The United States and Interracial Marriage

[JS116]

This morning I found this interesting article on interracial marriage that povoked me to right this..

Here is is:

Interracial marriage in US hits new high: 1 in 12 - US news - Life - msnbc.com

I personally think this is a very good thing,but if not careful can lead to us into trouble and false assurance.Let me briefly explain, We all know(or should know) of the social injustices and strict laws on those who married,dated and even befriended those outside their races in the the early years.The thing is now while it is lawful to marry and be social with someone outside of your race,you still will have mixed opinions about it,from professing evangelicals and unbelievers.It used to be not that a big of an issue within the churches but now it is becoming more popular alot of people feel the need to speak out,unfortunately like the story that went viral on the media months ago about the pastor from Kentucky who forbid the black/white christian couple from his church not because of ANY legitimate biblical concerns that could've been addressed,but simply because they were not of the same "race" 1 week later he recanted of his position after it hit the media.

I don't know about you guys but it's things like this that makes me VERY upset,and that's an understatement.I have lots of reason why it makes me upset,but mainly because it's unbiblical and harmful.It makes me wonder what are really the motives behind some people,I have seen "christians" fervently oppose things like abortion and homosexuality,but want to passively deal with the problem of racism.Whats wrong with that picture?Have we ourselves decided who and what matters deserve justice and concluded with who/what doesn't?Some people have even fooled themselves into thinking that since the laws that were supporting things like segregation and miscegenation are abolished,it no longer is helpful or beneficial to be addressed.I greatly would have to beg to differ.I'm not even going to address the unbelieving marriages I will save that for my blog.If you could hear some things I hear and see the things I see being done by people in the churches it truly breaks my heart and i'm sure it grieves God's too.I talk to a lot of reformed brothers and sisters who date and are married out of their race and cannot walk in their own churches without getting blank stares and screw faces.It's a shame because as a minority it's already hard enough to find true Christian who is of the same race,let alone a reformed christian is more harder to spot out,it just makes it harder on them to look for a potential spouse if skin color needs to contribute.

I just want to know are their ANY godly men and women who will be bold enough to speak out on these issues and their inconsistencies of the gospel?So far we have people like Tim Keller,John Piper,Ligon Duncan,Thabiti Anyabwile,Anthony Bradley and handful more who recently have seen the need to speak up on these issues,but we need alot more help than that.Does anyone care to seek justice for our brothers and sister in Christ?or are we content in our comfort zones?Will we continue to let our liberal christian counterparts deal publicly with these matters?Let me be clear,I'm not saying let's only focus our attention on this and disregard everything else,i'm saying see the level of importance these matters really are and fight these issues the same way you would fight abortion or gay marriage.Indeed the work at the cross was finished..for Christ but for us,we have a ways to go,and the only way we can do it is through him and by what he's done.Ask yourself,do you really,honestly and truthfully thirst for righteousness?if so what are you doing to see it be done?

 

[A5pointer]

I am grateful for my perfect wife who is Filipino. Christians who are against it use prohibitions from Moses to inter marry. I do not know if there are other motives fueling the interpretation. I do though think we need not fear the Moabites bringing their gods to the land of Cannan.

 

[JS116]

I am grateful for my perfect wife who is Filipino. Christians who are against it use prohibitions from Moses to inter marry. I do not know if there are other motives fueling the interpretation. I do though think we need not fear the Moabites bringing their gods to the land of Cannan.

Pastor Andrew Webb of Providence PCA did an excellent job when he spoke on this a while ago and even made a sermon on it with his encounters with those who oppose interracial marriage..you can view this thread for some of his points.It got kinda of off topic at the end but good discussion.

http://www.puritanboard.com/f15/mixed-race-marriage-resources-29733/

 

[J. Dean]

Agree completely, Shawn. There is only one race: the human race.

Heck, I as a white kid had a crush on Whitney Houston in the 80s.

It didn't work out.

 

[Rufus]

Based on what she told me a girl from my schools father basically was strong on the Bibles condemnation of interracial marriage (which, we know is distorted) but seemed to care little about the other things (from what I've heard, I don't know him well so I can't say for myself).

I honestly believe that the church is the best solution to race problems. The Government can try all they want to try and solve such things through affirmative action, etc. but they, unlike God, can't get into the deepest corridors of our hearts.

My only concern is that some people justify gay marriage by saying the people who oppose gay marriage would have been the same people who opposed interracial marriage fifty years ago (or rather as Sean Penn said that all of us who oppose gay marriage will have our grandchildren ashamed of us in the future). Personally I believe that using past racial tensions to justify gay marriage is a disgrace to all of those who fought for Civil Rights in the 1950's and 60's, seeing as it is 1) a totally different issue, 2) one can't necessarily tell if somebody is homosexual on the outside, one can obviously tell when somebody is of a certain ethnicity, 3) homosexuals aren't being forced to the back of the bus, forbidden from attending schools, made to use a different water fountain, etc.

