2007-06-04 08:02:24 · 11 answers · asked by shawnp089 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
The Bible does not specifically condemn the practice of slavery. It gives instructions on how slaves should be treated (Deuteronomy 15:12-15; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1), but does not outlaw the practice altogether. Many see this as the Bible condoning all forms of slavery. What many people fail to understand is that slavery in Biblical times was very different from the slavery that was practiced in the past few centuries in many parts of the world. The slavery in the Bible was not based exclusively on race. People were not enslaved because of their nationality or the color of their skin. In Bible times, slavery was more of a social status. People sold themselves as slaves when they could not pay their debts or provide for their family. In New Testament times, sometimes doctors, lawyers, and even politicians were slaves of someone else. Some people actually chose to be slaves so as to have all their needs provided for by their master.
2007-06-04 08:11:50 · answer #1 · answered by Freedom 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Paul's letter to Philemon, one of the least known books of the New Testament, is a letter from Paul to a Christian slave owner telling him, in effect, that it was wrong for him to keep his Christian brother as a slave.
Notice that both the Old and New Testaments state that slaves have the right to expect to be treated fairly, and with kindness, a novel idea at the time when slaves were not even considered to be human by secular society.
Why doesn't the Bible just ban slavery outright? It might be partially due to the fact that so doing might have been politically difficult at the time to institute a complete ban. I'm sure that you can think of why. So God gives a concession to human weakness by allowing slavery only within certain limits.
People on both sides of the slavery issue have historically used portions of the Bible to support their positions. Debt slavery -- where a person is enslaved because of his running up a large debt that he cannot repay -- does not appear to be condemned in the Bible. However, it is clear that racism is clearly condemned in Paul's letter to the Galatians, and that the practice of kidnapping innocent people and enslaving them does not seem to be biblical.
2007-06-04 15:19:03 · answer #2 · answered by Randy G 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The Old and New Testaments are chalk full of slavery. Slavery is also used as an analogy to the Christian life. Christians are called to be "slaves of righteousness" although they were formerly "slaves to sin."
2007-06-04 15:09:52 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
as wrong, yes. Leviticus goes on about "no owning captives" or something to that effect.
and "slavery" is often mistaken in the Bible. besides the whole "Jews in Egypt" thing, slavery itself is entirely different in the Bible. you'll see "slaves obey your masters" but that's because a slave was different than the egypt thing. a slave was someone who gave up his free will to a master, as to have food and a roof over his head. a slave did have some rights, as to how harshly they could be treated, but they belonged legally to the master. they could be released on the master's will
2007-06-04 15:08:28 · answer #4 · answered by Hey, Ray 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Read Genesis' story of Joseph who was sold into slavery by his brothers to the Jews arch enemy, the Ishmaelites, now the Arabs. Abraham's sons began nemesis that has last until today. Israel vs. Arabs
2007-06-04 15:09:45 · answer #5 · answered by Dawnita R 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Many racists claim that it does when discussing the passage about Noah, how the race of one of his sons is to be punished. I'm not sure of the exact quote, but it's just an example of wrongly using scripture to validate arguments of bias and hatred. It's not even clear as to why those who believe it think it's talking about slavery.
2007-06-04 15:06:11 · answer #6 · answered by Scott B 7 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Yes.
“When you buy a Hebrew slave, six years shall he serve; and in the seventh shall he go out free, for nothing. If he came in by himself, he shall go out by himself: if he were 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 the children shall be her master's, and he shall go out by himself. And if the slave shall plainly say, I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out free: then his master shall bring him unto God, and he shall bring him to the door or unto the door-post, and his master shall bore his ear through with an awl, and he shall be his slave forever.”
—Exodus 21:2-6.
“Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart.”
—Ephesians 6:5-6.
Leviticus speaks of selling daughters into slavery. There are also others ... you can do a search for Bible references to slavery if you want more.
2007-06-04 15:05:34 · answer #7 · answered by MyPreshus 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
yes many times. it tells you how to treat your slave.
2007-06-04 15:05:55 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
there are verses that used to get quoted to justify slavery and anti-black racism. OTTOMH, I can't tell you which ones.
2007-06-04 15:06:36 · answer #9 · answered by kent_shakespear 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes the bible is pro-slavery
http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/topics/slavery.html
2007-06-04 15:06:30 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 2⤋