I think it’s stating this more to denounce it being granted “by divinity.” It’s a not so direct way of saying the bible is made by men, not a deity, as deities don’t exist.

Ants have been known to do it.

Have you heard of the emerald fly wasp?

I both agree and disagree with the grandma statement.

I’m fifty one years old for context.

My paternal grandparents were exactly as you describe.

My maternal grandparents truly, deeply loved each other. They were a partnership who looked at their marriage from the point of what each of them could give to the other. They enjoyed each other’s company and were inseparable. My grandmother in particular was held in enormously high regard throughout her community and was sought for advice and arbitration on a regular basis.

When I look at my peers of the same era, their grandparents were quite frequently like mine. Some of the pictures we have of our grandparents from the forties are just endearing. Young Grandma and Grandpa playing around with each other, smiles as big as a small country. Real smiles, not say cheese fake stuff.

I guess the point I’m getting to is that it’s definitely true that society punished single women for existing in their generation (I’m leaving part of my grandma’s story out because that gets held tight to my vest). It was essentially such that women were not autonomous human beings.

But to say or even hint that love wasn’t part of marriage in most cases for that generation is patently false. What is true, is that women in shitty marriages were, as you state, trapped. And that sucked a lot.

I don’t even know if I’ve made a point. You just made me think of my grandma and how much I miss her.

No, that’s just for Jewish slaves. There are several verses in exodus and Leviticus about how you may buy slaves from the neighbouring nations, as inheritable property, and may beat them almost to death, as long as you don’t actually kill them.

Pick your preferred version of the Bible translation and canon but they all include something like the NIV Exodus 20:20-21: “Anyone who beats their male or female slave with a rod must be punished if the slave dies as a direct result, 21 but they are not to be punished if the slave recovers after a day or two, since the slave is their property."

Sounds exactly like modern slavery, and NT doesn’t change position either, it doubles down with slaves obey your masters and a supposed prophet who was sent to fulfill and uphold the OT not undermine it. As recently as US slave owners used the Bible to try to justify their position was permitted under Christianity.

The text itself says things like how you own their children, how to trick them to stay longer, how to brand them so they know that they are property. That’s just the males. Pretty detailed guides how to take and sex slaves.

They did have a form of indentured slavery but that was one of a few types.

Then it probably doesn’t pertain to those new age religions. Don’t get hung up on a word. It’s trivial.