Why does the bible condone rape, murder, slavery and sacrifice?

Question

If the bible is 'the good book' why does it give clear direction that rape (even of children), murder, slavery and sacrifice are not only 'OK' but are actually encouraged? How can this is right?

I am not going to list all of the passages, but some examples being:

Deuteronomy 22:28-29 NLT - If a man is caught raping a young girl he must buy her fromher father and then marry her??

Exodus 21:7-11 NLT - Rules of what is allowable with Sex Slaves??

Numbers 31:7-18 NLT - Approving the rape of vrgins??

Judges 11:29-40 NLT - Jephthah has to sacrifice his own daughter to thank god for allowing him to win a war...sounds like a pact with the devil more like....

Deuteronomy 13:13-19 NLT - god tells them to burn an entire town to the ground.

Leviticus 20:13 NAB - Kill homos.
Leviticus 20:10 NLT - Kill those who commit adultery

Etc. My question therefore is: How is it possible that the book you lot follow with such mindless zealousy can possibly be considered GOOD?

Isn't it convenient how many of the answers say things like 'That is the Old Testament' - SO WHAT? It is all part of the bible, all teh so called 'word of god'

Isn't it handy how you can pick and choose which bits are OK to follow blindly and which bit's aren't.

Judging the past on modern ideas?? - Oh so it was perfectly OK to Rape and Murder and Sacrifice in the past was it? No it has never been acceptable to do these things, NEVER. Just because some nutter wrote it down pretending that some deity said it, doesn't mean it was ever right.

Jan P - Yes it does I'm afraid.

Behind the Vails - Seems like it was a lot more 'lawless' once god and his gang of happy go luck rapists started attacking anyone who dared question them.

Thefiltycommie - thanks for the correction, great answer by the way, you have hit the nail on the head when it come to literalism Vs interpretism.

Hanna B - 13: that certain base fellows have gone out among you and have drawn away the inhabitants of the city, saying, `Let us go and serve other gods,' which you have not known, then you shall inquire and make search and ask diligently; and behold, if it be true and certain that such an abominable thing has been done among you, you shall surely put the inhabitants of that city to the sword, destroying it utterly, all who are in it and its cattle, with the edge of the sword. You shall gather all its spoil into the midst of its open square, and burn the city and all its spoil with fire, as a whole burnt offering to the LORD your God; it shall be a heap for ever, it shall not be built again. None of the devoted things shall cleave to your hand; that the LORD may turn from the fierceness of his anger, and show you mercy, and have compassion on you, and multiply you, as he swore to your fathers, if you obey the voice of the LORD your God etc.

Seems fairly clear to me......

Jack Lewis - yeas sorrt you are dead right there. Bigger picture - I forgot that it is OK to condone / encourage the rape of young virgins as long as the end game is still achievable...

Answer 1

(Zeal is the word, now zealousy)

I am an agnostic when it comes to the existence of God, but I know for a fact that the Bible was a book written by men (could also have been women, or a mix) who lived in a nastier time.

The books we read and write reflect our society's morals. Look at books from the 19th century that people gave their kids to teach them manners. They're sexist, racist, and downright creepy sometimes.

The people who wrote the Bible believed in God, and that He made everything. From there it logically follows that the way things are is the way He wants things to be, so they wrote that down.

The Jews with their Old Testament had a harder time of it, so the God in the Old Testament is pretty nasty. The New Testament Christians had it a little easier, so the God in the New Testament isn't as bad.

Not that either one had it easy...

The Bible is considered good for two reasons. The first is that Jesus himself generally had some cool stuff going down. He was all, "Chill with the lepers." You know, "If some guy hits your right cheek, offer him your left." Pretty decent, in my opinion. God seems to be kind of a bipolar schizo, (First each man shall be killed for his own crimes, and then he says that his people should go out and kill all these other people for something that happened a hundred years ago. Wha?) but Jesus tends to be pretty cool.

The second is that most Christians switch between a literal and interpretive view of the Bible as it suits their needs. They view it literally when it comes to the creation of the Earth and how humans came to be, and interpretively when it says the world is flat. Literally when it says they go to heaven, figuratively when it says that it's better to go to a prostitute than to masturbate. Literally when it says that they have the right to kill people of other religions, figuratively when it says to sacrifice an animal.

If you can change the 'Truth' so it always agrees with you, it makes for a pretty good book.

Answer 2

First, just because an event is in the bible doesn't mean that it is condoned. The bible doesn't gloss over the sins of men and women. It instead portrays every man and woman as imperfect and in need of God's grace.

Deuteronomy 22:28-29 clearly says that it is wrong for a man to rape a woman.

Exodus 21:7-11 is not saying that sex slaves are condoned. It is saying that if a man takes a concubine (fairly common practice those days) that he is to take care of her needs.

Numbers 31:7-18 says nothing about raping virgins.

Judges 11:29-40 says more about speaking in haste than saying that Jephthah's sacrifice of his daughter was an acceptable thing.

Deuteronomy 13:13-19 is referring to people who have chosen to follow God and then have turned away from Him. God was teaching the people of Israel the seriousness of turning away to other gods.

Leviticus 20:13 & Leviticus 20:10--Capital crimes are nothing new. This illustrates the seriousness of these sins.

What you call mindless zealousy is really revealing how hideous the heart of man can be and why we need a savior.

Answer 3

This is a girl that wasn't promised to someone yet. The rapist took her virginity & had to marry her. That is why most marriages were set up when the couples are young.

