Bob Jones University in SC apologizes for racist policies,

[JackBeck]

Including interracial dating ban

By JEFFREY COLLINS
Associated Press Writer

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) -- Bob Jones University has apologized for racist policies including a one-time ban on interracial dating that wasn't lifted until nine years ago and its unwillingness to admit black students until 1971.

The private fundamentalist Christian school that was founded in 1927 said its rules on race were shaped by culture instead of the Bible, according to a statement posted Thursday on the university's Web site.

The university in northwestern South Carolina, with about 5,000 students, didn't begin admitting black students until nearly 20 years after the U.S. Supreme Court's 1954 Brown v. Board of Education ruling found public segregated schools were unconstitutional.

"We failed to accurately represent the Lord and to fulfill the commandment to love others as ourselves. For these failures we are profoundly sorry. Though no known antagonism toward minorities or expressions of racism on a personal level have ever been tolerated on our campus, we allowed institutional policies to remain in place that were racially hurtful," the statement said

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/B/BOB_JONES_RACE_APOLOGY?SITE=KTVB&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

"We failed to accurately represent the Lord and to fulfill the commandment to love others as ourselves."

Anyone want to take a stab at how that could be applied to any current debates over whether or not that statement should also be applied to an embrace of same-sex relationships, regardless if the sector is public or private?

The Bible has been used irresponsibly in this country to, among other things, justify slavery and banning interracial relationships, in spite of the very public struggle for racial equality. But ultimately this Book has been used in this country numerous times to denounce any marginalized American's plea for basic human rights. The invitation for a seat at the table that the LGBT community is fighting for isn't unique in American history. Most groups have had specialized laws extended to them, some, including the LGBT community, have not. When it comes to Hate Crimes, Marriage, Non-Discrimination in Employment, and Housing Equality, to name a few, we're asking for equal access, not anything that's extra.

Yet ultimately, the Right Wing religious organizations that have infiltrated our traditional media get the most face time to plead for compassion, regardless if you agree or not with their bigotry, by insisting their private funding should shield them from established law on the basis on religious freedom.

So here we have a private religious institution apologizing for their racial bigotry, shielding their bigotry not from a religious stand point, but a sociological. They were, you know, just going with the flow.

Sorry, BJ University, you can't have it both ways. A privately funded, religious university basing who they admit on social norms and not the Bible? I'd love to see their excuse in front of the SCOTUS when it came to denying the admission of queer students because of the sexuality or the expulsion of same-sex couples due to their relationship status.

[IndianaJones]

1. as a biracial individual, I don't accept. nt.

[JackBeck]

4. Yeah. Not sure what their rule are about multi-racial individuals.

You may have a point.

[IndianaJones]

5. if they didn't like the interracial dating...they would've hated my parents interracial marriage. nt

[JackBeck]

7. As a private organization, why did they offer an apology for their bigotry?

Your grasp on these issues becomes more pronounced each time they arise.

[IndianaJones]

8. they didn't forbid the students from seeking relationships within their race. so it was ok. nt.

[Ecumenist]

10. Yeah, Indiana? I suppose tht that would have left out at least 45% of my family!

To save time, my mother's generation is the only one that married black mates. My grandparents and ggranparents were interracial married, as I am, my brother, my cousins, etc, etc etc, They would H-A-T-E us all. Ah but my heart bleeds. :sarcasm:

[cliffordu]

2. Fock me, what a load..."Don't need a weather man to know which way..."

[Maccagirl]

3. That "culture" WAS based on the Bible

Or so the fundies have said from the beginning. That statement (or excuse) is bull.

[JackBeck]

6. We have our first semi-finalist!

Thank Jeebus someone around here is also able to wade through their bullshit.

[Ecumenist]

11. Interracial marriage in the Bible was NEVER forbidden. ie, Moses and Zipporah..

Joseph and his Egyptian wife, Solomon and Bilqis, etc. Ity was only if marriage was between two different RELIGIOUS traditions. GOD NEVER TAUGHT ANYWHERE IN THE BIBLE AGAINST MARRYING SOMEONE OF ANOTHER COLOR..EVER!!

[JackBeck]

13. There are no grounds in the Old or New Testament to prohibit interracial marriages.

But that never stopped people in this country from misusing the Bible in support of bigoted public policy.

[Ecumenist]

15. Well, as a black woman, I know that this is just an extension of

the time when the Bible was twisted and actually corrupted by the slave holding south to inculcate the slaves into believing that slavery was biblical. This is another reason why black ministers in the antebellum south were verboten and when they were allowed to preach to black folk, their sermons were censored heavily and scrutinised. This is just an extension of what the south was used to doing for the better part of 250 years.

[loveable liberal]

9. No we're sorry Bob, your federal funding is still getting yanked....

Oh... and its christians like yourself that give christianity a bad name. Go to hell.

[Kansas Wyatt]

12. Put them on a 'terrist' watch list too.

And everyone connected to them.

Let them reap what they have sowed.

[CitizenPatriot]

14. I support this acknowledgement and urge them to do some more soul-

searching.

It would be great if this were a trend, soon spreading to all "christian" institutions. Yes, do try to uphold the beliefs you espouse and do apologize when you have failed.

While it doesn't correct the past, it is movement in the right direction.

It is the folks who refuse to acknowledge their bigotry and hatred who continue to cause such horrific damage to the fabric of our society, so I can't jump on the sarcasm bus with these guys. I'm glad they made this statement. I look forward to more of the same and hope that the soul-searching leads to some very Christian-like conclusions re the treatment of our brothers and sisters.