Why the Bible Doesn't Condemn Slavery

[Thumpalumpacus]

I don't want to insult the OP but one thing has to be said about this....
there is always an excuse of some sort for the immoral actions perpetrated in the Bible, particulary in the Old Testament.

Whether because it's a thing that was common in the past so why all the fuss about (despite morality being timeless), or the guy that killed his son because God told him is misunderstood or even that when it says in the book women are servants of men and should obey them it's actually not literally...

I mean c'mon, it's getting ridiculous. At least have the decency to come up with better arguments.

How's this for a better argument, you do not believe in the God of the Bible, you've clearly have established this. So man has to be responsible for the actions of others that's against the moral high ground you have put on the immorality of slavery.
Then why is it that you and the rest of the atheist sit on your hands while the greatest slave trading in history goes on right under you noses. There are 10's of thousands of young girls and boys sold into the sexual slavery every year. Christians are actually going to dangerous places in the world to help these girls and boys escape this slavery, yes that's right the church is using an underground railroad of sorts to free these young people while you and the rest sit on your hands and so you can have your own life and enjoy sitting around here . So at least have the decency to say you've failed these precious souls for your own contentment. But, you like the rest here will allow this slavery to continue on, the worst slavery and largest amount of slavery the world has ever seen. Maybe you want be able to sleep knowing you have failed your fellow human beings and get busy doing something about it.

GC

Your god approves the slavery that you Christians claim to fight against. Your god thinks it's good -- but you guys go out to try and prevent it.

What does that tell you?

And, while we're on the topic -- how many slaves have you saved, personally?

None? I thought so. Hypocrite.

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at Lek, good job defending chattel slavery.

GC

Fixed for accuracy.

[robvalue]

If we have to decide for ourselves which parts of the bible no longer apply, and which moral teachings are now irrelevant or simply false, then we are just comparing the bible to our own innate morality.

Which is exactly what every single religious person does, unless they attempt to follow it to the letter (which makes you a dangerous radical).

I dare you to go through the bible and highlight what things God says, does and commands that you think represent good moral behaviours today, and which don't. Use red for horrible and green for go go go yes I think we should do this. See what colour your bible ends up mostly being.

[jesus_wept]

"2. The institution of slavery was so deeply rooted in ancient culture that it could not be dismantled overnight..."

I've never really understood this argument, it basically says that god has to.do what people tell him, that his plan won't work if he doesn't pay the human's game and agree to slavery. Which puts god in the awful position of being held to random by mortals because he can't do what he wants, which is apparently to end slavery, in which case, why call him god or worship him?

[robvalue]

Yep, you have to totally abandon the omnipotent, or even very-potent, claim to even begin this stupid argument.

[abaris]

That means that if a person is a christian he is unqualified to write on the subject? Should I only seek out non-christians for opinions about the bible and slavery?

First, a christian can be as qualified to write about the subject as anybody else, if he would make serious arguments instead of resorting to simpe apologetics.

First, what makes him an expert on how slavery was enacted in the times in question? There are little to no records about that except the bible and the few rules it gives for the slave masters. Which are bad enough, since you're allowed to beat your slaves within an inch of their lives as long as they don't die within three days.

Second, the argument that slavery was so rooted in society, it couldn't be removed, is probably the weakest. The OT god is constantly handing out new marching orders, down to what kind of food is allowed and what kind of cloth to wear. If he just said so, provided there was a god, the Hebrews would have fallen to their knees and said yes sir, thank you sir.

The reality, the author is bending for apologists sake, is the fact that the bible is indeed a code of conduct, the Israelites set up for themselves. That's what the text says and that's it's real historical value. It opens a window to an ancient society and their way of thinking.

[h4ym4n]

There are 10's of thousands of young girls and boys sold into the sexual slavery every year. Christians are actually going to dangerous places in the world to help these girls and boys escape this slavery

GC

I'm praying right now that god will change its master plan instead of making his other chosen people do its dirty work.

You believe god listens and answers prayers, don't ya GC? Let us know what it says.

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at Lek, good job.

GC

Hey GC and LEK,

did jesus/god/ghost know before the slaves were concieved that they would be slaves?

Yes or no will do.

Don't be a coward again GC. You have jesus on your side




.

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Why didn't jesus have a problem with slavery?

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[Spooky]

Op, ignore the bible for a moment and tell us how you personally feel about slavery?
Then tell me if your personal opinion as an intelligent adult can still agree with the bible.

[Nope]

Christians claim that their god is impotent but the only people who actually expect their mythological god to act in any consistent manner are atheists. It is obvious that Christians don't really believe that their god is all powerful or all knowing. He can be defeated by human custom

By the way, here are some laws that the Hebrew god did pass

Leviticus 19

19 “‘Keep my decrees.

“‘Do not mate different kinds of animals.

“‘Do not plant your field with two kinds of seed.

“‘Do not wear clothing woven of two kinds of material.

and


27 “‘Do not cut the hair at the sides of your head or clip off the edges of your beard.

28 “‘Do not cut your bodies for the dead or put tattoo marks on yourselves. I am the Lord.

You mean to tell me that the same god that made such nitpicky rules couldn't add that slavery was wrong?

[FatAndFaithless]

Didn't we just have a thread where we were told that God wants us to be slaves? The Inter-Christian bullshittery machine is beautiful when it contradicts itself.

[Tonus]

God’s way of eliminating slavery was to allow the biblical teachings (the “Good News”) to spread throughout all cultures.

Interesting. According to the Bible, God's way of eliminating slavery in Egypt was to visit ten damaging plagues on the land and then drown its army in the Red Sea. God's way of dealing with "cultural norms" in Noah's day was to drown the entire planet. The god of the old testament did not take a passive approach to anything that wasn't loaded in the trunk of an iron chariot. So why would they think that god just allowed his own favored tribe to take and keep slaves until they grew out of it?