why did god make laws pertaining to slavery instead of condemning the practice?

Question

it just seems weird to me when i hear a christian say that slavery was an immutable part of human nature, so he didn't do anything because they wouldn't listen anyways.
I mean, god demanded death for working on the sabbath and many other things less sinful as taking someone and making them your slave for life.
If god tells you that working on the sabbath deserves death, yet says nothing about slavery being wrong, aren't you going to think that god doesn't condemn it?
As hard as i try, i cannot empathize with any apologetics i have heard on the topic. Are there any arguments i have not heard on this one?

DT2: not only are you wrong about what you say, but you put yourself through hoops, striving for an answer that argues "it all away" well enough so that you can think that what the bible says about slavery is not a difficultly.

Its called an objective mind. look into it.

Answer 1

I love this post because it just points out another flaw in Christianity. It's a hypocracy.

There is no rational answer to your question, but you knew that, didn't you?

Answer 2

Listen buddy, if you are argueing the existance of
God, do so.

If you are debating the comparative Judeo-Christian treatment of slaves, get some historical perspective.

The Jews had many laws regarding the ethical treatment of slaves, including the fact they all were to be freed every 50 years. (Though the usuall term of bondage was ~7 years.)

Early Christians had no political power to change slavery, but Christians masters were advised to treat their servants fairly, and be mindful that God was their Master and would punish abusive behavior.

Christian theology holds all men are equal in the eyes of God, hence the slave is no less a child of God than the master. Which is why historicaly the people opposed to slavery, especally in America, were usually Christians.

Answer 3

In the OT, what was practiced was not "slavery" but rather, overwhelmingly, voluntary "indentured servitude" -- and this was a mechanism that enabled survival for ancient people.
Disciplinary measures on such servants mirrored those used on "free" persons by the state.

Freedom in the ancient Near East was a relative, not an absolute state, as the ambiguity of the term for "slave" in all the region's languages illustrates. "Slave" could be used to refer to a subordinate in the social ladder. Thus the subjects of a king were called his "slaves," even though they were free citizens. The king himself, if a vassal, was the "slave" of his emperor; kings, emperors, and commoners alike were "slaves" of the gods. Even a social inferior, when addressing a social superior, referred to himself out of politeness as "your slave." There were, moreover, a plethora of servile conditions that were not regarded as slavery, such as son, daughter, wife, serf, or human pledge.

These people were domestic slaves living in their owners' homes, not members of slave gangs working on plantations.

In the ANE, although some cultures had pre-built "debt-payoff-periods" (like Israel's 6 years), it was rare because it wasn’t sought after--the issues of economic security and the quasi-family relationships that developed within the household unit created little incentive to become 'independent'.

More usually, individual autonomy has meant exposure to danger and predation; safety lay precisely in the protection afforded by the bondage of dependence on groups and patrons. What was desirable was not freedom but belongingness.

Answer 4

God didn't. Human make laws. The Source is and has given us freedom, we do have to deal with the results though. He gives us guidelines to produces desirable results.

Understand that there are three seperate sets of rules in most religions:
1. Rules purtaining to social organisation
2. Health codes
3. Spiritual development manuals

If you confuse these you are likely to get very mixed up. Only the last set actually has anything to do with the Creator, but the first two are often thought to relate to the Creator as well which is a falsehood.

Answer 5

Moses taught an eye for an eye and tooth for a tooth.
Christ changed it to turn the other cheek.
Mohamed added no alcohol

... all things are "social teachings" and change from time to time to suit the population. The spiritual teaching like to know and love God, those never change.

Don't try to judge "good" and "bad" 6000 years ago by what society today accepts. We humans have been a very capricious bunch.

Answer 6

Slavery at that time is not what you think of today when you think of the American south. A person could sell their self into slavery. Slaves were not treated like they were in the American south.

Answer 7

Sorry, slavery is not against God

Answer 8

Because this is not the real God?

Love and blessings Don

Answer 9

try this. Taken on its own, slavery is not necessarily a good or a bad thing. HOW a slave is treated by the slave owner is the question. In truth all but the very rich are economic slaves. If I don't work I don't eat, pay the mortgage or have food. The Bible is not against slavery in either Testament.
It appears non believers are slaves to sin. Believers are to become slaves of God.
Romans 6
16Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?

17But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you.


John 8
33They answered him, We be Abraham's seed, and were never in bondage to any man: how sayest thou, Ye shall be made free?

34Jesus answered them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin.

35And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever.

In the above the word servant is used but everyone serves some master whether it is his employer or an addiction.

Slavery was not forbidden and the Israelites were in captivity for 440 years in Egypt. So it is part of the warp and weft of human social commerce. Sometimes freed slaves elected to stay with their masters.

Read the book of Titus.




SLAVES OF CHRIST

In the Scriptures those who have been born again are referred to as sons of God, joint-heirs with Christ, and friends of Christ. But to have a right perspective we need also to see that though Jesus treats us as friends, He is much more than a friend. He is our awesome God and Judge. And it behooves us, like Paul, Timothy, Peter, and James, to grasp another aspect of our relationship with Christ---that of being His slaves.

Paul said, "He who was called while free [not a slave], is Christ's slave. You were bought with a price" (1 Cor. 7:22-23).

Paul also said, "Thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin...you became slaves of righteousness...so now present [yourselves] as slaves to righteousness resulting in sanctification...now having been freed from sin and enslaved to God, you derive your benefit, resulting in sanctification, and the outcome, eternal life" (Rom. 6:17-22).

