Does The Bible Endorse Slavery?

Ben Shapiro and Sam Harris debate whether slavery is endorsed in the Bible.

[agentblack]

It’s almost like Ben puts feelings over facts when it comes to religion.

[CAB-yuuj]

Didn't God free the Israelites from Egypt??

[mathewhutchins]

Ben starts right out the gate with "well slavery was so prevalent, god couldn't just say not to own slaves."

If god can say "don't kill people" he can say "don't own people as property." What kind of god can't just tell his people not to own each other as property?

[Sireth]

Context this, context that. If God were so perfect, he'd make what he meant clear as day.

[abelying]

Jesus meant if u r a slave follow ur master as long as he doesn’t make u so things against God. However it is the duty of those not slaves to free those who are slaves.

[daibhidh]

If ever there was a book published today that condoned or even explicitly suggested some of the acts that The Bible positively emphasises, the writer would be rightly condemned as being of sick mind.

[toby]

Lots of feels over reals here from Ben

[hansolo]

Too bad Christopher Hitchens never got the chance to destroy Ben Shapiro on his religious beliefs.

[thecarlitosshow]

As an Eastern Christian, the Old Testament does.

[mueezadam]

_”However, you may purchase male and female slaves from among the nations around you. 45 You may also purchase the children of temporary residents who live among you, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property, 46 passing them on to your children as a _*_permanent inheritance_*_ You may treat them as slaves, *but you must never treat your fellow Israelites this way*”_

Leviticus 25:44–46

‘Biblical slavery was different!1!’ Yeah, if you were an Israelite. It’s almost as if the God of the Old Testament was a product of the culture which saw nothing wrong with owning slaves 🤔

[theAshesofDecember]

Now, if only biblical slavery in Israel weren’t in fact significantly closer to indentured servitude than the common view of slavery, that would be a devastating argument. If only.

[everydaypatriot]

An atheist explaining the Bible's meaning is akin to a Hollywood star explaining American values.

[ts]

Hebrew society condoned slavery until about 160BCE. The Exodus and Deuteronomy verses had the goal of making it more humane.
Slavery between Hebrews was more like indentured servitude. If a Hebrew man became too poor to take care of himself and provide for his family, he could sell himself into slavery to a richer man. In exchange for free labour, the master had to feed and provide housing for the slave and his family. Slaves were required to rest on the Sabbath like everyone else. Slaves retained ownership of their own property and control over their own families. A master could beat a disobedient slave, but could not kill him. Killing a slave was a death penalty offense for the master (Exodus 21:12). At the end of six years, in the Year of Jubilee, the master was obligated under Mosaic law to free the slave, set him up with shelter and a means to provide for himself (i.e., cattle, grain and wine). But the slave could also renew his contract for another six years.

"If a fellow Hebrew, man or woman, is sold to you, he shall serve you six years, and in the seventh year you shall set him free. When you set him free, do not let him go empty-handed: Furnish him out of the flock, threshing floor, and vat, with which the Lord your God has blessed you. Bear in mind that you were slaves in the land of Egypt and the Lord your God redeemed you; therefore I enjoin this commandment upon you today. "But should he say to you, 'I do not want to leave you' for he loves you and your household and is happy with you--you shall take an awl and put it through his ear into the door, and he shall become your slave in perpetuity. When you do set him free, do not feel aggrieved; for in the six years he has given you double the service of a hired man. Moreover, the LORD and your God will bless you in all you do."

---Deuteronomy 15:12-18

Slavery between Hebrews and Gentiles was different. Like in other parts of the world, the Hebrews captured slaves in wars with neighbouring tribes. Keeping in mind that income at the time came primarily from subsistence farming and herding, and losing a war often meant the loss of land and property, the losers often no longer had any means to make income and faced death from starvation. Enslavement may under certain circumstances may have been the lesser of two evils. Hebrews were also allowed to buy slaves from surrounding tribes who might have become slaves under similar circumstances. There was a Talmudic command that masters attempt to convert Gentile slaves to Judaism and circumcise the males. Those who converted received the same rights as the Hebrew slaves above, but unconverted slaves had fewer rights: they couldn't own property, the rules against abusive treatment didn't apply to them and their service wasn't bound by time limits, so they could be passed on to a master's heirs.

Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. You can will them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly."

---Leviticus 25:44-46

Whether God approved of the practice or not is debatable, but the economic circumstances were very different then than they are now. There was no such thing as state welfare payments for the very poor, and people who were dispossessed from land from war or natural disasters often starved to death as they had no means of income. Selling oneself into slavery in exchange for sustenance was thought to be better than being free without sustenance.

I am myself an atheist, but I am disappointed that Sam Harris uses weak arguments against the bible, and I have a lot of appreciation for the bible instead of dismissing it as a book full of contradictions.

[PhillipH-san]

The video cuts off too soon. Not that I don't plan on watching the whole video, but I would have at least liked to have heard Ben complete his thought. Lol

[paul.phillips]

This guy is wrong. A lot of bad stuff happened in the Bible, Scripture is full of sinners - that doesn't mean that God endorses it.

[lionofjudah]

Dang it I wanted to hear the rest of ben’s response. The Bible says to obey your masters because here is value in showing respect to those who have power over you, not because slavery is ok. Don’t believe me? Read Romans. It’s all about the importance of authorities we must submit to even if they aren’t perfect. God can serve justice through them even if they aren’t perfect.

Plus on a side note, without God there is no justice for those who are enslaved in the first place. There is no judgment for those immoral actions. There is no freedom for the slaves.

As a Christian, I can bring freedom to those enslaved through the gospel and provide hope to them and justice to their captors.

And yes, God freed Israel from slavery in Egypt, so I feel that is also a sufficient statement very strongly against slavery.

[mrguermo]

At least Shapiro doesn't try to pretend that "servant" wasn't a euphemism as many have done.

[JohnBrowningsGhost]

Where they both fail is the difference between what slavery was in the Biblical era vs what we think of when we think slave. Slaves im the ancient world were more like what we would call Indentured Servants than Chattel Slaves.

[gorequillnachovidal]

Does the US government endorse abortion?

[cyntogia]

It's obvious that Sam had never actual picked up our read any of the books or letters of the Bible. Or if so not with any understanding. Paul's Letter to Philemon is one long condemnation of slavery.