Slavery
Let my people go!
As for your bondmen and your bondmaids whom you may have, they shall be from the nations round about you, of whom you may buy bondmen and bondmaids.
Leviticus 25:44
Slavery is no longer permissable and has not been permissable since Christ's death.
Christ has allowed us to be free from the curse of the law.
The verse above has been used by Satanists and Liberals in an attempt to discredit both Christians, Jews, and the Holy Bible. Anton LaVey and others have used the same text in an attempt to discredit Christianity. Needless to say, Satan always twists and attacks the truth.
People who believe the God of the Old Testament is not the God of the New Testament are of the heretical gnostic movement called Marcionism founded in 144AD.
Of course, God doesn't support slavery. He doesn't support divorce either. Yet, there are times when divorce is permissable. As for slavery, there is no slavery in Christ. Unless you say that we are slaves to Christ.
The KJV Parallel Bible Commentary:
"Israel was permitted to have slaves of the heathen. Their children would also be slaves perpetually. This should be viewed as a form of the just judgement of God upon the wicked and idolatrous practices of the heathen and differs from modern slavery, which was not commanded of God."
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:28
Also see:
http://www.carm.net/diff/Lev_25_44.htm
http://www.serve.com/thibodep/cr/slavery.htm
Did the founding fathers support slavery?
Does the Bible condone slavery?
What about racism?
John Calvin's Harmony of the Law (Calvin's teachings are the foundation of Presbyterian Churches)
Matthew Henry Commentary
http://www.religioustolerance.org/chr_slav1.htm
-- Jeremy Brown 2004
Response from a person with the nickname Swordmaster:
Slavery in the OT was primarily a means used to teach a person to be productive. You could sell yourself into slavery (more of an indentured servitude) to work off debt. Convicted thieves were made to work off their debt to the victim. But, unlike the chattel slavery of history (and of today in many parts of the world) the "slave" was set free when their debt was paid or the year of Jubilee. That system worked. Now days we put the thief in jail, feed and house him at the victim's expense, and then hound him for the rest of his life with the mark of "convict". He never learns that stealing is bad and the victim never gets his property back.