Pick and Choose Fundamentalism

D.A.Thanks for pointing out the passage about slavery in Ephesians.According to that, black slaves before the American Civil War would be disobeying God if they escaped their masters.I have only one question for Peg---I wonder how she'd view slavery if SHE were the slave?

Peg if God is the same "yesterday, today and tomorrow," according to the bible then why does he sanction unfair practices at one point in time and condemn them in another.Let me just ask you this. Would it be OK to sell daughters off for marriage to anyone here in America for money or any other reasons?If God allowed it in ancient times then why isn't it OK now?Theists are always saying that non-believers think that morals are relative (to the time and situation) and yet that is exactly what you are saying. You are saying that god is accomodating certain customs. If god is sovereign like the bible claims, then why does he have to "kotow" down before social customs whether in ancient or modern times?It makes it sound a LOT like humans are calling the shots and god is just saying. "Ok if that's the way you do it, I'll at least give you some rules on HOW to do it." That is ridiculous. If god can give rules for how to treat slaves then why couldn't he have made rules AGAINST slavery? Again it just doesn't make sense.And don't tell me I am not reading it right. I studied the bible in a fundamentalist bible college for 4 years and taught bible classes for 20 years before coming out of my delusional state and starting to use my brain.Again, I ask you does god REALLY accomodate humans? If so, why? If he can give them the ten commandments, why couldn't he have made an eleventh--"Thou shalt not have slaves."Edited by Starflight, : Corrected typos

Oh and another thing, Peg, you have to remember that many people became slaves because of Israelite conquests. So you are saying that they are better off being slaves of the Israelites than having their families intact? In other words you are saying that since god told the Israelites to kill all their men folk (including the little boys) that they should be grateful their new Israelite masters chose to spare their lives and give them a roof over their heads? I don't know about you, but if someone killed all my male relatives, I think I would rather die than to live with their killers, much less have sex with them.Also in some passages it says that only the virgins should be spared, so in that case all the married women (young or old) would have been killed. And then there are passages about male infants being killed and of course certain instances when EVERYONE including the dogs and cats were annihilated. Nice going god! How is that being "merciful?"

Peg said:"So God has been 'accomodating' humans. As you can see from Jesus words, Gods standard was that no divorce should take place, however he allowed divorce due to the 'hard heartedness' of the people.We are imperfect and God sees that and accommodates it. He does not require perfection, only repentance.
.........................So your answer is YES God accomodates humans.So if we are just "hard hearted" enough we can manipulate god.Interesting.Edited by Mothership, : No reason given.Edited by Mothership, : corrected typos

Speaking of Moses and the Israelites in this context makes one wonder about the incongruity of the Israelites fleeing their slave masters in Egypt and then turning around and enslaving the people whose land they are taking away.

Peg asked "Who is to blame?"Well not god that's for sure since he was and is a figment of someone's imagination.Let's see, could it be the Israelites who were to blame? BINGO!Nothing works as well as making up a god and then threatening everyone with his supposed power and then finising off your enemy yourself and then feeling justified because after all it wasn't YOUR idea, it was GOD'S idea.Even Hitler used that tactic. If you don't believe me, read Mein Kampf. The SS even had the words "God with Us" inscribed on their belt buckles as they invaded other countries. Hmmm, I am beginning to see a pattern.Edited by Mothership, : corrected typosEdited by Mothership, : corrected typos