Does Your Religious Belief Affect Your View Of Interracial Marriage? (genesis, marriages)

[MontanaGuy]

Thanks for your thoughts everyone, especially your personal remarks tooshort. It's really sad that anyone is a racist in this day and age. Genetically the differences between racial groups are so miniscule it's unbelievable. It really is true that we're all one race, the human race, as mams pointed out. I also don't see any religious basis for racism. This is just a distortion of religion by hateful people who are ignorant about the minor differences between human beings.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by FL_TN_Nana

I had this discussion a few months back with some people I used to go to church with. They were very adamant that "it just isn't right." I told them that Jesus descended from an interracial marriage (Ruth and Boaz). One couple got really quiet; another woman got a little huffy and said she didn't care, she didn't like it.

The important part is as has been mentioned - believers with believers.

What about simply "humans with humans???" I don't think religion, skin color, or even gender (oops - don't want to open that can of worms! ) should matter when it comes to love... only thing I care about is that they're both consenting adults, and the rest is trivial. Of course we gravitate toward people with similar beliefs & interests, so there's nothing wrong with wanting someone of the same faith - but are you suggesting it's "bad" to marry outside of the faith, if one so desires? My sister is Jewish and married to a non-Jew, but that is such a small part of who they are as a couple... both caring, intelligent, loving people, who are about to be parents to a baby girl.

[mams1559]

Originally Posted by MontanaGuy

Thanks for your thoughts everyone, especially your personal remarks tooshort. It's really sad that anyone is a racist in this day and age. Genetically the differences between racial groups are so miniscule it's unbelievable. It really is true that we're all one race, the human race, as mams pointed out. I also don't see any religious basis for racism. This is just a distortion of religion by hateful people who are ignorant about the minor differences between human beings.

MG - Must spread it around before repping you ... can you believe we agree on something?!!

tooshort - I am so sorry to hear of the barriers your family is having to run into. It is a terrible shame and it should not be that way at all, for anyone.

[FL_TN_Nana]

Originally Posted by gizmo980

What about simply "humans with humans???" I don't think religion, skin color, or even gender (oops - don't want to open that can of worms! ) should matter when it comes to love... only thing I care about is that they're both consenting adults, and the rest is trivial. Of course we gravitate toward people with similar beliefs & interests, so there's nothing wrong with wanting someone of the same faith - but are you suggesting it's "bad" to marry outside of the faith, if one so desires? My sister is Jewish and married to a non-Jew, but that is such a small part of who they are as a couple... both caring, intelligent, loving people, who are about to be parents to a baby girl.

I noted "believers with believers" because that's what the Bible teaches for Christians. It isn't forbidden precisely for a believer/nonbeliever to marry, but it would start a couple out in spiritual harmony. I think God knew it would make married life, and particularly their spiritual life, easier if they believed alike.

[gizmo980]

Originally Posted by FL_TN_Nana

I noted "believers with believers" because that's what the Bible teaches for Christians. It isn't forbidden precisely for a believer/nonbeliever to marry, but it would start a couple out in spiritual harmony. I think God knew it would make married life, and particularly their spiritual life, easier if they believed alike.

Easier, perhaps... but better? I'm not so sure about that. I'd LOVE to find a nice Jewish man to marry, but at the same time, I've never actually dated one... that's because I haven't yet found one I wanted to date (and was available & interested in return ), and I also wouldn't pass up a great guy of another faith/non-faith. To each his own, but I prefer choosing my partners on more than religion and race. I've had relationships with men of a variety of backgrounds, most recently a Black Christian, and the differences in our beliefs were rarely an issue. But I suppose it depends on your level of faith, and so on.

[Angry Aspie]

The Bible doesn't even mention race (but only believer & nonbeliever), so why would God care?

[Hoosier]

Originally Posted by FL_TN_Nana

I had this discussion a few months back with some people I used to go to church with. They were very adamant that "it just isn't right." I told them that Jesus descended from an interracial marriage (Ruth and Boaz). One couple got really quiet; another woman got a little huffy and said she didn't care, she didn't like it.

The important part is as has been mentioned - believers with believers.

I haven't heard that before. Or maybe I have and my mind is catching up with my body age. Seriously though, where do you see that it was an interracial marriage? From the fact that Ruth came from a different country? Okay maybe I answered my own question but please enlighten me.

[maniac]

Originally Posted by Angry Aspie

The Bible doesn't even mention race (but only believer & nonbeliever), so why would God care?

Well, there are a few short mentions of nationality, Greek, Roman, Ethiopian, Jew, Egyptian, etc, but they are all very short and there is nothing against interracial relationship. Actually, racism is one of the things that bothers me the most, on most things I hate it when anybody tells somebody else they are wrong, but I have to say, racism is wrong. My grandmother is racist, she's not the tip of the sword, and she does enjoy basketball and like all of the players on the Phoenix Suns, but my sister once said that she thought Jet Jackson was cute in front of her at the cabin, that was not pretty. My parents show slight signs of racism every now and then, but it is minimal. I try not to look at race, my school is relatively interracial so I am used to race, my parents and especially my grandparents were raised in much more all-white environments so I can understand that they would be more proned to racism. At my school we never really notice race (except during unity week, then we tend to tell all the racist jokes we know that has anything to do with our group of friends, quite fun, much to the dismay of the administration) but when it comes down to it, there is practically no homogenious groups of friends at my school besides one or two "gangs" who we generally leave alone (who don't come anywhere close to posing the threat they act like they are). Sorry if anything in my post sounded racist, none of it really is if you know any of the people at my school, we just like to have a fun time with what used to offend people because most of it is really rediculous. When it comes to interracial relationships, my siblings and I are pretty open-minded because I know that my sister tends to take a liking to people with darker skin (no race in particular, but she just tends to find white guys boring because they are a majority.

Well, I have gone on quite long enough, I don't know if anything I said made sence, so I will shut up.

[kaykay]

Originally Posted by FL_TN_Nana

I noted "believers with believers" because that's what the Bible teaches for Christians. It isn't forbidden precisely for a believer/nonbeliever to marry, but it would start a couple out in spiritual harmony. I think God knew it would make married life, and particularly their spiritual life, easier if they believed alike.

Actually, I think most Christians consider the admonition in Corinthians to not be" unequally yoked" as a prohibition against believers marrying unbelievers.

As for as racially mixed marriages, I don't personally see any problem with it at all.

[kawgpz550]

Our assistant pastor is married to a lady (wonderful lady!) that is actually Lebanese but raised Armenian...so I wouldn't think they COULD have too much to say about interacial marriage even if they wanted too lol

I don't think there is anything biblical relating to races and marriage. I think it is more of a cultural thing.