A Mississippi wedding venue rejected an interracial couple, citing ‘Christian belief," then apologizes after supposedly learning that race wasn't mentioned in the Bible

[SaysWho?]

https://www.washingtonpost.com/nation/2019/09/03/mississippi-wedding-venue-rejects-interracial-couple-christian-belief-apologized/?noredirect=on

 

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“To all of those offended, hurt or felt condemn by my statement I truly apologize to you for my ignorance in not knowing the truth about this,” the now-deleted apology read. “My intent was never of racism, but to stand firm on what I ‘assumed’ was right concerning marriage.”

 

Boone’s Camp Event Hall could not be reached for comment late Monday.

 

Welch told The Post that her brother and his fiancee had already arranged a date to look at the venue in northeast Mississippi when the couple received a message from one of the owners: They weren’t going to be accommodated anymore, the owner allegedly wrote, citing her Christian beliefs as justification.

 

Hoping to “gain clarity” on the owner’s beliefs, Welch said she and her mother went to the event hall. Shortly after arriving, Welch started questioning the owner, all while recording the brief interaction.

 

The now-deleted apology:

 

 

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In her apology, the event hall’s owner attempted to explain why she believed the Bible supported her views on interracial marriages, describing how she only recently discovered that wasn’t the case. She began by writing that as “a child growing up in Mississippi” it was an unspoken understanding that people stayed “with your own race.” But then on Saturday, when her husband asked her to point to relevant sections of the Bible, she couldn’t. After spending hours scouring the text and sitting down with her pastor, the owner wrote that she finally concluded that the reasoning behind her decision to turn away Welch’s brother and his fiancee was “incorrect.”

 

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At least one person said the woman’s “heartfelt apology” warranted forgiveness, but others, including Welch, remained unswayed.

 

“I am 24 and have been brought up my entire life in a Christian Family; my grandad being a reverend,” Welch wrote in the email to The Post. “If I know that the Bible doesn’t say anything about biracial marriages, she knows too.”

 

[Keyser_Soze]

 

[CastlevaniaNut18]

I call bullshit she didn't realize what the Bible said before now.

 

Also, I meant to post this in the thread yesterday, but I forgot. 

[Kal-El814]

41 minutes ago, CastlevaniaNut18 said:

I call bullshit she didn't realize what the Bible said before now.

I can see this one going both ways, honestly. I know a lot of Christians who believe the bible is the literal word of god, but haven't bothered to read the thing. Who knows.

[Guest]

I 100% believe her story about what she believed.

[CastlevaniaNut18]

I dunno what kinda Christians you guys are around, but in my part of Bible Belt I don't think I've ever heard someone use the religious excuse for that in modern times. 

[Guest]

14 minutes ago, CastlevaniaNut18 said:

I dunno what kinda Christians you guys are around, but in my part of Bible Belt I don't think I've ever heard someone use the religious excuse for that in modern times. 

There are tons of independent Baptist and Pentecostal churches around the south that oppose interracial marriage. It isn’t a particularly difficult thing to come across. Not as prevalent as Christian opposition to same sex marriage, but still exists in many congregations today.

[TheBladeRoden]

People just get so used to using the Bible to defend some forms of their bigotry, it's easy to automatically resort to it for the rest.

[CastlevaniaNut18]

1 hour ago, sblfilms said:

There are tons of independent Baptist and Pentecostal churches around the south that oppose interracial marriage. It isn’t a particularly difficult thing to come across. Not as prevalent as Christian opposition to same sex marriage, but still exists in many congregations today.

Huh. Well, growing up Baptist with plenty of Pentecostal exposure from my father's family, I can honestly say I've never experienced it. 

 

My parents are just good old fashioned racists without using religion as justification.

[Brick]

At least she's learning???......... 

[Reputator]

It's like when people use Christian belief to defend guns. I'd love to know where in the Bible it talks about that.

[Mercury33]

I was actually surprised how genuine that apology seemed. Obviously no one can know how true or sincere it was except the person writing it. But I’m inclined to believe her. 

 

We strive for change and for people to better themselves. So I think we also must not rush to invalidate but to embrace those on seemingly on the edge of that change and betterment.