If I were to become an atheist...

History and historical texts are plain enough on this subject. For instance the rabbis in the Mishnah declare that a girl may be legally betrothed by intercourse as early as age three (Niddah 5:4). The age that a boy can contract a valid marriage appears to be age nine (Niddah 5:5 and other passages), even if extremes were largely hypothetical.  Can you show me a law which proscribes child marriages, either in the Bible or Jewish history of the times? The Roman age of consent was apparently only 12.  I hope that helps.



I only pointed out the difference in the respective sources of the Bible and the Qu'ran. So your misrepresentation is a straw man. Personally I would think something which was dictated to one man was likely to be more accurate than that which was 'inspired' over a long time, to many - then edited and interpolated, then ultimately given final form by a committee. But both the Qu'ran, (for which there is no critical edition and which is more of a non-linear jumble that the Xian book) and Bible have their problems and I defend neither of their doctrines. I note though that you did not disagree with the fact that Muslims see Allah and Jehovah as one and the same.




That's because there was indeed no law against it and young marriage was possible in biblical times. Just because with have an issue with it today does not mean it was not happening then even if not common. I am sorry you missed my late edit about Aisha (the wife in question) above. You may wish to check it out.

So why the inconsistency? Why do you as a self professed liberal atheist always try to handle islam with kid gloves?