Can you show me a single Bible verse that condemns the practice of slavery?

Question

Can you show me a single Bible verse that condemns the practice of slavery? If you were God, would you have written the Bible to include a commandment against slavery? If not, why not? Do you believe that slavery is an acceptable institution? Your God obviously does. He wrote an entire book of picky little rules (including a prohibition against boiling a goat in its mother's milk - Exodus 23:19), but never condemned slavery!

In fact, in Exodus 21:7ff, God gives instructions on how a father can sell his own daughter into slavery. If I followed this Biblical teaching, would you want to be friends with me? Would you let your children come over to my house to play with my children (the remaining children that I hadn't sold into slavery)?

The best-selling book in history ... authored by the creator of the universe ... and it never condemns pedophilia, child abuse, animal abuse, or domestic violence. In fact, Biblegod endorses the beating of children (Proverbs 22:15).

Here is God's opportunity to give us a definitive moral guide for living, to tell us not to beat up children, to tell us that men and women should have equal rights ... but he says the exact opposite. Women are second-class citizens in God's eyes. Isn't the Bible out of step with (a) modern times and (b) common-sense morality ... you know, the kind that comes instinctively to a five-year-old?

And while the Infinite All-Knowing Mind of God was dispensing wisdom ... couldn't he have told those guys back in 950 BCE some really useful stuff? Like what causes tooth decay? How about the germ theory of disease? Maybe a warning about cholesterol? Some rudimentary instructions on the manufacture of penicillin? Couldn't he have told them that the earth revolves around the sun ... that it's not flat? Maybe some clear guidance about abortion ... when (if ever) is it okay? When is it NOT okay? What's the age of consent for sexual activity? What are the exceptions to the hears

What are the exceptions to the hearsay rule?

And are you aware that not only does the Bible NOT condemn slavery, it specifically allows it — even giving rules on how to buy slaves, and how they should be treated? See Leviticus 25:44, Exodus 21:2, and Ephesians 6:5. Would you vote for a President who stated publicly that he agrees with this clear, unequivocal doctrine of the Bible (i.e., the acceptability of slavery)?

Answer 1

Exd 3:7 ¶ And the LORD said, I have surely seen the affliction of my people which [are] in Egypt, and have heard their cry by reason of their taskmasters; for I know their sorrows;


Exd 3:8 And I am come down to deliver them out of the hand of the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land unto a good land and a large, unto a land flowing with milk and honey; unto the place of the Canaanites, and the Hittites, and the Amorites, and the Perizzites, and the Hivites, and the Jebusites.


Exd 3:9 Now therefore, behold, the cry of the children of Israel is come unto me: and I have also seen the oppression wherewith the Egyptians oppress them.


Exd 3:10 Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt.




Exd 6:5 And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant.


Exd 6:6 Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I [am] the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments:


Exd 6:7 And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I [am] the LORD your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians.


Exd 8:1 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may serve me.


Exd 8:2 And if thou refuse to let [them] go, behold, I will smite all thy borders with frogs:


Exd 8:3 And the river shall bring forth frogs abundantly, which shall go up and come into thine house, and into thy bedchamber, and upon thy bed, and into the house of thy servants, and upon thy people, and into thine ovens, and into thy kneadingtroughs:


Exd 8:4 And the frogs shall come up both on thee, and upon thy people, and upon all thy servants.


Exd 8:5 ¶ And the LORD spake unto Moses, Say unto Aaron, Stretch forth thine hand with thy rod over the streams, over the rivers, and over the ponds, and cause frogs to come up upon the land of Egypt.

Answer 2

This was an awfully long rant, and you barely said anything at all. So your point is, you think the Bible is evil, because it gives rights to slaves, which they would not have had at that time otherwise?

There are all kinds of restrictions against slavery. For example, kidnapping someone to sell him into slavery is punishable by death. In Philemon, the person Paul is writing to is urged to "do the right thing" in regards to their slave. What would the "right thing" be? He says to accept the slave as a "brother." It's pretty obvious where the Bible stands on slavery: AGAINST IT.

And by the way, in the Old Testament, families sold themselves and their family members into slavery to pay off debts, but they were released after six years. It wasn't permanent slavery. This is apparent from the passage in which it talks about freeing your slaves, unless they WANTED to stay with you.

As for the rest, the Bible does say not to harm children ("suffer the little children" ring a bell?), and to not abuse animals. Also, the Bible condemns domestic violence where it says that a man who loves his wife loves himself. If a man mistreats his wife, he doesn't love himself. There are very clear laws for how a marriage is supposed to be.

The Bible is not a science book, so it would not have explained scientific facts. However, it does not say that the earth is flat or that the sun revolves around the earth. MOST people have known for thousands of years that the earth is shaped like a sphere. Only the most uneducated believed that the earth was flat. It is and always has been up to US to discover scientific facts. This is why God gave us intelligence.

