Bible on being a slave

[Athena]

While looking for quotes about the danger of learning too much, I came across this explanation of being a slave, and will say again, the South used the bible to defend slavery.

Timothy 1 6:1 Let as many as are slaves under a yoke keep on considering their owners worthy of full honor, that the name of God, and the teaching may never be spoken of injuriously. Moreover, let those having believing owners not look down on them, because they are brothers. On the contrary, let them the more readily be slaves, because those recieiving the benefit of their good service are believers and beloved.

[Gods_Mercenary]

From a society where slavery was the more merciful act as opposed to killing the person. Just goes to show you, you can justify anything with the bible. Sort of ignores Jesus, though.

[Chris]

Jesus Believed in all of those laws.

[Gods_Mercenary]

It's not a law you have to own a slave, it had laws about the ownership of slaves. Timothy is not law anyway, it is simply a book, not in the Torah. Jesus didn't supposedly come to change the law, but to change the way we treat others and God, including slavery.

[Jack]

Actually, I think this represents one of the more enlightened views of early Christians.

Slave owning was common in Biblical times among almost all people in the Middle East. Since I doubt the life of slaves has changed much throughout history, I suspect they lived miserable lives and were considered to be less than human.

Along comes this new religion preaching about a new god, actually the son of the old god, who wants us to be kind and love others, even our slaves. Note, Christianity never encouraged freeing the slaves. They probably realized that would make them unpopular with nearly everyone and not do their cause a lot of good. But they did encourage humane treatment of slaves, and told slaves they could be Christians too, if they just believed.

In fact, Christianity was presented in such a way that even slaves could easily embrace it. You were a slave to a greater god than your owner. That was a familiar feeling, one they could identify with. In societies, everyone's a slave to someone else in many situations. The state, your boss, your customers, your image... So almost anyone can relate to a system in which they play a familiar role. What sold Christianity was that they made being a slave not just bearable, but rewarding.

[Gods_Mercenary]

It was at first a religion of slaves, which is what the romans often insulted it as.

[Athena]

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary It's not a law you have to own a slave, it had laws about the ownership of slaves. Timothy is not law anyway, it is simply a book, not in the Torah. Jesus didn't supposedly come to change the law, but to change the way we treat others and God, including slavery.

Actually this is what the Torah says about slaves, the words bondmen and bondmaids being equal to slave.

44 Both thy bondmen, and thy bondmaids, which thou shalt have, shall be of the heathen that are round about you; of them shall ye buy bondmen and bondmaids. 45 Moreover, of the children of the strangers that do sojourn among you, of them shall ye buy, and of their families that are with you, which they begat in your land: and they shall be your possession. 46 And ye shall take them as an inheritance for your children after you, to inherit them for a possession; they shall be your bondmen for ever: but over your brethren the children of Israel, ye shall not rule one over another with rigor. Ex. 21.2-6 · Deut. 15.12-18

[Chris]

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary It's not a law you have to own a slave, it had laws about the ownership of slaves. Timothy is not law anyway, it is simply a book, not in the Torah. Jesus didn't supposedly come to change the law, but to change the way we treat others and God, including slavery.

slavery is in more places in the bible than Timothy.

SAB, Slavery and the Bible

[Gods_Mercenary]

Yah, and if you take those passages to heart, your a horrible slave owner.

[Gods_Mercenary]

Not to mention those quotes were mostly about being a slave, they didn't include the ones that espoused kindness to your slaves, a radical idea for the time.

[Chris]

which ones are those then? what verses?

Also those passages werent mostly about being a slave. How about the laws like

And if a man smite his servant, or his maid, with a rod, and he die under his hand; he shall be surely punished. Notwithstanding, if he continue a day or two, he shall not be punished: for he is his money. Ex.21:20-21

So its bad to beat your slave to death but if you beat him slow and he ends up surviving its ok.

[Athena]

Exodus 21 explains how things are different if you harm a free person, or if you harm a slave. Is Exodus the unquestioned word of God? If so, slavery is okay and harming one is not as bad as harming a free person. How can Jesus change the word of God?

[Athena]

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary Yah, and if you take those passages to heart, your a horrible slave owner.

Are you being sarcastic?

[Athena]

Quote by: Chris which ones are those then? what verses? Also those passages werent mostly about being a slave. How about the laws like So its bad to beat your slave to death but if you beat him slow and he ends up surviving its ok.

Hey, it looks like we are on the same page.

[Gods_Mercenary]

Quote by: Athena Are you being sarcastic?

No!, what, you think I espouse slavery or something?

[Gods_Mercenary]

Quote by: Athena Exodus 21 explains how things are different if you harm a free person, or if you harm a slave. Is Exodus the unquestioned word of God? If so, slavery is okay and harming one is not as bad as harming a free person. How can Jesus change the word of God?

Depends on whom you're asking, from many christian's perspective, the things about slavery are just the author putting his own bias on a cultural reality of the time.

[Athena]

Quote by: Isherwood Actually, I think this represents one of the more enlightened views of early Christians. Slave owning was common in Biblical times among almost all people in the Middle East. Since I doubt the life of slaves has changed much throughout history, I suspect they lived miserable lives and were considered to be less than human. Along comes this new religion preaching about a new god, actually the son of the old god, who wants us to be kind and love others, even our slaves. Note, Christianity never encouraged freeing the slaves. They probably realized that would make them unpopular with nearly everyone and not do their cause a lot of good. But they did encourage humane treatment of slaves, and told slaves they could be Christians too, if they just believed. In fact, Christianity was presented in such a way that even slaves could easily embrace it. You were a slave to a greater god than your owner. That was a familiar feeling, one they could identify with. In societies, everyone's a slave to someone else in many situations. The state, your boss, your customers, your image... So almost anyone can relate to a system in which they play a familiar role. What sold Christianity was that they made being a slave not just bearable, but rewarding.

I just want to acknowledge your good explanation. This was used throughout the centuries, and Martin Luther had much to say about being a good bondservant. He unquestionably believed if one was a slave that was the way God ordained it, and rebelling against being a slave was equal to rebelling against God.

This thinking carries on through our civilization, and government using churches to make the poor content to work hard and be satisfied with their reward in heaven. It is sinful to be worldly and greedy, and blessed to serve.

[Gods_Mercenary]

Luther was pretty messed up as a person, but then again, so were the popes.

[shunyadragon]

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary From a society where slavery was the more merciful act as opposed to killing the person. Just goes to show you, you can justify anything with the bible. Sort of ignores Jesus, though.

This in reality was not the whole Biblical view of slavery. It did to some extentdescribe endentured servitudeof Hebrew servants of Hebrews, but the buying and selling of real slaves was the world of foreign slaves of Hebrews.

[shunyadragon]

Quote by: Gods_Mercenary Luther was pretty messed up as a person, but then again, so were the popes.

This contributes to the inconsistency of Christianity in history as some kind of beacon of absolute objective moral virtue.