"Slavery" in the Bible

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"Slavery" in the Bible

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Post by POI »

Allow us readers to be very careful. We must make sure we identify the proper context here, to assure against hasty and/or self-serving conclusions.

Exodus 21:2-3:

"2 “If you buy a Hebrew servant, he is to serve you for six years. But in the seventh year, he shall go free, without paying anything. 3 If he comes alone, he is to go free alone; but if he has a wife when he comes, she is to go with him." <-- Okay, this seems clear enough, if you are a purchased Hebrew, with a wife, you are both to go free in year 7. :ok:

Exodus 21:4:

"4 If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the woman and her children shall belong to her master, and only the man shall go free." <-- Here is where things start to look sketchy for the modern-day believer. If the slave is provided with a wife, and they have kids, the wife and kids are to stay with the slave master. They are not to go free.

Exodus 21:5-6:

"5 “But if the servant declares, ‘I love my master and my wife and children and do not want to go free,’ 6 then his master must take him before the judges.[a] He shall take him to the door or the doorpost and pierce his ear with an awl. Then he will be his servant for life." <-- More uncomfortability for the Christian here. Without getting into the weeds, common sense suggests a special rule is made to trick the male Hebrew into remaining a slave for life.

Leviticus 25:44-46:

"44 “‘Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. 45 You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. 46 You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly." <-- More awkwardness for the believer, as the Bible reader clammers to find a rationale to make this passage not read the way it does.

Here is a basic definition of chattel slavery --> "Chattel slavery is full slavery in its traditional form whereby slaves are the complete property of their master, can be bought and sold by him and treated in any way that he wishes, which may include torture and other brutality, excessively bad working conditions, and sexual exploitation"

Looks like all the ingredients fit the given Bible description here, minus the torture. Wait a minute, this is covered in the rest of Exodus 21. (i.e.):

"20 “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, 21 but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property." <-- So basically, since the slave is your property, beatings with impunity are acceptable. Just don't kill them.

For debate:

By applying common sense, does/did the Bible ever, and/or currently still sanction chattel slavery?

Again, by using common sense, can a believer effectively use the Bible in support of breeding chattel slaves?

************************

Before you answer, consider this.... Since the NT does not mention the abolition of 'slavery', and yet the Bible makes further proclamation(s) and/or addendums (in favor of retaining 'slavery',) this means the Bible is not against chattel slavery either. Further, the Christian may want to introduce the importance of the 'golden rule'. However, the specifics outweigh the generals. The specifics of the rules for engagement of slavery are outside the 'golden rule'. Otherwise, the Bible would be a one-pager. 'Slavery' is an expressed exception to the general rule. Thus, anytime a specific scenario is not invoked, yes, 'golden rule.'
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Re: "Slavery" in the Bible

Post #371

Post by marke »

POI wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2025 2:23 pm
marke wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2025 1:48 am Christians are taught to trust God whether in slavery themselves or not. That does not mean that God want Christians to support the wicked trafficking in human slaves.
As I stated prior, which you ignored, Jesus has no problem telling folks what he likes and does not like. Slavery is a large topic, and Jesus lets the current rules stand. He merely tells slaves to try harder and not run. It's likely the passages written were endorsed and/or written by slave owners to assure the slaves remain in line.

You also skipped the verse which states this:

"2 Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers."

The verse above says nothing about instructing the believing slave masters that they are acting in sin.

It is clear the Bible endorses chattel slavery and slave breeding. And nothing in the NT rebukes or denounces the prior instruction alowed.
If slavery was an alternative to debt prison and if poor people willingly sold themselves into slavery to stay alive then I believe that may have been an acceptible form of slavery.

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Re: "Slavery" in the Bible

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Post by 1213 »

POI wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2025 2:38 pm ... And whipping them on the back, at will, rendered NO punishment, as long as they did not die....
Have you ever wondered why is there no specific rule against whipping anyone in the Bible? When you ignore the love your neighbor part, you could as well whip any person, not just slaves.

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Re: "Slavery" in the Bible

Post #373

Post by 1213 »

marke wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2025 7:31 am God's rules dealing with slaves in the OT do not pertain to American Christians today.

Romans 3:19
Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.

Romans 6:14
For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.
I think all the rules are still valid, also for Christians. But, Christians are not under the law, which means, law is not to rule, but to guide. It shows how to live in a good way and it should not be held because one must do so, but because one understands it is good and freely wants to do so.

This doesn't mean that i think people should own slaves. It means people should love others as themselves.

