In the previous post (The Bible Condones Slavery) I pointed out that Christians usually fail to mention Leviticus 25:44-46 because it absolutely negates their claim that the bible does not condone slavery.
In this post I'll give you an example of the twisted logic employed by Christians who have been confronted with that text and are forced to respond to it:
The example comes from Come Reason Ministries. I'll just give you a list of the main points made by the author under the heading "The Concept of Slavery" where he attempts to define "slavery" as just another word for "employee". Click on the link if you want to see the whole article. [My comments in red]
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The concept of slavery in ancient Israel and many ancient near eastern cultures is quite different than the type of slavery practiced in the Southern United States during the early 1800's.
Leviticus 25:44-46 makes it clear that humans could be bought and sold as slaves by the people of ancient Israel. Americans in the early 1800s could do exactly the same. There is no discernible difference.
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The term slavery was much broader then, since a king's subjects may be referred to as his slaves.
This is just playing with words. In This Side of Paradise, F. Scott Fitzgerald wrote, "I am a slave to my emotions." My grandmother said she was a slave to her arthritis. A friend of mine says she is a slave to her cat. A wealthy subject of the king might say, "I am a slave to the king" and he might say so as he stands in the auction house and purchases human beings who are being sold as slaves to other wealthy subjects of the king! Like I said - playing with words.
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Slaves were understood to be human beings instead of mere chattel.
Yet the bible says that slaves could be beaten to the point of death (Exodus 21:20-21) and their owner can bequeath them in his will to his next of kin! (Leviticus 25:46)
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Slaves could own land and property - something that was illegal in the modern western version.
The 'Come Reason Ministries' author provides no references for this claim. Perhaps he is telling the truth, but I have a feeling he is telling lies for Jesus.
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In effect, in this first part of his response to Leviticus 25:44-46, the author has simply ignored everything said in the text and implied that it has nothing to do with slavery. He actually tries to convince his readers that the text is nothing more than short discussion about the life and times of ordinary people living ordinary lives in ancient Israel. Sadly, I feel that many of his Christian readers will blindly follow him down that path to ignorance.
Down at the bottom of the article the author concludes that:
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...although the Bible gives certain guidelines for treating slaves, that doesn't necessarily mean the Bible condones slavery
As for your male and female slaves whom you may have: you may buy male
and female slaves from among the nations that are around you. Leviticus 25:44 (English Standard Version)
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We are reminded that slaves were to be viewed as human beings
When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave
dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. But if the slave survives a
day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money. Exodus 21:20-21 (English Standard Version)
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and Hebrew slaves were to be released after seven years.
But as for the non-Hebrew slaves: You may bequeath them to your sons after you to inherit as a possession forever. Leviticus 25:46 (English Standard Version)
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So here is a Christian author who has been asked to confront the issues contained in Leviticus 25:44-46 and he does so so by simply ignoring the text; then taking a sideways step, and finally declaring that every statement made in the text means exactly the opposite of what it actually says!!!
If it was just one lone author telling such lies, it would be hardly worth a mention, but this author is not alone. There are thousands (maybe even hundreds of thousands) of apologetic Christians preaching these falsehood to their flock every day.
Even worse, the flock accepts those lies without question!
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