A slave is one who is owned by another. Since the fall of Adam everyone, except Christ, was born a slave of sin. There is no middle ground---either you are a slave of sin or a slave of Christ.

No man is perfect. We all have a sinful nature to contend with, and while it is not the nature of a Christian to sin (he has the ability to not sin), he does not live out his life without sinning, and we can thank our long-suffering God that "if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn. 1:9).

The Scriptures teach that we need to consider ourselves the Lord's slaves. The natural man revolts at the very idea, but so does many a Christian because he cherishes what he thinks is his "freedom in Christ." Little does he know that he is not his own, he was bought with a price, his body and his spirit are God's (1 Cor. 6:19-20).

Adam had more freedom than any other man that has ever lived. He had almost total freedom, with the forbidden tree being the only restriction. Adam was untainted by a sinful nature before the fall. God gave him total freedom to do as he pleased, except one thing: "Of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat." Everything that Adam and Eve did before they sinned was in accordance with God's perfect will.

Jesus did everything in accordance with God the Father's perfect will too, saying and doing only those things that the Father told Him. But unlike Adam, He never sinned. Jesus said, "I do nothing of myself" and, "I have not spoken of myself; but the Father which sent me, He gave me a commandment, what I should say, and what I should speak," and "I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me." It behooves us to heed Jesus' words: "As my Father sent me, even so send I you" (Jn. 8:28; 12:49; 6:38; 20:21).

A slave has no rights, the possessions of which he is a steward are owned by his master, and he does not worry about where his next meal is coming from. All his needs are supplied by his master. And an obedient slave only does the will of his master. The apostle Paul implores us to "present your bodies a living sacrifice." But many Christians today would rather have their "liberty" to do whatever is not explicitly prohibited by Scripture, doing that which is right in their own eyes.

Much misapprehension of the truth that Christians are slaves of Christ could have been avoided if the translators of the King James Version had correctly translated the Greek noun doulos "slave" instead of "servant." The NASB renders doulos "slave" or "slaves" more than ninety times, and "servant" only once. The King James II Version (KJVIIV) renders doulos "slave" in virtually every case.

Paul wrote, "They which live should not...live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them..." (2 Cor. 5:15). And according to the KJIIV, we can see Paul's view in this regard in his greetings to various churches: To the Romans, "Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ" (Rm. 1:1). And to the Philippians, "Paul and Timothy, slaves of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:1). And to Titus, "Paul, a slave and an apostle of Jesus Christ" (Titus 1:1).

Paul and Timothy were not the only ones who saw themselves as slaves of Christ. Again, in the KJIIV, James wrote, "James, a slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" (James 1:1). Also, the apostle Peter wrote, "Simon Peter, a slave of Jesus Christ" (2 Pet. 1:1).

When Jesus said, "Henceforth I call you not servants [slaves]; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you," He was using an analogy, and was not in any way implying that we should not be His servants or slaves (Jn. 15:15). Indeed, we are mutual friends, but the relationship is so much more than that. He is our God whom we worship. The holiest men of God fell to the ground in fear and trembling when they encountered our unveiled, awesome Lord, including the apostle John who had walked with Him for three years (see Revelation 1:17). And when Paul wrote to the Galatians, "Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son," he was speaking of position, and not service (Gal. 4:7).

Some of God's people want the same kind of liberty that Adam had before the fall. But this is impossible until we leave this body and all transgressors are confined to the Lake of Fire, separated from God forever. We will still suffer the consequence of Adam's sin (the sinful nature is still a part of us), and we cannot make right choices independent of God. This means that every person born since the fall must walk by faith, that is, according to the revealed will of God, or else they sin; "Whatsoever is not of faith is sin" (Rm. 14:23). We do not know what is best for us apart from a correct interpretation of Scripture or the guidance of the Holy Spirit of Christ.

Adam even had the freedom to name "every living creature" (Gen. 2:19). Truly, he enjoyed maximum God-given freedom and "dominion over all the earth" (Gen. 1:26). But this was because Adam was perfect, without a sinful nature, and any choice he would make---except one---was right and good.

When Adam sinned he forfeited not only his freedom, but the freedom of every person who has walked on the face of this planet. Everyone throughout history has been enslaved---either to sin or to God. The degree to which you are a disobedient slave to Christ, you are a slave to sin. You have no other option. The only liberty that you have as a Christian is to choose who you will obey---Christ or Satan.

To be dead to self and submitted to Christ in everything is the most freedom that anyone can have. Jesus said, "He that loveth his life shall lose it; and he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal" (Jn. 12:25). And later Paul said, "I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God" (Gal. 2:20).


Ultimately you have not heard anyone say that slavery is not necessarily bad or evil, it is the treatment of slaves which is potentially bad or good and the same applies for the slave. He too ought to treat his master well. Having been a servant to some wealthy people I have no problem with this. As at present I am financially "enslaved" I live with it.

Do you not think perhaps that the American slave industry having been eliminated by British Christians and the Royal Navy, is an indication that we have moved forward. I do not advocate slavery in the sense of commercial sale of human beings which DOES happen today. I merely point out that Christians were responsible for it's cessation in the 19th Century and its elimination from the Western nations.

Do you feel the same about the current abortion debate? The taking of defenseless life seems more critical than the issue of one's employment.