How do Christians reconcile the Bible's support of slavery with their beliefs?

Question

I mean the verses in Leviticus and I think Deuteronomy. I know that some denominations don't really pay heed to the Old Testament. As for treatment I mean the verses that say things like if you beat your slave and he dies after sundown you are not liable for a fine. Or if you rape a female slave who isn't bonded for marriage to someone else you only have to pay a fine.

Answer 1

Mostly christians deal with it through denial. The other answers on this page show you how seldom christians even talk about the bible's support of slavery. Those who are confronted with it, still hold on to denial one way or another.

The bible tells us not to use the same utinsil for milk and meat, but not that slavery is immoral. How sick is that!

The bible endorces slavery, and even the beating of slaves. Exodus chapter 21 is full of examples. Exodus 21:20-21 says that its ok to beat your slave to death, as long he doesnt die within 48 hours of the beating!

Answer 2

I do not have a problem with owning slaves. Sounds harsh huh? Blacks were not the first slaves nor will they be the last. Slavery will come and go as time marches on. God even used slavery to discipline his wayward children. I realize these are difficult concepts for modern man to understand and Americans barely can get past the 16th to 17th century version of it. Blacks seem to think they are the only ones that have ever wore chains too. The chains have been off for more than a hundred years and no one is alive today with the smallest scar from one. Yet in some countries it is very real to this day.

Face it what does it matter? Seriously. We all live, breathe and die. Does it truly matter our occupation or status in this Earthly realm? When we die we are told we will not be judged on this, but by how we lived. "Do your work as unto the Lord." The slave owner that treated his slaves well and saw to their needs will have nothing to fear on this day, but the slave that shirk-ed his duty will be endanger of the fires of hell.

If you read the story of Philemon you will see that Paul regarded Onesimus like a brother and desired for his freedom, but regardless of this Philemon was commanded to treat him as a brother as well.

Would I own slaves? Yes. If you have time watch Schindler's list and you might glean why. For those of you who will not watch the movie I will tell you simply. If I owned slaves I could keep families together. Also by my owning them I know that they would not suffer harsh treatment as often. By owning them I can spare them from horrors and for this service they will esteem me and help me to prosper, because as I prosper so will they and later more might be saved.

Ask yourself if you had the chance to chose what kind of master would you choose? One who was evil or one who was good? SURPRISE! You have that choice and you will make it or have made it by the life you live. Have your forgot the verse "I am a slave to Christ!" Or when Jesus said "come unto me all who are heavy laden and I will give you rest." I chose the one who's burden is light and I am glad of it.

Answer 3

Slavery replaced into approved in the Bible by using fact of sin in the worldwide. It existed beforehand the Jews have been formed as a rustic and it existed after Israel replaced into conquered. God enables many stuff to take place in the worldwide alongside with storms, famine, homicide, etc. Slavery, like divorce, isn't favored by God. quite, that is allowed. the place many countries dealt with their slaves very badly, the Bible gave many rights and privileges to slaves. So, inspite of the actuality that it is not the suitable thank you to manage people, by using fact God has allowed guy freedom, slavery then exists. God recommended the Israelites to manage them good. The Bible recognized the slave's prestige by using fact the valuables of the grasp (Ex. 21:23; Lev. 25:40 six). The Bible constrained the grasp's ability over the slave. Ex. 21:20). The slave replaced right into a member of the grasp's kin (Lev. 22:11). The slave replaced into required to relax on the Sabbath (Exodus 20:10; Deut. 5:14). The slave replaced into required and to take area in religious observances (Gen. 17:13; Exodus 12:40 4; Lev. 22:11). The Bible prohibited extradition of slaves and granted them asylum (Deut. 23:sixteen-17). The servitude of a Hebrew debt-slave replaced into constrained to 6 years (Ex. 21:2; Deut. 15:12). while a slave replaced into freed, he replaced into to obtain presents that enabled him to proceed to exist economically (Deut. 15:14). the fact of slavery won't be in a position to be denied. Slaves have been "slave exertions performed a minor economic function in the classic close to East, for privately owned slaves functioned greater as kin servants than as an agricultural or business exertions rigidity."

Answer 4

Do you not understand the fact that the bible was written in a time when slavery was looked upon as a way of life for some classes of people? As unavoidable as sunrise in the morning. Because these events took place then, and where in fact a part of every day life when the book was written does not mean that anyone condones slavery today. Jesus was crucified. It happened to him as it did to many in that time. No one thinks that is a good idea any more. That does not mean it did not happen as a matter of course then. Can you not disconnect yourself from the time line and you therefore think no one else can? I am having a bit of trouble understanding. Do you think that because people in your family at one time did not have refrigerators (they had yet to be invented) that now no one in your family should own one?

