“The Bible Supports Slavery!” – How to Respond
The Bible supports Slavery. This slogan provides atheists with an easy reason to dismiss the Bible. They will say: “How can you support the Bible when it supports slavery? It’s an immoral book that only a blind idiot would follow.”
This is a good opportunity for you to educate the objector. Learn these points and you’re off and running. First and foremost: “Slavery” in the Old Testament context does not mean what most people have in mind. It does not refer to “chattel slavery,” especially that of the African slave trade, which involved kidnapping and immense cruelty.
Here’s a shocking (but true) point. Slavery is not intrinsically wrong. If you utter this, prepare to clarify it in less than 1.9 seconds. Here’s the clarification. The word “slavery” can be used in at least 3 different ways and only one of those ways is intrinsically wrong.
Most people call to mind “chattel slavery” which involves forcing people into service indefinitely, cruelty, and a reduction of slaves to mere property. While this was indeed common in the African-American slave trade (and horribly wrong), it’s not what the Old Testament describes. So, we can stand with the skeptic in condemning this.
Other Types of Slavery
The Old testament “slavery” is really a process of “indentured servitude” that the poor and destitute (or those with enormous debts) would make use of for a time. They could “sell themselves” as servants/slaves to pay off a debt or obtain sustenance for themselves and their families (there are no government welfare programs in the wilderness!). While this type of “slavery” is not ideal, it is not intrinsically wrong.
Lastly, sometimes “slavery” refers to “penal servitude” where wrongdoers are punished with forced labor. This is also not intrinsically wrong though it may not always be prudent in various circumstances. In fact, most people know that some crimes come with a penalty of forced community service. This is analogous to the idea of penal servitude.
The bottom line: people registering this objection rarely make these distinctions. We must make them. When they are made, we clear the Bible of the charge of endorsing intrinsically wrong practices. Reveal these distinctions to the skeptic, and you will enhance the conversation. The types are:
- Chattel slavery: Comes with kidnapping, cruelty, and a reduction of persons to pure property.
- Indentured servitude: Selling one’s labor for a time (or indefinitely) to provide sustenance for oneself or pay off debt.
- Penal servitude: Punishment for a crime amounts to a specified amount and type of service.
Note: I am indebted to Dr. Edward Feser for making these distinctions in an article here.
Why Didn’t Jesus Say Anything?
Some protest that if He were truly a good person, Jesus would have publicly disavowed such a vile institution. There are many ways to answer this. Here’s one: Jesus had a greater purpose than eliminating slavery (or calling out folks for any other immoral political practices at the time).
Moreover, Jesus commanded us to love God above all things and love our neighbors as ourselves. This clearly precludes servitude practices that are intrinsically wrong.
Summary
The charge that “the Bible supports slavery” reveals a misunderstanding of terms. Upon deeper analysis, we find that Jesus condemns the morally despicable practice of chattel slavery. Moreover, we find that not all forms of slavery are intrinsically wrong. We diffuse this atheist slogan and instruct the skeptic in the process. In part 2, we look at a specific “clobber passage” related to slavery.
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Wow. Laughable and despicable. Perhaps do actual research and read your bible to understand how the Humans who wrote the bible were using it to support their way of existence. Slaves, by any definition, were treated as property. Exodus lays out many rules including how to trick Herbrew slaves into staying in slavery for life. Plus, you can beat slaves almost to death (or even TO death as long as they survive a couple days before dying).
20 “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. 21 But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money.“
I mean, wouldn’t it have been more like an all knowing, all loving, all powerful god to say “thou shalt not own other people as property” PERIOD. And Jesus bothered himself with money lending but NOT slavery? (Well, except to say, in 1 Peter; Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate, but also to those who are harsh.) It is ridiculous to try and rationalize this sort of thing.
Hi Robb, thanks for the comment. You raise some important critiques. This topic requires careful distinctions.
Re: “Slaves, by any definition, were treated as property.”
This could be considered true in a very broad sense if “treated as property” refers to anyone who is “under contract.” Debt servants certainly were under contract to their owners. However, they were not “treated as property” in the sense that they were reduced to a sub-human category (like cattle) that could be dealt with however a master wished. They had rights and maintained their human dignity in this non-ideal system of (primarily) debt servitude.
Re: “Plus, you can beat slaves almost to death (or even TO death as long as they survive a couple days before dying).
20 “When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. 21 But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money.“
This language of “When a man strikes his slave…” is very important. It shows that the Bible is placing regulations on systems that were already in practice (in all ancient societies, in fact, there were forms of servitude and slavery). Hence, the Christian looking back and reading this can acknowledge that God is regulating a non-ideal system (i.e. placing restrictions on it) which will eventually be abolished. The Bible takes a gradual approach to the slavery question (and some other moral issues), first regulating it, and then eventually abolishing it in the New Covenant.
Re: “And Jesus bothered himself with money lending but NOT slavery?”
As I note the post, Jesus taught everyone to love their neighbors as themselves. It follows from this that chattel slavery is not permitted, even if it is not explicitly stated.
Peace,
John