How can a Holy Book not only fail to condemn slavery, but give instructions on how to conduct the slave trade?

Question

HOW CAN WE CONSIDER THIS A "HOLY BOOK"??

Genesis 15:14
But I will punish the nation they serve as slaves, and afterward they will come out with great possessions.
Genesis 15:13-15 (in Context) Genesis 15 (Whole Chapter)
Leviticus 25:44
" 'Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves.
Leviticus 25:43-45 (in Context) Leviticus 25 (Whole Chapter)
Leviticus 25:46
You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly.

Answer 1

This "Holy Book" you speak of is as valid a document, and should be taken as seriously as any other comic book.

Answer 2

I have no idea about which "Holy Book" you refer to, The Bible, the Koran, or what.

It stands to reason that if the Koran is a Holy Book, than the Bible is not, since the two contradict each other.

I believe in the Bible.

The Bible did give some guidelines about slavery: that the slave must enter service willingly, if he owes a debt or in similar circumstances. A slave is to be freed after 7 years service...but may remain another 7 years if he wishes (and his master can not refuse his service). There were also instructions about how these servants were to be treated.

It is obvious that when this was written, slavery was rampant, and nothing in the Bible would end it, but by softening it, and allowing freedom after a specific time period, there was an attempt to lessen the misery caused by treating men as property, to decrease the suffering slavery caused. As a matter of fact, slavery in the Bible could barely be called slavery at all, compared to other forms prevalent at that time and place, and (until recently) even in this place. It is also obvious that the main concern was the protection of the servant.

The Koran, of course, applauds the taking of captives to become slaves. The first American war after the Revolution was against Muslims over this issue.

I hope this helps you understand.

Answer 3

Well, as has been made obvious from the other answers, many people don't consider whichever Holy Book you speak of, 'holy' at all. It would be nice if you'd give us some background as to which book you are discussing, but in a nutshell...

Because this book was written by Men. They may have claimed it to be the Divine Word, but in the end, Mankind wrote the book, and Mankind is flawed. Slavery was common when this book was being written, and to go out with your new holy book and say "slavery is bad" was inviting retribution. At the very least, nobody would listen to you. In order to attract followers, you had to appeal to them. Remember, the Jews were blamed for Jesus' death because it would help convert the Romans to Christianity. Dont blame the book, blame the writers.

Answer 4

Wow...what a variety of answers so far, too bad most of you idiots writing don't even know what your talking about. I say you should know what your talking about or at least have the ethic to shut the hell up.
I'll excuse comments of someone that is ignorant and really wants to know something, but to make claimes that its backwards and wierd...or that muslims are slaves to us..you people need to go back to school. Your critical thinking level is in the toilet.
The Bible talks many times of slaves, but not all slaves are considered equal. It was their culture back then, to sell someone into slavery if there was a debt owed, or if for instance you wanted to pay in labor for your wife, you would enslave yourself to work for the father. Many references are regarding a bond servant. Which means you are willingly a servant or slave.....which ever term you wish to choose, so that you can financially gain ...whether it be property, a wife, money, pay off a debt, etc. And since slavery as you put it in this manner was common place or acceptable at the time, there had to be rules regarding treating the person in servitude well, or at least like a person. Not all did so, but the Bible generally commanded to do so.
Its no wonder why Christianity is waning. Between the empty headed morons that like to judge it, but never read or study it, and the losers that want to act like its just a book, just history, just some scam from the past. Well, all I can say is see you at the pearly gates, ahd i'll have the last laugh.

Answer 5

Read in light of historical context and understand that "revelation," the growth of human understanding, is still going on. Sometimes Holy Books teach through negative lessons as much as through positives.

Do some serious study and learn how and when the Holy Book in question came into being and how it was transmitted through the ages -- via faulty human copiers who sometimes omitted or added things intentionally and unintentionally.

Is it advocating slavery or putting on the available restraints of the time to control the actions of the slavers? The writings may be Holy because they act to check evil acts -- it may be putting in place protections for the salves by limiting what slavers can do to the slaves or making requirements of what they must do for them. For instance, the requirement for a rest on the Sabbath was not only for the ancient Jews, but for their slaves.

Aside from the inherent evil of owning other human beings, we can not look at all instances of slavery through the same historic lens. Before the era of the African slave trade, most slavery came about through conquest in war or to settle debts or other failed financial transactions, and there were established ways to become free.

The Bible used by Jews and Christians advocates what we now would call genocide when one group of people wants land occupied by another group. Over time, we learn to be better people and would certainly use those passages to teach against genocide rather than see them as justification for conquest.

Answer 6

The answer to your second question is found in the answer to the first, which is that the Bible is morally superior to all other books at any given time. God did not implement His ideal society under the Old Testament, as they were hard hearted, and thus God allowed Moses to allow a a broader criteria for divorce with than was originally given (Mk. 10:1-19), but it was superior to the culture that God was separating them from.

