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In May 1975, as it prepared to allow unmarried blacks to enroll, BJU adopted more detailed rules prohibiting interracial dating and marriage—threatening expulsion for any student who dated or married interracially, who advocated interracial marriage, who was "affiliated with any group or organization which holds as one of its goals or advocates interracial marriage," or "who espouse, promote, or encourage others to violate the University's dating rules and regulations." (Wikipedia)
Though I believe they were nitwitted boneheads for establishing such a regulation in the first place, they have since eliminated that one.
From CNN on March 4, 2000:
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The president of Bob Jones University on Friday said his school has ended its ban on interracial dating in wake of the controversy stirred by George W. Bush's visit to the fundamentalist Christian school.
"We don't have to have that rule. In fact, as of today, we have dropped the rule," Bob Jones III told CNN's "Larry King Live."
He said he met with administrators earlier in the day and decided to end the policy, because "I don't want to hurt the church of Jesus Christ."
Besides, Jones said, the policy "is meaningless to us."
"Our concern for the school's broader usefulness is greater to us than a rule we never talk about," he said.
At another point, Jones said, "We can't back it up with a verse in the Bible."
And at BJU's website you can find this:
http://www.bju.edu/welcome/who-we-are/race-statement.php
BJU’s history has been chiefly characterized by striving to achieve those goals; but like any human institution, we have failures as well. For almost two centuries American Christianity, including BJU in its early stages, was characterized by the segregationist ethos of American culture. Consequently, for far too long, we allowed institutional policies regarding race to be shaped more directly by that ethos than by the principles and precepts of the Scriptures. We conformed to the culture rather than providing a clear Christian counterpoint to it.
In so doing, 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.
On national television in March 2000, Bob Jones III, who was the university’s president until 2005, stated that BJU was wrong in not admitting African-American students before 1971, which sadly was a common practice of both public and private universities in the years prior to that time. On the same program, he announced the lifting of the University’s policy against interracial dating.
Our sincere desire is to exhibit a truly Christlike spirit and biblical position in these areas. Today, Bob Jones University enrolls students from all 50 states and nearly 50 countries, representing various ethnicities and cultures. The University solicits financial support for two scholarship funds for minority applicants, and the administration is committed to maintaining on the campus the racial and cultural diversity and harmony characteristic of the true Church of Jesus Christ throughout the world.
These are the last four paragraphs on that page, dealing directly with this issue. Although I think they should never have had such a regulation on interracial matters, the fact of the matter remains that the times out of which this came about are DIFFERENT than they are now (no excuse, mind you) AND they have subsequently reversed their standing on it and acknowledged they were WRONG in the first place.
What more can we ask of them? Let it be.
by thatsJustme on January 31st, 2010
What do you think of their amends?
by JakobA I^_^I the alooney on January 30th, 2010
1975 is a long time ago. It appears that they have by now managed to integrate their scriptural interpretations and 'interracial love'. http://www.bju.edu/welcome/who-we-are/race-statement.php
Good going there BJU ;-))
by cloudman on January 30th, 2010
Though I don't agree with their stand on interracial marriage, I believe that if Bob Jones University is a private institution (and is not supported by Federal or State tax money in any way) it is their right to have the policy. I certainly understand where they are "coming from." I don't know their admission policies. Do they accept all races? If so do they allow mixed race arrangements in the dorms?
What is marriage&family counseling?
by Answerbag Staff on April 13th, 2010
| 3 people like this
what are you phobic about? anything?
by Bornabrit on February 12th, 2012
| 3 people like this
Are we all 'connected' at a subconscious level..?
What does that mean?
by aldonoir on February 10th, 2012
| 2 people like this
Why do humans mistake consequence for punishment? God need not punish you when consequence is all the punishment you can handle.
by -O-uknow on February 11th, 2012
| 1 person likes this
what things are too personal for you, to discuss with others?
by Bornabrit on February 12th, 2012
| 5 people like this
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Comments
Ok Chief. I can accept your answer. Well done. Thanks.
by 0 on January 30th, 2010
You betcha!
:):):)
by The Chief on January 30th, 2010
So is Bob Jones University acting the same way towards Gays now?
by Moongrim on January 31st, 2010
"acting the same way towards Gays now"...as in prohibiting homosexual relationships? Or as in renouncing a stand against homosexual relationships?
I didn't see anything on their site with respect to homosexuality, but I rather suspect that they are against it, and have always been against it.
