Judaism and Slavery in the Biblical Era

There has been some discussion about this spread across multiple threads. Let's centralize those discussions here.

Cassiad4 issued this challenge:
"Do any of these followers of this god dare to say that their god is WRONG and that god endorses something which is evil?"

So far as I know, none have stepped forward though several have made claims they believe make it so that the slavery was not "evil" such as "slaves were not kept longer than seven years", "guidelines regarding the treatment of slaves that were far more advanced in thought than neighboring countries", they weren't really "slaves" as there were in the US, etc. Somehow they have been unwilling to condemn that which should be condemned. What's worse some of these claims appear to be false or half-truths based on Wiki and Leviticus:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judaism_and_slavery

The following from Leviticus covers Jewish slave in 39-43 and non-Jewish slaves in 44-46. It seems Jewish slaves fared much better than non-Jewish slaves who could be kept as permanent slaves and did not have the protections of Jewish slaves and could be "ruled with severity". Regardless, it is clear that insofar as God dictated Leviticus, God endorsed slavery.

Leviticus 25
39‘If a countryman of yours becomes so poor with regard to you that he sells himself to you, you shall not subject him to a slave’s service. 40‘He shall be with you as a hired man, as if he were a sojourner; he shall serve with you until the year of jubilee. 41‘He shall then go out from you, he and his sons with him, and shall go back to his family, that he may return to the property of his forefathers. 42‘For they are My servants whom I brought out from the land of Egypt; they are not to be sold in a slave sale. 43‘You shall not rule over him with severity, but are to revere your God. 44‘As for your male and female slaves whom you may have—you may acquire male and female slaves from the pagan nations that are around you. 45‘Then, too, it is out of the sons of the sojourners who live as aliens among you that you may gain acquisition, and out of their families who are with you, whom they will have produced in your land; they also may become your possession. 46‘You may even bequeath them to your sons after you, to receive as a possession; you can use them as permanent slaves. But in respect to your countrymen, the sons of Israel, you shall not rule with severity over one another.

Their inherent immorality is showing. :'(

Originally posted by caissad4
Their inherent immorality is showing. :'(

Originally posted by caissad4
Their inherent immorality is showing. :'(

Originally posted by gtbiking4life
I know one thing - I am not going to get a slave.

😛

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Sorry to see that you can be so flippant about this subject. I take it you're yet another Christian who refuses to condemn the God of the OT's endorsement of slavery.

Why are there two threads about the same subject. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Geeez!!

Originally posted by gtbiking4life
How accepted was slavery way back then though? It's not accepted today, but these are two different time periods. I just live for today and choose not to have a slave. Why do you have a problem with that mate? I am a Christian (LDS). Not sure what your problem is though my friend.

Originally posted by gtbiking4life
Why are there two threads about the same subject. ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Geeez!!

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
The question isn't societal acceptance of slavery back then, but the endorsement of slavery by the God of the OT which is the same as your current God (Or do the LDS worship a different God?).

What I have a problem with is your flippant attitude about a serious subject. Do your attitudes reflect those of the LDS in general?

Originally posted by gtbiking4life
Read www.lds.org if you want answers. I have little time to deal with someone who has such hatred in his heart. Not sure what your problem is still. Ask God when you meet him.

🙂

Here's another smiley because they're so cute looking.

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
Hatred? Well, there's no surprise at your self-centered attitude. It seems to be quite prevalent amongst "Christians" of all types.

Originally posted by gtbiking4life
You as well mate.

We are human after-all.

Does that mean that christians and jews can have slaves?
I didn't know that ! sounds cool ...how many slaves are they allowed to have?

I'm not a christian but this is at last one good argument to convert !
Sounds even better than the muslim's 72 virgins (since you can have those only after you die)

Originally posted by ThinkOfOne
That seems to be the all too common rationalization of "Christians" such as yourself. The most self-centered people I've known have been "Christians" and the least self-centered have been non-Christians. Christianity is a haven for the self-centered for a number of reasons. What makes it particularly sad is that not being so was such a prevalent theme in the teachings of Jesus and Christians are so resistant to following it.