Likewise in O.T. slavery, under which they were given more rights and usually to be set free after 7 years, which is not exactly what modern slavery even did. Historical context is important here, as well the types of slavery. Please see the link at the bottom for a better understanding of all this.

Israel soon rebelled against God's good laws, and whatever further progress could have been made was prevented. Later, in the New Testament, in which the Christians had no power to change laws, and opposition would have made it worse for the slaves, slavery as an economic practice was tolerated, but in which it was required of Masters, "give unto your servants that which is just and equal; knowing that ye also have a Master in heaven" (Col. 4:1), and mistreatment was forbidden (Eph. 6:9), and even the escaped slave Onesimus was to be treated as a brother, not a servant, if indeed he should be required back at all (Philemon v. 16).

Moreover, slaves were encouraged to obtain freedom if they lawfully could get it (1Cor. 7:21).

Such things as just and equal pay and brotherly acceptance and the ideal of freedom was superior to contemporary as well as latter day slavery. And it also kept one gainfully employed, which i think is far better than indolence or poverty.

And yet the outworking of the gospel would have it's fuller effect of complete freedom, when after being freed from Roman Catholic bondage, people got back to the Bible and latter realized the Great Awakening in the latter part of the 1800's, which resulted in evangelical Christians being the driving force behind the abolition movement in America, while Christian William Wilberforce labored purposely to outlaw slavery in England.

See here for a fuller examination of this: http://www.christian-thinktank.com/qnoslave.html

But the greater bondage, freedom from which was and is to be the primary concern of a true church, is that of bondage to sin, which ultimately will make one far more miserable than physical slavery. Ultimately, "sin will take you were you did not want to go, keep you longer than you wanted to stay, and cost you more than you wanted to pay."

And everyone serves something or someone. Jesus Christ, who served others selflessly and sinlessly day and night, and then took responsibility for our sins and paid for them with His own precious blood, and who now reigns in Heaven, is the only One that can set us free. And as was told slaves, "if thou mayest be made free, use it rather" (1Cor. 7:21).

Give your sins and life to Him to died for you and rose again, and then follow Him,. Therein is true freedom.

"Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed" (John 8:33-36).

Answer 7

If the "Holy Book" you are referring to is the Christian Bible, I know of no passage that gives instructions on slave trade. Slavery was part of life at that time and references to it in the Bible were only in the context of how to treat them.

If you remember your history, it was primarily Christians in America and England in the 18th Century that fought for and ended slavery in those countries. They would not have fought so hard to end it had the Bible actually endorsed the practice.

Answer 8

It talks about the treatment of slaves, not how to enslave them. It tries to get owners to abstract their position into a code of conduct which is somewhat humane.
Consider that there has always been slavery. As an ancient commander of armies, you could choose to slaughter all of the enemy's civilian population, which was often done, but slavery was chosen in some cases as opposed to genocide.
The most famous Nazi concentration camps from World War Two were 'work camps', not the ones which outright killed every victim within half an hour of arrival (some camps killed ten thousand in one day), but feature the enslaved ones who were permitted to live.
My point is, slavery is still present in our current world, and the Bible is meant for all, even the oppressor - especially the abuser.
I am not a scholar, but I have never read a passage which advocates slavery, simply outlines their treatment.

Answer 9

Holy One in the heaven know the nature of the ones who are created in his image that they like to make others slaves. Since it was not possible to obliterate human minds slate so he gave them clues to be a good and loving masters. But still people beat their servants, bosses cry at the juniors and cut their salaries and sometimes cut their jobs just for their pride to a full collapsing of a poor family, women are kept in brothels in all countries of the world either it London or India, children are made to beg and work, and even if they are not allowed to work they are under hard pennygiving of the relatives. So God gave rules to be a good master. Slavery in the books does not say to make slaves it just protect who are already victims. Like handicapped are not made by good society but there are rules for them, and it does not mean that society says to make handicaps.

Answer 10

What Holy Book are you talking about in the first place? And give the certain passage. That would help us in answering...

EDIT:
If you consider the Bible as the word of God, then the mention of slavery becomes in sweet juxtaposition with the freedom God gives to the Israelites.

Now, if you consider the Bible as just a historical book then it isn't condoning slavery. Rather it is just telling a history.

The Bible isn't really condoning slavery. You have to remember that slavery was a common thing back then and that's why mention of it by the writers was common though seemingly derogatory in nature.

Answer 11

God allowed slavery when the Law of Moses was in effect, but slavery wasen't as bad as it was during the late 1800's. In the Old Testament, slaves had to be kindly treated and set free after 7 years of service.