Was Something Missed?
in a new book, Bloody, Brutal and Barbaric...
The authors are struggling with the conflict of the OT war passages and theology and modern Christian ethics. Focusing on two ethical issues: Genocide and War Rape.
Dealing with War Rape, the authors see this as primarily for reproductive purposes, in the end of Judges, this can be seen as a primary issue, but that passage is man deciding how to deal with the issue of insuring the survival of Benjamin's tribe. King Saul is probably a result of this decision. This action is clearly not given as a directive of God.
Looking at the issue of the slaughter of the children and virgins, there are questions that must be asked, and the authors are right, we look at the passages, seeing them with modern man's viewpoint.
The children could have been adopted into Israelite families, but even today we find significant issues arise from this solution. Infants would probably not have the problems. If the children are not taken as slaves or adopted, how will they have sustenance? The virgins; who would be virgins in the society of that day? Families arranged for their daughters to married. The primary livelihood for females was their parents provided for them than their man. The book of Ruth, she had her husband's land, which was worth something, Boaz proves that with the deal made in the city gate. She still only had the livelihood of begging, not of her land's production. The families would arrange for their daughters to be married, probably before ate fourteen, my guess is before age twelve. A married women would not be counted as a virgin. How would these live? Would the other cultures which regularly raided Israel until the time of King David leave the town or city of children and virgins alone? What was the laws given to Israel concerning those taken as Slaves and or females taken in war? War Rape might be a result of what happened, but perhaps we can see God's redemptive goal even here, if we look at the right questions, as the authors suggest. Perhaps the authors could see other better questions to ask as well?
Bloody, Brutal and Barbaric?: Wrestling with Troubling War Texts
The Sacred Space Story [C = Canaanites] 1. Is God just in removing Adam and Eve [C1] from the garden? 2. Is God just in driving the Canaanites [C2] out of the Promised Land? 3. Is God just in removing the northern-kingdom Israelites [C3] from the land? 4. Is God just in taking the southern-kingdom Israelites [C4] from the land? 5. Is God/Jesus just in expanding the land promise to the entire earth and bringing “outsiders” into the kingdom while placing “insiders” [C5] outside? 6. Is God/Jesus
- What passage of the OT refers to War rape?
- First this was a comment I was making on the book mentioned, but you have war rape indicated in the women the Benjamites were allowed to take after there were told they were allowed to attack a village killing all but the virgins and taking the virgins. They took them as their wives, were the virgins willing mothers? Any story of the Israelis killing the town or city they attacked then having the virgin captives would seem to include the virgins being the sexual property of the warriors. This seems to have been common practice according to this book with the countries around Israel. Further, a male Slave (Jewish) was released in the Jubilee Year, unless the Slave became a Bond Slave, not the women. The women Slaves however were to be given much the same rights as a wife! Why was that? It seems the Mosaic Law assumes the Slave owner would enjoy the Female Slave. Consider both Abraham and Jacob in this matter! They had children not just by their wives but by their wives Slaves! This reflects on any case where women Slaves were taken in war, even with the Israelis taking Slaves, would the women Slaves taken in war have the right to say no to the men? If you get the book, you will find that the Bible gives a solid answer for this, which seems to suggest that Israel practices, when conforming to the Biblical Standard given by God, prevented the women from being raped during or even immediately after the battle and gave some standards for behaviour.
- So, a passage, please?