 

[Miss Marple]

Not to mention, homosexual behavior is a sin and being a given race is not.

 

[SolaScriptura]

There are more foundational issues that need thoroughly to be dealt with. In doing so, it would make an emphasis on speaking out against anti-"interracial" marriage unnecessary. It's like trying to put a band-aid on a gaping wound. Wrong emPHAsis on the wrong syLLAble. Yes, commentary on the matter is important as opportunity arises, but to have such a subject hold primacy in a minister's preaching, teaching, etc. would be at the expense of the foundational issues that need preaching.

I agree. I think that comments and teaching on issues such as interracial marriage can easily be done as legitimate applications of certain texts, but to make it a central focus of one's ministry would be to put the proverbial cart before the horse.

 

[JS116]

homosexual behavior is a sin and being a given race is not.

Practicing racism is not?

Yes, commentary on the matter is important as opportunity arises, but to have such a subject hold primacy in a minister's preaching, teaching, etc. would be at the expense of the foundational issues that need preaching.

I agree a sermon dedicated on interracial marriage wouldnt be proper.I'm not looking for someone to make a sermon against it,but I am asking that those who preach linger over the text's that would apply to present day issues so the church knows what type of attitude it should have when confronted to make a proclamation where we stand on the issue.I would love to see more books,articles and discussions dealing with that in particular.I used anti-interracial marriage topic to show that, this is a type stereotypical attitude that stems from allowing racism.

 

[Rufus]

Practicing racism is not?

I don't believe that Miss Marple intended it in any way like that, racism is a sin. She was addressing my mentioning that some justify homosexual behavior by saying it's the same thing as civil rights, etc.

 

[JS116]

o far we have people like Tim Keller,John Piper,Ligon Duncan,Thabiti Anyabwile,Anthony Bradley and handful more who recently have seen the need to speak up on these issues

These are some examples of pastoral guys who have spoken against these things without dedicating a whole sermon on it.

 

[Tripel]

I have to admit ignorance on the extent of the interracial marriage controversy. I can imagine a handful of churches here and there that foolishly oppose it, but is the problem much larger?

There are always going to be some crazy people and churches out there. How much attention needs to be given to them? Again, perhaps the problem is larger than I know, and if that's the case can someone please point to some evidence?

As for racism in general, yes, that is everywhere, just as it has been since the time of Christ. What does the church need to do that it isn't already doing in this area? Every church I've been associated with as been against racism.

 

[JS116]

Practicing racism is not?

I don't believe that Miss Marple intended it in any way like that, racism is a sin. She was addressing my mentioning that some justify homosexual behavior by saying it's the same thing as civil rights, etc.

Okay I do apologize if misinterpreted Miss Maple,forgive me I am just highly appalled by some of the things we allow to go on.

 

[Tripel]

I am just highly appalled by some of the things we allow to go on.

What things? And who is "we"?

 

[JS116]

I am just highly appalled by some of the things we allow to go on.

What things? And who is "we"?

Haha im sorry Daniel I keep responding and missing your replies,my apologies.

But I am referring to Christianity as a whole,I'm just shocked about what things we allow in our churches.This problem of interracial marriage has been brought to me by some friends and myself about being frowned upon by church members and family members for the idea.I dont want us to get too hung up on interracial marriage in this discussion,I just used interracial marriage to show one of the effects that happen when allowing racism to go on not dealt with.

 

[RobertPGH1981]

I think this depends on the region of the country you are in, and the age of the person you are talking about. I live within the city of Pittsburgh and do not hear people commenting on things like this, but it may be just the people I am around. I know forms of racism still exists but its typically with the older crowds and not the younger groups.

People that live in the city tend to be more accepting/liberal because it tends to be a melting pot of ethnic groups and cultures. Because of this it is easy to get along with those who are different ethnically and culturally because you are around them all the time. (** I am not saying those who do not live in the city are all racist/prejudice, but I would say that its more common **)

I think over time some of this racism will subside but prejudices will exist in areas who are isolated from different races geographically. This is most likely because of negative publicity through the media (news papers, mtv, cnn, tmz ect).

 

[jogri17]

Racism exists in many sorts, just because someone approves in theory of interracial marriage, that doesn't mean if his/her daughter or son starts dating someone who is of a different skin tone, that person wouldn't start freaking out and becoming uncomfortable. I am much more of a cynic, I tend to believe we has humans always try to find something to hate and make boogeyman because as fallen creatures we love expressing our irrationality. After all, Archie Bunker didn't consider himself to be a racist.

