Before I respond , I just want to wish you a very happy Thanksgiving ! As I emphasized in a response to OPivwn 9 oxdshc 1443 cf 0 , slavery represents an extremely complex issue from a historical perspective , with so many variables and factors to consider . Once we bring morality into the picture . well , things get pretty messy . For example , if I lived in secondmillennium B . C . E . Mesopotamia , I could imagine selling myself into slavery which the law codes would have permitted as a last resort and hoping for a good master that might seem preferable to , say , becoming a thief or a beggar . Again , I have no idea whether God has an absolute position on this and many other issues , so I do have to ask myself what would be morally appropriate for my time and context in light of the Golden Rule . And while the Rule itself doesn ' t change , it leaves a lot of room for interpretation .