Did the Bible condone slavery, pedophilia, and sexism?

Question

Was a woman allowed to have more than just one husband back in biblical times just like a man could have several wives? What else did the Bible condone that is considered atrocious and reprehensible today?

Answer 1

JUST BECAUSE THE PEOPLE DID THAT ,THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE BIBLE CONDONED IT.
READ THE BIBLE AND YOU'LL SEE THAT.
THE BIBLE WOULD NEVER CONDONE SIN.

IN THE BIBLE GOD SAYS THAT ALL OF THAT IS A SIN.
ARE YOU KIDDING WITH THAT QUESTION?

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Answer 2

Yes it does. The Christian Bible, and just about every other holy book, condone all manner of atrocity in the name of whichever god the book happens to claim to represent. In fact, reading the Bible is the greatest recruitment tool atheism could ever want.

That doesn't mean, however, that all Christians condone the behavior in the bible or that they would engage in it. Only a fundamentalist would be concerned with following such outrageous examples and, since the bible contradicts itself constantly, fundamentalism is fundamentaly childish. Much like the god of Abraham.

Answer 3

It condoned slavery and sexism, but I'm not sure about pedophilia. Age of consent was different in that time. Girls were married young by our standards today. No, women were not allowed more than one husband and later the more than one wife opinion changed.

Answer 4

i don't know why this question is in this section,

anyhow, you need to look at facts. the bible for most people is correct, but you must not look at religion blindly there are proven mistakes in the bible. from the earth being on pillars and flat etc etc. if you read the old testament and the koran and all those other funo old scriptures you will see that a lot of things that they did then we don't do any more.

religion with out science is blind. you need to look at the facts.

when it comes down to it the bible is a book written by people years after our Lord and Savior rose from the dead. this is a translation of what others thought and others said. none of us lived back them. this is what we have. but you cannot condem anybody for not believing in a book that others wrote.

if you are a true christian regardless of how you think you cannot condem someone for what they do. turn the other cheek. love thy neighbor. everyone seems to forget that part and start pointing fingers at everyone else for everyone who is different condeming them to hell and other places for not being perfect.

as jesus said, he who has not sined be the one to caste the stone first. no one on this planet is perfect. therefore stop telling others they are sinful.

stop saying one thing is wrong over another, and please stop arguing about facts we didn't live through.

christians are suppose to love thy neighbors as brothers and sisters. so regardless if the person is gay or perdophilia or a sexist, or a slave master, you are to forgive him because it is not your job to judge.

you can be a free thinking christian without going to hell it is possible and encouraged. jesus stood up for what he believed was the right of humans, even when the prostitute was about to be punished for her act he stood up. he didn't condem her and the bible says prostitution and sex beofre marriage is bad. yet he still protected her. he stood up for her. can you do that same?

Answer 5

"Did the Bible condone slavery, pedophilia, and sexism?"

Yup. Ever flip through the pages of the "Old Testament"? (BTW, shouldn't this Question be in the Religious area?)

Answer 6

The Bible is just a book. 'It' doesn't condone or condemn anything. It's just a pile of paper written by people who condoned and condemned a lot of things, just like people all over the world do today. Oops! Your hatred of religion, especially Christianity, is showing. It's interesting you did not mention the Koran or the Torah. You just hate Christianity, huh?

Answer 7

The Bible is reflective of the times in which it was written. Those to interpret the Bible literally have some real problems explaining the issues you cite. It's much wiser to understand that while the Bible may be the inspired word of God, it needs to be taken in it's entirety, and reflected against the mirror of the God who still lives and speaks in 2006.

Answer 8

Get it straight!! Bible is a fiction written by human many years ago and has since reintepreted countless of time by whoever want to abuse the power. Hitler, KKK, just about any racists and bigots in the world use it to further their agenda......I listen to God not words written by human!!

Answer 9

slavery of a type, yes. pedophilia, no and sexism is all in the definition.

polyandry was not allowed, though

Answer 10

Yes to slavery, pedophilia -- implied heavily if not explicitly stated, and certainly sexism. Women were property: I've listed some of the "scripture" verses below. Many fundamentalists who support literalism try to squirm out of these by created outrageous and fantastic things that they supposedly meant, but which have no support in the text, in the culture, or in the ancient world.

For the record, as far as I'm concerned the Bible is mythic. I am Christian, but certainly do not believe that the Bible is valid at all, as anything. Christian just means Christ follower.

"Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. " (Numbers 31: 17-18)

"Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids. Moreover, of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession. And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigor." (Leviticus 25: 44-46)

"God" even threatens his own "chosen" people with being sold as slaves... by him:

"the children also of Judah and the children of Jerusalem have ye sold unto the Gre'cians, that ye might remove them far from their border. Behold, I will raise them out of the place whither ye have sold them, and will return your recompense upon your own head: and I will sell your sons and your daughters into the hand of the children of Judah, and they shall sell them to the Sabe'ans, to a people far off: for the LORD hath spoken it" (Joel 3: 6-8)

If you want more stuff of this nature -- genocide after genocide ordered by "God;" cannibalism "caused" by "God." Etc. Then go to my website for the brief version, or for a longer version visit infidels.org.

Kind regards,

Reynolds Jones
http://www.rebuff.org
[e-mail]