Questions No Christian Can Answer, Part 2 (slavery)

I know, I know. Biblical slavery was not so bad. I mean, sure the hours were rough, and the benefits left something to be desired ...
But nothing beats the peace of mind you get from knowing that you, your children, and your children's children will all be inherited as property. :)

Relevant verses (starting with the granddaddy of them all: how to kill your slave without sinning)

When a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod so hard that the slave dies under his hand, he shall be punished. If, however, the slave survives for a day or two, he is not to be punished, since the slave is his own property. Exodus 21:20-21

However, you may purchase male or female slaves from among the foreigners who live among you. You may also purchase the children of such resident foreigners, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property, passing them on to your children as a permanent inheritance. You may treat your slaves like this, but the people of Israel, your relatives, must never be treated this way. Leviticus 25:44-46

If you buy a Hebrew slave, he is to serve for only six years. Set him free in the seventh year, and he will owe you nothing for his freedom. If he was single when he became your slave and then married afterward, only he will go free in the seventh year. But if he was married before he became a slave, then his wife will be freed with him. If his master gave him a wife while he was a slave, and they had sons or daughters, then the man will be free in the seventh year, but his wife and children will still belong to his master. But the slave may plainly declare, 'I love my master, my wife, and my children. I would rather not go free.' If he does this, his master must present him before God. Then his master must take him to the door and publicly pierce his ear with an awl. After that, the slave will belong to his master forever. Exodus 21:2-6

When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the men are. If she does not please the man who bought her, he may allow her to be bought back again. But he is not allowed to sell her to foreigners, since he is the one who broke the contract with her. And if the slave girl's owner arranges for her to marry his son, he may no longer treat her as a slave girl, but he must treat her as his daughter. If he himself marries her and then takes another wife, he may not reduce her food or clothing or fail to sleep with her as his wife. If he fails in any of these three ways, she may leave as a free woman without making any payment. Exodus 21:7-11

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[409epic]

If god approves slavery why are one of the ten commandments treat thy neighbor like thyself

[HeyDuffy459]

@409epic - Yeah, if that were one of the ten commandments, it would be a good point about the inconsistencies in the Bible. But it's not.

[409epic]

@HeyDuffy459 well have you ever read the ten commandments?

[HeyDuffy459]

@409epic - Many times. Actually, I've read all of the Bible's different versions of the ten commandments many times, including the one about not boiling a goat in it's mother's milk. And I assure you, there's nothing in there about treating your neighbor as you would have him treat yourself.

[TransformerslNC]

Do you think that it's wrong for someone to go to jail? As someone who is in debt in the old testament times, one could offer themselves into slavery as a means to pay back the debt. There was no system of "if you don't have enough money, you go to jail." Slavery as in "I own another person because I am superior" is looked down upon in the Bible. Moses freed the slaves, remember?

[HeyDuffy459]

@TransformerslNC - This is a joke, right? it's so hard to tell these days, what with the Poes becoming more Poe and the religious crazies becoming more crazy. :)

[sirnaqMN42]

American slavery does not equal biblical slavery. Why aren't you ashamed that Americans treated their fellow humans like property?

[ClayMeansImmortal]

Slavery was allowed to pay off debts and such. ask one of those ancient slaves if they hated it. they would say no. ask them what they would do with their freedom. they would thank God.ask them would they rather do something else.they would say yes.

God does not promote slavery but he did set some Guide lines.Do I think it Morally problematic? yes. But I have the choice not to have a slave and I choose so.Do I doubt God in absolutley any way? Never.

[409epic]

@HeyDuffy459 we were both wrong, thats a jewish law and Jesus said love thy neighbor like thyself. So are you sure your actuly not reading the Torah?

[DarkMind95]

@j919or *facepalm*

[Inkbleedful]

isn't it weird that black people follow a religion that was used to oppressed them and I'm a black atheist just so everyone knows.