I know it is a hard thing to accept, but the girl who was raped has to accept this person to marry also. So the concequences could be worst for the rapist, depending on the victim. Also, God has allowed for a man to find his woman. So, sometimes rape is allowable to God, but God doesn't encourage the activity in any of his laws.

Slavery is a fact of history. Jesus came to set the captives free.

There is a penalty to pay to raping someone who is engaged to another. And the penalty is death of the rapist. But if the person isn't engaged, to marry. Same with premarital sex with your fiance. You have to marry.

Thats an awful story If he actually sacrificed his daughter by burning her. I know the Lord God would have not allowed his daughter to be burned. But I think a sacrifice of fire was done associated to his daughter & he dedicated his daughter to the Lords temple. And she remained a virgin. (Maybe this was also a misunderstanding. Why would he sacrifice anyone who came through the door? He made this pact, not God.) Elsewhere, Israel did start sacrificing their children through the fire to devils. This act the Lord had not thought for them to do. It Grieved Gods Spirit that He forsook His own people & this is where hell fire (Ghenna fire) comes from. The devils were behind this. Babylon overtook Israel then. Yes, to sacrifice a child is done by dedicating the child to the Lord. The only time God asked someone to sacrifice their child was Abraham, and it was the LORD God. But God provided His Only Begotten son. Because Jesus was the Lamb without blemish. Because He was without sin, He raised from the dead. The promised Messiah would come through the seed of Isaac. And that Promise Is Jesus Christ.

When Israel took the land some of the land people were like sodom & ghomora & they did practice child sacrifices to devils.

The law of sin & death is to kill the adulterers no matter what type of adultery. Also, if one raped a girl engaged to another. They were considered married when engaged. The religious leaders of Jesus time brought a woman caught in the act of adultery to Jesus, asking Jesus about stoning her (they forgot the guy). Jesus wrote in the sand (probably the 10 commandments) and asked, "He who is without sin cast the first stone.". They all left. Jesus told the woman, "Neither do I accuse you. Go & sin no more.". The law of sin and death came by Moses. Truth & Mercy by Jesus Christ.

The God of the bible is Good. But, you do have the good & the bad in the bible & the concequences & Gods purpose.


Rualdukes list of torture has some facts. But the God of the Bible didn't do this or ask anyone to torture. These acts are done by people practicing iniquities. Jesus will tell them, "Why do you say Lord, Lord to me? I never knew you. You who practice lawlessness. Into hell fire you go!". Also, what people don't realize is that it is the Christians who were tortured, because they believed in the God of the bible. They may have denied to not bow the the self called religious order of the time. But that is actually because they believed in the true Creator God. They are actually Martyrs for Christ. If I lived in Salem during the witch trials, even though I pray to God in spirit & truth, I would have been accused of being a witch & murdered. Because anyone could accuse me. That wouldn't make me not a Christian. It would make me a martyr for Christ.

Answer 4

First of all, read the king James bible! They changed the words and sentences in the other ones, second you probably believe in the death penalty, thoes where crimes and crimes need to be punished, meets a young woman who is betrothed, and the man seizes her and lies with her, then only the man who lay with her shall die. But you shall do nothing to the young woman; she has committed no offense punishable by death. For this case is like that of a man attacking and murdering his neighbor, because he met her in the open country, and though the betrothed young woman cried for help there was no one to rescue her. “If a man meets a virgin who is not betrothed, and seizes her and lies with her, and they are found,
It does not encourage rape! You just don't understand the bible.

Answer 5

Because first off back then there were different ideas of a moral code of conduct and second thy wear trying to live in a lawless land, If you think that god ever came to a set of people & said to do aney thing to harm another. Youare missing the point

The book is good the word is pure, although man in his iggnorance has corrupted it some how?

Answer 6

You need to read the entire bible,Jesus was the last sacrifice made and it because of that sacrifice that , murder and things like that stopped. Keep reading and you will see that for yourself!!!!

Answer 7

I have lost count how many time i have read atheists try to put down God because of whats written in the old testament . God gave man free will so he makes decisions some which appear uncivilized like slave holding is not that God supports this its that he has withdrawn judgment at that time for he has a greater plan. Abraham was going to sacrifice his son Issac but God intervened he was just testing his faith you find that shocking but to one who believes that God created us and a eternal life it his will not ours that's sovereign. God has many times used Israel to punish sinful towns and nations after given them many times to repent yet again God creates and destroys its his creation not ours. Certain practices are forbidden and in the old covenant were heavy penalties to separate Israel from pagan nations but with the new covenant there is grace and mercy through Christ so it is still forbidden but death can be over come through forgiveness in Christ. My advice to you is read scripture as a journey of restoring a fallen world and rebuilding a relationship between God and his creation and don't just pick out texts because they look shocking but understand what God is doing in the bigger picture which leads to Christ and salvation.

Answer 8

Take Dueteronomy 13:13-19 for example. Have you read the entire passage or did you judge just based on the one sentence to where it says that he desired the city to be burned down? I read the passage, but I would like to tell me whether or not you did or pre-judged the meaning of it.

Answer 9

Your judging the past based on modern ideas. This would make you a presentist if you are a historian; not good. The Hebrews saw God in the same manner as those in the rest of their general area, when wars were won God was responsible, when bad things happened God was punishing them. Oh, and we have the death penalty fo somethings, it does show how horrible those acts are; carrying the message out however was condemned by CHrist who asked that only he who has never sinned could be justified in such actions (ie no one except God.)

Answer 10

it condones all those things and more because it is the devil in disguise.misguided people don't seem to know when they are being fooled into worshipping false gods and the devil..being an atheist is the only true way.their are no comebacks.