What sort of God believes slavery is right?

Question

HOW CAN SLAVERY BE RIGHT??

You know I was brought up to think God was brilliant and loved us no matter what.

Now I am 14 and I hear more & more things about Him that frighten me and I heard he believed Slavery was right and that homosexuality is wrong.

What sort of God is he then? Sorry for being rude?

Answer 1

God does not believe that slavery is right. But He took a while to let us know about His Will in this area. Maybe we were not yet ready to take this step.

The Bible does not condemn slavery. Colossians 3:22 even states, "Slaves, obey your human masters in everything."

This was much debated before and during the U.S. Civil War (1861-1865), four hundred years after the Catholic Church became one of the first groups to condemn slavery.

The condemnation of slavery is one of those nonbiblical doctrines that Catholics have developed through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit over the centuries.

+ In 1462, Pius II declared slavery to be "a great crime" (magnum scelus). Note that this was 30 years before Columbus "discovered" America.

+ In 1537, Paul III forbade the enslavement of the Indians

+ Urban VIII forbade it in 1639

+ Benedict XIV forbade it in 1741

+ Pius VII demanded of the Congress of Vienna, in 1815, the suppression of the slave trade

+ Gregory XVI condemned it in 1839

+ In the Bull of Canonization of the Jesuit Peter Claver, one of the most illustrious adversaries of slavery, Pius IX branded the "supreme villainy" (summum nefas) of the slave traders.

+ Leo XIII, in 1888, addressed a letter to the Brazilian bishops, exhorting them to banish from their country the remnants of slavery -- a letter to which the bishops responded with their most energetic efforts, and some generous slave-owners by freeing their slaves in a body, as in the first ages of the Church.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/14036a.htm

With love in Christ.

Answer 2

He dosnt agree with slavery....
The passages in the Bible dealing with slavery had a bit of a different meaning. He was referring mostly to endentured servents rather than slaves. Endentured servants are ppl like Jacob, who offered to work for a person in order to repay a debt. God never said slavery was ok.
Although back then real slavery was bound to happen. Many of the rules that are in the Old Testament were not given by God, but were written by the Iraelites themselves.
And also, the Old Trestament is much more a Hebrew history book than anything else. Most of the incidents in the OT are not recorded bc God thought it was right, but simply because it happened.
And besides, why are going off what you have heard? Do some research yourself. You will hear alot of bogus and you need to research claims to see if they are correct.

Answer 3

Here are some questions you need to ask:

Is the bible the total sum of God? Or is God bigger than the bible?

Do you really think the bible gives the only correct and accurate portrait of God?

Who wrote, edited, translated the bible?

What was the historical context, culture of the people who wrote, translated and edited the bible?

What do other religions/philosophies have to offer you in terms of a more well rounded perspective on who God is?

Don't look at your increasing questions and doubts as obsticles but OPPORTUNITIES to have a wonderful spiritual adventure. You are one of the lucky few who will question and learn and grow instead of just following blindly.

That is a good thing!

Best of luck to you sweetie.

Answer 4

In the context in which slavery was addressed, the slave-owners were instructed to be kind to their slaves and treat them well. Being in a time when slavery was the norm, the Bible addressed the issue of slavery in the context of the times. Now, had this been in the 1900s, I'm sure their would have been another approach.

As for homosexuality: Of course its wrong. It's disgusting, degenerate, and against nature. If you think homosexuality right, you need to get help.

He dosnt agree with slavery....
The passages in the Bible dealing with slavery had a bit of a different meaning. He was referring mostly to endentured servents rather than slaves. Endentured servants are ppl like Jacob, who offered to work for a person in order to repay a debt. God never said slavery was ok.
And besides, why are going off what you have heard? Do some research yourself. You will hear alot of bogus and you need to research claims to see if they are correct.
______________________________________--


Those two above have done some research, but in addition, our concept of slavery is similar to that of what americans did in the early days, not the same as the bible.
In fact, if you read examples of slaves in the bible you will notice that our concept differs GREATLY.

1.
HAGAR was abused slave and she ran away-----ITS THAT EASY.

When americans took slaves, they chained them and the slaves had no way to run. NOT THE SAME AS THE BIBLE.

2.
As for people who are enslaved against their will.
Read the story of Joseph the dream interpreter, as you can see, the bible displays that kind of slavery as something to be frowned upon, not something God endorses.


As for the guy who quoted those bible verses.
Read all the chapters for yourself rather than his mis quoted stuff.


Leviticus 20:13
In context. Given to the jewish people who MADE AN AGREEMENT WITH GOD.
Why would you break a law knowing the consequences in the first place?
If they wanted, they could have went to another country.

DID YOU KNOW?
When America sent soldiers in saudi arabia, they had to be careful not to get the muslims mad?
What?
Well, the american women soldiers would have been pissing off the arabs if they showed off their sleeveless arms.
Would you go to saudi arabia wearing bikinis knowing its frowned upon? and probably cause an uproar?
The same with a fully hebrew society.
If you don't agre with their laws, LEAVE
The same for those who whine and complain about the hebrew laws, who said you had to stay there?

