• Are kiwisaver providers allowed to tell me what budget of my own kiwisaver I require in order to survive?
  
• Does anyone hear know the best way to respond to my kiwisaver provider in order to get the full amount?
  
• What are the legal requirements to get the full amount of your kiwisaver released?
  

1. He was an honors student in high school. But he was threatened with suspension because he stunk. When I asked why he went to school stinking he blamed his poverty. He explained how there wasn’t enough hot water in the morning for everyone to get a shower. The cat peed on the laundry. For a long time he didn’t have deodorant and when he FINALLY managed to get a three pack from the dollar store before he had a chance to use it his stepbrothers used it. (One application for each boy ONCE.)

1. He whined that his family had to blow the bank on drying their clothes at a laundromat. They had a washer and dryer at home, but the dryer was missing a coupling that connected to the dryer duct making it unusable.

1. His sister got married in a dining hall under their church. But the dining hall was FILTHY. Garbage and dirt EVERYWHERE. When I asked why the answer was “we can’t afford a nice venue.” He of course accused me of being an elitist when I pointed out that it doesn’t cost money to put garbage in a bag and take it to the dumpster. And the church certainly had custodial supplies. The floor could have been mopped.

1. Career Goals and Aspirations: Take a look at your career goals first. In what ways does an MCA degree fit your goals? Examine the employment market to find out how much demand there is for MCA specialists and what career options are out there.
2. Accreditation and Reputation of the Institution: Make sure the organization providing the MCA program is recognized in the computer science community and is accredited. Having a degree from a recognized university can greatly improve your credibility and employment prospects.
3. Curriculum and Specializations: Examine the MCA curricula provided by various organizations. Does it cover the most recent developments and industry trends in technology? Check to see if the program offers specializations that fit your interests and professional objectives.
4. Faculty Expertise and Industry Connections: Your educational experience can be significantly impacted by the caliber of instructors and their areas of expertise. Seek out universities with seasoned instructors who can offer insightful analysis and direction and who have connections in the industry.
5. Infrastructure and Facilities: Take into account the institution's resources and infrastructure, including its libraries, computer labs, and research facilities. Modern resources and technology can improve your educational experience and help you develop new skills.
6. Placement Opportunities and Alumni Network: Evaluate the institution's track record of placement and the opportunities offered to MCA graduates. After graduation, a strong network of alumni can offer invaluable assistance and connections.
7. Cost and Financial Aid Options: Explore your options for financial assistance, including loans, grants, and scholarships, and assess the cost of the MCA program. Make sure your financial situation is in line with the return on investment (ROI) of earning an MCA degree by thinking about it.
8. Location and Campus Life: Consider the institution's location and how it will affect your preferences and way of life. When making your choice, take into account elements like the campus's facilities, cultural attractions, and proximity to industry centres.
9. Flexibility and Mode of Delivery: Assess whether scheduling and delivery mode flexibility are features of the MCA program. Online, part-time, or distant learning options might be a better fit for those with work or other obligations.
10. Feedback and Reviews: Finally, find out what current students, former students, and business professionals have to say about the MCA program and the university. Their opinions can offer insightful viewpoints and assist you in reaching a well-informed conclusion.

Intro

Examples of Bible verses talking about slavery

• Leviticus 25:44–46: 44 "However, you may purchase male and female slaves from among the nations around you. 45 You may also purchase the children of temporary residents who live among you, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property, 46 passing them on to your children as a permanent inheritance. You may treat them as slaves, but you must never treat your fellow Israelites this way."
  Context: This passage is part of the laws given to the Israelites regarding the Year of Jubilee which was a time of rest and release for the land and its people every fifty years. It specifies the conditions in which Israelites could own slaves and distinguishes between fellow Israelites and non-Israelites. Literal and legal.
  
• Exodus 21:2–6: 2 "If you buy a Hebrew slave, he may serve for no more than six years. Set him free in the seventh year, and he will owe you nothing for his freedom. 3 If he was single when he became your slave, he shall leave single. But if he was married before he became a slave, then his wife."
  Context: These verses are part of a larger set of laws given shortly after the Ten Commandments, focusing on the rights and treatment of Hebrew slaves. It details the procedure for releasing a Hebrew slave after six years of service. Literal and legal.
  
• Luke 12:47–48: 47 "And a servant who knows what the master wants, but isn't prepared and doesn't carry out those instructions, will be severely punished. 48 But someone who does not know, and then does something wrong, will be punished only lightly. When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.
  Context: This passage is from a parable spoken by Jesus, emphasizing the importance of being ready and faithful in service to God. It uses the analogy of a servant and master to illustrate accountability and the consequences of knowing versus not knowing the master's will. Metaphorical and spiritual.
  
• 1 Timothy 6:1–2: 1 All slaves should show full respect for their masters so they will not bring shame on the name of God and his teaching. 2 If the masters are believers, that is no excuse for being disrespectful. Those slaves should work all the harder because their efforts are helping other believers who are well loved.
  Context: These instructions are given by Paul in a letter to Timothy, guiding how Christians including those who are slaves should conduct themselves to uphold the teachings of Christianity. Literal, with a spiritual application.
  
