Do those that believe the Bible is the word of God believe in slavery?

Question

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianity_and_Slavery

Leviticus

It is permissible for men to have slaves, provided the slaves are not brethren, i.e. members of the tribes of Israel:

"And if one of your brethren who dwells by you becomes poor, and sells himself to you, you shall not compel him to serve as a slave. As a hired servant and a sojourner he shall be with you, and shall serve you until the Year of Jubilee. And then he shall depart from you—he and his children with him—and shall return to his own family. He shall return to the possession of his fathers. For they are My servants, whom I brought out of the land of Egypt; they shall not be sold as slaves. You shall not rule over him with rigor, but you shall fear your God." (Leviticus 25:39-43)

As the continuation makes clear, non-Israelites were genuinely enslaved:

"And as for your male and female slaves whom you may have from the nations that are around you, from them you may buy male and female slaves. Moreover you may buy the children of the strangers who dwell among you, and their families who are with you, which they beget in your land; and they shall become your property. And you may take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them as a possession; they shall be your permanent slaves. But regarding your brethren, the children of Israel, you shall not rule over one another with rigor." (Leviticus 25:44-46)

(both quotations from the New King James Version)

"If you buy a Hebrew servant, he shall serve six years; and in the seventh he shall go out free and pay nothing. If he comes in by himself, he shall go out by himself; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master has given him a wife, and she has borne him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master's, and he shall

go out by himself. But if the servant plainly says, 'I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free,' then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever." (Exodus 21:2-6)

Daughters were treated as the property of their fathers until they were married, at which the ownership would transfer to the husband. Unmarried daughters were permitted to be sold into slavery.

"And if a man sells his daughter to be a female slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. If she does not please her master, who has betrothed her to himself, then he shall let her be redeemed. He shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt deceitfully with her. And if he has betrothed her to his son, he shall deal with her according to the custom of daughters. If he takes another wife, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing,

and her marriage rights. And if he does not do these three for her, then she shall go out free, without paying money." (Exodus 21:7-11)

Slaves are allowed to be beaten, so long as they are alive a couple days after their beating. The punishment for striking a free man, on the other hand, was quite severe.

"He who strikes a man so that he dies shall surely be put to death." (Exodus 21:12)

"And if a man beats his male or female servant with a rod, so that he dies under his hand, he shall surely be punished. Notwithstanding, if he remains alive a day or two, he shall not be punished; for he is his property." (Exodus 21:20-21) (Newer translations like the New Living Translation, New International Version, New Century Version, etc. show verse 21 to mean "if the slave lives and returns to health in a day or two, then the owner is not to be punished.)

Answer 1

I suppose men can have slaves since its in the bible, but does that mean we have to abide by all the other silly rules...such as anyone who wears glasses cant go to heaven? And can we murder our neigbors if they work on Sundays? Can a man sell his daughter too? or how about the idea that if you wear clothes made out of more that one fabric, you are sinning too?Lets not forget my personal favorite....a woman who is having her period has to stay in her house for seven days so she doesnt "soil" the neigborhood, and anything she sits on or touches has to be cleaned, and if she has any contact with her husband, he too is considered dirty and has to remain in his house for the 7 days as well.............yes...its ludicris....but that is in the bible too. how does one "pick and choose" which rules we should follow?

Answer 2

At that time, slavery was an established institution...especially concerning those captured during wartime and pressed into slavery. The bible sets up rules for the handling of slaves which were far more humane and respectful than anything else in existence, before or since.

These laws are in place IN CASE one has slaves...it does not mandate that anyone have slaves, at all. Also, this is one of the many laws of the Bible that yield to local law outside of Biblical Israel.

Answer 3

The bible also allows for divorce. Moses made many laws, not because they were what God wanted, but because the men said they couldn't live without them:

Jesus replied, "Moses permitted you to divorce your wives because your hearts were hard. But it was not this way from the beginning. I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery." -Matthew 19:8-9

Slavery was something that existed in that culture and rules on how to treat your slave or how you, as a slave, should treat your master was necessary.
The bible, at no time, says that Slavery is good, or even OK.

