Subscribe to Receive the Daily Report

Friday, July 3rd, 2015

Captive virgins, polygamy and sex slaves: What marriage would look like if we actually followed the Bible

Author:     Valerie Tarico
Source:     The Raw Story
Publication Date:     29 Jun 2015 at 14:43 ET
 Link: Captive virgins, polygamy and sex slaves: What marriage would look like if we actually followed the Bible
Stephan:   There is a strange paradox in the Theocratic Right between their claim to believe in the inerrancy of the Bible and the fact that they don't seem to know, or even care very much what the Bible actually says. I have debated Evangelicals several times and in each instance this has been brought forcibly to my attention. Corporate media people don't seem to know what the Bible says either, because they never call Theocratic Rightists on the outrageous things they say. Since marriage equality has been much in the news here is just one example of what I mean, taking marriage as the subject.

Bible believers are beside themselves about the prospect that marriage norms and laws are changing, but let me tell you a secret about Bible believers that I know because I was one. Most don’t actually read their Bibles.

If they did, they would know that the biblical model of sex and marriage has little to do with the one they so loudly defend. Sex in the Bible includes rape, incest, master-slave sexual relations, captive virgins, and more. Of course, just because a story is told in the Bible doesn’t mean it is intended as a model for moral behavior. Does God forbid or command the behavior? Is it punished or rewarded?  In the New Testament stories, does Jesus change the rules or leave them alone?  By these criteria, the Bible not only describes many forms of sexual relationships (including sexually coercive relationships), it gives them the divine thumbs up.

Not One Man, One Woman

The God of the Bible explicitly endorses polygamy and sexual slavery and coerced marriage of young virgins along with monogamy. In fact, he endorses all three to the point of providing detailed regulations. Based on stories of sex and marriage that […]

Read the Full Article

1 Comment

  1. Lori Inman on Friday, July 3, 2015 at 7:45 am

    Stephan,
    You are right… If most Christians actually read and studied the Bible – instead of following a religious doctrine or dogma set up by someone else, they would indeed find much more than a literal, historical, overview of moral behavior. In my experience with the theocratic right, the Bible is taken strictly from a literal perspective. Which in fact, the Bible cannot be taken strictly literal, as it contains hundreds of literal contradictions! If people from this “strain” of belief, actually did take the time to step down from their heavy agended podiums, to read the Bible, and study what the Master actually taught …. Their minds would be opened up to symbology, metaphysics, universal law, and unconditional love that applies to EVERYONE. In fact, all spiritual writings, not just Christianity, can be viewed with an open mind to spirituality and soul growth that includes a common good for our earth and mankind. It’s both sad and outrageous – that some use their positions in our government, to force their fear – based beliefs upon our free will, and then ask us to pay for it with our own tax dollars.