Rape in the Bible. Condoned or not? (page 5)

Lore

In those times, an unmarried woman had few prospects but misery and starvation.

Yup, if only they had some kind of omnipotent leader to provide for them. Or some wise and loving god who could teach them that they are able to take care of themselves. . . Shame they didn't have that.

It was a male dominated society, not very different from what the middle east looks like today.

Yeah, if only they had some kind of just leader who could set laws that weren't biased. Or some powerful god who could smite the crap out of abusive males. . . Shame they didn't have that.

A violated virgin was "damaged goods" on the marriage market and would never be able to have a husband support her.

Yeah, if only they weren't subject to bronze-age superstitions and had a wise leader who could convince them that just because someone has a broken hymen they are not magically poisoned, infertile, unlovable or useless. Or some enlightened god who could make laws just so that women had the rights needed to survive without a husband. . . Shame they didn't have that either.

For the violator to be forced to marry her without possibility of divorce was in order to guarantee her for her economic loss.

If only they had been taught by their loving leader to have compassion for one another, maybe they would have had a system to provide for rape victims that didn't involve enslaving them to a rapist for the rest of their lives. Or some god who could prevent rape from uccuring in the first place. . . Shame they didn't have that

If the god of the bible weren't so darned useless we wouldn't be having this discussion would we?

- Lore

SweetBabyCheezits

It was a male dominated society, not very different from what the middle east looks like today. A violated virgin was "damaged goods" on the marriage market and would never be able to have a husband support her. For the violator to be forced to marry her without possibility of divorce was in order to guarantee her for her economic loss.

So god can supposedly suspend the physical laws of the universe to part the Red Sea or make the "sun stand still" but he doesn't have the ability to implement and enforce laws to change a nation's perspective of women and protect their rights? I suppose god was restricted to accepting the norm for the times as well?

Seems he lacked the care or the ability. OR perhaps it was a very different society and the bible reflects the thinking of that society because it was written by men of that society and not a higher, compassionate intelligence.

WT governing body -> Retarded rules and regulations -> Not directed by creator

Bible writers -> Retarded rules and regulations -> Not directed by creator

@ Lore

Leolaia

The laws in the OT didn't condone rape. They institutionalized it.

BurnTheShips

So god can supposedly suspend the physical laws of the universe to part the Red Sea or make the "sun stand still" but he doesn't have the ability to implement and enforce laws to change a nation's perspective of women and protect their rights? I suppose god was restricted to accepting the norm for the times as well?

On more than one occasion, Jesus said "you have been told.....but I tell you," and “it was because your hearts were hard that Moses wrote you this law."

The Bible is a story of progressive revelation. In a sense, it is not so much a story of God, but a story of man's improving understanding of him.

BTS

BurnTheShips

Interestingly enough, some translations do not use the word "rape."

"If a man comes upon a maiden that is not betrothed, takes her and has relations with her, and their deed is discovered, the man who had relations with her shall pay the girl's father fifty silver shekels and take her as his wife, because he has deflowered her. Moreover, he may not divorce her as long as he lives.

http://www.usccb.org/nab/bible/deuteronomy/deuteronomy22.htm

BTS

snowbird

Not.

Rape happened.

God instituted ways of dealing with it for His people.

Syl

SweetBabyCheezits

Yes, BTS, and an old WT QfR claims that the passage was talking about "pressured seduction" or some BS like that.

From what I hear, "pressured seductions" happen in prisons quite often, too.

SweetBabyCheezits

The Bible is a story of progressive revelation. In a sense, it is not so much a story of God, but a story of man's improving understanding of him.

Then I suspect that someday the writing of the Bible will be completed by an atheist.

BurnTheShips

Snow, note that the passage I quoted above does not say HIS deed, it says THEIR deed. Food for thought, this might not be dealing with actual rape at all, but rather a seduction.

Now compare with Exodus 22:15 (with very similar language):

"When a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed, and lies with her, he shall pay her marriage price and marry her.

BTS

aSphereisnotaCircle

Burn,

Having your intire family butchered around you, Mom, Dad, big sister, baby brother, everyone literally slaughtered. And then being abducted and raped repeatedly. Is really not the same thing as having your parents choose a mate for you, big difference.

Rape in the Bible. Condoned or not?

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