Answer 4

Leviticus was a book of law for the Hebrew people to follow. During that time, slavery was fact. Some people were taken into slavery unwilling; others contracted their services as a slave in for something in return, land, a wife, a herd.

Later, Paul talks about being a slave to the gospel. If you read the entire book, you will see that we all serve something, and Paul chooses God.

Slavery happened. Slavery is still happening in parts of the world.

Sin happened. Sin still happens.

Answer 5

Far too many people say they are christian and then don't live their lives according to the bible, equally, many christians take the bits they like and leave the bits they don't.

Many christians are hypocrits are they criticise other people and yet break the rules as they see fit. Your examples are prime examples of that. Although i think it happens to a certain degree in all religions. Thats why i think agnosticism and atheism is the way forward, even if you disagree to theists you can stand back and say "at least I don't break my own rules."

Answer 6

I believe slavery existed and exists today still in parts of the world. I also believe in the word of God, as reliable on many levels. All cultures have had some form of slavery in their past, but that does not make it right. The bible includes much history of the people, the good and the bad. What is your point? There is no inconsistency, but I have seen people try to pull that. It is what it is....Jesus didn't encourage it, or practice it either, by the way.

Answer 7

The Bible can only be taken in the context of when it was written. The world is very different now than it was then. God did not literally part the red sea... it is all symbolic of God giving strength to do the impossible. Just like how the Bible sayd God is a "He"... does not mean God is male.. God is a spirit. Slavery was a fact of life back then but we all know that it is wrong.

Answer 8

Well I think you are taking it out of Context, I think that in those days slavery was acceptable so this is why it was mentioned, people had nothing to offer an employer except themselves,

His employer was never to harm him.


I am a Bahai and we believe in progressive revelations, meaning as the world changes so does gods will.

It behoveth every ruler to weigh his own being every day in the balance of equity and justice and then to judge between men and counsel them to do that which would direct their steps unto the path of wisdom and understanding. This is the cornerstone of statesmanship and the essence thereof. From these words every enlightened man of wisdom will readily perceive that which will foster such aims as the welfare, security and protection of mankind and the safety of human lives. 75
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It behoveth every ruler to weigh his own being every day in the balance of equity and justice and then to judge between men and counsel them to do that which would direct their steps unto the path of wisdom and understanding. This is the cornerstone of statesmanship and the essence thereof. From these words every enlightened man of wisdom will readily perceive that which will foster such aims as the welfare, security and protection of mankind and the safety of human lives. 75
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really means the obligation of a partner to a covenant to go beyond the narrowly construed contractual demands of the partnership in order to make the relationship between them a truly viable one.... A covenant is, after all, a contract and the tendency in contractual systems is for people to act like lawyers, that is to say, to try to construe the contract as narrowly as possible when defining their obligations and as broadly as possible when defining the obligations of the other parties.
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O contending peoples and kindreds of the earth! Set your faces towards unity, and let the radiance of its light shine upon you. Gather ye together, and for the sake of God resolve to root out whatever is the source of contention amongst you. Then will the effulgence of the world's great Luminary envelop the whole earth, and its inhabitants become the citizens of one city, and the occupants of one and the same throne....

There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God. The difference between the ordinances under which they abide should be attributed to the varying requirements and exigencies of the age in which they were revealed. All of them, except a few which are the outcome of human perversity, were ordained of God, and are a reflection of His Will and Purpose. Arise and, armed with the power of faith, shatter to pieces the gods of your vain imaginings, the sowers of dissension amongst you. Cleave unto that which draweth you together and uniteth you. This, verily, is the most exalted Word which the Mother Book hath sent down and revealed unto you. To this beareth witness the Tongue of Grandeur from His habitation of glory. 83


To read more:
http://info.bahai.org/article-1-9-1-4.html

Answer 9

the "Gospel" is the "Word of God",... testimonies by the apostles that bear witness to the "Words of Jesus" read Matthew, Mark, Luke, John in the New Testament of the Bible.

The Bible is a collection of books.

Answer 10

They should since god and Jesus supported slavery. Thing they also supported - war, incest, inferiority of women, killing gays, and beating your children for minor bad behavior.

Of course they like to talk around this stuff. Christians have been cherry picking the bible for centuries.