An review of the book
ONE BLOOD
A Biblical Answer to Racism
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Please read this article first. |
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Is Billy Graham right or wrong |
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One Blood is a book about interracial marriage and whether God's Law allows or disallows it. The book argues that God allows (even encourages) interracial marriage but disallows marriage between Christians and non-Christians.
The book's title is from Acts 17:26 which reads, in the King James Version, "And 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;"
Other versions read differently, for example
Acts 17:26, " and He made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed times and the boundaries of their habitation," New American Standard
Acts 17:26 "And hath made of one, all mankind, to dwell upon the whole face of the earth, determining appointed times, and the limits of their habitation." Duary-Rehims
Acts 17:26 is explained elsewhere in this Bible course. Click Here
The Forward
Step One, 'Tar and feather' the opposing point of view
The Forward to this book is by Zig Zigler, a motivational speaker. In the Forward Mr. Zigler sets the stage. He wants you to know that those who hold opposing points of view are "morally, socially, scientifically and Biblically wrong" (Paragraph 8) Opposing points of view are 'tarred and feathered' as follows:
Mr. Zigler is quick to label (feather) opposing viewpoints. He use these words and phrases, racism, ugliness of racism, racist and prejudice.
And that opposing points of view are unbiblical and unscientific. Then he makes the following comment,
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"The prime reason I was thrilled to be asked to write this forward is to share from my prospective why One Blood can be a life-changing experience for many people. First, as a practical matter, in the business world turnover of capable people is cost prohibitive. We have to rehire, retrain, and fit new employees into our work structure. That's time-consuming, frustrating, and expensive. When prejudice rears its ugly head and we miss out on capable people because they are not of our "race," it is particularly frustrating and often leads to expensive litigation. This happens because we treat people like we see them, and try as we might, our prejudice is perceived by the person who is treated in a less-than-equal manner. Needless to say, that person's loyalty will be shallow and short-lived. Three Native Americans had huge impacts on my life: One on my sales career, another on my speaking career, and yet another on my spiritual walk. The African American lady who spent the weekend of July 4, 1972, in our home is the reason I am a Christian today. My closest friend for the last 35 years is Jewish, and he was my first encourager when I launched my speaking career. My daughter-in-law is from Campeche, Mexico, and one of the key members of our staff is a native of India. Just think what I would have missed had I been racist!" |
But the subject of the book is interracial marriage NOT employment practices.
The book is about interracial marriage and whether it is right or wrong, NOT the talents and qualifications of a person's or his ability to do his job.
What is in question is the understanding of the commandment, Thou shalt not commit adultery? That is the question.
While I sincerely believe the commandment "Thou shalt not commit adultery" forbids interracial marriage, I am not aware of any place in the Bible where, "Thou shalt not commit adultery" is defined as Thou shalt not hire people of other races, or Thou shalt not get along with people of other races. Or even Thou shalt be prejudiced against other races.
Zig told you about his personal experiences. I would like to tell you of my personal, on the job experiences. I have worked with people of other races, just as Zig Zigler has, and I have found them to be excellent people just as Mr. Zigler has. And they liked me also. They never thought of me as a 'racist'. I would get along fine with people of other races.
But then something would happen that would change everything. A 'so called' Born-Again Christian would take my friend aside to whisper into his ear, to 'explain' my views on the Bible.
I rarely heard what was said. That behind my back 'whispering' would sow the seeds of hate, but not hatred in me, rather hatred toward me. My friend was no longer a friend. Mr. Zigler used the phrase, "When prejudice rears its ugly head." From my point of view it was "prejudice" that, behind my back, "reared it's ugly head" to whisper into my friends ear.
| Proverbs 6:16 -19 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren. |
Mr Zigler, in the Forward continues to set the stage writing;
| Prejudice is frequently a matter of "what's best for me." Example: If you are prejudiced and white, but you need a heart transplant and the only one available is from a black man, would your prejudice still prevail, or would you be grateful for your life made possible by your black brother? Question: If you' re a black man and your daughter is drowning and you are unable to save her, but a white man is available, would you turn him down and !et your daughter drown'? I don't think so. |
The subject of the book is interracial marriage NOT heart transplants, NOT blood transfusions, NOT rescuing drowning people.