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Re: "Slavery" in the Bible

Post #374

Post by POI »

marke wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2025 8:47 pm If slavery was an alternative to debt prison and if poor people willingly sold themselves into slavery to stay alive then I believe that may have been an acceptible form of slavery.
This still excludes a large populous of people for which the Bible also endorses enslavement for. Slave breeding, and women/children do not apply. Further, the Israelite males were allowed to leave at year 7, while most others were not.
Last edited by POI on Mon Jan 13, 2025 1:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: "Slavery" in the Bible

Post #375

Post by POI »

1213 wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2025 1:18 am
POI wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2025 2:38 pm ... And whipping them on the back, at will, rendered NO punishment, as long as they did not die....
Have you ever wondered why is there no specific rule against whipping anyone in the Bible? When you ignore the love your neighbor part, you could as well whip any person, not just slaves.
In regard to the care of slaves, masters are instructed not to be punished as long as their slaves do not lose teeth or eyes. That's it. I think whipping was the safest and most effective way to keep slaves productive, since this was the slave master's workforce for free and/or cheap labor.
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Re: "Slavery" in the Bible

Post #376

Post by marke »

POI wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2025 1:27 am
marke wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2025 8:47 pm If slavery was an alternative to debt prison and if poor people willingly sold themselves into slavery to stay alive then I believe that may have been an acceptible form of slavery.
This still excludes a large populous of people for which the Bible also endorses enslavement for. Slave breeding, and women/children do not apply. Further, the Israelite males were allowed to leave at year 7, while most others were not.
Ancient peoples like the theocratic nation of Israel were not the only people to traffick in slaves. Slavery was widespread in ancient times and is still practiced in slave nations like N. Korea and China, among many others. Modern Christians do not practice slavery as the enemies of God falsely claim.

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Re: "Slavery" in the Bible

Post #377

Post by POI »

marke wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2025 2:09 am
POI wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2025 1:27 am
marke wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2025 8:47 pm If slavery was an alternative to debt prison and if poor people willingly sold themselves into slavery to stay alive then I believe that may have been an acceptible form of slavery.
This still excludes a large populous of people for which the Bible also endorses enslavement for. Slave breeding, and women/children do not apply. Further, the Israelite males were allowed to leave at year 7, while most others were not.
Ancient peoples like the theocratic nation of Israel were not the only people to traffick in slaves. Slavery was widespread in ancient times and is still practiced in slave nations like N. Korea and China, among many others. Modern Christians do not practice slavery as the enemies of God falsely claim.
What does any of this have to do with what we are talking about? We are speaking about the Bible. And the BIBLE endorses both a) lifetime chattel slavery and b) slave breeding. Why follow a book in which endorses topics in which you likely do not agree with?
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Re: "Slavery" in the Bible

Post #378

Post by marke »

POI wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2025 3:30 am
marke wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2025 2:09 am
POI wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2025 1:27 am
marke wrote: Sun Jan 12, 2025 8:47 pm If slavery was an alternative to debt prison and if poor people willingly sold themselves into slavery to stay alive then I believe that may have been an acceptible form of slavery.
This still excludes a large populous of people for which the Bible also endorses enslavement for. Slave breeding, and women/children do not apply. Further, the Israelite males were allowed to leave at year 7, while most others were not.
Ancient peoples like the theocratic nation of Israel were not the only people to traffick in slaves. Slavery was widespread in ancient times and is still practiced in slave nations like N. Korea and China, among many others. Modern Christians do not practice slavery as the enemies of God falsely claim.
What does any of this have to do with what we are talking about? We are speaking about the Bible. And the BIBLE endorses both a) lifetime chattel slavery and b) slave breeding. Why follow a book in which endorses topics in which you likely do not agree with?
God did not instruct ancient people to buy or sell slaves as a matter of wealth generation and God does not instruct modern Christians to traffick in slaves for pleasure or profit.

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Re: "Slavery" in the Bible

Post #379

Post by POI »

marke wrote: Mon Jan 13, 2025 5:00 am God did not instruct ancient people to buy or sell slaves as a matter of wealth generation and God does not instruct modern Christians to traffick in slaves for pleasure or profit.
The Bible endorses/condones what I have demonstrated the Bible to endorse/condone, which I've listed in the OP. Which is a) lifetime chattel slavery and b) slave breeding. Assuming you are not down with such practices as well, then why do you follow a book which does not align with your own personal moral compass?
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Re: "Slavery" in the Bible

Post #380

Post by servant1 »

[Replying to POI in post #370]


Love=1+1=2 one with Love would never enslave a human family member.( forced slavery) No need to say anything.
Indentured slaves sold themselves as workers basically, until the wages were paid off, thus not slaves as forced slavery is.
The bible as well says if one is a slave, do their best, not for the slave master perse, but to bring honor to Gods name, and the slave master would have no need to whip or punish that one making the situation even worse on the slave.

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