SLD
Contributor
So obviously with the Epstein files still on the public’s mind despite various distractions, I heard a right winger talk about how he supports the laws of the Old Testament such as the death penalty for murder, rape and pedophilia.
I thought for a second and realized that this guy has obviously never read the Bible. There is no mandate for executing anyone for raping an unbetrothed virgin - just a married woman. But then I realized I don’t know of any condemnation of pedophilia. So if you rape a girl, of say, 11 years old, just before puberty, you aren’t punished - you just have to pay her father the bride price, and then marry her since she’s damaged goods. Pedophilia simply isn’t condemned in the Old Testament. There’s absolutely no discussion of the age of consent or for marriage. There is however a distinction drawn between a girl at age 12 and one day in some texts, but not the Bible itself. That’s probably the age where she could be married and that was generally the minimum age for Roman girls later.
The New Testament is more explicit that only sex between married couples is allowed. At least Paul made that clear even if Jesus never did. But there’s nothing about how old a girl must be before she’s married off.
Regardless, it appear that most women in ancient times were married off around 15 or so, but some may have gone longer for various reasons. No one would have thought twice about marrying off your daughter at age 12 though. Pedophilia wasn’t just prohibited, it was actually quite acceptable in the Bible.
I thought for a second and realized that this guy has obviously never read the Bible. There is no mandate for executing anyone for raping an unbetrothed virgin - just a married woman. But then I realized I don’t know of any condemnation of pedophilia. So if you rape a girl, of say, 11 years old, just before puberty, you aren’t punished - you just have to pay her father the bride price, and then marry her since she’s damaged goods. Pedophilia simply isn’t condemned in the Old Testament. There’s absolutely no discussion of the age of consent or for marriage. There is however a distinction drawn between a girl at age 12 and one day in some texts, but not the Bible itself. That’s probably the age where she could be married and that was generally the minimum age for Roman girls later.
The New Testament is more explicit that only sex between married couples is allowed. At least Paul made that clear even if Jesus never did. But there’s nothing about how old a girl must be before she’s married off.
Regardless, it appear that most women in ancient times were married off around 15 or so, but some may have gone longer for various reasons. No one would have thought twice about marrying off your daughter at age 12 though. Pedophilia wasn’t just prohibited, it was actually quite acceptable in the Bible.
