The Bible Slam: Exodus Chapter 21

After the ten commandments delivered in the previous chapter, God through Moses fine-tunes the commands with additional rules. Numerous decrees governing slaves, selling daughters into slavery, and treating polygamous wives are dictated.

Death penalties are listed for children who do not respect their parents, kidnapping, and killing others. Death penalties for oxen are also outlined.

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Discussion Points.

In the United States, we constantly hear about how we are a "Judeo-Christian nation" whose moralistic and legal roots are in the bible.   This chapter demonstrates why American government is not based on the bible.

Most Americans who have a sense of morals would be loathe to engage in the practice of buying and selling their children for slavery, killing disrespectful children, and, in some cases, allowing polygamous marriages.   Yet, these very things are condoned in the bible.

Arguments such as, "Well, those are in the Old Testament and have a historical context" are irrelevant for those who believe the Ten Commandments should be plastered all over the public square. The Ten Commandments appeared just one chapter before the rules described in Exodus 21 (link to SAB King James version).

With respect to abortion and it's latest counterpart, parenthood amendments, Exodus 21:22-23 suggests that God is pro-choice:

If men strive, and hurt a woman with child, so that her fruit depart from her, and yet no mischief follow: he shall be surely punished, according as the woman's husband will lay upon him; and he shall pay as the judges determine.

And if any mischief follow, then thou shalt give life for life,

In other words, if the fetus is aborted, the man pays a fine. If the woman dies, he gets the death penalty. Clearly, the mother's life is more valuable than the fetus.

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