Does the Bible Forbids Interracial Marriages?
- Are interracial marriages forbidden in the Bible?
- Why did God tell some people, not to marry into a certain people group?
- What passages are used for or against interracial marriages?
- A Christian couple, interracially married, though well-meaning, are they living outside God's will? To honor God, should they divorce?
- Doesn't it bother you, at least a bit, to see a nice white woman married to a "man of color" (Black)? Is there something in the Bible to dissuade her? If not, do you let them join or attend your church? Let's be real, here. CM
Comments
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@C_M_ said:
1. Are interracial marriages forbidden in the Bible?No
- Why did God tell some people, not to marry into a certain people group?
He didn't. He did say for Israelites in Canaan not to marry heathens for various good reasons.
- What passages are used for or against interracial marriages?
None. It's a non-issue. NT passages dealing with ethnicity do not address marriage,
- A Christian couple, interracially married, though well-meaning, are they living outside God's will?
No.
To honor God, should they divorce?
No.
- Doesn't it bother you, at least a bit, to see a nice white woman married to a "man of color" (Black)?
No.
Is there something in the Bible to dissuade her?
No.
If not, do you let them join or attend your church? Let's be real, here. CM
Yes.
Tonight my wife and I are teaching a pre-marriage class. 6 couples. Every single couple is mixed ethnicity. Tonight is our first night so I don't know details yet. The last class we taught a few weeks ago was 9 couples. 12 different nationalities. No couple were of the same nationality, though 2 couples were of the same skin color. I think we had African (white and black), Asian, Middle Western and North and South American) We are all a part of the same church.
That is real.
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“And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.” (Numbers 12:1)
“And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.” (Numbers 12:9–10)
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Dave L
Believe it or not when I saw the title of this thread I immediately thought of Numbers chapter 12 as well. And, before I saw your post I also intended to post the same verse. You beat me to it!
Anway Great response!
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Excellent.
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Here, are a few links of other people of faith who have answered this question in various ways ( I post these before I add my own answer later):
Can you provide insight into biblical teaching on interracial marriages?
https://bible.org/question/can-you-provide-insight-biblical-teaching-interracial-marriagesJ. Daniel Hays,A BIBLICAL PERSPECTIVE ON INTERRACIAL MARRIAGE (Ouachita Baptist University, Arkadelphia, AR)
https://pdfs.semanticscholar.org/1100/d60152fa9586c5ea45b865df8c0d2584b078.pdfAnswers in Genesis: Interacial Marriage is it Biblical?
https://answersingenesis.org/family/marriage/inter-racial-marriage-is-it-biblical/"What does the Bible say about interracial marriage?"
https://www.gotquestions.org/interracial-marriage.htmlDoes the Bible say anything about interracial marriage
https://www.compellingtruth.org/interracial-marriage.htmlDoes the Bible forbid interracial marriages?
https://carm.org/does-bible-forbid-interracial-marriagesIs Interracial Marriage Condemned in the Bible
https://askdrbrown.org/library/interracial-marriage-condemned-bibleAlex Barnett; My Interracial Marriage Isn’t That Exotic
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/jewish-and/my-interracial-marriage-isnt-that-exotic/Rabbi Victor Appell; How does Judaism feel about interracial Jewish marriages?
https://reformjudaism.org/practice/ask-rabbi/how-does-judaism-feel-about-interracial-jewish-marriagesMARRIAGE AMONG JEWISH ISRAELIS OF MIXED ETHNICITY ON THE RISE
http://www.cjnews.com/perspectives/rise-mixed-ethnicity-israelis -
@Dave_L said:
“And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married: for he had married an Ethiopian woman.” (Numbers 12:1)“And the anger of the LORD was kindled against them; and he departed. And the cloud departed from off the tabernacle; and, behold, Miriam became leprous, white as snow: and Aaron looked upon Miriam, and, behold, she was leprous.” (Numbers 12:9–10)
I completely agree with the conclusions drawn by all respondents to CM's OP in this thread. There is NO reason, biblical or otherwise, to question the sanctity of, or divine blessing upon, the marriages of people from different racial backgrounds. However, in my view, the Numbers 12 passage is not about that issue.
