Is faith in God an act of moral trust—or moral suspension—when sacred scripture attributes acts of violence and injustice to divine command?

Religion & Worldviews Theism vs Atheism
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Religious believers often claim faith is rooted in moral trust—but what happens when sacred texts portray God commanding slavery, genocide, or punishment of the innocent? Is following such a deity a courageous act of trust, or a willful suspension of conscience? This debate challenges the very foundation of faith: can morality coexist with unquestioning obedience to scripture’s darkest passages?

OLD TESTAMENT (Hebrew Bible)

Genocide / Mass Killing

  • Deuteronomy 20:16–17 – Command to completely destroy entire populations.
  • 1 Samuel 15:3 – God commands Saul to kill men, women, children, and infants.
  • Joshua 6:21 – Jericho: total slaughter of men, women, children, and animals.
  • Numbers 31:7–18 – Israelites kill Midianites; virgin girls spared and taken.
  • Deuteronomy 7:1–2 – Command to destroy nations without mercy.

Slavery (Explicitly Permitted or Regulated)

  • Exodus 21:2–11 – Rules for owning Hebrew slaves.
  • Leviticus 25:44–46 – Foreigners may be bought and owned permanently.
  • Exodus 21:20–21 – A slave owner is not punished if a beaten slave survives a day or two.
  • Deuteronomy 15:12–17 – Lifelong slavery endorsed under certain conditions.

Sexual Violence / Forced Marriage

  • Deuteronomy 22:28–29 – A rapist must marry his victim.
  • Judges 21:10–24 – Women abducted and given to men as wives.
  • Judges 19 – A woman is gang-raped and dismembered.
  • Numbers 31:17–18 – Virgin girls taken after mass killing.
  • Genesis 19:8 – Lot offers his daughters to a violent mob.

Extreme Punishment / Death Penalties

  • Leviticus 20:13 – Death penalty for homosexual acts.
  • Leviticus 20:10 – Adultery punished by death.
  • Exodus 31:14–15 – Death penalty for working on the Sabbath.
  • Deuteronomy 21:18–21 – Disobedient children stoned to death.
  • Leviticus 24:16 – Death for blasphemy.

Misogyny / Gender Inequality

  • Numbers 5:11–31 – Trial by ordeal for suspected adulterous women.
  • Genesis 3:16 – Woman cursed with subservience.
  • Ecclesiastes 7:28 – Claims moral inferiority of women.

NEW TESTAMENT

The New Testament is less violent, but still contains passages widely criticized as immoral or harmful.

Endorsement of Slavery

  • Ephesians 6:5 – Slaves commanded to obey masters.
  • Colossians 3:22 – Slaves told to submit fully.
  • 1 Peter 2:18 – Slaves told to obey even harsh masters.
  • Philemon (entire book) – A runaway slave returned to his owner.
  • 1 Timothy 6:1–2 – Slavery normalized, not condemned.

Violence / Eternal Punishment

  • Matthew 25:46 – Eternal punishment for the wicked.
  • Revelation 14:9–11 – Eternal torment.
  • Revelation 19:11–21 – Violent destruction of enemies.
  • Luke 19:27 – Enemies killed in a parable attributed to Jesus.

Misogyny / Gender Roles

  • 1 Timothy 2:12 – Women forbidden from teaching or holding authority.
  • 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 – Women commanded to be silent in churches.
  • Ephesians 5:22–24 – Wives commanded to submit to husbands.

Sexual & Moral Condemnations

  • Romans 1:26–27 – Homosexual acts labeled unnatural.
  • 1 Corinthians 6:9–10 – Lists groups excluded from salvation.
  • Matthew 5:29–30 – Self-mutilation metaphor for sexual sin.
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