News-Record.com

Interesting development. I'm sure the original Bob Jones would have been horrified at a few things here. Like a fundamentalist organization publicly admitting that it got anything wrong. IIRC, this school maintained its policy of racial purity using quotes from the Bible, which would indicate that they now believe they used the Bible incorrectly in the past. Another reason for Old Bob to spin in his grave.

One of the big reasons why this country had laws preventing "interracial marriage" was because the Christians considered it unnatural, and if allowed would lead to other unnatural stuff like gay marriage, men marrying horses, dogs living with cats. :)

I can't help but wonder whether this admission of such an obvious truth - that the old policy was socially driven in spite of being "justified" with the Bible - might lead students, faculty and alumni to wonder what other mistakes of Bible usage could be going on there right now? I mean, I would wonder, were I in that situation, I think. But then, I have a far different mindset from your average BJU dweller.

Did they not give up federal and state aid in order to cling to their racial bigotry years ago?
Could be that their wallets, and the Almighty Bottom Line, rather than the Lord, are telling them to say it was a mistake...

I agree with the previous two posts!

namtac poses some good and poignant questions in the posting made. For a fundamentalist Christian person or group to admit to mistakes made using the Bible is in total disagreement with the belief structure. It has to be the $$$ that is playing a part in this matter.

Shalom

God is patient.
I have even heard of life-long atheists suddenly accepting Christ as Savior.
It's kind of difficult, is it not, to know what's in anothers heart?
In the future, perhaps we should ask namtac, alice and darryl to guide us in matters of spiritual growth, since they all seem to understand God's intent.

Proverbs 9:7.

Which Lord are they talking about ?

Although I have never been a great fan of BJU in matters of theology or social policy, I have always respected their commitment to the Scriptures and the Gospel. I often wondered, however, how they could be so committed and cling to their prejudiced views - compartmentalization perhaps.

The phenomenon of evolving social vews has been endemic amongst prominent leaders in southern religion and politics: George Walace and Jerry Falwell to name but two. To understand this process one MUST study the Old South as it persisted into the 20th century, and the ossified social structure that enshrined it. This is NO excuse, but it IS an explanation. BJU was simply enmeshed in that religious social milieu. That serious, committed Christians could have used the Bible to justify their bigoted social policy, when it was clearly wrong, is explained by the poweful social inertia of the Old South, but is not justified by it.

Nevertheless, it is good that people and institutions can grow in spiritual honesty and awareness. But let him who is without growth in his lifetime cast the first stone. Although a good number of holier-than-thou stones have already been hurled.

It might also be instructive to remember that numerous liberal secular institutions have admitted prejudice and bad policy over the years. They based their prejudicial policies on anthropology or evolution rather than the Bible. Does that negate all or much of thier other views and policies? But let a Christian college or individual admit growth in their views and it becomes open season for bashing - rather than nuanced, fair-minded alaysis.

If we go down that road, where the social conditions can explain the theological machinations, aren't we opening ALL religious thought to sociological explanantion, and hence otential de-mystification?

'Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.

If we go down that road, where the social conditions can explain the theological machinations, aren't we opening ALL religious thought to sociological explanantion, and hence otential de-mystification?

'Tis a consummation devoutly to be wished.

In the Dickens novel Christmas Carol, Scrooge finally changed, whether it is due to economics or politics, it is not very clear. But, to this day we call him scrooge. Similarly, in real life Bob Jones University claims to have changed. May be because they need Asian money and Asian enrollment as the white American enrollment goes down due to economic enrollment goes down due to the unending economic crisis. I really do not know. But, once a white skin worshipping pagan always a white skin worshipping pagan, their claims to be Christian notwithstanding. As a person who has watched too many souls lost to Christ due to bigotry from the likes of Bob Jones, I will be very skeptical of any pronouncements.