Yes, in Numbers 12.1, Miriam and Aaron raise concerns about Moses' marriage to someone not of his tribe. But in Numbers 12.2, the basis of their objections and the focus of the passage change from Moses' marriage to the question of whether God has spoken through them as well as Moses.
In Numbers 12.4-9, an angry God addresses Moses, Miriam, and Aaron. God's point to them is that the way God speaks through Moses is different - fundamentally more direct and immanent - from the way God speaks through prophets. The passage makes clear, I contend, that God's anger is NOT a reaction to Aaron's and Miriam's concerns about Moses' marriage, but rather to their assertion of prophetic authority, their suggestion in v.2 that God speaks through them in ways comparable to the ways God speaks through Moses.
Therefore, Miriam's leprosy (Numbers 12.10) is God's punishment of a mistaken understanding of personal prophetic authority, not of personal views about a certain form of marriage. I read Aaron's plea to Moses for restitution in Numbers 12.11 as a confession of their error, that what they "have done foolishly" is to assert personal privilege to speak for God when God alone makes such decisions.
Bottom line: There is NO justification, biblical or otherwise, for objections to interracial marriage, but the Numbers 12 passage is not about interracial marriage.
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@Bill_Coley said:
Bottom line: There is NO justification, biblical or otherwise, for objections to interracial marriage, but the Numbers 12 passage is not about interracial marriage.
I agree. Because there is only one race in the Bible. The human race. But how do we know Miriam's heart and motive? We assume too much if we say it wasn't about race, or that is was. I use the passage to say marrying outside of one's ethnicity is OK.
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@GaoLu said:
Tonight my wife and I are teaching a pre-marriage class. 6 couples. Every single couple is mixed ethnicity. Tonight is our first night so I don't know details yet. The last class we taught a few weeks ago was 9 couples. 12 different nationalities. No couple were of the same nationality, though 2 couples were of the same skin color. I think we had African (white and black), Asian, Middle Western and North and South American) We are all a part of the same church.
That is real.
Huh, is there some other way around it? Is there pre-marital counseling for in-laws?
What about family reunions, dinners, births and school functions, etc.?
Suppose one is not there in acceptance at the time of acquiring the knowledge?
Is there a country or US state where interracial marriages are forbidden?
Are these interracial marriages accepted around the world or just in the seemingly "liberal" USA?
Any answers to a Bible believer? CM
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@C_M_ said:
Huh, is there some other way around it? Is there pre-marital counseling for in-laws?What about family reunions, dinners, births and school functions, etc.?
Suppose one is not there in acceptance at the time of acquiring the knowledge?
Is there a country or US state where interracial marriages are forbidden?
Are these interracial marriages accepted around the world or just in the seemingly "liberal" USA?
Any answers to a Bible believer? CM
CM, I'm not trying to pry, and I have no curiosity whatsoever about the details, but do you have a friend, co-worker, acquaintance, or family member whose plans or possibilities are raising the issue of interracial marriage for you? Your posts read to me as if they're coming from a place of personal involvement/interest in the issue.
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@Bill_Coley said:
CM, I'm not trying to pry, and I have no curiosity whatsoever about the details, but do you have a friend, co-worker, acquaintance, or family member whose plans or possibilities are raising the issue of interracial marriage for you? Your posts read to me as if they're coming from a place of personal involvement/interest in the issue.
Bill,
Questions are asked, answers are given.
Personal or general, looking forward is always better than standing still.
One man's struggle could become a family's unhappiness and society's problem.
We seek and we search to establish a new reality.
The merging of two generations lifestyle can be refined as castrating a chicken.
Keeping it God-centered is the order of the day, come what may. "Burdens are lifted at Calvery" so goes the song, and questions are answered in CD. God is in control. CMPS. If this is a bit disjointed, connect the dots. I am all ears.
