(August 4, 2021 at 9:48 am)Spongebob Wrote:
I agree that that particular logical statement was bad, and I agree with @Deesse23 's clarification that if x prohibits some instances of y then all that can be said is that x prohibits SOME instances of y. I've clearly shown in two places where the Bible is abolitionist to some types of slavery.
This is exactly the type of position I have a problem with " So it's illegal to covet a slave, but not illegal to own a slave. How fucked up is that? " It's fucked up if that's what's going on but it's not. It's illegal to covet a slave, and you shouldn't have certain types of slaves and there is no statements as to the illegality of owning a slave and no dictate that you should have slaves (aside from an instance of prisoners of war). As @Angrboda pointed out the jocular phrase (misquoted to God). "That which isn't forbidden is permitted", or it's German opposite "everything which is not allowed is forbidden" , is about general power of competence. I'm aware of the historical and societal slavery you reference. The fact that it existed far before the Bible should just be another reason the Bible isn't the source of slavery.
To address you and everyone else's response with my perspective, Yes the Bible does say that all men, women and children are slaves to something, and that that thing should be God. In that sense it does condone slavery. Specifically about chattel slavery it does give instructions on how to treat slaves and how slaves should behave. It also doesn't expressly require slavery. By the same assumptions the Build a bear workshop, CVS and Taco Bell condone slavery. They have not specified that it is illegal to own a slave, so they must support it right? They have not put out one single press release condemning slavery so by cancel culture logic, they must support it? The 100s of members of this forum that haven't chimed in must also condone slavery, because they haven't come out against it. This is the logic being presented to me. X does prohibit some instances of y in this case, but you folks still claim x supports y. When you claim the previous and admit that x doesn't ask you to do y, what should I see here that I'm not?
@The Grand Nudger and @Deesse23 I understand your unwillingness to support a different view of Christianity than you already have. I know it's hard to read that Paul sent Philemon's servant back to him not to be a slave anymore. If you insist that I'm not reading Leviticus the same as you you're probably correct. I've tried really hard to see both of your perspectives and left aside anything most of the personal and not on topic stuff. I will continue to think about the points both of you made, but I don't want this to just get more frustrating. I appreciate the dialogue.
"There ought to be a term that would designate those who actually follow the teachings of Jesus, since the word 'Christian' has been largely divorced from those teachings, and so polluted by fundamentalists that it has come to connote their polar opposite: intolerance, vindictive hatred, and bigotry." -- Philip Stater, Huffington Post
always working on cleaning my windows- me regarding Johari
always working on cleaning my windows- me regarding Johari