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Was William Branham a racist?: Difference between revisions
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We are not aware of any passages in the Bible that condemn or even discourage what William Branham considered to be inter-racial marriages. | We are not aware of any passages in the Bible that condemn or even discourage what William Branham considered to be inter-racial marriages. | ||
===False arguments against interracial marriage and Biblical responses=== | |||
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> | 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 ethnicity. In fact, the Hebrews, Amorites, Canaanites, etc. were all from similar ancestry. | 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. | ||
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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". | ||
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God's punitive judgments (like the curse at the tower of Babel) do not become our mandates. For example: God cursed creation at the fall, but this does not mean that we should not use antibiotics or aspirin. So God's separating peoples does not mean there should never be any coming together of peoples of different ethnicities or cultures, including in marriage. | God's punitive judgments (like the curse at the tower of Babel) do not become our mandates. For example: God cursed creation at the fall, but this does not mean that we should not use antibiotics or aspirin. So God's separating peoples does not mean there should never be any coming together of peoples of different ethnicities or cultures, including in marriage. | ||
==3. There is a curse on Ham, the son of Noah, who the Black race came from== | ====3. There is a curse on Ham, the son of Noah, who the Black race came from==== | ||
The curse was on Canaan, Ham's son, not on Ham (Genesis 9:18-27), and Canaan was not the father of the Black "race". | The curse was on Canaan, Ham's son, not on Ham (Genesis 9:18-27), and Canaan was not the father of the Black "race". | ||
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Even if a particular ethnicity was cursed, the curses of God are not mandates to his people. God's curses are not commands to treat the cursed people badly. All of these things have been done away with by the cross of Jesus Christ and the new covenant that God made with man. | Even if a particular ethnicity was cursed, the curses of God are not mandates to his people. God's curses are not commands to treat the cursed people badly. All of these things have been done away with by the cross of Jesus Christ and the new covenant that God made with man. | ||
==4. Interracial marriage tends toward the lessening of the diversity that God intends.== | ====4. Interracial marriage tends toward the lessening of the diversity that God intends.==== | ||
This argument might carry some weight, perhaps, if there were the real possibility that marriage between different ethnic groups diminished diversity. But doesn't it actually increase it? | This argument might carry some weight, perhaps, if there were the real possibility that marriage between different ethnic groups diminished diversity. But doesn't it actually increase it? | ||
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The statement of relational and social unity among the races that is made by intermarrying is as important as any biological differences, whereas opposing interracial marriage makes the statement that "races" are not relationally or socially equal. | The statement of relational and social unity among the races that is made by intermarrying is as important as any biological differences, whereas opposing interracial marriage makes the statement that "races" are not relationally or socially equal. | ||
===Race as a social construct=== | =====Race as a social construct===== | ||
It was once believed that our DNA could sort us into categories like the “five races:” African, European, Asian, Oceania, and Native American. But a report in Scientific America stated that "today, the mainstream belief among scientists is that race is a social construct without biological meaning." As a result, "ethnicity" is a better word to use than "race".<ref>https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/race-is-a-social-construct-scientists-argue/</ref> | It was once believed that our DNA could sort us into categories like the “five races:” African, European, Asian, Oceania, and Native American. But a report in Scientific America stated that "today, the mainstream belief among scientists is that race is a social construct without biological meaning." As a result, "ethnicity" is a better word to use than "race".<ref>https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/race-is-a-social-construct-scientists-argue/</ref> | ||
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Nonetheless, racism has persisted. Scientific findings are often ignored, or otherwise actively misinterpreted and misused to further racist agendas of extreme political groups.<ref>https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/science-genetics-reshaping-race-debate-21st-century/</ref> | Nonetheless, racism has persisted. Scientific findings are often ignored, or otherwise actively misinterpreted and misused to further racist agendas of extreme political groups.<ref>https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2017/science-genetics-reshaping-race-debate-21st-century/</ref> | ||
==5. The cultural differences make interracial marriage wrong because the couple will be incompatible== | ====5. The cultural differences make interracial marriage wrong because the couple will be incompatible==== | ||
As Christians, we should base ideas of compatibility on the facts of a situation not on skin color. | As Christians, we should base ideas of compatibility on the facts of a situation not on skin color. | ||