Racism in the Church

[dwight92070]

Recently I spoke with a white Christian woman whose home state is MIssouri. Since it appears to me that racism is more prevalent in the south, I asked her a question. "Do you have any problem with interracial marriages?" She assured me that she did not, even though she was taught otherwise growing up. But now she saw that that was okay.

My next question: "Would it be all right with you if your son married a black woman?" Whew, boy did that cause a reaction!
No way Jose. She strongly disappoved of even suggesting such a thing. "Isn't there something inconsistent here?", I asked her. "I know, I know, but that's just not how I was raised." was her reply.

Apparently racism doesn't go away easily. I met a white guy from Atlanta, while I was in the Air Force. By the way, I am white, from South Dakota. I asked him about his opinion of black people. "I have no problem with black folks," he said, "I think everybody should own one." He was making a joke, but I got the distinct impression that he was half-serious. He also claimed to be a Christian.

[Paidion]

Yes, Dwight, racism is more prevalent that we realize. I always think anti-black sentiments are rarer in Canada than the U.S.A. But the following incident occurred in Canada:

In a small communal group, we visited, a leading man was spouting some anti-black comments. When I objected, he asked, "Would you want your daughter to marry one?" I replied, that my concern was that my daughter should marry a Christian. Then he asked me a question that cut me to the heart, "Can a Negro be a Christian?"

I must admit I became angry. I said, "I suppose you think we shouldn't regard them as human, either!"
"Well...", he drawled, "I guess we can't go that far."

[TK]

I think it is possible to not want your child to marry outside their skin color and not be racist. It may not be probable but I think it is possible.

[Paidion]

I think it is possible to not want your child to marry outside their skin color and not be racist. It may not be probable but I think it is possible.

Could you explain a possible difference between having such an objection and being a racist?

And where would such a parent draw the line (the parent who objected to his child marrying "outside their skin color")? There are no clearly defined skin colours. Between the darkest and lightest skin colours, there exists every shade of colour. There is an almost indiscernible gradation.

[dwight92070]

TK,

Not wanting my child to marry outside of his (her) skin color is practically the definition of racism, IMO.

Dwight

[steve7150]

Not wanting my child to marry outside of his (her) skin color is practically the definition of racism, IMO.

Dwight








Back in the day you could make a case that you wanted your kid to avoid all the issues in the culture with interracial marriage or that you didn't want your grandkids to have the issue that comes with being mulatto. But nowadays those issues have mostly disappeared I think. Of course biblically speaking racism is sinful since there is no jew or gentile, which includes everyone.

[TK]

that's the line along which I was thinking, Steve, although I agree that is much less of an issue today.

[Paidion]

I understand, TK. But that still seems to me to be racism.

If one is unwilling to face the pressures from racists, and takes a discriminatory stance himself to avoid this pressure, is he not a racist?

[TK]

Probably so.


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[Homer]

When we say racism, what is meant by the term? Is this and only this what we mean?

noun: racism

the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.

What if you believe people of another race are generally superior in certain abilities? Is that racist?

Would I be a racist if I said that blacks are generally better athletes than other races? That Japanese were generally better students in school? I went to school with a large number of them and very few were not above average students. Was it racist of me to have noticed that?

Could a person (black, white, or oriental) prefer their child to marry someone of their race without believing their race superior and thus not be racist? Why is someone considered to be black if they are one quarter or one half black? Why can't they be considered white? Is that, in itself, racist?

And not only that, but why is someone with 1/64 Indian blood considered to be an Indian? I see in the news a 6 year old girl taken by the authorities from the foster family that has raised her since she was two, who wanted to adopt her, and sent from California to Utah to live with relatives (not her parents) who are also part Indian. I am 1/32 Indian of the Choctaw tribe, same tribe as the little girl, and it has never crossed my mind that I am an Indian.

There might not be a more racist nation on earth than Japan. Why are they not a scorned pariah for that?

What does the Bible actually say about the issue? It definitely says believers should marry believers, nothing about whites marrying blacks.

Is it any more wrong the want your child to marry someone of their race than it is to want them to marry someone of their ethnic group or tribe?

So many questions!