The Bible

I understand you want to try and "clear up" misconceptions, and I think I will start out with the story of Lot in Genesis. Sodom an Gomorrah were two cities that apparently were full of Sinners, so God decided to destroy the two cities, but Abraham made God promise that if there were even ten Righteous citizens he wouldn't destroy the cities. God only found one good man in the entire city, Lot, so He sent two angels to his house to warn him to flee with his family. Then an angry mob formed outside and demanded Lot turn them over so they could "know" them. Lot went out and begged them instead to take his two daughters, who were pure, and offered them to the mob so they could do what they wanted to them(Genesis 19: 7-8). And the angels blinded the mob so they would go away, but Lot even offering his own daughters to a mob to be raped and possibly killed is very sickening to me. But as the story progresses Lot and his two daughters end up in a cave after fleeing the city, with his wife being turned into salt for looking at the destruction. His two daughters had husbands who stayed behind and were killed, so they got their father drunk and each slept with him and became pregnant, and gave birth to children who would become fathers of the Moabites and Ammonites(Genesis 19: 30-38). God did not think wickedly of their actions, so right there He had no problem with incest or with Lot offering his children to be raped. There is a perfect example of Polygamy with the story of Jacob, after fooling his father Isaac to give him his blessing instead of his brother Esau, he fleas to Haran and met Laban's Daughter Rachel and asks for her hand in marriage in exchange for seven years of labor. But Laban instead switched the marriage to his older daughter Leah, but agreed to give him Rachel for another seven years. Jacob loved Rachel more so God made Leah fertile and she gave birth to four sons. Rachel was still barren so she gave Jacob her servant Bilhah to raise children through her. Then Leah gave him her assistant Zilpah and he had children through her. God did not intervene in this act of polygamy, in fact he made it possible for Jacob to love both wives equally. One of Jacob's sons was Judah, who had three sons of his own so he took a wife, Tamar, for his oldest son Er. But for whatever reasons Er was wicked in the sight of God so He struck him dead. Judah then gave Tamar to his next son in line, Onan, and even instructed him to perform the duty of a brother-in law and impregnate her. But Onan would spill his seed on the ground whenever they had sex, and this was apparently wicked to the Lord so he struck him dead as well. So Judah sent her away as he feared God would kill his last son if she was given to him. So she dressed as a prostitute and fooled Judah into having sex with her, all the while God took no issue with it. So what we've learned here is men have complete control over women and God will strike anyone dead who angers him. All this is found in Genesis. Now the biggest issue I take with the Bible is Slavery. In Exodus chapter 21, God tells Moses the rules for slaves. I will paraphrase. If you buy a Hebrew slave, you can own him for six years and after that he will go free, for nothing. If his master gives him a wife and she becomes pregnant, both her and the child will be the masters' property. If the slave loves his children and wife he may have an awl bore through his ear and made a slave forever. In the rest of the chapter is says Daughters may be sold into slavery. And if a master strikes a slave but lives for a day or two, the slave will not be avenged. Now I know many say this is old Testament, but nowhere in the Bible does it ever say slavery is a sin and should be abolished. One of the Ten commandments is thou shalt not kill, but also in chapter 21 it gives instructions that if people break certain commands they will be put to death. For Example, Exodus 21:15 "Whoever strikes his father or his mother shall be put to death. " And keeping the Sabbath holy is very strict, and whomever works on the seventh day shall be put to death(Exodus 35: 2). Jesus believed that the Old Testament was divinely inspired, the veritable Word of God. He said, "The Scripture cannot be broken" (John 10:35). He referred to Scripture as "the commandment of God" (Matthew 15:3) and as the "Word of God" (Matthew 15:6). He also indicated that it was indestructible: "Until Heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the law, until all is accomplished" (Matthew 5:18). . http://www.bethinking.org... Take as much time as you want to respond, but I do ask that you address the issues of slavery I pointed out.