All your questions can be answered if you'd just open up the Bible and READ. And don't read the "Skeptics Annotated Bible" if you can think for yourself, which I'm sure you can.

Do you want answers? Or are you just asking the questions for a pat on the back from others who agree with you? If it's the latter, no one can help you. If it's the former, ASK GOD. I used to ask the same questions you ask now. If you talked to my friends who knew me when I wasn't a Christian, they'd tell you. And I really wanted answers. Guess what. I got them. So can you.

Answer 3

You need to ask these questions one at a time! None of the 10 Commandments addresses the issue of slavery, but that doesn't mean that slavery is OK. Why did God help Moses lead the slaves out of Egypt if everything was fine there? The Bible teaches love and respect for others. I would think that condemns slavery right there! The Old Testament verses that you mentioned were things that were common in those days. We live in a different world and that is, in MY opinion, because we are heading straight back to the days of Sodom and Gomorrah which God TOTALLY condemned! So many of the things that you have mentioned seem to come from your own personal interpretation. They are just too hard to address in a few minutes in a forum like this!

Edit: Proverbs 22:15
"Folly is bound up in the heart of a child,
but the rod of discipline will drive it far from him." does NOT mean BEAT YOUR CHILD or break his spirit!!!! It simply is telling us that children need discipline to learn how to behave in the right way.

Answer 4

My friend, you have a big question. In short, yes the Bible does condemn wrong treatment of people. The verse against slavery is:

1 Timothy 1:9We also know that law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious; for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 10for adulterers and perverts, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine 11that conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

Of course the Bible is clear on may things but unclear on many also. But in my understanding of the Bible, it holds a stand against child abuse, discrimination of women, animal abuse and many other things.

The most important answer to your question however is that if you read the Bible as a rule book you will be constantly frustrated at both it's inability to conform to what you think is right, as well as your inability to follow the parts of it that you think are right. Instead the Bible should be read at the communication of a friend to you in a non-preachy relational way. If you are able to do this you will feel less angry and much more fulfilled in my small opinion.

Answer 5

If you are asking for a quote from the "Old Testament", I don't think there is one.

There are plenty of possibilities from the "New Testament", which was what made the early followers of the Christ so heretical to the established religion - "Oh you have got to be kidding! IT says RIGHT HERE in the Word of God how He wants things done! (aka the Bible says it, I believe it, that settles it) How dare you suggest turning the other cheek when the Torah says an eye for an eye?"

And now, 2000 years later, anyone trying to help others to break free from outdated modes of thinking is treated the same way - as a heretic sure to suffer the flames of Hell. Same story, different Book.

Answer 6

@ Pooble You should try getting beyond a superficial knowledge of God's Word by keeping scripture within context. The Lord uses a parable to demonstrate how a master would deal with a lazy or dis obedient servant. Slavery was very relevant in those days and it wasn't a moral hazard. I wonder how all these people who cry foul never themselves experienced those hardships but cry loudly about how they were part of the law back then. The bible is very relevant in telling those who still had slaves how to treat them. but it does not advocate slavery. Private prisons in America very much take advantage of immigrants, especially in Arizona, by practicing modern day slavery. Slavery wasn't exclusive to people of color either so get it right God haters.

Answer 7

Slavery as a rule is unavoidable to everything that is not God. Also, those laws were given to the chosen people of God with the authority of God, not some barbarians.

As for the Ephesians bit, Paul is saying that they are in fact servants of Christ not man, and truly serve Christ by serving others: "Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;" (Eph 6:6)

Answer 8

If all you get from the Bible is something to quote, then Satan can quote the Bible perfectly.

I don't think I have to defend Christianity to you and your ilk. Fundamentalist Christians were the first ones to say slavery was wrong. Fundamentalist Christians were the first to say child labor is wrong. Fundamentalist Christians were the ONLY people to say that children should be universally educated and it was Fundamentalist Christians who started schools any child could go to regardless or race or creed.

Fundamentalist Christians, not atheists, said that mankind was endowed with inalienable rights and these rights were self-evident. No atheist could have possibly come up with the concept of human rights because in order to have inalienable rights they have to be endowed by God.

Fundamentalist Christians have fed more people, given starving people food to eat, given homeless people in third world countries shelter, given people in third world countries clean water to drink whereas Atheists haven't done one-one thousenth for the poor that Christians have. Atheists pay themselves fat salaries and hold symposiums about the poor, Fundamentalists Christians load trucks and feed the poor.

No, I don't feel I have to defend Christianity to self-righteous judgemental little twerps like you who speak about doing good but somehow never get around to doing it.

Answer 9

the bible doesn't condemn many things but the commandments cover all things. and by reading the commandments you would see that slavery is not of God.

Answer 10

The golden rule is against slavery and is from the Bible. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Answer 11

OMG!!!!!
God didn't approve of electronic communications!
We're all going to
HELL!!!!!!!

Wow, dude, you've really spent a lot of time researching how bad God is.
Now, what are we celebrating on the 22nd of this month?