The bible also has reference to race:
Book of Genesis: Concerns Noah's drunkenness and the accompanying shameful act committed by his son Ham, the father of Canaan. Having seen his father naked caused punishment, with God striking down burning his son black. The story's original objective was to justify the subjection of the Canaanites to the Israelites, but in later centuries, the narrative was interpreted by some Jews, Christians and Muslims as a curse of, and an explanation for black skin. Other references, with Shem and Japheth covering their father with a cloak while averting their eyes, suggest that the words are taken literally.
It has been pointed out that in 1st millennium Babylonia, looking at another person's genitals was indeed regarded as a serious matter. Other ancient commentators suggested that Ham was guilty of more than what the Bible says, an Aramaic translation of the Bible dating from the first few centuries AD and several other sources had Ham gossiping about his father's drunken disgrace "in the street" (a reading which has a basis in the original Hebrew), so that being held up to public mockery was what had angered Noah; as the
Cave of the Centuries (4th century) puts it, "Ham laughed at his father's shame and did not cover it, but laughed aloud and mocked.
Isn't it great being able to rationalize and justify your ignorance and bigotry through religion?
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