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The Bible has several passages that not only condone, but seemingly encourage slavery. How do Christians interpret these verses?
Here are some pro-slavery passages from the Old Testament:
Exodus 21:7-8
Here's a pro-slavery text from the New Testament:
Colossians 3:22-25
What should one make of these passages?
Exodus 21:7-8
“If a man sells his daughter as a female slave, she is not to go free as the male slaves do.If she is displeasing in the eyes of her master who designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He does not have authority to sell her to a foreign people because of his unfairness to her.
Here the word "IF" is used..so it is not imposed persay as rule or law but helpers is Biblically noted in Genesis...we are either to become helpers...or not...there is no inbetween...and there is no need to pay money to those who give and share of their lives to make Edens all over the world for God...which is why God made us in the first place...a healthy Garden begets healthy people...in abundance!...and if shared...then no one has need...hence it is not slavery in that light....If someone is passed over to those who do not have...so they to can do the same things...is it not part of the mutiplication practice to give one to another so they to can learn?...hence selling them the know how..may be selling the idea or making it known to others...by showing them how....not in sales for profit in wealth...but in making more Edens all becomes abundant for all who do the will and fulfill the word of God....surely How I sell the idea, is by making them understand that what is being given, will prosper them who are receiving the one or many who will teach the practice...maybe is all that means?
Colossians 3:22-25
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do it, not only when their eye is on you and to curry their favor, but with sincerity of heart and reverence for the Lord. Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for their wrongs, and there is no favoritism.
Here when we understand the Bibles instruction of God out of Genesis, and the time line they were in...things of the Garden nature were commanded By God to do...So when doing service for God in the garden..either by being a slave, or doing it out of our own understanding...it is working for the Lord...to sow seeds, harvest the crops, and tend to the flocks of animals...in good stewardship...and share not only the burdens, but the abundance between those whom participated in the making of Gods estate presteen and clean without sin...and giving to those who do not have....hence We Give like God...we share like God...we become Like God....in doing what God asked of US.
"LET US MAKE HUMANS KIND"...something still to ponder I say...something still to do...eh?
Because all so called holy books are written by men with the goal of controlling other men. To sell the idea that gods sanction slavery empowers these men to enslave others.
If you can't see this you are standing too close to the fantasy that gods exist.
These books are 100% the work of man, and are a window into the barbarism and cruelty that existed in the past. The "book of hate: lite" also known as the new book softens a considerable amount not because an imaginary god had a change of mind, but because the extreme hatred fell out of favor, a more socially acceptable re-write was required, but still the ultimate goal was to control others, which brings power and wealth.
Slavery in the bible is just another nail in the coffin of the idea that the bible is the word of a moral and just god.
Considering you can't give us a clear definition of what morality is without using God's definition, there is no reason to accept anything you say on the topic.
Considering you can't give us a clear definition of what morality is without using God's definition, there is no reason to accept anything you say on the topic.
If by God's definition you mean slavery is ok, I certainly am not using that definition!
How about you ignore my use of the word Moral, as it is a relative concept, and just go with my use of the word Just? Moral is obviously relative with so many theists defending the slavery in the bible.
Your Number 2 definition is why Christians will not have any problems with this issue. The big issue here, for me, is that it appears that non-believers are trying to convince fundamentalist believers that the Bible is not inerrant, since God did not have the moral foresight to prohibit Slavery in the Bible - or any of a number of conclusions. This is a dangerous approach - as it takes the argument into the Christian's camp, and lays the outcome in their lap. Why? Because it backs up the Christian's claim that morality is legislated by the Bible, and then gives them an excellent opportunity to show this by using Scripture. This approach prohibits the use of external arguments, and that is never a good thing....
I understand what you are saying. I do tend to discuss issues like these within a framework of strict fundamentalist Christianity, since that is what I am familiar with. To someone from this background this is the only approach to discuss these issues, since the Bible is the ultimate source of knowledge and cannot be disputed. For this type of believer, external arguments of any kind are irrelevant, as only scripture is true. You are right that these issues don't really matter to someone who does not believe in the inerrancy of scripture, the unchanging moral nature of God, and the person of God as being the foundation for all morality.
For the fundamentalist, it is possible to come to a relatively consistent framework that does allow the things God commanded in the OT to be moral. My experience is that most fundamentalists don't want to. It is very uncomfortable having to accept the internal conflict that comes from trying to reconcile a loving God and a genocidal one, so most resort to handwaving or just ignore the issue.
I do agree that when viewed as myth ( a story whose value does not depend on its veracity), the Bible may have lots of interesting things to say about the human condition and about the evolution of morality. It is probably the most important book in the development of western culture. I just think that is should not be used as a literal historical text, science book, or manual of exactly what is right or wrong. If someone wants to use it that way, then they need to be prepared to critically examine it and deal with the inherent contradictions, and boldly embrace the conclusions, even if they are uncomfortable.
The issues of morality are actually a really interesting discussion to have outside of that framework. I personally lean toward the idea that a useful morality might be one based around the idea of the importance of the individual. That the ultimate good would be to respect individual human reason, and conscience as the atomic building block of a shared morality. I am just beginning to dabble in philosophy, so I am sure someone else has articulated these ideas much better than I.
Anyway, interesting topic,
NoCapo
Last edited by NoCapo; 11-18-2011 at 11:07 AM..
Reason: Didn't mean to quote the entire OP
The answer to all these "Why does the Bible allow . . ." questions is the same:
Because the people who wrote the bible (or whateve religious text you're asking about) found it to be in their interests to have it say that.
As with "god" itself...as we continue to find wrongs and outdated ideas in the "teachings" of the bible we will continue to discredit this fictional book written by humans as utter nonsense. Whoever or whatever the supreme being is (and I believe there is one in some form or another) must be getting a good chuckle out of the human belief system in the supernatural..
I don't have an issue with the idea that God regulated something that was already happening in the culture, requiring better treatment of the ones affected.
Your problem is that you are trying to read 21st Century morality into a much much different time and culture. You are also mistakenly trying to suggest that slavery then was in any way similar to the atrocities of 200 years ago in America.
In any event, I have yet to see anyone answer the question of how they think they have a right to tell God that anything he does is immoral or wrong.
It is refreshing to see someone here who understands this
I said this last night... you cannot impose modern social and political values on the the ancient people of the Bible. To do so is completely illogical.
"continue to discredit"? lol...let me know when you start.
The discrediting of the bible is an ongoing process...its less the concept of discrediting as it is modernizing...
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