• Ephesians 6:5: "Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ."
  Context: Part of Paul's letter to the Ephesians, this verse is included in a section that gives household codes for Christians, addressing relationships between husbands and wives, children and parents, and slaves and masters. Literal, with a spiritual application.
  
• Exodus 21:20–21: 20 When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. 21 But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money.
  Context: This is also part of the Mosaic Law, given by God to Moses to relay to the Israelites regarding the treatment of slaves. It specifically talks about the consequences for a master who physically harms a slave distinguishing between outcomes that lead to the slave's death versus survival. Literal and legal.
  

Questions:

• What is slavery?
  Slavery is "The ownership of a person as property, especially in regards to their labor." Slavery typically involves compulsory work with the slave's location of work and residence dictated by the party that holds them in bondage. For most of human history slavery has been a feature of civilization and legal in most societies. Historically, enslavement could happen as a result of breaking the law, becoming indebted, suffering a military defeat, or exploitation for cheaper labor; other forms of slavery were instituted along demographic lines such as race and sex.
  Types of slavery:
  
  • Bondage/ Debt Slavery: When a person is forced to work to pay off a debt. They may be kept in enslavement for life or until debt is paid.
  • Voluntary Slavery: When a person voluntarily enters into slavery to pay a debt or earn money due to poverty.
  • Forced Labor: When a person is made to work against their will, often under the threat of violence or punishment.
  • Marriage slavery: People are forced into marriage against their will.
  • Blood slavery: Being born into slavery.
• What specific types of slavery are talked about in the bible?
  Both forced labor "However, you may purchase male and female slaves from among the nations around you. 45 You may also purchase the children of temporary residents who live among you, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property," and debt slavery "If you buy a Hebrew slave, he may serve for no more than six years. Set him free in the seventh year, and he will owe you nothing for his freedom" were mainly talked about and acceptable in the Bible. Blood slavery was also allowed "You may also purchase the children of temporary residents who live among you, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property."
  
• Does the Bible support modern slavery?
  Passages like Ephesians 6:5 which say "Slaves, obey your earthly masters with respect and fear, and with sincerity of heart, just as you would obey Christ." And Exodus 21:20–21 which say "When a man strikes his slave, male or female, with a rod and the slave dies under his hand, he shall be avenged. 21 But if the slave survives a day or two, he is not to be avenged, for the slave is his money." Phrases like "for the slave is his money" and "just as you would obey Christ" are reminiscent of the obedience expected and punishments given in 19th century/modern slavery. I can't find any moral rationale for passages such as Exodus 21:20-21, which allow beating a person nearly to death without consequence, as long as the victim survives a couple of days. This is justified on the grounds that "the slave is his money," treating human beings merely as property (Similar to 19th century slavery). Also as I said earlier, this passage is part of the Mosaic Law, given by God to Moses to relay to the Israelites. This passage a literal statement within the context of Mosaic Law. It provides specific legal regulations for the Israelites and is not presented as an analogy, spiritual, or metaphorical message.
  
• Does the Bible ever condemn slavery?
  There is no passage anywhere in the Bible which outright condemns slavery/Say something similar to "Thou shalt not kill". Yet, it does outright condemn things like murder, theft, etc. It only talks about what to do if you do have slaves but doesn't say it's wrong. This is a direct contradiction with Christian principles advocated for in the Bible such as:
  
  • Matthew 22:39 - "And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" How can you love your neighbor when you can beat them to near death and own them as property?
  • James 2:8-9 - "If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, 'Love your neighbor as yourself,' you are doing right. But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers." This passage talks about the sinfulness of treating people unequally, which is obviously contradictory to the hierarchical relationship inherent in slavery.

Bible verses which seemingly condemn slavery

• Leviticus 22:11: "But if a priest buys a slave with money, or if slaves are born in his household, they may eat his food." "buys." Why is this allowed when it goes against Christian principles? Verses like Galatians 3:28 clearly don't allow this.
  
• Job 31:13-15: "If I have denied justice to any of my servants, whether male or female, when they had a grievance against me, 14 what will I do when God confronts me? What will I answer when called to account? 15 Did not he who made me in the womb make them? Did not the same one form us both within our mothers?" "denied justice" could literally just mean something like going too far in the beating of a slave/servant Exodus 21:20–21 Its not specified what this "denied justice" is referring to.
  
• Deuteronomy 24:14-15: "Do not take advantage of a hired worker who is poor and needy, whether that worker is a fellow Israelite or a foreigner residing in one of your towns. Pay them their wages each day before sunset, because they are poor and are counting on it. Otherwise they may cry to the LORD against you, and you will be guilty of sin." Its not clear if this refers to you simply reaching out to someone and actually hiring (Meaning you don't own them since I wouldn't consider someone who owns a slave as having "Hired" them. Hired usually implies you don't own them as property. It could just mean that they work for you because they are poor (If this is the case this is no condemnation of slavery since it would mean they aren't a slave) However, if this is talking about voluntary slavery for example because they need money (I guess sure, here we can say they were "hired"), then all it means is you must pay the slave. It doesn't specify if you can hit the slave or how you can treat them during the duration of the slavery (using other verses - Exodus 21:20–21 we can assume you could probably beat the slave).
  
