Slavery in the Bible

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Taken from: Conversational Atheist: Slavery in the Bible
If you need the Bible to tell you something as obvious as “owning people as slaves is immoral” — then you wouldn’t actually ever think that “owning people as slaves is immoral” because the Bible never says that.

There are many ways of adapting the following argument and its logical sub-branches to many different situations. This argument demonstrates a number of principles, tactics and techniques for effectively winning these kinds of arguments.

For example, the next time someone says they get their morality from the Bible — ask if they oppose slavery.

If they don’t, I think the conversation’s probably over at that point. Although, if arguing in a public setting, address the crowd at this point by saying, “See people? This is why I argue against these superstitions. They get otherwise sane people to believe terrible things like, “slavery isn’t wrong.”"

If they do, ask them why they think that owning people as slaves is immoral? Because the Bible never mentions a word against it.

Here are a few bible verses that support this argument.

Old Testament Verses:

Leviticus 25:44-46 (NRSV)

As for the male and female slaves whom you may have, it is from the nations around you that you may acquire male and female slaves. You may also acquire them from among the aliens residing with you, and from their families that are with you, who have been born in your land; and they may be your property. You may keep them as a possession for your children after you, for them to inherit as property. These you may treat as slaves, but as for your fellow Israelites, no one shall rule over the other with harshness.

This is a fun one if they really want to use the King James Version instead because it says that you and your descendants get to have slaves for forever.

Leviticus 25:44-46 (KJV)

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. 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. 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 rigour.

It’s strange, but I’ve personally twice heard the claim that by freeing the Jews from Egyptian slavery, God showed that He had a problem with slavery. And one of these times was from a prominent Rabbi. The problem with this line of attack is that the above and following verses — including the one where the Jews get to own slaves for forever — come AFTER God freed the Jewish slaves. This shows that, at best, God has an issue with other people owning Jews as slaves, not a problem with slavery in general.

Exodus 21:1-7 (NRSV)

These are the ordinances that you shall set before them: When you buy a male Hebrew slave, he shall serve six years, but in the seventh he shall go out a free person, without debt. If he comes in single, he shall go out single; if he comes in married, then his wife shall go out with him. If his master gives him a wife and she bears him sons or daughters, the wife and her children shall be her master’s and he shall go out alone. But if the slave declares, “I love my master, my wife, and my children; I will not go out a free person,” then his master shall bring him before God. He shall be brought to the door or the doorpost; and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him for life.

Exodus 21:20-21 (NRSV)

When a slaveowner strikes a male or female slave with a rod and the slave dies immediately, the owner shall be punished. But if the slave survives a day or two, there is no punishment; for the slave is the owner’s property.

Another strange defense — and one that non-believers sometimes let pass without challenge — is the:

“But that’s in the Old Testament and no longer applies…” response:

This is an implicit agreement that the Old Testament records God doing some very bad things.

Use the Agree with your opponent’s statement in such a way that it actually improves your position tactic.

Say something like, “Good, you agree that God commanded immoral things in the past, let’s look at that New Testament then, shall we?”

Perhaps they’ll take issue with the statement, perhaps they will let it pass.

Here are some lovely New Testament verses that demonstrate the lack of progress in morality regarding slavery:

New Testament Verses:

Ephesians 6:5-9 (NRSV)

Slaves, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, in singleness of heart, as you obey Christ; not only while being watched, and in order to please them, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. Render service with enthusiasm, as to the Lord and not to men and women, knowing that whatever good we do, we will receive the same again from the Lord, whether we are slaves or free. And, masters, do the same to them. Stop threatening them, for you know that both of you have the same Master in heaven, and with him there is no partiality.

Colossians 3:22-25 (NRSV)

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only while being watched and in order to please them, but wholeheartedly, fearing the Lord. Whatever your task, put yourselves into it, as done for the Lord and not for your masters, since you know that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward; you serve the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for whatever wrong has been done, and there is no partiality.

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p>1 Timothy 6:1-5 (NRSV)

Let all who are under the yoke of slavery regard their masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be blasphemed. Those who have believing masters must not be disrespectful to them on the ground that they are members of the church; rather they must serve them all the more, since those who benefit by their service are believers and beloved. Teach and urge these duties. Whoever teaches otherwise and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that is in accordance with godliness, is conceited, understanding nothing, and has a morbid craving for controversy and for disputes about words. From these come envy, dissension, slander, base suspicions, and wrangling among those who are depraved in mind and bereft of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

Glorious – this last verse not only proclaims slavery, but even says that those that teach otherwise are “conceited, understand nothing, and have a morbid craving to controversy…”

All those ‘uppity’ types that bemoan owning people as slaves as immoral.

