This is based on the historically Christian belief that everyone is made in the image of God therefore deserving of human dignity.
I take a little bit of issue with this statement.
If this is a historically Christian belief, then why don't Christians tend to treat gay or trans people with human dignity? Why were so many Christians slave owners (indeed, many used the Christian bible as evidence that they should be allowed to keep slaves)? What was the inquisition?
Historically, Christians have rarely showed the belief that everyone is deserving of human dignity, and often used their bible to back up their actions.
I'm not going to defend much of anything Gary123 has stated, but I am going to defend Torah.
Biblical slavery was never designed to operate or behave like worldly chattel slavery by any stretch of the imagination. Yes, there is the passage about alien slaves being held as property forever, and how female slaves aren't given release after six years, but divorcing it from the framework of the entirety of laws surrounding and protecting the sanctity of life with these people is a deep disservice.
Female slaves are to be treated with the same kindness, love and respect as a wife... and denying a female slave of any rights as a wife permits her freedom and restoration of her virtue (Exodus 21:11).
Yes, alien slaves have the capacity to be kept forever (Leviticus 25:46). However, there's also the issue of what happens to the legal status of an alien if he takes circumcision, worships HaShem and observes the Shabbat and Feasts as his master does (Genesis 17:12–13; Exodus 20:10, 22:43-46, 23:12; Deuteronomy 5:14–15, 16:11–14, 12:18),
as these make the individual an adopted member of the nation of Israel, thus permitting them the same rights and freedom after six years. [EDIT: I realized something here after even posting, this is a matter of process of adoption, more later, they might not have been given traditional rights just yet. Sorry for screwing this point up.] Keeping a slave forever in the worldly sense also rubs raw against the admonition in Leviticus 19:34 to treat the alien amongst you the same as those born amongst you as you were once slaves in Egypt. The idea is to show the alien the love and compassion of HaShem and His people so much that they want to abandon their gods, worship HaShem, and enjoin with the people.
Any grievous physical harm done to any slave grants them immediate freedom (Exodus 21:26–27), and the punishment of murdering a slave (even by the hand of the master) is to be treated as the same as any other murder amongst the free (Exodus 21:20).
Although the slave is the master's "property" (Leviticus 22:11), they can also inherit the master's estate if there is no direct family to pass to (Genesis 15:3) and potentially even when there is (Proverbs 17:2). Further, slaves are to be treated no differently than a hired laborer (Leviticus 25:40, 53) and cannot be ruled over ruthlessly or treated poorly (Leviticus 25:43, 46, 53; Deuteronomy 23:17), and any fugitive slave must not be returned to his master but given refuge (Deuteronomy 23:16).
Any slave that classifies as a Hebrew (native or adopted) and given freedom in the seventh year (Exodus 21:2; Deuteronomy 15:12) must not be sent away empty handed but that freed man should be set up with some of the very estate the master holds (Deuteronomy 15:13–14).
Now, the price of a "dead" slave is only set at 30 shekels of silver (not a lot, honestly) if gored by an ox (Exodus 21:32), but this must be taken in context of the larger picture of the past two paragraphs as well as Deuteronomy 15:18 (ESV), which states, "It shall not seem hard to you when you let him go free from you, for at half the cost of a hired worker he has served you six years. So the LORD your God will bless you in all that you do." It doesn't matter how much the master paid for the slave, within the context of these passages, the life of the slave should not be defined by any amount of money, but by his value as a human created in the image of HaShem. Let us also not forget that no financial restitution is afforded a family if an ox gores a freed man (Exodus 21:28-31), however if a problematic ox that should have been put down places the owner's life in jeopardy, his life can be redeemed and spared through financial restitution as well... so take that however you will.
If that isn't enough, let's drive home the point on exactly how "slaves" should be treated and viewed biblically. If the slave refuses to go free after his six years of service and considers his master kind and generous and wants to remain with him, he is effectively bonded to the master permanently and adopted into the family (Exodus 21:5–6; Deuteronomy 15:16–17). And let us not forget that female slaves are to be treated and given all the rights and dignities afforded a wife in high esteem. This emphasizes a community building, familial and relationship framework. At worst, no slave should be treated worse than a hired laborer, and at best they are treated like family - and if any slave is treated poorly, they're permitted their freedom and refuge from their master. It is a framework that should be underscored by love and respect. Remember the "slaves can inherit" bit with Proverbs 17:2? There you go. [EDIT: Now also re-think the alien slave and the definition of "forever" used. What is it, but potential adoption and being given a family and inheritance within Israel?]
As for paupers and debtors sold into slavery within the ranks of the Hebrews? If they're sold to an alien, they are to be redeemed immediately (Leviticus 25:47–54), which puts them on equal footing as others under this category. No matter the amount of money they owe (which implies the ability to buy freedom once the debt is paid), as a part of the Hebrew nation, that debt
must be forgiven in seven years (Deuteronomy 15:1-2) and their inheritance restored and redeemed to them at the Jubilee Year (Leviticus 25:10, 13, 40-41).
Yes, the word translated from the Hebrew ebed into the English word as slave may be an accurate one from a purely dictionary standpoint... but the treatment and relationship that is outlined and prescribed in the bigger picture looks nothing like the rest of the world's definition and application of slavery over the millennia. If anything, it looks like a system designed to permit everyone the opportunity to work and build up their own estate, to address the needs of the impoverished, and to share the love and generosity that we are to show as sons and daughters of Abraham as we worship HaShem to the world.
Of course, the ancient Hebrews never actually did any of that in practice, and they suffered dearly for it. The same with Christians who even went so far as to use it to justify wicked acts. They, like you Stv, couldn't see the forest for the trees. I believe you've made the argument in the past that the Old Testament God was cruel and vengeful and devoid of any love and compassion, which is what the New Testament and Jesus were supposed to fix with a sort of God 2.0 in Christianity. And I don't fault you, because most Christian Apologetics get it just as wrong. Everyone ignores the love of the OT God, and ignores the vengeance of the NT God... all to their detriment. This is where my understanding is different. I look at Torah, and I see love and compassion (Mark 12:30-31; Luke 10:27), and that love and compassion is the embodiment of the living Word of HaShem, the living Torah that is Yeshua of Nazareth (John 1:1-18). What Torah does is show us all that every one of us is not righteous in our love, and we create a blood debt that mortgages our very lives eternally that cannot be paid by anything other than spilt blood. Thankfully, there is His mercy and forgiveness, and that debt paid for by Yah's Salvation, Yeshua (John 3:11-21; Romans 6:23; 1 Corinthians 6:20, 7:23; Galatians 3:13; 1 Peter 1:18-19, 2:24; Ephesians 1:7; Revelation 5:9 just to cite a few).
That's all I've got to say on the subject. Believe me or don't, but failure to do so will come with a price that must be paid. Thankfully, that price has been paid if you ask for and believe in that redemption and come to love His ways and desire to dwell with Him.
Be well, Stv.