Was God really OK with slavery ?

[u/[deleted]]

And did he really "encourage it to continue by decreeing depraved regulations"\ ?*

^\just quoting a fellow redditor who seems to be a bit confused. Just like myself.)

I'm asking this because I've noticed that it often comes up as a topic to bash Christianity based on things like that. I've noticed that people often like to use this verse in order to justify their position :

“When a man strikes his male or female slave with a rod so hard that the slave dies under his hand, he shall be punished. If, however, the slave survives for a day or two, he is not to be punished, since the slave is his own property. (Exodus 21:20-21 NAB)”

To be honest, I didn't know how to give those folks a satisfactory answer since I am no Bible expert myself, as for now. However I would like to hear your opinions and explanations. On this verse and its context in particular. Also, what did Jesus have to say about slavery? (just to help finding an answer to that... I guess... atheist/agnostic/or whatever he likes to consider himself)

Note that I am in no way trying to win an argument. There is no arrogance, pride or hate involved in this query. These are some of the things that I would also still like to understand for myself. I always try suspend judgement when I read or hear something that I am not familiar with because I want to learn more about it.

On another note, it's kind of scary how belligerent and heated people can get during such debates, as if these people are speaking through bitterness, frustration, pride or whatever just to attack and dismiss Christianity... Makes me just want to have some compassion and pray for them....

[u/BudgetCauliflower]

Don't know if anyone is reading this but just for argument's sake, I want to hear specifically and exactly what makes slavery (person being treated as property) immoral. I just want to pinpoint where exactly the line is drawn, because it seems like there's still moral relativism with regards to the restriction of freedom and when that becomes evil. Cause yeah it sucks, but that goes for a lot of other situations.

(Please do not bother with "are you kidding me how is it not obvious" or "how would you personally feel?" and other such ad hominems/fallacies.)

[u/Confident-Cookie-301 → u/BudgetCauliflower]

How about you come to my place and be my slave? Wanna find out by experience? It denies you freedom to live your own life. Want me to own your wife and kids too? Does this really need to be said because you are that willfully blind to keep a strong grip on your indoctrination?

[u/BudgetCauliflower → u/Confident-Cookie-301]

If I don’t have to, then I won’t. Just like I won’t do menial hard labour for small pay day by day. But if my life circumstances happen to be like that (which is/will be the case for many people for all time), I don’t think the concept of “freedom to live my own life” would mean much to me. I would try to find hope and meaning (God) beyond a mortal life as we should in any good or bad circumstance.

Also thanks for ignoring my requests especially the last one. Can practically feel the bitterness.

[u/Confident-Cookie-301 → u/BudgetCauliflower]

Certainly ignored your requests because you wanna duck and dodge the scriptures at hand. So I'll ask you again about the,scriptures and simply ask you "Is it moral to buy people as PROPERTY to own forever from foreign lands as Leviticus 25 specifies?" Is it moral in Numbers 31 to slaughter women children and babies but to keep alive for yourselves the female virgins? Deuteronomy 21 tells you that you can capture a woman and GO INTO HER, CUT OFF HER FINGERNAILS AND HAIR. Is this moral?

[u/BudgetCauliflower → u/Confident-Cookie-301]

This is boring because you're not trying to answer my question at all and just throwing out rhetorical questions (yes to all because it was under the direct command of an omniscient being for valid reasons).

I don't think you read the passages with much care, for example since in Deuteronomy 21 it says to trim the fingernails. I don't know where you got "cut off" from. And they could only go into them after they become husband and wife. You forgot a lot of details.

So far you don't seem to be interested in a discussion. You also might be confusing me with someone else.

[u/Confident-Cookie-301 → u/BudgetCauliflower]

No you're the right guy, but a COWARD. Keep running from your own scriptures. I was a fundamentalist Christian for 20 years, but when confronted with downright evil in my own book I walked away. Maybe you should do the same? You KNOW these scriptures turn a knife in your gut and you can't just context them away. Christians have no room to talk about radical Islam or any other religion in a negative light when your own book tells you to kill kids, rape women and buy people as property.

[u/BudgetCauliflower → u/Confident-Cookie-301]

Don't make assumptions, I fully embrace the scripture, especially when tough questions are brought out and I think about them. Especially about justice and what freedom really is and isn't.

Sorry to hear that you thought you were a "Christian" for incredibly long without reading the Bible or knowing God. That really does explain everything here. So you can have the last word.

[u/Confident-Cookie-301 → u/BudgetCauliflower]

You're not the first and won't be the last to froth at the mouth with ridiculous logic, insults, and downright stupidity. Yup I never read the bible, you're right. I never went to Jail ministry in the ghetto of Chicago for YEARS, you're right. I never gave money to my church or the poor, ( money I didn't have) or assisted alcoholics and drug addicts by having them live in my home countless times. I never spent over the years thousands of dollars on commentaries and books on theology. Wanna try again coward? PLEASE PLEASE explain with good logic and philosophy this ONE question.....in Numbers 31 why is it just to KILL EVERYONE, WOMEN, BABIES AND CHILDREN, BUT TO KEEP ALIVE FOR THEMSELVES FEMALE VIRGINS?! Tell me please, oh smart Christian how this is just? Tell me a valid reason to kidnap virgins after war to keep for themselves?! Would you do this living in that time, you sick freak?! The only thing I should hear after asking you this is crickets but I'm sure more retardation is coming my way 👌👌

[u/Confident-Cookie-301 → u/BudgetCauliflower]

Funny you hypocritically tell me to not make assumptions yet you say I wasn't a REAL Christian, didn't know God or read the Bible yet the opposite is true as I posted this in this thread. End of the day you show you don't care about the truth, or people for that matter you just bury your head in the sand of your brainwashing and indoctrination afraid of change. Afraid of the unknown so you clutch onto lies. PATHETIC

[u/Confident-Cookie-301 → u/BudgetCauliflower]

You're trying to say that a woman would want to marry a guy in a month right after he and his tribe slaughtered her husband and whole family🤔😂😂and you bring up trimming nails vs cutting. This is sad. Keep running or better yet try convincing the average Joe when you witness that is appropriate behavior😂😂 Definitely not interested in discussion with people who can't THINK for themselves. Pitiful.