 

[JS116]

I live within the city of Pittsburgh and do not hear people commenting on things like this,

The Burgh! haha

But actually one of my friends who is a 27 year old white male is dating a black women who is I think a year or so younger and he said that he experiences it up there in Pittsburgh and I have another friend who is around 25 who is black and is engaged to a white female and says it's really a struggle,but it's worth it he lives also in Pennsylvania (yeah I have lot of older friends haha).Where I live in North Carolina it's not as bad as some places,outside the church it is more common and acceptable now,but you always have those who ride around with confederate flags who want a reason to oppose.The churches here have mixed feelings,thankfully to God the churches I attended havent done this to me,but I have friends here who have.Some of you guys probably cant relate because you havent been in a interracial relationship,but some of the things that are said behind closed doors and some actions you can tell their is some prejudices that people are harboring inside even in the churches.

 

[RobertPGH1981]

Just to add, there are prejudices within the white community dependent on your ancestors nationality. For example, my grandfather is from the Ukraine and my grandmother is from Germany. If I was dating a woman who's grandfather was 100% Italian, her father might not like me just because I am not Italian. So it exists in many different forms but you mention one that is more obvious.

 

[Miss Marple]

JS166,

My comment was in regards to the popular effort to equate homosexuality with being a minority race.

As though they were somehow in the same "predicament." Neither are in fact a predicament.

Being a homosexual is a choice to sin, and furthering the evil by sanctioning it by some sort of 'marriage' ceremony is horrendous.

Being a race is no sin at all, and marriage between one unencumbered man and one unencumbered woman is good.

I find the current meme of opposition to homosexual "marriage" as somehow equivalent to opposition to mixed-race marriage to be appalling. They are in no way equivalent.

I accuse no on of this board of making that claim. I am commenting on the current popular argument in the secular word which says or implies that if we oppose homosexual 'marriage,' we are just like those who oppose interracial marriage.

 

[JS116]

Yeah I understand that,contrary to popular belief their is even black on black prejudices,in different ways.Some black parents I know here (particularly from Africa) wouldnt let their daughters marry a light-skinned african american male,for false reasons of course,but these dont compare to the type of treatment the color mixed relationships get.

 

[JS116]

Are you trying to find a way to bring me down? Second time! What is up with that?

I will work on it, I must admit I try to respond quickly, but I guess accuracy is the key here.

btw..do my paragraph's look a little funny?I've never been good with constructing paragraph's, but I always try to express what i'm trying to say in the clearest way possible.

 

[Kim G]

For those who think this is a small problem, you must not have grown up in Independent Fundamentalist Christianity. The Fundamentalist colleges (Bob Jones, Liberty, Pensacola, West Coast BC, etc.) consistently practiced and preached "separate but equal," or sometimes worse, "blacks are fit for serving tables" a la Bob Jones III. And these universities were churning out preachers who spread the hate.

I have recently become really convicted about this problem. I grew up in a home where interracial dating was forbidden under the idea of "separate but equal." I never understood it and didn't believe it but it was taught all around me. I thought I wasn't racist until I read "The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr." last month. I realized how many subconscious assumptions I had that were rooted in racist ideas. I repented of those. I don't know what I can do to change our culture's racial problems, but they DEFINITELY exist in ways I had never seen before.

 

[Rufus]

Just to add, there are prejudices within the white community dependent on your ancestors nationality. For example, my grandfather is from the Ukraine and my grandmother is from Germany. If I was dating a woman who's grandfather was 100% Italian, her father might not like me just because I am not Italian. So it exists in many different forms but you mention one that is more obvious.

My grandmother was somewhat cautious of my father marrying my mother because she was worried my mother would give me too much of an Irish name and what-not.

Yeah I understand that,contrary to popular belief their is even black on black prejudices,in different ways.Some black parents I know here (particularly from Africa) wouldn't let their daughters marry a light-skinned african american male,for false reasons of course,but these dont compare to the type of treatment the color mixed relationships get.

Absolutely true. There is a lot of racism (including genocide) in Africa among Africans.

I will say I don't hate racism as much as I should (I did tell a girl not to use the word "chinks" the other day), I think its hard for many of us to hate racism as much as we should because honestly a lot of supposed racism isn't that racist. For instance if you disagree with the President your a racist, or if you don't like listening to Jimmy Cliff your a racist. Honestly some people are made to feel guilty for being white, and whites have been victims of racism too (i.e. being one of a few white kids in an all black school is far harder than being one of a few black kids in an all white school (at least at my school, we're 95% of everybody is white).

