How Do Christian Women Feel About The Bible Condoning Rape?

Question

And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? ... Now therefore kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman that hath known man by lying with him. But all the women children, that have not known a man by lying with him, keep alive for yourselves. -- Numbers 31:15-18

How does this bible verse make you feel as a Christian woman? Or even as a Christian man? Why would this ever be considered okay?

Okay for those who wanted context I hope that you will read the whole preceeding and following chapters full of more murderous goodies

To the responder me!:
This passage is not taken out of context...if you knew and read the bible you would know this. I at no point said that God said this did I? I was a Christian for 20 years and I suggest that YOU know and understand what is in the bible. Do some research, at least read it dude.

I do not understand how you can see this as rape. What else do you think take the virgin female children for yourself would be?

I find it especially funny that if this was in the Koran...Christians would be condemning it all over the place lol.

Answer 1

There are a lot of different parts of the Bible, and this is part of the historical section. This isn't how they are saying to run every battle today or how to live your life. This is what they did on that day 4 thousand years ago. It's historical. They were brutal. They were trying to build a nation and the more girls the better. But the focus here, interestingly enough, isn't in the women that they kept, it was in all the women that they killed. The point, I believe, this passage makes is that they wanted to grow their nation quickly, but not so fast that they'll use women who have slept with the enemy. Of course today is a would different world, we're not trying to make babies as fast as we can so we can defend ourselves. And the idea that they killed everyone wasn't that weird of an idea at the time though we wouldn't do it now. But mostly, it's not condoning rape, it's not a command of what to do, but what they did.

Answer 2

1) Moses said unto them - who said God condoned it?
2) Considering the time period, one in which slavery was permitted, the Mosaic Law has pretty strict rules on men treating their concubines "well" (I use this word grudgingly), and a slave owner could even be guilty of murdering his slave.
3) It's possible (and note that I say "possible") that a sexually transmitted disease was present and that Moses, aware of this, ordered the death of these people to prevent that disease from spreading. There would have been no other way available to them. Considering the prevalence of cultural homosexual pedophilia in the Mediterranean region, this supposition would also explain why the boys were slain, but not the virgins.

Also realize that this is not exactly "Christianity in action". This is Moses telling his followers how to avoid the problems recently suffered at Peor (v 16) (thus, my suggestion that disease was at issue).

Jim, http://www.life-after-harry-potter.com

Answer 3

Aren't there other reasons besides rape that the Israelites might have kept the children alive, such as servants?

"Okay for those who wanted context I hope that you will read the whole preceeding and following chapters full of more murderous goodies"
Now you're just changing the subject and hurling (unnamed) elephants. You have still yet to show where the passage condones rape. And since you won't specify what "murderous goodies" you think are in the bible or in which verses you think you've found them, there's no sense in doing a verse-by-verse replay trying to read your mind.

Answer 4

Learn something about the Ancient Near Eastern culture.

Most girls were married soon/immediately after they began menstruating in the ANE (circa 12 years of age), and since infant and child mortality was so high, the average age of the girls spared would have been around 5 years of age or slightly lower (life expectancy wasn’t a straight line, with childhood risks so high). That these little kids would have been even considered as ‘sex slaves’ seems quite incongruent with their ages.
And, at this tender age, they would not have been very useful as ‘slaves’ at all! Children raised in Israelite households were ‘put to work’ around this age, sometimes doing light chores to help the mother for up to four hours per day by the age of 7 or 8 [OT:FAI:27], but 5 is still a bit young. Instead, the Israelite families would have had to feed, clothe, train, care, protect, and shelter them for several years before they could make much contribution to the family’s existence and survival. [Also note that ‘slavery’ in the ANE/OT generally means something quite different from “New World” slavery, which we normally associate with the world ‘slavery’, and most of what is called that in popular literature should not be so termed.
“for yourselves” phrase (31.18) is NOT actually referring to “for your pleasure”, but is a reference to the opposite condition of “for YHWH” which applied to all people or property which was theoretically supposed to be destroyed in such combat situations

Answer 5

Deut. 22:28, 29

If a man find a damsel that is a virgin, which is not betrothed, and lay hold on her, and lie with her, and they be found; Then the man that lay with her shall give unto the damsel's father fifty shekels of silver, and she shall be his wife; because he hath humbled her, he may not put her away all his days.

Answer 6

God does not condone rape
can you please put what context this is in?
it is hard to give a valid anser without more info.
its like people who say the Bible does not condone masturbation because of the guy who was cursed for spilling his seed on the rock
if they looked at the rest of the passage they would see he was rebelling against his father by doing that saying"screw you and screw what you say"

Answer 7

I'm not sure where you're getting "rape" from this text. Rape is not condoned in scripture.

Deu 22:25 But if a man find a betrothed damsel in the field, and the man force her, and lie with her: then the man only that lay with her shall die: Deu 22:26 But unto the damsel thou shalt do nothing; there is in the damsel no sin worthy of death: for as when a man riseth against his neighbour, and slayeth him, even so is this matter:

You are looking at the Bible through eyes contaminated by modern feministic philosophy. All marriages were arranged by a matchmaker in the near east at that time and even to this day in many communities - yes, even right here in America.

These girls were not facing any worse of a fate than they would have been if their own fathers arranged a match for them. And the women were treated with compassion compared to all the surrounding cultures.

Deu 21:11 And seest among the captives a beautiful woman, and hast a desire unto her, that thou wouldest have her to thy wife;
Deu 21:12 Then thou shalt bring her home to thine house; and she shall shave her head, and pare her nails;
Deu 21:13 And she shall put the raiment of her captivity from off her, and shall remain in thine house, and bewail her father and her mother a full month: and after that thou shalt go in unto her, and be her husband, and she shall be thy wife.
Deu 21:14 And it shall be, if thou have no delight in her, then thou shalt let her go whither she will; but thou shalt not sell her at all for money, thou shalt not make merchandise of her, because thou hast humbled her.

The usual period of mourning is 7 days - it's called sitting "shiva." These girls were given more than 4x that amount of time. Then, the prospective husband could marry her or let her go for free. That's a way better deal than she would have gotten in her father's house. Even to this day in middle eastern countries (and unfortunately even among immigrants to the west, in case you're not familiar with "honor killings") girls who refuse to marry the man their family chooses are more often than not killed.

You presume your cultural ideas are superior, but that is sheer arrogance. The west's promiscuousness and degradation of women as sex objects is hardly anything to emulate. The women above were financially secure and cared for. Western women today are abandoned like yesterday's leftovers and left to fend for themselves. This is not an improvement.

Answer 8

Rape is unloving as it is not kind and if we are unloving to one another we will be condemn by his words as he has commanded us to love.

A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. ~ John 13:34 (Jesus Christ)

love is kind ~ 1 Corinthians 13:4-5

There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day. ~ John 12:48 (Jesus Christ)

Also scripture clearly states that fornicators will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God. ~ 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

Answer 9

This passage is a picture of God's judgment upon sin. This is an illustration of hell. The intent of this passage is to warn people to turn from sin and turn in faith to God's provision, the messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Answer 10

That condones rape?