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@C_M_ said:
PS. If this is a bit disjointed, connect the dots. I am all ears.Dots connected. Thanks, CM.
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@C_M_ said:
@GaoLu said:
Tonight my wife and I are teaching a pre-marriage class. 6 couples. Every single couple is mixed ethnicity. Tonight is our first night so I don't know details yet. The last class we taught a few weeks ago was 9 couples. 12 different nationalities. No couple were of the same nationality, though 2 couples were of the same skin color. I think we had African (white and black), Asian, Middle Western and North and South American) We are all a part of the same church.
That is real.
As it turned out, only one couple had the same skin color.
Huh, is there some other way around it? Is there pre-marital counseling for in-laws?
Around what?
Why?What about family reunions, dinners, births and school functions, etc.?
What about them?
Suppose one is not there in acceptance at the time of acquiring the knowledge?
Happens.
Is there a country or US state where interracial marriages are forbidden?
I don't know of any such country, but maybe. No state since 1967 or so.
Are these interracial marriages accepted around the world or just in the seemingly "liberal" USA?
Of the marriages I work with none are in the US. Of the last two groups we have worked with, I would guess home will eventually be in at least half a dozen different countries (most of those attending our classes are post-grad international university students). One couple may someday return to the US.
Another couple we worked with (apart from classes) had a little problem and she got pregnant. The families in another country was not pleased and it took a few weeks before they consented to the marriage. The families now support them. That is the biggest issue I have seen.
I am excluding the presence and significance of marriage challenges brought about by very diverse cultural backgrounds. They are real. They are also surmountable.
Small differences matter. I was a Western rural mountain kid. My parents knew now boxes for thinking. My wife was a mid-west suburban farm girl. Traditions was everything. The difference in our cultural backgrounds is significant. We have found beauty in that diversity.
Big differences in culture will have more profound results in making a marriage work, but once again, for a Godly couple, this diversity can be an expression of unbounded beauty.
Any answers to a Bible believer? CM
See above.
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Thanks for the overall points of understanding that demands changes and adjustments for the benefit of all. Like most things in life, it's one thing to counsel and advise, but it's another to experience the situation. When we make Jesus the center, of the center, of our lives, people's differences will become secondary. Let's pray for all who faces the aforementioned challenges. Blessings. God's Love! CM
PS. There will be moments of weaknesses...
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I would like to add more to this thread but as I (being mixed ethnically) and my family (being that my wife is Japanese) are actually the product of interracial marriage (but not interfaith) it is really hard for me to objectively see points against it because to do so would be to question the legitimacy of my own existence.
However, I am always interested in hearing people from both side of the issue
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As I mentioned earlier, we have the human race. We do not have "races". “And [God] hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;” (Acts 17:26) (KJV 1900)
Just as people speak different regional dialects, regional ethnicities develop over time. But even in the case of the Jews, they are not a race, they are a religion just as christians are not a race, but a religion.
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@Dave_L said:
we have the human race. We do not have "races"Here are a number of different opinions on the issue some that agree with the said above:
Race Is a Social Construct, Scientists Argue
https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/race-is-a-social-construct-scientists-argue/Bill Nye: Race is a Human Construct
http://bigthink.com/think-tank/bill-nye-race-is-a-social-constructRace As A Social Construct
https://anthropology.net/2008/10/01/race-as-a-social-construct/Race as a Social Construction
https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/without-prejudice/201612/race-social-constructionWhat is race? Is it biological or a social construct?
https://globalnews.ca/news/2997715/what-is-race-is-it-biological-or-a-social-construct/@Dave_L said:
But even in the case of the Jews, they are not a race, they are a religion just as christians are not a race, but a religion.A mute point (at least for those familiar with Judaism), after all the within Judaism there a number of different specific Jewish ethnicities for example (but not limited to):
(1) Ashkennazi (Jews of European descent)
(2) Sephardi (Sephardic)
(3) Teimanim (Yemenite)
(4) Mizrahi (Arab Jews)
(5) Falasha (Beta Israel /Ethiopian Jews)
(6) Cochin Jews / Malabar Jews (Jews of India)
(7) Paradesi Jews (so called White Jews of India)
(8) Kaifeng Jews (The historic community Chinese Jews of Kaifeng China) -
Thanks BK.
