Perhaps modern day issues such as political correctness and women's lib, the feminist agenda, gay rights, etc., tend to cloud one's view about the Biblical view of servitude in the day of Moses, Christ, or Paul.
Perhaps the atrocities of the American past, sometimes even committed and justified in the name of Christianity, tend to cloud one's view about the Biblical view of servitude in the day of Moses, Christ, or Paul.
The word "slave" has an ugly connotation to it because of the way slaves were treated you learn in your history books. And that is true of history.
The word "slave" in the Bible simply means "servant"
Rom 1:1 Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,
---The Greek word for "servant," is "doulos" meaning slave. Paul says I am a slave of Jesus Christ. Is this a bad thing put into this light?
Eph.6:5 Servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ;
6 Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart;
7 With good will doing service, as to the Lord, and not to men:
8 Knowing that whatsoever good thing any man doeth, the same shall he receive of the Lord, whether he be bond or free.
9 And, ye masters, do the same things unto them, forbearing threatening: knowing that your Master also is in heaven; neither is there respect of persons with him.
In the above verses Paul addresses slavery as it was in his time. He did not try to overhaul an entire social system by foolish demonstrations and protests. He worked within the law, and the Word of God. Are the principles that are taught for "slaves" and their masters any different than for employers and employees?
In Paul's day a well-off man like Philemon might have a "slave" or servant such as Onesimus. He would give him "room and board," and such things as he would need.
In today's world a wealthy man might hire a maid to clean his house, or even a butler to serve him. Is there any difference?
The abuses of American slavery are not to be equated with "slavery/service of the Bible.
DHK