Believers in the God of Abraham and Isaac: How did you ever conclude (assuming you did) that slavery is wrong?

Question

The Torah, the Bible and the Qu'ran all mention slavery as if it's perfectly normal. The Qu'ran even looks upon owning sex slaves as a reasonable lifestyle choice. None of them condemns slavery at any place.

Those of you who persist in wondering how, in the absence of absolute and infallible (sic) moral guidebooks like these, atheists get their morals from - please explain why you believe slavery to be wrong. Indeed, please explain why you may have chosen a moral path so at variance with your holy texts.

I anticipate some answering that such laws were suitable for biblical times, but are not for now. If this is what you think, please explain why other scriptural edicts (rules for food, clothes, sexual behaviour etc) are still in place, but slavery isn't.

Thanks to all.

Libyan Amoona, the Qu'ran clearly distinguishes between having sex with wives and "those you own with your right hand" - captives taken in battle, for instance, who might be slaves, or might be sex slaves.

It's true Muhammed said that slaves should be treated properly; many Romans thought the same. If the South had compromised about keeping slaves on condition they treated them nicely, would that have made it all right?

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Mariyah the Copt was Muhammed's concubine. It seems he was extremely fond of her. She may have been fond of him. But it was not a relationship in which she had any choice.
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Answer 1

The pro-slavery movement in the South actually argued for their position using the Bible, so take that as you will.

Answer 2

Biblical slavery was different than slavery, say in the South over a century ago or even today in some parts of the world.

In biblical times, it was more slavery until a debt was paid, etc. After seven years, God said to set them free.

However, I think the biblical point is that whatever situation we find ourselves in --- is not what life is about. Culturally, if I am a slave - then be a good slave. If I am free, use my freedom to help others and make the most of what I have, etc.

People sometimes think their circumstances are everything - but what's important is their relationship to God and the way they live their life regardless of health, wealth or freedom. God insists on dealing with what is more important.

Some people think that since God didn't have a heart attack when Abraham took a second wife that it was okay with God. God doesn't change his mind and the consequences themselves show us what a disaster it was. God didn't condone it -- it is just not commented on. It was obviously not God's will.

Slavery is horrible - but if you are ever taken a slave - remember that this life is temporary. Gain your freedom if you can, but if you can't, go ahead and make your life the best it can be for God with the circumstances you have.

No where in the Bible does it say that God blesses or wants slavery. It's just not the most important thing - your eternal destiny is much more important.

Answer 3

The books you mention were all written in a long past age. What was considered acceptable then, is far from acceptable now.
If you need a good explanation of why slavery is bad, Put yourself in the place of the slave. You'll come up with many good reasons in very short time.
Atheists get their morals from 1. The golden rule. 2. Common sense. 3. Civilization.
Even though the religions you mention teach morals, they were in no way the originators of morals. The knowledge of right and wrong, the punishment for doing wrong, the strong helping the weak , etc. comes all the way from the stone age, It is called the beginning of civilization.
In answering our last paragraph, I don't have to say that foods and clothing change with discovery. Abraham and Issac didn't eat ice cream or Orios - - - not because they didn't like the taste. Sexual behavior reflects the times. Slavery is made non-acceptable by common sense and the golden rule.
You're very welcome.

Answer 4

Back then, nobody thought slavery was wrong. It was completely normal and accepted. Throughout most of human history, slavery and servitude and a society where some people are at higher levels than others was the norm.

It was a very new thing for the U.S. to be formed, and for western society to change in general, to a concept of egalitarianism (born out of the philosophers of the Enlightenment age). From that point onward, there was a steady march to a generally accepted notion that all men are created equal - and from that concept came the notion that, if slaves are men, then what rational justification is there that they be involuntarily subjugated?

It's a new concept, my friend. You want to focus on Christianity as the culprit, but believe me, slavery was the HUMAN norm, not just the Christian one.

And, deciding that as a society we no longer want to view slavery as the right way of things is just fine. Christianity doesn't prohibit slavery as a matter of God's will, but there is surely room for men to make rules governing their own behavior. We can make laws and rules that have to be followed whether or not God specifically cares one way or the other.

Answer 5

When Torah was written, slavery WAS normal. What we now see as permitting atrocity was actually restricting the options of that time. Like an eye for eye meant that in revenge for murder, you could kill ONLY the murderer, not his entire family. The legislation regarding slavery is all about how slaves and servants should be treated, including time limits and holy day observance.

It's not that such laws were suitable, but that they were necessary at that time. Social change usually happens in stages. Just like it was once necessary for the U.S. and European countries to have legislation regarding the treatment of slaves.

Judaism has never seen itself as static or unchanging and it's come a long long way in 2500 years. Don't let fundamentalist Christian ways of thinking define religion, or Torah, for you.

Answer 6

i can only answer for the bible...

when the bible was written, the culture back then made it acceptable for people to have slaves. The bible wasn't condoning it; Christians nowadays don't think that we should have slaves... I mean Jesus' whole message was to love others as yourself. Yes, there are guidelines for having slaves in the old testament; once again this was only the culture, not the religion.

About the people for slavery back in the day using the bible to support their belief-- they shouldn't have; it's against what Jesus taught.

PS: the accounts of slavery in the new testament were talking of indentured servants; people who willingly worked for someone to pay off debt if the didn't have the money to do so.

Answer 7

From my own view slavery according to the bible states that when a slave serve you for seven years he/she needs to be set free

Answer 8

I'm not a believer, and I know many of the answers you're going to get. The bottom line is that they really don't get their morals from the bible, they get them from other people.

Christians, before you thumbs down me, think about it for a moment... why do you accept the ten commandments but ignore the other 603 laws that go along with them? Why do you chose to observe certain things as abominations, but not others? Why do you not protest outside of Red Lobster the same way you protest abortion clinics and gay marriage? You know the answer, and you know it's because even though your bible says certain things are abominations you only observe the few that other people tell you are unnacceptable.

Answer 9

in the quran it never mentioned slavery was a normal thing
prophet(pbuh) tried to free the slaves
in the quran it says that we shouldnt hve slaves and that we should respect people that are poor and try to help them etc,,,,
and it diffently not state that sex slaves were allowed all this is prohibited in islam
and so ur wrong ...........
and plz,, dont say the quran stated something that it didnt

Answer 10

typically the jewish people did not own slaves...unless it was servitude for debts owed to the slave owner....but according to jewish law...the maximum time was 7 years to pay off the debt..... after that, the jewish owner had to let the slave go free. and return his land to him.....slaves from other groups was rare...and when they occured, there were rules to assure proper treatment of people....the jews were in too much slavery themselves....so they were aware of the sense of bondage......

in general, slavery was a natural consequence of one group conquering another...and in the jewish tradition, slaves were more like servants...

the christians came later....the early christians did not take slaves.....some of them were slaves themselves....slavery came much later....again under the influence of cultural norms......

remember too....that it was the christian consciousness...that finally objected to the slavery....resulting in the civil war to end it....