Answer 5

The Bible is the story of God's very good creation followed by mankind's fall into sin and the unfolding of God's redemptive plan with a restored humanity and creation at the end.

During this time God allowed many things that were not in his perfect will for humanity. He gave the Jewish people laws to mitigate the worse abuses of the institution of slavery that was in the world at that time. I don't think that you can find a verse in the Bible where God told anyone to go and take another person as their slave or told his chosen people to make slaves of others.

God was accomodating to fallen humanity on many levels. Jesus mentioned this aspect of God's dealing with mankind when He was asked about God's position on divorce.

Matthew 19:3 And Pharisees came up to him and tested him by asking, "Is it lawful to divorce one's wife for any cause?"

4 He answered, "Have you not read that he who created them from the beginning made them male and female, 5 and said, 'Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh'? 6 So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate."

7 They said to him, "Why then did Moses command one to give a certificate of divorce and to send her away?"

8 He said to them, "Because of your hardness of heart Moses allowed you to divorce your wives, but from the beginning it was not so.

Answer 6

Where did you get such a highly developed sense of right-and-wrong? Are you on some High Court? I' sure you know much more than some silly, backwater hillbilly god ever will.

I bet your god fills you with pride about your outstanding moral code and the two of you joke about this ancient person who merely humbled rulers and kings in ways they couldn't hide from.
The Red Sea parting was so long ago (yawn).

Answer 7

The bible says, "slaves obey your masters." There is no condemnation of the fact that there were slaves. The writer had the perfect opportunity to condemn the practice of slavery but chose not to do so.

Given that it was the hebrews who were delivered from bondage, a god-inspired writer would have certainly known that slavery is wrong. To provide a rule for slaves rather than condemn slavery given the opportunity to do so is nothing short of wickedness. This is absolutely an endorsement of slavery and there is no reconciliation.

Answer 8

I'm not to firm on all parts of the bible, but I do know that God helped Moses by parting the red sea so the Israelites ( who were slaves to the Egyptians) get away.
I think that the bible evolved from the old testament to the new testament and got kinder in the new testament.

Answer 9

Your View Of Slavery is very different from that of the Bible.
For Instance In the days of Moses, the Israelites were in slavery to Egypt. They had voluntarily gone into Egypt during Jacob’s lifetime but were enslaved after Jacob’s son, the prime minister Joseph, had died. So, in effect, they were sold into slavery for nothing. Slaves might be purchased or might be such through birth to slave parents. Slaves could enjoy a very honored position in the patriarchal household, as was the case with Abraham’s servant Eliezer.
Consider also Joseph who Despite his plea for compassion, his Brothers sold him for 20 silver pieces. Eventually the merchants brought Joseph into Egypt and sold him to Potiphar, the chief of Pharaoh’s bodyguard. This purchase by the Egyptian Potiphar was not unusual, ancient papyrus documents indicating that Syrian slaves (Joseph was half Syrian were valued highly in that land) As Joseph had been diligent in furthering his father’s interests, so also as a slave he proved himself to be industrious and trustworthy. Potiphar therefore finally entrusted to him all the household affairs. Joseph thus appears to have been a superintendent, a post mentioned by Egyptian records in association with the large homes of influential Egyptians.
In Israelite society a person who became poor could sell himself or his children into slavery to care for his indebtedness.One guilty of thievery but unable to make compensation was sold for the things he stole, evidently regaining his freedom at the time all claims against him were cared for.
Among the Israelites the status of the Hebrew slave differed from that of a slave who was a foreigner, alien resident, or settler. Whereas the non-Hebrew remained the property of the owner and could be passed on from father to son the Hebrew slave was to be released in the seventh year of his servitude or in the Jubilee year, depending upon which came first. During the time of his servitude the Hebrew slave was to be treated as a hired laborer. (De 15:12) A Hebrew who sold himself into slavery to an alien resident, to a member of an alien resident’s family, or to a settler could be repurchased at any time, either by himself or by one having the right of repurchase.
So all things considered, being a Slave was Not bad.

Answer 10

slavery has existed for such a long amount of time. back in egyptian times even. but in egyptian times the slaves were in fact treated well, i remember reading somewhere that the slaves of royalty were even given the best kind of food or something like that. the slavery that the black people experienced is NOT what the bible intended AT ALL!

Answer 11

What beliefs are these? You mean beliefs about slavery being bad. I remember getting married and taking an oath to 'love honor and obey'-If that's not slavery by assent-what is?