Slavery In The Bible

This is a good documentary that doesn't have nearly enough views.

The bible is filled with slavery. Even Jesus appears to have supported slavery. This just shows that the moral structure layed out in the bible is a little bit outdated (to put it gently). For those bible-thumpers, slavery is not morally wrong (if it was the bible would have condemned it, not endorsed it). Maybe people should create a new religion, with a new set of morality, for believers to latch their faith onto (perhaps with more unicorns and less rape, murder, and slavery).

When I was a Christian, I would read the bible all the time (wanted to know what I was suppose to believe in). What probably threw my faith off the most was the parts that talked about rape and the brutal murdering of babies (that God apparently endorsed), but also slavery. It was easy for me to see that the bible was not a good book to get morality from. It was primarily reading the bible that killed my faith. This is why I believe that all Christians should read the bible from cover-to-cover. Most Christians that actually read the bible are forced to step back and ask themselves a few big, obvious questions. The bible has probably created more atheists than anything else. As a culture, we have out-grown the bible (and other similar holy-books), and that is the cause behind the rise of atheism (many contradictions).

VenomFangX: Old Testament Slavery, Stoning and Seafood

Probably one of the better arguments from a Christian regarding the Old Testament's disgusting nature. He does however seem to either ignore or not be aware that "the ends justify the means" mentality does not = morality (remember the Nazis?). If this God guy has infinite power, he would not need to do all these goofy things only so his son (which is himself?) to be born; he would have just made it happen without all the nonsense in-between. It is always interesting to see Christians do mental gymnastics to justify the disgusting nature of their holy-book.

I suppose being an atheist is easy. Atheists have no desert writings to rationalize, if we agree with an idea then so be it, if we don't then we don't—no need to distort the truth.

Tom Leykis - Abortion, God & Founding Christian Principles of the USA (Ask The Atheist)

I love this guy, he's so brutally honest. Slavery is a Christian principle, Jesus even endorsed it. Christians love to have their cake and eat it to -- they Romanticise everything. An atheist debating a Christian on religion is always a good subject for comedy.

Did anyone notice the Christian call Tom Leykis a 'master debater'? teehee.

Cynthia Nixon: Gays Don't Want to Redefine Marriage

Same-sex marriage doesn't redefine marriage. It's like the people against it believe that if it passes they wont be able to hold back those inner-gay-demons any longer! If gay people want to get married, it harms no one. The main reason that people are against it in this country is because of their "Christian values". Racist can still hate black people, even though slavery isn't around anymore. So religious-bigots can still hate gay people, even if they can marry. I'm sure they're out there, but I have yet to see an atheist that is against gay marriage.

(Slavery) Only Foreigners: Leviticus 25:42-46

The people of Israel are the LORD's slaves, and he brought them out of Egypt; they must not be sold into slavery. Do not treat them harshly, but obey your God. If you need slaves, you may buy them from the nations around you. You may also buy the children of the foreigners who are living among you. Such children born in your land may become your property, and you may leave them as an inheritance to your children, whom they must serve as long as they live. But you must not treat any Israelites harshly. -Leviticus 25:42-46

(Slavery) Striking a Slave: Exodus 21:20-21

When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be punished. But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be punished; for the slave is his money. -Exodus 21:20-21

(Slavery) Daughter Selling: Exodus 21:7-11 RSV

"When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she shall not go out as the male slaves do. If she does not please her master, who has designated her for himself, then he shall let her be redeemed; he shall have no right to sell her to a foreign people, since he has dealt faithlessly with her. If he designates her for his son, he shall deal with her as with a daughter. If he takes another wife to himself, he shall not diminish her food, her clothing, or her marital rights. And if he does not do these three things for her, she shall go out for nothing, without payment of money. - Exodus 21:7-11 RSV

(Slavery) Jesus Supports: Ephesians 6:5-6

Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling; and do it with a sincere heart, as though you were serving Christ. Do this not only when they are watching you, because you want to gain their approval; but with all your heart do what God wants, as slaves of Christ. -Ephesians 6:5-6

(Slavery) Slave or Die: Deuteronomy 20:10-19

"When you go to attack a city, first give its people a chance to surrender. If they open the gates and surrender, they are all to become your slaves and do forced labor for you. But if the people of that city will not surrender, but choose to fight, surround it with your army. Then, when the LORD your God lets you capture the city, kill every man in it. You may, however, take for yourselves the women, the children, the livestock, and everything else in the city. You may use everything that belongs to your enemies. The LORD has given it to you. That is how you are to deal with those cities that are far away from the land you will settle in. "But when you capture cities in the land that the LORD your God is giving you, kill everyone. Completely destroy all the people: the Hittites, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, as the LORD ordered you to do. Kill them, so that they will not make you sin against the LORD by teaching you to do all the disgusting things that they do in the worship of their gods. "When you are trying to capture a city, do not cut down its fruit trees, even though the siege lasts a long time. Eat the fruit, but do not destroy the trees; the trees are not your enemies. Deuteronomy 20:10-19

Bible on Slavery (Part 2): Ephesians 6:5-6

Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling; and do it with a sincere heart, as though you were serving Christ. Do this not only when they are watching you, because you want to gain their approval; but with all your heart do what God wants, as slaves of Christ. -Ephesians 6:5-6

These verses display how the New Testament teachings are not all what they are cracked up to be. Breaking it down, starting off with the first verse: "Slaves, obey your human masters with fear and trembling; and do it with a sincere heart, as though you were serving Christ". This verse has an interesting message; that message is that Jesus is equated to being a slave master. It instructs people to not only obey their slave masters with "fear and trembling", but to do so while having "a sincere heart". This is the sort of mentality that is found all over the Bible. The idea that fearing something is equal to showing respect and love towards it — in reality it is the opposite. When normal people are fearful of something, they typically grow to dislike it (fear is not meant to be enjoyable). Fear (feels bad) is on the opposing end of the spectrum to love (feels good). Those that think fear brings respect and love, are blissfully ignorant to reality (which is probably why God is portrayed as being a fatherly figure). When a person fears another person, they obviously will be less inclined to be honest with them. This shows which side the writers were on, writing scripture to keep slaves in-line; if they could not instill enough fear to make them obey, certainly the idea of a god would be scary enough.

On to the next verse: "Do this not only when they are watching you, because you want to gain their approval; but with all your heart do what God wants, as slaves of Christ". This verse attempts to draw parallels between slave masters and Christ — entitled to similar love and respect. They want slaves to not only behave, but to love their slave masters, just like they love Christ — naturally the writers would view themselves as godlike — which is not the least bit arrogant (sarcasm). This verse also describes slavery as beings a thing which "God wants". If only we had obeyed what God wanted, slavery would still exist in the United States — how nice would that be?