Metroplex Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 From carm.org: http://www.carm.org/diff/Lev_25_44.htm You may buy slaves Leviticus 25:44 (Leviticus 25:44) - "‘As for your male and female slaves whom you may have—you may acquire male and female slaves from the pagan nations that are around you." In the fallen world that mankind had created, slavery was a reality. God permitted its existence and worked within its system. Slaves were more domestic servants than oppressed field workers. Slaves could be the captives of war (Num. 31:25-47), subjects of debt to be worked off (2 Kings 4:1), born into slavery (Gen. 17:12-13), or entered into voluntarily (Exodus 21:5-6). In the Ancient Near East, some slaves were able to own other slaves and even conduct business and in Exodus 25:2 a slave was required to be set free after six years of service. Though slavery carries a very negative connotation here in America, it was not nearly as bad it was here in the first 100 years of our nation's existence. As I said above, God works within the fallen system to bring about His will. Slavery was permitted by God and rules of treatment of slaves were given so that they would not be mistreated. ------------------------------ Funny how the God of the universe NEVER said anything about slavery, but it took Abraham Lincoln and the UN UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS to do something about this: http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Universal_De...of_Human_Rights Part of it reads: Article 4. No one shall be held in slavery or servitude; slavery and the slave trade shall be prohibited in all their forms. There God, what you couldn't do, others did... comments anyone??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lycorth Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 It just goes to show the wholly human and imperfect nature of the Babble. Only a book written by people who lived during a certain time with certain ethics could say the things found in the OT. Later, more enlightened ages find it reprehensible simply because they are part of more advanced civilizations steeped in individual freedom and human rights. Their god is a fabrication of their times and it does not come as a surprise that they claim their god says these things. It took Honest Abe and the UN to actually come out against slavery? No surprise there - but the so-called all-knowing and all-compassionate god of the Holah Babble says not a word about it? No surprise again - the former utilize logic and compassion in their decision-making, the latter is a typical middle-eastern demon-god who only has the morals of the people that thought him up. The obvious fact that Biblegodzilla is depicted as changing his mind on basic moral issues so often is just more proof that the Babble and its god are man-made, and unworthy of our belief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
♦ nivek ♦ Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Kinda funny.. As soon as a slave with any gumption found anything worth his time, he usually would end up shanking his immediate overseer and excape. History is rife with reports of *slave rebellions* and strife brought about by those chafing in servitude to the proctors and owners. My problem with *slavery* and religion, is that mst of the occidental religious folks are well indoctrinated to be slaves to the system, religions, and personages who *shepard* them around. When one frees self and mind from the shackles both of the body and mind, *slavery* is no longer any form of acceptable commitment. This ole_boy will be *tamed* when he is made d-e-d dead by time or the proctors who might want him so. Want Freedom? Prepare for War.. k, Freeman by inclination and practice, L Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thunderbolt Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Ok then - let's sell this "apologists" as a salve to Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe and stand back to see how long it will take before he bitches about being a "domestic" slave. He’ll cry for his mamma quicker than you can say CARM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JPD Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 I am quite sure that the author has neglected to realise that those same scriptures were in every american slave owner's house and they sure as hell didn't secure the fair treatment of slaves then. Even if you are going to try to rationalise this by saying that god gave the hebrews laws to ensure that slaves were treated fairly, christans believe that the law was something that God knew we couldn't ever follow to the letter and was only given to man to illustrate his need for Christ's sacrifice. And really, when has the law ever really determined what a man will do with his own property while in his own home? The only way to protect a slave from abuse is to make them free so that they are never a piece of property alone in a home with a man who believes they are his to command. Speaking on slavery was one place in the bible where the authors had an excellent chance to demonstrate the Divine Justice of their god and they dropped the ball because it didn't even occur to them that slavery might be unjust, or that executing rape victims or new brides who don't bleed appropriately might actually be the height of evil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Astreja Posted February 16, 2006 Share Posted February 16, 2006 Ah, two parts Appeal to Tradition and one part Tu Quoque. Mix well, bake at 350F, serves no one. Yes, it does make me wonder why An Omniscient Omnipotent Being who is supposedly the foundation for objective (sic) morality would put up with crap like slavery. Unless it's evil, of course, or doesn't exist at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mythra Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Funny how the God of the universe NEVER said anything about slavery, What do you MEAN that God never said anything about slavery? Exodus 21:20"When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money. Exodus 21:26"When a man strikes the eye of his slave, male or female, and destroys it, he shall let the slave go free because of his eye. If he knocks out the tooth of his slave, male or female, he shall let the slave go free because of his tooth. Ephesians 6:5 Slaves,obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling Colossians 3:Slaves, obey in everything those who are your earthly masters Ohh. You meant that God never said anything CONDEMNING slavery. Right. Right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SBeeland Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 Obviously jehovah wouldn't condemn slavery in his special law book, being a mass-murderer himself and all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
☆ TexasFreethinker ☆ Posted February 17, 2006 Share Posted February 17, 2006 God works within the fallen system to bring about His will. Slavery was permitted by God and rules of treatment of slaves were given so that they would not be mistreated. What nonsense, and what a dishonest attempt to spin the bible so it appears more in harmony with today's higher secular standards and morals. If biblegod works within fallen systems it seems like he would have been fine "working within" paganism. He should have been able to "work with" uncircumisized, pork-eating, sabbath-breaking homosexuals. Biblegod threw a hissy fit because Lot's wife looked back, yet he "worked within" slavery. Give me a fucking break. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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