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And, thank you Dave L for presenting the Biblical testimony on the issue.
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@Mitchell said:
A mute point (at least for those familiar with Judaism), after all the within Judaism there a number of different specific Jewish ethnicities for example (but not limited to):
(1) Ashkennazi (Jews of European descent)
(2) Sephardi (Sephardic)
(3) Teimanim (Yemenite)
(4) Mizrahi (Arab Jews)
(5) Falasha (Beta Israel /Ethiopian Jews)
(6) Cochin Jews / Malabar Jews (Jews of India)
(7) Paradesi Jews (so called White Jews of India)
(8) Kaifeng Jews (The historic community Chinese Jews of Kaifeng China)Where will the Igbo Jews of Abjua, Nigeria (considered one of “the lost tribes of Israel") fit in here? CM
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@Mitchell said:
I would like to add more to this thread but as I (being mixed ethnically) and my family (being that my wife is Japanese) are actually the product of interracial marriage (but not interfaith) it is really hard for me to objectively see points against it because to do so would be to question the legitimacy of my own existence.However, I am always interested in hearing people from both side of the issue
I would say that perhaps more importantly, the topic should be about "inter-cultural" rater than "inter-racial" marriages. I am thinking of "cultural" here in regards to customs and manners, language, habits, etc.
My wife is US American (upbringing in post-war US cultural setting) and, more specifically, of a Latin/Mexican background. I am German (upbringing in post war German cultural setting). I suppose in the widely accepted meaning of "racial", we are both "white" and we both come from cultural settings not too different ... yet, I would say that just those differences have been at times cause for difficult times and have meant extra effort on both our parts to make the marriage work (been married now for 38 years), which most likely would not have been the case (judging from observance of other couples) had we come from the same cultural setting and upbringing. We share the same Christian beliefs (although we may disagree on our understanding of certain passages of Scripture).
I do not see any forbidding of marriage for a man and a woman of different "racial / ethnic" backgrounds, nor of different cultural backgrounds or nationalities, etc. The only prohibition in Scripture appears to be to get married to a partner of the same sex or of non-Christian belief, etc.
I do see that any marriage with spouses from different cultural backgrounds to have an extra burden to carry in that their individual past brings some things to the table which would not be on the table with spouses from the same cultural background. -
Wolfgang,
Thanks for sharing. It's heartwarming. It sounds like a greater love story yet to be told.At any rate, what say ye on the following?
-- Genesis 28:1 "And Isaac called Jacob, and blessed him, and charged him, and said unto him, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan."
-- Genesis 28:2 "Arise, go to Padanaram, to the house of Bethuel thy mother's father; and take thee a wife from thence of the daughters of Laban thy mother's brother." KJV
-- Genesis 28:6 "When Esau saw that Isaac had blessed Jacob, and sent him away to Padanaram, to take him a wife from thence; and that as he blessed him he gave him a charge, saying, Thou shalt not take a wife of the daughters of Canaan." KJV
-- Judges 21:18 "Howbeit we may not give them wives of our daughters: for the children of Israel have sworn, saying, Cursed be he that giveth a wife to Benjamin."
-- Genesis 24:3 "And I will make thee swear by the LORD, the God of heaven, and the God of the earth, that thou shalt not take a wife unto my son of the daughters of the Canaanites, among whom I dwell." CM
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@C_M_ said:
Where will the Igbo Jews of Abjua, Nigeria … fit in here? CMThanks for mentioning the "Igbo Jews". It is a shame I am not able to edit my post and add them to the list. However, anticipating beforehand that I would not be able to list every type of ethnic Jew nor for that matter Judaism I prefaced my list with the following:
@Mitchell said:
within Judaism there a number of different specific Jewish ethnicities for example (but not limited to): -
Ok. No harm, no shame, no blame. Thanks. CM
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