Spiritually 'Tarred and Feathered'
So now the 'tarred' people holding opposing points of view have been covered with the word feathers 'prejudice' along with 'racism' and 'hate'. BUT the subject is, what did God mean when he said, "Thou shalt not commit adultery?"
Is it "adultery" to get an organ or blood transfusion from a person of another race? (No.) Is it "adultery" to rescue a drowning person of a different race? (No.)
This 'tarring and feathering' is continued in the Preface of the Book.
PREFACE
More verbal 'feathers'.
The Preface is by Jim Fletcher. In the Preface, on pages 11 and 12 we find these additional word feathers, Holocaust, Adolf Hitler, Jewish Problem, Ku Klux Klan, Neo-Nazis and the prejudicial words 'so-called' used as adjectives to 'Identity Movement'.
Mr. Zigler says, 'explains' the belief system of Identity as follows, "The so-called "Christian" Identity movement believes that the Jews are the offspring of Eve and Satan, and Blacks are not really human."
But large numbers of Identity Christians do not hold these two beliefs. Back in the 80's the two leading Identity Clergymen were at odds over this, one (Gayman) saying "It's true" and the other (Emry) saying "Not so".
Because of prejudicial reporting in the media the word "Identity" has become another smear word, another 'feather'. All "Identity" means is that these people know where America is found in Bible prophesy. They have 'identified' America in the Bible. Herbert Armstrong's World Wide Church of God is "Identity". They have Black ministers, they love the Jews and in Mr. Armstrong's day, the #2 person (Stanley Rader) was Jewish.
Anyone disagreeing with the book is covered with even more word 'feathers'. The disagreer is also labeled anti-Semite, Holocaust denier, neo-Nazi, and a suspected member of the K.K.K.
Here are words found on page 13;
We hear rabid sports fans viciously question the intelligence level of black players who drop passes in the end zone or miss balls on a sun-drenched diamond. The evening news bulletins assault us with senseless killings, rapes, and other persecutions. And this racial hatred is not confined to white men hating brown, red, or yellow-skinned people. One only has to think of that notorious promoter of hate, Black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan. Or anti-Chinese violence in Indonesia. Even the Japanese in World War II, to justify their nation's expansionist aggression, had been told that they were the most "highly evolved" race on earth. After all, Europeans, with their longer arms and hairier chests, were clearly still closer to the ape, weren't they? There is no way to understand the cultural cancer of racism until we first seriously read the Bible. For this breathtaking collection of 66 books is completely silent on our own modern concept of "races." Tragically, blacks, orientals, whites -- all of us -- have been pushed into "boxes" (the metaphor for which is the stinking, grisly railroad car) and we have forgotten that God has "made of one blood all nations of men" (Acts 17:26). |
In the quote above box has reference to the Holocaust. Keep in mind that the subject is the correct understanding of the word "adultery" as used in the commandment, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." Not the holocaust and the history of World War 2, Not the I.Q.'s of various races, not the beliefs of Louis Farrakhan, not the belief systems of unpopular denominations.
Guilt by association: These other subjects are brought in to prejudice the mind of the reader. To prejudice the reader's mind against anyone who believes differently about God's commandment against adultery.
INTRODUCTION
The book's one page Introduction asks several questions including, "Does the Bible allow "interracial" marriage? The book argues that all races came from Adam and Eve. "made of one blood all nations of men". (And therefore anyone can marry anyone.) And any who dare to disagree have already been labeled (in the Forward and Preface) 'haters' and worse with a generous covering of spiritual 'tar and feathers'.
The book begins with Chapter One - Cain's Wife.