Titus 2:9-10,15 (NRSV)

Tell slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to talk back, not to pilfer, but to show complete and perfect fidelity, so that in everything they may be an ornament to the doctrine of God our Savior. … Declare these things; exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one look down on you.

I think that any self-proclaimed Bible believer should be ashamed of the Bible’s stance on slavery.

An interesting way to sow some cognitive dissonance in the Christian who honestly believes that slavery is wrong AND that the Bible is the word of God is to challenge him as to whether he is ashamed of the Bible’s stance.

If not, would he care to loudly “declare with all authority” that “slaves should be submissive to their masters?”

If he is hesitant to do that, really try to get him to discover why he’s hesitating.

Moving along.

1 Peter 2:13-14 (NRSV)

For the Lord’s sake accept the authority of every human institution, whether of the emperor as supreme, or of governors, as sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to praise those who do right.

When God says “accept the authority of every human institution” what did he mean?

This verse cuts down the “slavery was different back then…” response that is ALSO so prevalent.

If you really want to argue that slavery was different back in the day, 1 Peter 2:13 says to accept the authority of every human institution.

So, it doesn’t matter if slavery is different later than Biblical times, it’s a human institution, the authority of which you should accept.

1 Peter 2:15-20 (NRSV)

For it is God’s will that by doing right you should silence the ignorance of the foolish. As servants of God, live as free people, yet do not use your freedom as a pretext for evil. Honor everyone. Love the family of believers. Fear God. Honor the emperor. 

Slaves, accept the authority of your masters with all deference, not only those who are kind and gentle but also those who are harsh. For it is a credit to you if, being aware of God, you endure pain while suffering unjustly. If you endure when you are beaten for doing wrong, what credit is that? But if you endure when you do right and suffer for it, you have God’s approval.

Slaves who are suffering under unjust masters, the Bible says you should accept your punishment and the authority of your masters, because God credits those who suffer unjustly.

Remember: you have God’s approval.

1 Peter 2:21-25 (NRSV)

For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you should follow in his steps. “He committed no sin, and no deceit was found in his mouth.” When he was abused, he did not return abuse; when he suffered, he did not threaten; but he entrusted himself to the one who judges justly. He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that, free from sins, we might live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed. For you were going astray like sheep, but now you have returned to the shepherd and guardian of your souls.

Religion. Opiate of the masses.

As the Bible says, “Don’t rise up against your oppressors, you have the perfect example for you, remember: Jesus didn’t fight back at all.”

The last possible refuge for the Christian is to say some variant of “you expect God to tell what is right and wrong in every situation, are you kidding?”

To which the proper response is: If God’s going to mention slavery more than 10 times in His book, yet never mention a word against it. He addressed the issue, His thoughts are recorded on the institution of slavery.

Finally, amazingly, sometimes people will quote verses like the following as some kind of support for the idea that God finds slavery to be an immoral institution:

Galatians 3:28 (NRSV)

There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus.

This verse supports the argument that I’m making. It merely attempts to pacify Christian slaves saying, “God doesn’t care whether you are a slave or not — you can get to heaven either way.”

Just to be exhaustive of any sort of wiggle room that a Christian thinks he can get out of is to mention that the writings above are either Old Testament or other New Testament writers, not the words of Jesus.

This kind of argument is an awful one for the Christian to try and make, yet that won’t stop a few of them from making it.

Consider the following verses:

Luke 7:1-10 (NRSV)

After Jesus had finished all his sayings in the hearing of the people, he entered Capernaum. A centurion there had a slave whom he valued highly, and who was ill and close to death. When he heard about Jesus, he sent some Jewish elders to him, asking him to come and heal his slave. When they came to Jesus, they appealed to him earnestly, saying, ‘He is worthy of having you do this for him, for he loves our people, and it is he who built our synagogue for us.’ And Jesus went with them, but when he was not far from the house, the centurion sent friends to say to him, ‘Lord, do not trouble yourself, for I am not worthy to have you come under my roof; therefore I did not presum

e to come to you. But only speak the word, and let my servant be healed. For I also am a man set under authority, with soldiers under me; and I say to one, “Go”, and he goes, and to another, “Come”, and he comes, and to my slave, “Do this”, and the slave does it.’ When Jesus heard this he was amazed at him, and turning to the crowd that followed him, he said, ‘I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith.’ When those who had been sent returned to the house, they found the slave in good health.

A slave owner comes up to Jesus and tells him about his favorite slave who does whatever he asks of him. I cannot think of a better time to respond critically to a person who owns slaves. Jesus, however, does not respond with “let him go free!” — Jesus publicly praises this slave owner for having faith — He even heals the guy’s slave for him!

Start your own conversations, discussions, and debates!

Leave me some comments if you try this or any other argument that I write about and let me know your successes and any challenges that you came across.

Please leave any thoughts