 

[JS116]

For those who think this is a small problem, you must not have grown up in Independent Fundamentalist Christianity. The Fundamentalist colleges (Bob Jones, Liberty, Pensacola, West Coast BC, etc.) consistently practiced and preached "separate but equal," or sometimes worse, "blacks are fit for serving tables" a la Bob Jones III. And these universities were churning out preachers who spread the hate.

I have recently become really convicted about this problem. I grew up in a home where interracial dating was forbidden under the idea of "separate but equal." I never understood it and didn't believe it but it was taught all around me. I thought I wasn't racist until I read "The Autobiography of Martin Luther King Jr." last month. I realized how many subconscious assumptions I had that were rooted in racist ideas. I repented of those. I don't know what I can do to change our culture's racial problems, but they DEFINITELY exist in ways I had never seen before.

You got it! I wasn't going to mention any names, but i'm glad you did. these are a few instances of many.

I know for a fact i'm not just making this stuff up and trying to cause division, because I have numerous amount of friends in mixed relationships that go through persecution and their same raced couple friends can testify for it.

 

[Somerset]

We have a lot of problems over here with inter-racial relationships. Many whites are not at all happy about them, but nor are many Asians. We have had several "honour" murders of Muslim girls for going out with black or white men. To show what a minefield it can be: the last time I heard someone calling someone else a "simian" (as near as I'm going) it was a third generation girl from Barbados referring to a Nigerian.

My church has a mix of people and I've never heard any off comments.

 

[Andres]

If you could hear some things I hear and see the things I see being done by people in the churches it truly breaks my heart and i'm sure it grieves God's too.I talk to a lot of reformed brothers and sisters who date and are married out of their race and cannot walk in their own churches without getting blank stares and screw faces.

I think it's important to remember that this is not always the case. For some reason, and I will fully admit that it may just be how I am reading you, but you seem to be making the example above the norm for every case of interracial marriage. It's not at all. My gorgeous blue-eyed, blonde-haired wife and I have been attending our church together since we were engaged four years ago. Not once have I ever heard any kind of negative remark made towards us or felt anything but the utmost love from my predominantly white church. Unless I'm completely having the wool pulled over my eyes, my church loves me and my wife and our mixed-race son. And we love them in return.

I think it's great you want to take a stand against racism and I agree with you that all Christians should, but just remember that a huge chunk of Christianity and the church is happy to welcome people of all backgrounds, including interracial couples.

 

[Andres]

And besides, who could hate on these two? View attachment 2658

 

[JML]

If you could hear some things I hear and see the things I see being done by people in the churches it truly breaks my heart and i'm sure it grieves God's too.I talk to a lot of reformed brothers and sisters who date and are married out of their race and cannot walk in their own churches without getting blank stares and screw faces.

I think it's important to remember that this is not always the case. For some reason, and I will fully admit that it may just be how I am reading you, but you seem to be making the example above the norm for every case of interracial marriage. It's not at all. My gorgeous blue-eyed, blonde-haired wife and I have been attending our church together since we were engaged four years ago. Not once have I ever heard any kind of negative remark made towards us or felt anything but the utmost love from my predominantly white church. Unless I'm completely having the wool pulled over my eyes, my church loves me and my wife and our mixed-race son. And we love them in return.

I think it's great you want to take a stand against racism and I agree with you that all Christians should, but just remember that a huge chunk of Christianity and the church is happy to welcome people of all backgrounds, including interracial couples.

I also agree that there is racism out there. But my wife and I are in the same situation as Andrew (except backwards as my wife is Hispanic) in that we have never been treated unusually by any churches that we have attended.

 

[JS116]

I think it's important to remember that this is not always the case. For some reason, and I will fully admit that it may just be how I am reading you, but you seem to be making the example above the norm for every case of interracial marriage. It's not at all. My gorgeous blue-eyed, blonde-haired wife and I have been attending our church together since we were engaged four years ago. Not once have I ever heard any kind of negative remark made towards us or felt anything but the utmost love from my predominantly white church. Unless I'm completely having the wool pulled over my eyes, my church loves me and my wife and our mixed-race son. And we love them in return.

I think it's great you want to take a stand against racism and I agree with you that all Christians should, but just remember that a huge chunk of Christianity and the church is happy to welcome people of all backgrounds, including interracial couples.

This problem is certainly not the case in all churches, I'm not saying that.Like I said my church never held anything against it to my knowledge, but I do know churches and institutions that do.This thread is meant to initiate conversation among those who have experienced it in churches and to get their take on it.For clarification I use the word christians, to speak about the visible church.

---------- Post added at 07:01 PM ---------- Previous post was at 07:00 PM ----------

It may be dependent the area,but I can assure the problem is alive in well in churches.

 

[Edward]

you always have those who ride around with confederate flags

Instead of worrying about the stereotypes of others, you probably should start with an examination of your own.