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Was William Branham a racist?: Difference between revisions
→What does the Bible say about biracial marriages?
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With this statement Donny Reagan is insinuating that mixed-race children are destined to hell. This is because followers of William Branham's message believe that they are the Bride of Christ and will dwell in New Jerusalem while those Christians that are not in the elite group (anyone who does not follow William Branham) will be part of the nations outside the city. The only other option is hell. | With this statement Donny Reagan is insinuating that mixed-race children are destined to hell. This is because followers of William Branham's message believe that they are the Bride of Christ and will dwell in New Jerusalem while those Christians that are not in the elite group (anyone who does not follow William Branham) will be part of the nations outside the city. The only other option is hell. | ||
=What does the Bible say about | =What does the Bible say about marriages between different ethnicities?= | ||
We are not aware of any passages in the Bible that condemn or even discourage inter-racial | We are not aware of any passages in the Bible that condemn or even discourage what William Branham considered to be inter-racial marriages. | ||
Here are five arguments that are used to oppose | Here are five arguments that are used to oppose marriage between different ethnic groups, and Biblical responses to each argument.<ref>The arguments which follow are from the sermon notes of John Piper's sermon on "The Ethics of Interracial Marriage", February 14, 2001</ref> | ||
==1. God forbade the Jews from marrying other peoples== | ==1. God forbade the Jews from marrying other peoples== | ||
The Hebrews were forbidden to marry Canaanites and other pagan peoples (see (Exodus 34:12, Deuteronomy 7:1-4, 1 Kings 11:1-3, Nehemiah 13:25, Ezra 9:11-14). The reason was because those people worshipped idols, not because of | The Hebrews were forbidden to marry Canaanites and other pagan peoples (see (Exodus 34:12, Deuteronomy 7:1-4, 1 Kings 11:1-3, Nehemiah 13:25, Ezra 9:11-14). The reason was because those people worshipped idols, not because of ethnicity. In fact, the Hebrews, Amorites, Canaanites, etc. were all from similar ancestry. | ||
The only marriage constraints put on a Christian are that they marry someone of the opposite sex and they they marry a believer. (1 Corinthians 7:39, 2 Corinthians 6:14) | The only marriage constraints put on a Christian are that they marry someone of the opposite sex and they they marry a believer. (1 Corinthians 7:39, 2 Corinthians 6:14) | ||
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God says not a critical word against Moses for marrying a black Cushite woman. | God says not a critical word against Moses for marrying a black Cushite woman. | ||
==2. Races are God's will and therefore amalgamating them is against his will.== | ==2. "Races" are God's will and therefore amalgamating them is against his will.== | ||
Genesis 11:6-9, Deuteronomy 32:8, and Acts 17:26 are texts that are used to support this argument. However, these texts refer to separation of peoples that are along lines much more narrow than race. They are not racial divisions, so, used this way, they "prove" too much, since they would seem to forbid intermarrying between any people group boundaries even within the same race. | Genesis 11:6-9, Deuteronomy 32:8, and Acts 17:26 are texts that are used to support this argument. However, these texts refer to separation of peoples that are along lines much more narrow than race. They are not racial divisions, so, used this way, they "prove" too much, since they would seem to forbid intermarrying between any people group boundaries even within the same race. | ||