(May 17, 2011 at 5:56 pm)fr0d0 Wrote: Yes you got the right post GS.
I don't think you're challenging my view there. The bible is adjudicating on something that was very normal for the time yes. It was unique in promoting the view that slaves were humans to be treated as such. Remember people volunteered themselves to be slaves rather than face the alternatives... starvation etc.. Some businesses today would be better if they showed the same compassion for their workers. Same with morality. You'll notice that God is advocating fairness amid the seemingly terrible deeds.
Partly right, and partly horribly wrong. People could indeed volunteer to become a servant for seven years. However, there were also the kind of slaves that were taken as the spoils of war, divided amongst the conquerers like the rest of the loot. You sure can't tell me that was voluntary?
Also, I think that in a 'perfect' system, people shouldn't have to even choose for being a slave. Nowadays people can become servants, when they want and get paid for their work. What is wrong with that?
When I was a Christian, I was annoyed with dogmatic condescending Christians. Now that I'm an atheist, I'm annoyed with dogmatic condescending atheists. Just goes to prove that people are the same, regardless of what they do or don't believe.
