Slavery in the South

Just this morning, a group of friends and I were discussing the topic of the civil war.  And whether the North or South were right.  And whether slavery was wrong or not.  A rather broad discussion, but it's always an intriguing subject, and hopefully, in this post, I may make my position alittle bit more clear on this subject.  So, here comes a fast ball..  I'm coming through swinging.

One common opinion that is taught and drilled into students in schools today is that the North were angels, and that the South were completely immoral and some sort of savages.  That is why I'm writing today.  Now, I love this time period, although I haven't studied it nearly as much as I would like, but I have noticed how biased and ignorant our culture can be when looking back on this time period.  

The years of 1861-1865 will forever be carved in the minds of Americans.  But, was it necessary?  People almost always agree that the North did the right thing in invading the South to free the slaves.  That was a false step by the North.  

Slavery is wrong.  Nearly everyone agrees with that.  We're made in the image of God.  The very image of God.  We're the jewel of this glorious creation.  We are all equal.  Not in the sense that there is no authority, but in the sense that we all are made by in His image.  Slavery is wrong.  North did want the right thing, in absolving slavery, yes.  The means they took to reach that end was wrong.  The war that they started to end slavery and unite the country had a more resounding impact on this nation than if they had used other means.  It would've been better to resolve these problems peaceably, than wasting the lives of 625,000 men.  Even if that meant taking another 100 years to resolve it.  But the wounds still haven't healed from that terrible decision to declare war on our own brothers.  Our nation was rent in two that day, and it is still hurting.