Jehovah is a just and loving God

“Why would a just and loving God condone slavery?” LOVE of neighbor is a key teaching of the Bible, which is why some are puzzled by the mention of slavery in the Bible. When the Bible began to be written, people had already established social structures and economic systems conflicting with godly principles. While Jehovah clearly condemned some practices, He chose to tolerate others like slavery. About the social structure of the ancient nation of Israel, The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia says, “It was meant to function as a brotherhood in which, ideally, there were no poor [and there was] no exploitation of widows, waifs, or orphans.” So, Jehovah was not only allowing an already established social and economic structure; His law regulated slavery so that, if practiced, slaves would be treated in a humane manner, with love. Kidnapping and selling a man was punished with death (Exodus 21:16). If, despite the provisions made to prevent poverty, an Israelite found himself in debt, he could sell himself as a slave. He could also earn a surplus with which he could redeem himself (Leviticus 25:47-52). Jehovah did not condone oppressive slavery. If a master killed his slave, the slave was to be avenged (Exodus 21:20). If the slave was injured, losing a tooth or an eye, he was set free (Exodus 21:26, 27). Six years is the longest any Israelite would have to serve as a slave (Exodus 21:2). A Hebrew slave was set free in the seventh year of his service. The Law also demanded that every 50 years all Hebrew slaves nationwide were to be set free, no matter how long the individual had been a slave (Leviticus 25:40, 41). The master was required to be generous toward the slave when he was released. Deuteronomy 15:13, 14 says: “In case you should send him out from you as one set free, you must not send him out empty-handed. You should surely equip him with something from your flock and your threshing floor and your oil and winepress.” Later, in the days of Jesus and his apostles, slavery was an established system in the Roman Empire. As Christianity grew, slaves as well as slave owners heard the good news and became Christians. But Jesus and the apostles did not preach good news about a social liberation trying to reform the existing system of Satan (1 John 5:19). Instead, slaves and slave owners were exhorted to love each other as spiritual brothers (Colossians 4:1, 1 Timothy 6:2). From Bible study we learn that Jehovah detests the mistreatment of humans. And, soon, Jehovah will deliver us from all forms of slavery. Then, we will enjoy true freedom (Isaiah 65:21, 22). “Why would a just and loving God condone killing people?” Jehovah is the Giver of life. All lives belong to him; he gives life, he takes it. Life is His to do what He wants with it. Fortunately, Jehovah has a morality superior to that of mere humans that is not reduced to His power. So, God can do as He wishes, but His wishes are constrained by His character, and God IS love (1 John 4:8). As imperfect humans, we are not aware of all the facts. What we can be sure of is that God's decisions are never wrong: "So listen to me, you men of understanding. Far be it from God to do evil, from the Almighty to do wrong." (Job 34:10). Why question this with the many times Jehovah has proved these words to be true? “Why does god think it's ok to be a psychopath?” Judges 19 is about a certain Levite living in E'phra.im who took as his wife a concubine from Beth'le.hem. This concubine committed fornication against her husband and went away from him to the house of her father at Beth'le.hem and stayed there for four months. What she did is something that is punished with death. But, instead, her husband went after her to talk consolingly to her so she would go back with him, so she had him come into her father's house, and there they stayed for a few days. On the fifth day, like the previous days, the Father insisted that they stayed to eat, so they did. Doing so it started getting late so, again, the Father wanted them to stay overnight, but this time the man did not accept. He rose and got on his way and came as far as in front of Je'bus, now known as Jerusalem. While they were close by Je'bus, it was getting considerably late, so the attendant said to his master, that they should stay overnight in the city of the Jeb'u.sites. The master replied that they should not turn aside to a city of foreigners who are no part of the sons of Israel. So, they kept on their way and the sun began to set when near Gib'e.ah which belongs to Benjamin. They sat down in the public square of the city where they saw an old man from E'phra.im coming from his work in the field at evening. The old man told them not to stay overnight in the public square. So, he brought them into his house. They washed their feet and began to eat and drink. Then, good-for-nothing men surrounded the house shoving each other