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Re: "You call slavery unspeakably evil, yet the Bible doesn't go that far. The Bible clearly condemns witchcraft and homosexuality, but then tells masters to be good to their slaves."

The Bible has a message about slavery that is hard to grasp. I am not sure I fully understand it but here is a stab at it.

The Hebrews just got out of bondage and one of the first things they do is legalize slavery? Go figure. Well keep in mind the slavery they practiced was a form of bankruptcy. If you got into trouble you could be sold into slavery to pay debts. Remember they were living a little closer to the bone then 19th century planters. If you couldn't pay a debt you may be putting your creditor and his family in mortal danger as well as yourself.

The Hebrews also had something called a Jubilee year. It came every 50 years and all Hebrew slaves and debts were considered forgiven. I don't remember but I do not think this applied to slaves of foreign extraction. So what does this say about slavery? I'm not sure.

However the Catholic Church teaches (or used to teach) about the value of suffering in the salvation of man. Not just Christ's suffering but our own as well. I light of this I think it is possible to consider the danger of slavery was more serious to the slave master than it was to the slave. I am talking about spiritual matters which is the main focus of the Bible anyway. This does not go down well in a Protestant country where most people want to see God as the loudest singer of kumbyya, all love and no punishment, hell exist but is empty.

I hope I haven't changed the subject I am just trying to related what this says about slavery.