Aside from the typical rhetoric you hear about BJU and their dating philosophies, I must admit that I see an awful lot of racism in the Independent Fundamental Baptist churches. I constantly hear things like, "What the black community needs is a good BLACK fundamental preacher.", or perhaps "We are just too different than the black community to reach them.", sometimes it even extends into the "No, we aren't racist, we have "xx" black people that attend our church.".
Unfortunately, it's many pastors and evangelist that perpetuate this backsided racism telling jokes about "colored's" or even preaching their version of racism from the pulpits. Racism is racism, regardless of who perpetuates it, it just seems acceptable in many fundmental circles. When there is a black preacher who is and Independent Fundamental Baptist, we parade them around on the circuit. Plus you are almost condemned to a life of urban service if you want to be an IFB BLACK preacher or even more rare, an IFB missionary.
The old saying goes that Sunday morning's are the most segregated time in America. I don't know the validity of it, but I can understand the basis of it. Granted there are many churches and pastors who really could care less the color of skin of those in the congregation, but if we are honest, ask yourself how many times your pastor has visited those black visitors homes like he did those white visitors.
In my church we have many Hispanic folks, and a few black people, but you can still hear and feel the twinges of racism occasionally. Are we that different? I have told people (and I sincerely mean this) I don't care what color of skin my daughter marries as long as his heart beats for Jesus. Of course that didn't bode well with many of my IFB compatriots.
It's intersting how often they use Old Testament Bible verses out of context to support their hidden racism. ("We aren't racist, we just believe people should stick to their own kind, it's hard on the children") Basic Hermeneutics are thrown out in order to bend the word to their desire. The same thing that they decry that the evangelicals, catholics, protestants and the like are doing.
The Old Testament illustrates a simple truth there are Believers and Unbelievers. They should not intermingle. When God wrote to the Jews there were two classes of people. Jews and Gentiles. As much as it hurts the white mans pride, we are as much a gentile as any black man. So we either have to accept that the truth that God was revealing was about Believers/Unbelievers or we have to bend the text to our own desires.
I really get a kick out of those who swear that Number 12:1 refers to Zipporah. Yeah, I get the whole idea that the word that is interpreted as "Ethiopian" is the word for "Cushite", but ironically the same word (kuwshiyth) is used in this verse too:
Jeremiah 13:23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? [then] may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. Ironic that most of the racist IFB's start questioning the text and interpretation at this point. Look she was black, I think it's pretty evident and besides Spurgeon is on my side!
Read this from his Morning and Evening devotions:
"He had married an Ethiopian woman."
--Numbers 12:1
Strange choice of Moses, but how much more strange the choice of Him who is a prophet like unto Moses, and greater than he! Our Lord, who is fair as the lily, has entered into marriage union with one who confesses herself to be black, because the sun has looked upon her. It is the wonder of angels that the love of Jesus should be set upon poor, lost, guilty men. Each believer must, when filled with a sense of Jesus' love, be also overwhelmed with astonishment that such love should be lavished on an object so utterly unworthy of it. Knowing as we do our secret guiltiness, unfaithfulness, and black-heartedness, we are dissolved in grateful admiration of the matchless freeness and sovereignty of grace. Jesus must have found the cause of His love in His own heart, He could not have found it in us, for it is not there. Even since our conversion we have been black, though grace has made us comely. Holy Rutherford said of himself what we must each subscribe to--"His relation to me is, that I am sick, and He is the Physician of whom I stand in need. Alas! how often I play fast and loose with Christ! He bindeth, I loose; He buildeth, I cast down; I quarrel with Christ, and He agreeth with me twenty times a day!" Most tender and faithful Husband of our souls, pursue Thy gracious work of conforming us to Thine image, till Thou shalt present even us poor Ethiops unto Thyself, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing. Moses met with opposition because of his marriage, and both himself and his spouse were the subjects of an evil eye. Can we wonder if this vain world opposes Jesus and His spouse, and especially when great sinners are converted? for this is ever the Pharisee's ground of objection, "This man receiveth sinners." Still is the old cause of quarrel revived, "Because he had married an Ethiopian woman."
So rant on there IFB pastor, but know this, your day is numbered, your hatred is revealed.