Romans 1:24-32
Is talking about spiritual death.

Leviticus 25:44-46
This one is really not what most people think.
Americans themselves do this. They have different laws for different people.
This includes simple things to great things.
For example, we have laws for minimum wage.
But companies can buy from other countries who pay laborers below minimum wage.
But americans are not to be treated that way.
Starting to sound similar now?
The problem with americans today is that they are soo deluded in their ethnocentric society and they try to apply their culture to a nation 2000 years old,
in addition the hebrews didnt demand the foreigners to do exactly everything they do to be saved.. So yes, you don't have to be doing the jewish rituals to be a Christian.
Frankly I don't even know why people bother nitpicking at the OT when they cant even obey the NT.
No really, do you tithe 10% of your income? Not even to a church, just give your money to an african charity.
Well you don't even do that do you?? See, people love to dodge the new testament by running to the old testament.
They make an arguement about laws they don't want to obey in the Old testament ( EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NOT THE ONES COMMANDED TO DO THESE LAWS)
They argue that they dont want to obey it so that they can justify not obeying anything in the bible at all.
Including helping the needy,
tithing,
loving your neighbor,
outting others before yourself.

Simply put. They do that to appease their guilt over their greed.
No really, start with your money.
Give it to charity.. Not just one time. EVERY SINGLE PAYCHECK YOU GET.
Start with 10% and step up and up and up.
well, people say you don't need God to be a good person.
NOW IS THE TIME TO PROVE IT.
Put your money where your mouth is.



Kathy F explained this one
Exodus 21:7-11

Answer 5

If you have credit card debts you are enslaved to the lender until the debt is paid in full. That is slavery.

Slavery in the Bible was the same. If you owed someone a debt you worked for them and paid it off. However, after 7 years the debt was forgiven.

God didn't want slavery. He told us to owe no man anything. Remember that when you get your first credit card.

God calls homosexuality a sin, just like God calls fornication and having sex before marriage a sin. We've all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God and that is why God sent Jesus. God knew we couldn't keep His commandments and laws so He sent Jesus to redeem us and gave us the Holy Spirit to help us.

God loves us more than even our parents. God is awesome, brilliant beyond belief and for those who love Him, He promises that He will never leave us or forsake us. And with God all things are possible for us. I'm 62 years old and God has never left me or forsaken me. He has been with me through death of loved ones and bad health. He restored my health and the health of my daughter. I am very thankful to the Lord.

The world is full of the spirit of the antichrist. Be very careful of who you believe.

Answer 6

In the context in which slavery was addressed, the slave-owners were instructed to be kind to their slaves and treat them well. Being in a time when slavery was the norm, the Bible addressed the issue of slavery in the context of the times. Now, had this been in the 1900s, I'm sure their would have been another approach.

As for homosexuality: Of course its wrong. It's disgusting, degenerate, and against nature. If you think homosexuality right, you need to get help.

Answer 7

From my understanding of the Bible, I don't see God promoting slavery as right. I DO see Him, through the apostle Paul, telling slaves to be GOOD slaves...

I'm going to be dangerous here and attempt to put a difficult idea into words, and please read it all before you erupt in flaming fury:

How wrong is the concept of slavery? Certainly we live in a post-slavery country, and I am TOTALLY IN FAVOR of NEVER ever ever returning to a time when anyone, for whatever reason, is bound as a slave to another person.

But in the history of the world, many many cultures have (and some still do) incorporated slavery into the fabric of their existence. Rome, Greece, and just about any nation that ever had an "empire". We live in a time where we recoil at the thought, most likely because our own history of slavery was based on an immoral racist regard for people based on their skin tone, slave owners were often cruel, and we acquired slaves basically through kidnapping.

But remember that cultures throughout history have had slaves. It was simply a way of life for them. In many cultures, even the slaves understood it as their lot in life.

I repeat, I am NOT advocating a return to slavery for ANYone. I'm simply commenting on historical fact.

So in the Bible, God does not applaud slavery -- But He does tell slaves to be good and dedicated ones, working as if for God himself. (Ephesians 6, I believe.)

Answer 8

THE BIBLE'S VIEWPOINT
Did God Condone the Slave Trade?
http://watchtower.org/e/20010908a/article_01.htm
(Read this article)

The Bible’s Viewpoint
Does God Approve of Same-Sex Marriage?
http://watchtower.org/e/20050408a/article_01.htm
(Read this Article)

We Need to Know Who God Is
http://watchtower.org/e/20020515/article_01.htm
(Read this Article)

Does God Really Exist?
What Is God's Purpose?
http://watchtower.org/e/19990208/article_02.htm
(Read this Article)

God Cares How You Can Be Sure
God Really Cares About You
http://watchtower.org/e/20040701/article_02.htm
(Read this Article)

Hope this helps

Answer 9

Check:

http://www.answering-christianity.com/equality.htm

Answer 10

Humans have twisted certain parts of "Religion" to fit what they need it to fit.

God is Love.
Anything that does not fit that desciption is not God.