Why is slavery not included in the Ten Commandments?

The Ten Commandments

1. I am the Lord, your God.
2. Thou shall bring no false idols before me.
3. Do not take the name of the Lord in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
6. Thou shall not kill/murder.
7. Thou shall not commit adultery.
8. Thou shall not steal.
9. Thou shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. Thou shall not covet your neighbor's wife (or anything that belongs to your neighbor).

Most of these make since, but why isn’t slavery mentioned?

To me, slavery is worse then any of the above.

Slavery is pretty much an accepted part of live in Biblical times. And mind-boggling interpretation of the Bible allows for slavery-inducing madness such as Curse of Ham, which gave people a blank moral check to enslave Africans and Native Americans.

In fact, of the big three religions (Christian, Islam, Judaism), all accept slavery in some form or another, either in their early scripture or in the form of male dominance.

I can't imagine my religion (Buddhism) condoning slavery. We are all connected. So the life of a slave brings all of our lives down with it.

Buddhism doesn't itself encourage slavery, but some forms of Buddhism are assimilated into cultures that practice it. For example, feudal Japan had forms of slavery yet had Buddhist teachings. Religions are never pure and always bleed into the social practices of wherever they are transported to, like cargo cults in a way.

Quite frankly, I don't see the point for social inequality if we proclaim to be moral people. What moral person happily oppresses someone else, even indirectly?

Originally posted by Stealth Moose
Buddhism doesn't itself encourage slavery, but some forms of Buddhism are assimilated into cultures that practice it. For example, feudal Japan had forms of slavery yet had Buddhist teachings. Religions are never pure and always bleed into the social practices of wherever they are transported to, like cargo cults in a way.

Quite frankly, I don't see the point for social inequality if we proclaim to be moral people. What moral person happily oppresses someone else, even indirectly?

The Buddhism in feudal Japan was corrupted by the government. The government would only sponsor the Buddhist schools that supported what the government did. All others were persecuted. See the life of Nichiren Daishonin.

Of course. That's a common part of syncretism.

JIA why not try to answer my question?

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
JIA why not try to answer my question?

What question?

http://www.killermovies.com/forums/f80/t587086.html

http://www.killermovies.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=586713&pagenumber=7#post14512113

http://www.killermovies.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=587086&pagenumber=1#post14510871 (click here if you can handle the Truth)

http://www.killermovies.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=587086&pagenumber=1#post14510888

http://www.killermovies.com/forums/f80/t587049.html

http://www.killermovies.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=14510387#post14510387

http://www.killermovies.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&postid=14510685#post14510685

http://www.killermovies.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=587086&pagenumber=1#post14510714

http://www.killermovies.com/forums/showthread.php?threadid=587086&pagenumber=1#post14510772

Originally posted by JesusIsAlive
What question?

Why is slavery not included in the Ten Commandments? That is the topic of the thread.

Perhaps because at the time, the Hebrews were formerly slaves instead of themselves being slave owners. But that wasn't always so.

Originally posted by Stealth Moose
Perhaps because at the time, the Hebrews were formerly slaves instead of themselves being slave owners. But that wasn't always so.

Wait, the myth that the Hebrews were slaves in Egypt has be debunked. The people who built the pyramids were not slaves. They were common workers who payed their taxes with labor. This is evident in the work camps, where the people lived. They were worked hard, but they were well treated and given lots of beer.

There is also accounts of slaves being brought out of Egypt with the Hebrews in the bible. I'm not good at quoting the bible, and I could be wrong. Check it out.

But... I watched the Charleton Heston movie. How could I be wrong?

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
The Ten Commandments

1. I am the Lord, your God.
2. Thou shall bring no false idols before me.
3. Do not take the name of the Lord in vain.
4. Remember the Sabbath and keep it holy.
5. Honor thy father and thy mother.
6. Thou shall not kill/murder.
7. Thou shall not commit adultery.
8. Thou shall not steal.
9. Thou shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.
10. Thou shall not covet your neighbor's wife (or anything that belongs to your neighbor).

Most of these make since, but why isn’t slavery mentioned?

To me, slavery is worse then any of the above.

Because slavery is an ethically gray area and has a gray definition.

"Is not the savage shown kindness under the care and housing of his Spartan owners?"

-Some Ancient Smart Dude that I'm Obviously Paraphrasing

"The 9-5 people are slaves of the market that the corporate institutions created. Your freedom is an illusion."

-A Paraphrase from Kevin

“Knowledge makes a man unfit to be a slave.”
― Frederick Douglass

Originally posted by dadudemon
Because slavery is an ethically gray area and has a gray definition.

"Is not the savage shown kindness under the care and housing of his Spartan owners?"

-Some Ancient Smart Dude that I'm Obviously Paraphrasing

"The 9-5 people are slaves of the market and that the corporate institutions created. Your freedom is an illusion."

-A Paraphrase from Kevin

So, slavery is a gray area. Ok, so is murder, and it was included.

I would have been happier had Goliath enslaved David instead of being murdered, as that jives with my ethically grey leanings, clearly.

Slavery>murder. You can only have sex with a person for so long after they've died. But if they're a slave, there's no end to the fun! You can do all kinds of neat things with a slave, and the option to finally kill them is always there. Don't deny yourself such bountiful entertainment/free labor/organ donor.

Originally posted by Shakyamunison
So, slavery is a gray area. Ok, so is murder, and it was included.

It was "killing" not murder. And I think "don't kill, bitches" is pretty dang specific with no gray areas. They made it not gray, though.

"Don't lie."

"Don't steal."

"Don't kill."

I mean, how can you make those gray areas? But they did...they did.

lots of liberal Christian hate on here. Apparently Buddhism is the far superior religion. how unbiased

Because shit had to get done, bud.

Originally posted by Raisen
lots of liberal Christian hate on here. Apparently Buddhism is the far superior religion. how unbiased

You can thank your friendly neighborhood JIA for some of that. But if you have some great counter arguments, feel free to produce them.