No Other Gods...



I recently mentioned Loving Day (in NITNF) and how interracial marriage in the United states used to not only be frowned upon but actually was illegal until 1967. Over the years, perhaps even centuries, certain religious elements/people used to use the Bible to support their arguments to discourage or condemn interracial marriage. Often, those people will say God directed the Hebrews not to intermarry with "the heathen" tribes from outside the land of Egypt and that this means God didn't want the races mixing.

This, of course, is ridiculous....but people believe it, wholeheartedly.

Like any debate, though, the best way to resolve a dispute is to look at the original source and the facts. In this case, the original source is the Bible.

When God made the Ten Commandments, He warned Moses what would happen if the Hebrews did not do as He commanded: they would intermarry AND start worshipping the gods of those tribes and peoples. God didn't hate the ethnicity of those people -- He made those people! And as I blogged before, Moses was interracially married to an Ethiopian woman and God highly honored Moses' marriage.

I know some people still use the Bible to justify their prejudice and ignorance but the Bible itself does not condemn or discourage interracial marriage; in fact, it supports it! So, remember that if/when someone throws that package of baloney at you.

Here's the actual Biblical reference:

Exodus Chapter 34, 10 - 16 (King James Version)

And he said, Behold, I make a covenant: before all thy people I will do marvels, such as have not been done in all the earth, nor in any nation: and all the people among which thou art shall see the work of the LORD: for it is a terrible thing that I will do with thee.

Observe thou that which I command thee this day: behold, I drive out before thee the Amorite, and the Canaanite, and the Hittite, and the Perizzite, and the Hivite, and the Jebusite.

Take heed to thyself, lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land whither thou goest, lest it be for a snare in the midst of thee:

But ye shall destroy their altars, break their images, and cut down their groves:

For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

Lest thou make a covenant with the inhabitants of the land, and they go a whoring after their gods, and do sacrifice unto their gods, and one call thee, and thou eat of his sacrifice;

And thou take of their daughters unto thy sons, and their daughters go a whoring after their gods, and make thy sons go a whoring after their gods.

Best Wishes,
Allen