I think it would clear up a lot of confusion about your religion. Like, if I said "the Bible condones slavery" and you could pull out your annotated bible and say "No, see here, we struck that part out". It would be a useful guide to others to let us know what you actually believe.
No part is "struck" out. (Generally as Christians...I understand some, like Bruce, have a different take. But he is able to convey why he does or doesn't believe. He owns his beliefs.) It's simply seen in context and applied or not. The whole (bible) really serves to interpret itself mostly. If we are to love others as ourselves, then slavery as we know it in our day is not condoned...so then the slavery of the OT or even the NT days must have been different and so treated different. If it is, this knowledge can be found by studying. To spoon feed a person is to never allow that person to become and "adult" or a person that owns their own beliefs.
Again, no person has all the answers, however we don't give up on finding more insight nor cling to belief so dogmatic that we cannot adapt as we gain further insight.
To the bolded, seriously? That's how you reconcile slavery in the Bible, it must have been some sort of kinder, gentler slavery?
Anyway, my point is that if you ask a Christian where they get their beliefs, they typically point to the Bible. Okay, fair enough. But then when you pojnt to a more "unsavory" part of the Bible, like people raping an murdering and enslaving each other, suddenly it' not applicable or only makes sense within the context of biblical times, or whatever. And I just wonder how even Christians know which parts to believe in. Is it just based on however you feel? Like, you feel that slavery is bad, so we can disregard that part, but discriminating against homosexuals still seems relevent, so we'll keep that part in for now? It just seems so loosey goosey (for people who follow a written code like the Bible. Ahteists can also be loosey goosey but then again we don't have a written code of beliefs that we claim to adhere to.)
It was a different type. You can take my word for it of you can come to your own conclusion based on...what -- the only slavery you know? So be it. I can't dictate your mind.
Rape? I'm not aware of any instance that God says "go and rape". Go and kill...yes. The context of killing is from a diety that owns life itself, if he does exist. That is the rationalization. If God created life, then it is his to take away, isn't it? Not logical? No, I would assume not since you might not approach it from this side. You might approach it that life evolved by chance and therefore no one has the right to take another's life...and I would agree. (assuming we agree on a productive society).
It's not at all how we feel. If it were, we'd be driven by our emotions only. Love is a good emotion. Hate is a bad emotion. One leads to better things, the other leads to things we probably agree are not condusive to a productive society where each has certain rights.
I hope I'm helping you understand. I'm not out to change your mind. I can't.
It would have to be pretty darn different to make owning another human being like property "okay." Even if they were treated like kings (which seems unlikely) if they were owned by someone else and not allowed to make their own grown up decisions, I would still say that's pretty messed up.
The Bible on rape, for your reading pleasure.
As you approach a town to attack it, first offer its people terms for peace. If they accept your terms and open the gates to you, then all the people inside will serve you in forced labor. But if they refuse to make peace and prepare to fight, you must attack the town. When the LORD your God hands it over to you, kill every man in the town. But you may keep for yourselves all the women, children, livestock, and other plunder. You may enjoy the spoils of your enemies that the LORD your God has given you. - Deuteronomy 20:10-14
When a man sells his daughter as a slave, she will not be freed at the end of six years as the men are. If she does not please the man who bought her, he may allow her to be bought back again. But he is not allowed to sell her to foreigners, since he is the one who broke the contract with her. And if the slave girl's owner arranges for her to marry his son, he may no longer treat her as a slave girl, but he must treat her as his daughter. If he himself marries her and then takes another wife, he may not reduce her food or clothing or fail to sleep with her as his wife. If he fails in any of these three ways, she may leave as a free woman without making any payment. - Exodus 21:7-11 (This one deals with rape AND slavery. Fun!)
Lo, a day shall come for the Lord when the spoils shall be divided in your midst. And I will gather all the nations against Jerusalem for battle: the city shall be taken, houses plundered, women ravished; half of the city shall go into exile, but the rest of the people shall not be removed from the city. - Zechariah 14:1-2
I assume that you don't believe that it's okay to rape because the Bible says so. So what I'm asking is, how did you decide that you believe that, if not gfor just the way you feel?