against the door and they kept saying to the old man, the owner of the house, “Bring out the man that came into your house, that we may have intercourse with him.” The owner of the house replied, “No, my brothers, do not do anything wrong, please, since this man has come into my house. Do not commit this disgraceful folly.” The owner of the house even offered his daughter and the concubine of the man so they would not do that disgraceful foolish thing that got whole cities, Sodom and Gomorrah, destroyed. But the men did not want to listen to the owner of the house. Now, think, would any of this had happened if the man's wife had not committed fornication against her husband and left him? From the moment she did this, she deserved to die. So, the man did not let that the daughter owner of the house suffered for what his concubine had caused. So, the man brought forth his concubine to them outside and they had intercourse with her all night long until morning. Chapter twenty verse five shows that the concubine died from the rape, her husband didn't kill her. He cut her in twelve pieces and sent her into every territory of Israel so they saw what had been done in the territory of Benjamin, and those who saw this said, “Such a thing as this has never been brought about or been seen from the day that the sons of Israel went up out of the land of Egypt down to this day. Set YOUR hearts upon it, take counsel and speak.” This resulted in a battle against the sons of Benjamin and the sons of Israel who gathered against the city to put to death to the good-for-nothing men to “clear out what is bad from Israel.” So, as you can see, the man was not a psycopath, nor does Jehovah “think it's ok to be a psychopath.” What happened to this woman is the consequences of her fornication against her husband and leaving him. “He says that the Bible was recorded by humans who made errors and that's why rape is fine if you marry the victim.” [BEGINNING OF QUOTE] First, the Mosaic Law is hardly about letting a rapist off easy. The consequence for raping a woman engaged to be married was stoning (Deuteronomy 22:25). If the woman was not engaged, the rapist was spared for the sake of the woman"s security. Having lost her virginity, she would have been deemed undesirable for marriage"and in the culture of the day, a woman without a father or husband to provide for her would be subject to a life of abject poverty, destitution, and social ostracism. As such, the rapist was compelled to provide for the rape victim for as long as he lived. Thus, far from barbaric, the law was a cultural means of protection and provision. Furthermore, there was precedent under the Mosaic Law for the victimized woman not to marry the victimizer if her father determined that she could be provided for in a more suitable manner (Exodus 22:16"17). Thus, the law was not designed to force the rape victim into an unbearable marriage, but to secure her future and that of her children. [END OF QUOTE] Source: http://www.equip.org... “What are errors in the Bible?” As I explained in the first round, errors in the copies are discrepancies in spelling and word order, with a few words changed or added, nothing of doctrinal significance. So, no, errors in the copies are not things that are now commonly unacceptable. “Even if there is a god there is no reason to believe it is the Biblical god.” Reasons for considering the Bible are that it itself says it is from God, the creator of mankind, Bible prophecy explains the meaning of world conditions, it enables us to understand the meaning of life, and it shows us how we can have the very things lovers of righteousness desire the most. Evidences of inspiration include the many prophecies reflecting detailed knowledge of the future and its content scientifically sound on matters discovered at a later date. I can talk more about this in the next round. “Why did god make one group of people better than everyone else?” When “the badness of man was abundant in the earth and every inclination of the thoughts of His heart was only bad all the time,” Noah proved himself faultless among his contemporaries and walked with the true God. This is why Jehovah made a covenant with Noah to preserve human and animal life while destroying the wicked world of that day. Eight survived the flood, and all eight worshiped Jehovah. Abraham was a descendent of one of the sons of Noah, Shem, and a worshipper of Jehovah as well. In fact, Jehovah even calls him His friend (James 2:23). This is why Jehovah made a covenant with Abraham and promised him he would be the father of nations. The Israelites are the descendants of the twelve sons of Abraham and was, for a time, God's nation from which Jesus would come. Israel was also more advanced in things like hygiene and freedom of women than surrounding nations. Conclusion God is not “cruel, manipulative, dishonest, angry, lazy, and incompetent.” Jehovah is a just and loving God.