What IS good, and how do we determine it?

[Nope]

Randy, no one is lying. The bible verse in question has been copied on this forum multiple times.

And now I have shown more of the same book which contains additional provisions for the treatment of women captives. So, while no one MAY have been lying when they were ignorant of that, if they continue to claim that God condones rape, they are lying.

The Israelites destroyed a village and kept the young virgins. Many of these girls were probably just barely 13 or 14, maybe younger.  They probably saw their entire villages destroyed by the men that they were being told to marry.

If you are forced to marry someone who kills your family and have sex with that person, yes that is rape.

Why would the girls be upset that they remained with the Canaanites who were their family members?

Again, why can't American soldiers do this now? Why can't a young soldier see a pretty Afghan girl, kill her family and bring her home for his wife? He would be marrying her, after all.

I agree the times were different but your god is all powerful and all knowing. He is the one who came up with the rules in Deuteronomy. Sometimes Christians like to claim that certain stories are just reporting historical events without judgement. The problem is that in Deuteronomy is a book of god's own rules to the Hebrews.

This is a insanely,  long thread.

Let's make this simple.

1. Was the treatment of women captives specified in Dt. 21 better than the way they were treated before the giving of the Law or by other nations?

2. Given that the women WERE spoils of war, was it better that they be treated as wives than as mere sex toys?

Yes or no.

Randy, you did not answer my question. Please answer this.

Again, why can't American soldiers do this now? Why can't a young soldier see a pretty Afghan girl, kill her family and bring her home for his wife? He would be marrying her, after all.

Marital rape is still rape.  

1.Men have been kidnapping women to use as concubines and wives for a very long time so the Hebrews weren't doing anything unusual but they also weren't doing anything better than other cultures. AGAIN, your god is all powerful and all knowing. He made laws against mixing fibers but couldn't pass a simple law that said, don't force anyone to have sex with you; instead, his own laws say that soldiers can force captive women to be their brides.

2. What were the women if not sex toys? The only difference is that they got to cook and clean for the captor on top of being raped by him.

I have another question for you Randy. Do you believe that there is such thing as marital rape?