• Malachi 3:5: "So I will come to put you on trial. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive the foreigners among you of justice, but do not fear me," says the LORD Almighty. "defraud laborers of their wages" What I said about Deuteronomy 24:14-15 applies here as well. Only talking about paying a slave. This also obviously only applies to slaves who even get paid to begin with.
  
• Exodus 21:16 - "He who kidnaps a man and sells him, or if he is found in his hand, shall surely be put to death." This has nothing to do with slavery since its talking about kidnaping. Although "or if he is found in his hand" could mean being a slave. The problem is that its only seen as bad because the slave was kidnapped not because they are a literal slave that can be treated as property.
  
• Galatians 3:28: "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus." Some may say this verse is a direct condemnation of slavery since it mentions unity and equality among all believers in Christ, regardless of their social status or identity. However, it does not explicitly prohibit slavery. Because of the use of the phrase "For you are all one in Christ" I think its more reasonable to assume this only refers to spiritual equality since it never directly addresses or outlaws the physical practice of slavery. This is even more notable when compared with other explicit biblical commandments, such as "Thou shalt not kill" (Exodus 20:13 and Deuteronomy 5:17), which clearly forbid certain actions. The fact that there is no unequivocal commandment against slavery in a book which is meant to tell you what's right and wrong says a lot. Mix this in with explicit instructions found in other verses on the treatment of slaves and the absence of a direct prohibition against the practice of slavery, it is obvious that the Bible permits slavery within its social and legal frameworks. Slavery was common back then however the problem is that bible accepts that and never condemns it. It would be like if murder was wide spread so the bible never condemned it and told you how to commit it.
  

Counterarguments

• Slavery was different back then
  No it wasn't. This is clearly evident by the way slaves were talked about. When the Bible says things like "for the slave is his money" "severely punished" (Remember, Exodus 21:20–21 allows beating a person nearly to death without consequence, as long as the victim survives a couple of days.) "just as you would obey Christ" it sounds a lot like the obedience expected and punishments given in 19th century/modern slavery. When you hear things like this its clear slavery in the Bible was very similar to 19th century slavery in which humans beings were treated as merely property just with some extra restrictions.
  
• Even if the bible doesn't condemn slavery it doesn't mean it supports it
  Imagine if the Bible never told you murder was bad and in fact told you how to participate in it. "You may only stab the legs and arms, never the heart." Its the exact same with slavery. By not condemning it and instead offering instructions on participation, it essentially amounts to support. Or else I don't know why it talks so much about buying, owning, and beating slaves.
  
• The use of "bondsmen" in the literal language is not a slave.
  In Hebrew, the original language of the Old Testament, the word for "slave" initially meant "Bondsmen". The term 'ebhedh,' commonly found in the Old Testament, translates to "the ordinary slave," whether foreign (e.g., Genesis 43:18; 44:9,33; Leviticus 25:44,46) or Hebrew (e.g., Leviticus 25:42; 2 Kings 4:1). Its like calling a car an "Automobile." Different word same meaning. Also, some people say this means debt slaves. However even if they were debt slaves, they were still slaves and could be treated as such. I don't see how being a debt slave makes anything better. For servant which is "a person who performs duties for others, especially a person employed in a house on domestic duties" it could indeed refer to something other the slavery. However judging off the contexts in which this word is often used, its usually indicative of actual slavery (for example replace the word "slave" with servant here Leviticus 25:44–46).
  
• Being a debt slave is better then being poor
  This is offering a horrible alternative for another horrible alternative. In fact, being poor may have been better. Debt slavery removes your control over your own life. You're forced to work to pay off the debt, probably under harsh conditions and with little to no control over your work. That's like if I saved someone from burning alive (poverty) by drowning them (Debt slavery).
  
• You can have slaves Ethically
  How can you have slaves ethically when they are your property, you own them, can beat them till near death, and can sell them? just the fact alone the Bible allows for you to own a person is obviously contradictory to other passages (James 2:8-9).
  
• Interpretations vary
  Sure, however they vary mostly on metaphorical verses. They don't however vary as much for something like "Thou shalt not kill" do they? Leviticus 25:44–46 Exodus 21:2–6 Exodus 21:20–21
  
• It was common back then/Historical context
  Just because it was common doesn't make it right. Does the bible bend to what is socially acceptable even if its morally wrong and goes against all of gods principles? Doesn't god surpass humans in knowledge as well as morality? God doesn't support slavery according to principles yet there are passages (Exodus 21:20–21) where god himself directly explains how to manage slaves and definitely not ethically. Imagine if god never condemned murder but actively told people how to properly murder someone.
  
• Reddit counter argument I found to Exodus Exodus 21:20–21:
  This verse is always ripped from it's context because it can be made to sound like permission to beat a slave "When men quarrel and one strikes the other with a stone or with his fist and the man does not die but takes to his bed, then if the man rises again and walks outdoors with his staff, he who struck him shall be clear; only he shall pay for the loss of his time, and shall have him thoroughly healed. Exodus 21:18-19
  

Conclusion