Christians: Did your Bible education background fully address your questions...

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...re slavery in ancient Israel? .....and other examples of "culturally disturbing" practices?

What I'm asking (in the constrained space above) is whether you feel that your various questions about things you may have found in the Bible that are perhaps disturbing to you (e.g. beating slaves, sex with female captives, "testing" for fidelity) were ever addressed in Sunday School, home Bible studies, sermons, books, or whatever. In other words, do you feel like you have been able to find answers to things that may have disturbed you in the Bible. And did you have to make considerable effort to find the answers OR did your church, teachers, others tend to cover such topics in the routine course of their educational contexts?

Do you feel that your church community has made it easy to get answers to disturbing questions? Or do you feel that you have never/rarely had questions of that sort about the Bible? Or have you had to live your life with no opportunity to get answers from someone has to things you read in the Bible that disturbed you?

[This is not a question about the individual controversial topics -- although I would certainly encourage anyone to post such questions separately if they wish -- and I'm not baiting the Bible haters. I'm focusing on Christians and their opinion of "Christian education" in the context of their local church or Christian community. Have you always been able to find answers to your questions? Are you frustrated that you couldn't find answers? Or could you always find satisfactory explanations for things that disturbed you?]
TREY J: "Christians: Hard questions about the Bible? Could you find answers? Frustrating? Easy to find answers at church?"
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It is fascinating that of the first five answers, only ROBOBOOGEY answered the question. He simply replied from his own experience in saying that he had found that pastors were eager to address the questions of parishioners. Thank you.

[In reply to Roboboogey asking about my own questions: Yes, I found it not that difficult to find answers but I often made extra efforts on my own by consulting books, although when I was young it was far more difficult to find such material than it is now. The Internet has made it so much easier. Of course, I ended up getting a lot of help from graduate degrees in the field -- which is why I'm asking about the experiences of those who did not have those same advantages. Some people express a lot of frustration.]
 
Moses gave these laws, slavery can be employment for a seven year period of time, family working for family, if a man violates a woman of the family of the tribes, he is obligated to be her spouse and take care of her, if a family member is an extreme trouble maker, they should be stoned to death, the law is designed to prevent trouble makers, violater or to free the employee from the obligation at a specified time, so where did it come to pass that any of these laws were enforced? Where are the people in the family of the tribes that this happened to and did it also apply to strangers that had their lives spared and came to be apart of the families of the tribes? Getting life is getting life and getting aniliated is getting aniliated to have no more life in this life. So who believes the religion,"heaven and hell," what is the final outcome for all humankind? When is there no more death? When is there no more Satan? Where is eternial life for the majority when Satan is gone, Rev.20:7-10, are the saints [ holy ones ], on the breadth of the earth, Rev.21:1-5, joined by the heavenly that come down out of God from heaven, is God with his heavenly and earthly family? Rev.21:8, who is aniliated? Rev.20:7-10, who is devoured or consumed and who is in torment forever aside from Satan, the beast and the false prophet?
 
Easy answer ...I found a living lord and savior and forgiveness of sin ..I'm a new creation in christ and have assurance of it by the indwelling of the holy spirit ...So do I need answers to every single thing I don't understand ?? certainly not .. I willfully admit to being somewhat ..willfully ignorant and not caring about things I have no intrest in ...I know in whom I believe and place my trust / faith ....So in essence I'm not looking for proof ..i have it already .. why should I doubt ..I didn't bring fiery hoops to god and demand he ..come to me and impress me .....I fell at his feet begging him for forgiveness and he showed himself to me ...plainly // so there isn't a doubt ... zero /none ..I don't think education means a thing ... or very little it's the attitude of the person and gods grace drawing him.
 
Yes, I have often found sufficient explanations from members of clergy, and in some lesser cases, apologetics websites. As a "liberal" and someone who is committed to social justice and intends to make a living in the field of social justice (lol, "make a living" in that field is like a 20k/year salary, but that's neither here nor there), I had a lot of qualms with the Bible.

Contrary to popular belief, I've never had a clergy person or educated Christian tell me to "Shut up and trust God." In fact, most are overjoyed when members of their congregation and community bring forth questions like this.

I wish you well in your search. I understand that some aspects of the Scripture can be uncomfortable, but God is good and if you search with earnestness and humility, you will be rewarded.

Peace be with you.
 
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