This is because they have scriptural references agsinat homosexuality in the Bible. And, what with the Bible being a cornerstone of Christian theology and all, this means they are very likely going to be AGAINST homosexuality, homosexual behavior, and anything which promotes them.
And that's OK. It's a tenet of their religion. People who do not like it or agree with it are not required to join the BJU.
So long as their objections are otherwise limited to protesting through various peaceful means, I could care less. I draw the line where violence is either advocated or actually committed against homosexuals.
Here are some links which show that BJU is against homosexuality:
http://www.bjupress.com/resources/articles/t2t/talking-to-students-about-homosexual-marriage.php
http://www.ianpaisley.org/article.asp?ArtKey=bobjones
by The Chief on January 31st, 2010
In other words Bob Jones University is now at the same level of maturity concerning Gay-marriage, that they were several decades ago concerning Interracial Marriage.
And they used Biblical passages then to justify the prevention of interracial marriage.
Undoubtedly.
http://www.religioustolerance.org/marracbib.htm
by Moongrim on February 1st, 2010
"...same level of maturity..."
No I wouldn't say that.
The issue of homosexuality is a moral issue with churches...pretty much all of them, not just Christian, Jewish, or Islamic faiths.
The issue of homosexuality is specifically delineated as a sin in these faiths. It's not a matter of what we, as humans, think about it...it's what God thinks of it.
The concept of morality, of sin and right & wrong, as described by scriptures is NOT subject to interpretation otherwise. There is a difference between an interpretation of something based on what religious scriptures have to say on related subjects, or how it relates to the times. But when it's specifically called out as sinful, there is no other interpretation to be had.
That is the stand of any religion.
If you do not believe this, fine. That is your right and I, for one, will not gainsay you on this. In fact, I fully support your right to disagree with it, no matter what I or anyone else may think. However, for these people it is part of their scripturally supported beliefs.
I would say, however, that there is a WORLD of difference between what most Christian organizations say & do and what organizations like, say, Westboro Baptist Church does.
I support BJU in their stand on homosexuality. I do NOT support Westboro Baptist Church on their stand.
There is a difference.
by The Chief on February 1st, 2010
But when it's specifically called out as sinful, there is no other interpretation to be had.
Horsefeathers.
Voting Democrat has been called out as sinful, by some.
by Moongrim on February 2nd, 2010
Voting Democrat is a political stand. Same as voting Republican or Tory or Libertarian or Democratic-Republican, or any other political party this country has ever had. (Or any other country...)
Those who call voting Democrat "sinful" are full of sh*t, and you and I both know this. (And I'm speaking from a decidedly NON-liberal point of view, mind you.) It's every bit as full of sh*t as referring to, say, GW Bush as the "Antichrist".
In the eyes of God, ALL sin is abhorrent. Show me one politician who has not sinned...or one political party which cannot be shown to support SOMETHING that might be considered sinful. Can't do it.
Nowhere in the scriptures does it say "voting Democrat is sinful". And it is entirely possible for a person to vote one way or another and yet object to specific politicians and political stands.
"How can you vote Democrat when they support abortion?" Funny that...my wife has about as conservative a view as possible on family values, including abortion...yet she is a Democrat. Why? Because there are OTHER social/political aspects that the Democrats support that she thinks are important. So she votes her conscience as best she can and makes her stand against what she does NOT believe in as well.
I do the same. And neither of us are simple-minded straight-party voters, regardless of how we are registered.
The beliefs and mores that I live by are important to me. Yet there is room for compassion and tolerance. I've already used the example above bewteen BJU and Westboro Baptist Church. Another would be my stand on the military and those who are vehemently against the military. I did not join the Navy and spend 20 years of my life to support and defend yada, yada, yada ONLY for those who agree with me and what I do. I did it for EVERYBODY in my country. Gays and straights, liberals and conservatives, pro-abortionists and anti-abortionists, pro-military and anti-military...you get the picture.
There IS a line. It may be different for you than for me, but there IS a line. And we will each defend it as we see fit. And that's how it MUST be.
BJU may, within the bounds of their religion and private university, make and maintain their stand on homosexuality. Like it or not, that is their legal right. However, they may not make their stand using violent means and other such illegal methods. That is NOT their right. Therein lies the difference in my stand between BJU and Westboro Baptist Church. That is my line.
:):)
by The Chief on February 2nd, 2010