueling and overly arduous working conditions in which the Israelites were subjected are comparable to the working conditions that slaughterhouse employees are forced to endure today, as illustrated in the book Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser. By comparing these two working conditions, the reader is able to apply the biblical ethics found in Exodus to modern times. “Knocker, Sticker, Shackler, Rumper, First Legger, Knuckle Dropper,” these are just some of the positions workers fill. a slaughterhouse is affected. Just reading the names of the positions above induces a feeling of nausea and alludes to the inherent brutality that these positions require (Schlosser, 172). Because the weight and size of cows are unpredictable, most of the work at the slaughterhouse must be done by hand. In the slaughtering area of a slaughterhouse, workers are forced to cut livestock in two with a mechanical saw “as if they were two by four” (Schlosser, 170). What is in the middle of the paper is that people are free, that they live and work in ethical and just conditions. Jesus preaches that as long as the Israelites follow his commandments, they will be “precious among all people” and will live in a “land of milk and honey” (Exodus 3:8). Unlike the unethical laws that Pharaoh imposed on the Israelites, Jesus' commandments are moral and promote the common good of the entire community. The Bible says in Exodus 1:12: “But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread. » This gives hope to slaughterhouse workers who are still forced to work in dangerous conditions today. Workers must collectively become active, speak out and fight for their right to an ethical working environment. Ultimately, minorities and immigrants will become the majority and the world's "dictators" will be forced to resign..