Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Posting-Version: version B 2.10.2 9/5/84; site aecom.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!aecom!teitz From: teitz@aecom.UUCP (Eliyahu Teitz) Newsgroups: net.religion Subject: Re: Re: Re: What does it mean to be a Christian? Message-ID: <1523@aecom.UUCP> Date: Mon, 6-May-85 13:51:31 EDT Article-I.D.: aecom.1523 Posted: Mon May 6 13:51:31 1985 Date-Received: Tue, 7-May-85 21:46:17 EDT References: <5802@duke.UUCP> <137@unc.UUCP> Organization: Albert Einstein Coll. of Med., NY Lines: 40 > In article orb@whuxl.UUCP (TIM SEVENER) writes: > > > >When this country was debating slavery many Christians were active in trying > >to abolish it, but unfortunately there were also many who argued slavery > >was "supported by the Bible". > > The pro-slavery Christians ignored the Hebrew laws regulating "slavery". > Under Mosaic law, a man could sell himself into slavery (e.g. to pay depts) > but for at most SEVEN YEARS. There was no such thing as lifetime slavery. > Furthermore, children of slaves were free. Such servitude is more of > a contractual agreement, reminicient of the status of many Irish immigrants > when they entered this country. In the Bible, there is no assumption > of a permanent servant class, race or nation. > Sorry, but this isn't true. The Bible states that a Jew may sell himself, or be sold to pay for robbery, and that his sale is for six years. After six years he goes free. However, if the Jew decides to stay on with his master, he may, but he must go through a process in court. He gets his ear pierced ( to signify his lack of hearing the statement that G-D made that the Jews are His servants and not servants to others ) anf d he then serves his master until te jubilee year ( the jubilee year cancels all Jewish slavery, even if it falls in the initial six year period ). The Bible also relates a second type of slavery, the selling of non- Jews. In this type of slavery there is no freedom at all, even at the jubilee, and not only is the person sold a slave, his descendants after him are also slaves. The Bible seems to be talking of a person selling himself, and not of being sold against his will. Also, according to Jewish law, the slave becomes obligated in many commandments, and if the slave is freed, he becomes a full Jew, whether he wants to or not. The slave can be freed by either being let go by his master, or if the master knocks off a limb ( the Talmud lists 24 limbs, including teeth, eyes, etc ). The Bible does not list laws for slave traders, who took people and sold them to others. Eliyahu Teitz.