Do conservative Christians use a moral relativity argument to explain slavery in the Bible?

Question

Is that ironic?

Answer 1

The Bible is an accurate history book. Life was very hard and brutal back then. The morals of men of that time cannot be compared to today's standards.

Slavery existed under the American Flag for a hundred years. Do you hold todays Americans to that standard?

Answer 2

The slavery in those days was more like a servitude.The Israelites,if they were not able to support themselves,would decide to work for a household where they would be fed,clothed,and treated well.Even members of the higher class such as doctors did the same.Every few years,all the 'slaves' would be set free.When we read the BIble we think of slavery based on skin-colour or nationality.There is a big difference,and it just goes to show how dangerous it can be to read the Bible with Western lenses.

Answer 3

Slavery was a fact of life under Roman rule. If you read the Old Testament, the Egyptians also had slaves--the Jews. It was the order of things. Most slaves were born into slavery. I'm not a Bible scholar or anything, but the Bible teaches to be law abiding. Pay Cesar, what is due to Cesar (pay taxes).
Slaves obey your masters. I don't believe it condones slavery. Christians/ or our Christian values finally outlawed slavery, not a secular soceity.

Answer 4

The pervading thought at the time was that the Africans were a inferior species. This can be seen clearly in some of Lincoln's lesser known quotes. Heck, even my wife's grandmother (80+) is fairly racist. However, there are several passages in Leviticus that talk about how to treat slave, how to free them, how to make them life long slave, and how to free a female slave if they have your children or not. The scripture, also in Leviticus, that talks about two men having sex can also be translated as it is wrong for two men to have sex in a woman's bed, this illustrates the problem with translations, especially those attempted after 2500 years.

Answer 5

life was much harder back in the day then it is now. Things change and so do people. God did not expect us to know how to act or behave right away it takes years upon years. Slavery is not allowed anymore. We had nothing to do with slavery in the first place because it was not during our time.

Answer 6

Interesting point. The argument that I have usually heard, and which I have used, is that the Bible talks about life as it is, not about life as it should be. And the Bible teaches us how to live life as it is.
In the New Testament it says if we can be free, then we should be free, but if we can't, it tells us how to behave.
Many religioius books treat their "heros" as heros: invincible, pure as snow, virtuous, courageous, truthful. The Bible tells us about the lies and cowardice of people like Abraham, Isaac and Peter. It shows them to be people with weakness, just like us. The only absolutely perfect person in the Bible is God.

Answer 7

Those were not slavery, it is in a family affair. Isn't that ironic to be casted out in the fold of the family?

Answer 8

The "perfect" word of god....
It's funny that they never teach any of the bad things from the bible in church. They tell everyone how much god loves them but then conveniently leave how gods advocacy of slavery....

Answer 9

Moral? Nah. Historical and cultural? Yep.

Answer 10

Yes, it goes like this"that was then this is now".
We are in a diff.time era .
I am a slave to our Lord Jesus.
That's my best answer,hope it helps.
god Bless