Rape in the Bible

[FatAndFaithless]

I thought God's laws were supposed to be objective and universal, anyway?

[Elskidor]

In that culture, that wasn't rape.

Why? Because the men of the times said it wasn't?

I'm sure women back then thought it was a blast too.

[Chad32]

In that culture, women were considered property instead of people. The laws against having sex were more for protecting a man's property than protecting the woman. I know that slavery and unconsentual sex with women was ok to them, but what i don't know is why current human culture would dictate what a god believes is right or wrong. You'd think that would be evidence that this god was an invention of the people at those times, if its views matches the current views, or were only slightly more progressive.

We don't want to give women equality with men, but at least try not to mess with another man's property. We don't want to abolish slavery and make all people equal, but at least try not to beat your slave so much that he dies within a day or two, and try not to enslave the people of your tribe. These rules do help mitigate the problem slightly, but it doesn't remove the problem.

[abaris]

@OP: If you read further, you'll find regulations regarding the treatment of females captured in war. They were to be brought into the captor's house, given 30 days to mourn, then married. In that culture, that wasn't rape. By today's Western consent standards, yes, you can say it was rape. Of course, considering the prevalence of arranged marriage across time and cultures, by those standards the majority of women who have lived were raped. And maybe you think that, but I don't think most people are so judgmental of other cultures.

But it's supposed to be a god handing out these laws. If he handed out different laws, by your own definition of faith, they would have fallen to their knees and kissed his ass.

As I said, I'm perfectly aware of the times and the cultures. But it's no mitigating factor for a supposed higher, timeless and omniscient being to hand out disgusting procedures. And the doubling down factor of the disgusting is the fact that christian leaders still cry at the top of their lungs for women to know their place. So, good job, little if anything learned in 3000 years.

[JonDarbyXIII]

I thought God's laws were supposed to be objective and universal, anyway?

Of course they are. If they were subjective and/or temporary, you would find that the Bible expresses differing commands in different places. Has anyone ever made that claim? Oh wait.... never mind.

[Thumpalumpacus]

@OP: If you read further, you'll find regulations regarding the treatment of females captured in war. They were to be brought into the captor's house, given 30 days to mourn, then married. In that culture, that wasn't rape. By today's Western consent standards, yes, you can say it was rape. Of course, considering the prevalence of arranged marriage across time and cultures, by those standards the majority of women who have lived were raped. And maybe you think that, but I don't think most people are so judgmental of other cultures.

Yes, because this deity's desires are determined by the folks who worship him.

What does that tell you about him?

eta: Cato and Chad already got there, yeah. This is what I get for sleeping in.

[FatAndFaithless]

Gee, it's almost as if the Bible is just a reflection of the barbaric humans of the time and not an immutable law given down by a divine and morally infallible God.

Who woulda thunk it?

[Tonus]

I thought God's laws were supposed to be objective and universal, anyway?

I can recall that the JWs felt that the laws and regulations given the nation of Israel set them apart from the other nations and cultures, and I think I've seen that argument made on this forum once or twice as well. But I think that the way the old testament treats women doesn't point to a kind or caring god. This would be the same god who regularly lays savage ass-whippings on nations and individuals (and once almost the entire world), but suddenly he feels he must be sensitive to the cultural mores of a relatively small community that has pledged to serve him?

"We'll do anything you want, god, on penalty of suffering and death! But do you mind if we keep our rape culture? I mean, it's not like we have video games or even a soccer pitch around here!"

"Meh... sounds reasonable to me. Let me know when you grow out of it, though. It makes me just a tiny bit uncomfortable to allow it."

[JonDarbyXIII]

@OP: If you read further, you'll find regulations regarding the treatment of females captured in war. They were to be brought into the captor's house, given 30 days to mourn, then married. In that culture, that wasn't rape. By today's Western consent standards, yes, you can say it was rape. Of course, considering the prevalence of arranged marriage across time and cultures, by those standards the majority of women who have lived were raped. And maybe you think that, but I don't think most people are so judgmental of other cultures.

....As I said, I'm perfectly aware of the times and the cultures. But it's no mitigating factor for a supposed higher, timeless and omniscient being to hand out disgusting procedures.

Exactly. Throughout the Torah, the Jews were depicted as a people 'set apart' from their heathen neighbors. From circumcision to human sacrifice to dietary laws, everything was about being 'better' than the other cultures. Therefore, it is no excuse that the times and the culture were different. If rape was wrong, God should have said so even if other cultures thought the practices were acceptable.

[LostLocke]

I can recall that the JWs felt that the laws and regulations given the nation of Israel set them apart from the other nations and cultures, and I think I've seen that argument made on this forum once or twice as well.

I remember that too.
The problem is that the "laws" for slavery and rape and just brushed off as, "Well, that's what the cultures were like at the time. God was just giving regulations that improved the conditions a little above the rest of the land."
If God wanted these people to be set apart from the 'heathen' nations, then regulations (that you would think would come from an omniscient omnipotent deity) like, "Don't keep slaves, period. Don't rape women from conquered nations, period.", would have set them apart even more.
Instead it seems these regulations were just going with the flow of the times.