Does Bob Jones University still prohibit interracial dating?

[astro]

Just curious if it still does this.

[Duckster]

Apparently so.

In our court case 20 years ago we fought for religious freedom, not for our policy banning interracial dating, but for our right to hold that policy. God has again brought us to national attention. Why did God allow this? What does He want the nation to know? He must want people to be made aware that our religious freedom is in jeopardy.

Chapel Message dated March 6, 2000 - http://www.bju.edu/resources/chapel/archives/chap0003.xml

[UncleBill]

Apparently not.

cite

In an interview with Larry King on Friday, Bob Jones III, the president of the now-famous University which was at the center of a George W. Bush controversy, made an announcement that surprised many: Bob Jones University’s policy against interracial dating, which they believe to be against the teachings of God, has been dropped. In his words, “We don’t have to have that rule. In fact, as of today, we have dropped the rule.”

dated 3/6/00

[Duckster]

Gee, dropped the same day as it was affirmed.

So why can I not find it on their web site?

[Monty]

IIRC, the caveat on BJU dropping the ban is that the students can date someone of another race provided both sets of parents give permission.

One guess how that’s going to turn out.

[astro]

*Originally posted by Monty *
**IIRC, the caveat on BJU dropping the ban is that the students can date someone of another race provided both sets of parents give permission.

One guess how that’s going to turn out. **

Is parental consent required for same race dating?

[Duck_Duck_Goose]

Yes, they’ve dropped the rule.
http://www.cnn.com/2000/US/03/04/bob.jones/

IIRC, the caveat on BJU dropping the ban is that the students can date someone of another race provided both sets of parents give permission.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/1120440.stm

[John Ashcroft] angered Democrats in 1999 by accepting an honorary degree from South Carolina’s Bob Jones University, which until last year banned interracial dating. Students still have to have parental permission.

http://www.mindfully.org/Reform/John-David-Ashcroft-AG.htm

John David Ashcroft
A Stalwart of the Right
DAVID JOHNSTON / New York Times 23dec00

Mr. Ashcroft has served in the Senate since 1995 and briefly considered a run for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000, with backing from religious conservatives. Last year, he received an honorary degree from Bob Jones University, the South Carolina evangelical university that Democrats have denounced for policies like its ban on interracial dating. The university changed the policy this year to permit interracial dating by students who have parental permission.

So why can I not find it on their web site?

Why would they keep a loud public fart on tape prominently displayed on the mantelpiece?

[Duckster]

*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose *
Why would they keep a loud public fart on tape prominently displayed on the mantelpiece?

Well, they continue to provide a bigger fart banning interracial dating on their web site.

[astro]

Well, in doing some Googling, the policy may have been changed on March 3, 2000 for public consumption but I would suspect their real attitude is still much closer to this letter by their Community Relations Coordinator sent just three years ago.

Dear Mr. Landrith:

Thank you for your phone call requesting information concerning interracial relations here at Bob Jones University. The University has an open admissions policy, and we accept students of any race. The student body is fully integrated with all students participating in all activities and organizations regardless of race.

Bob Jones University does, however, have a rule prohibiting interracial dating among its students. God has separated people for His own purpose. He has erected barriers between the nations, not only land and sea barriers, but also ethnic, cultural, and language barriers. God has made people different one from another and intends those differences to remain. Bob Jones University is opposed to intermarriage of the races because it breaks down the barriers God has established. It mixes that which God separated and intends to keep separate. Every effort in world history to bring the world together has demonstrated man’s self-reliance and his unwillingness to remain as God ordains. The attempts at one-worldism have been to devise a system without God and have fostered the promotion of a unity designed to give the world strength so that God is not needed and can be overthrown.

Although there is no verse in the Bible that dogmatically says that races should not intermarry, the whole plan of God as He has dealt with the races down through the ages indicates that interracial marriage is not best for man. We do believe we see principles, not specific verses, to give us direction for the avoidance of it.

The people who built the Tower of Babel were seeking a man-glorifying unity which God has not ordained (Gen. 11:4-6). Much of the agitation for intermarriage among the races today is for the same reason. It is promoted by one-worlders, and we oppose it for the same reason that we oppose religious ecumenism, globalism, one-world economy, one-world police force, unisex, etc. When Jesus Christ returns to the earth, He will establish world unity, but until then, a divided earth seems to be His plan.

Of course, we realize that this is controversial position and that there are many fine Christians who disagree with us on it. We recognize the right of other Christians to hold differing views; we only hope that they will recognize the sincerity and love with which we hold ours.

Christian students of all races find a happy and harmonious atmosphere here at the University, and the number of minority students grows every year. We believe prejudice to be Biblically wrong, and it is not tolerated in the student body.

I trust this information is helpful to you. Kind regards.

Sincerely yours,

Jonathan Pait
Community Relations Coordinator

[Princhester]

One wonders if they are quite so keen on “the natural order of things” remaining the same when it comes to refraining from proselytising to non-christians?

[TV_time]

When I read the OP, I called an acquaintence of mine who recently graduated from Bob Jones University and he said while it is officially permitted, it is still frowned upon by those in power. He said you will not see interracial couples walking hand-in-hand around, but then again, in general, public displays of affection is frowned upon and thus you will not see many couples walking hand-in-hand on campus.

Basically, he said interracial dating has become sort of “Don’t ask, don’t tell” at Bob Jones University.

[Cliffy]

*Originally posted by Monty *
**the students can date someone of another race provided both sets of parents give permission.

One guess how that’s going to turn out. **

Neither my parents nor Mrs. Cliffy’s had a problem with it. Of course, my parents would never have sent me to Bob Jones University.

–Cliffy

[Duck_Duck_Goose]

Astro, what’s your point in posting that letter? It says, right at the top, in boldface:

**08/31/98 Letter from Bob Jones University

Effective March 3, 2000, Bob Jones III has rescinded the ban on interracial dating. This letter no longer reflects current policy and is provided for information purposes only.**

Seems to me, from your comment, that you just posted it to sneer at the ignorant Fundie U. Your OP was asking, “Is it still their policy?”, your question was asked and answered. If ya wanna flame them, or debate it, go to a different forum.

So:

…I would suspect their real attitude is still much closer to this letter by their Community Relations Coordinator sent just three years ago.

Cite?

And yes, I’m feelin’ pissy about this.

[astro]

*Originally posted by Duck Duck Goose *
**Astro, what’s your point in posting that letter? It says, right at the top, in boldface:
Seems to me, from your comment, that you just posted it to sneer at the ignorant Fundie U. Your OP was asking, “Is it still their policy?”, your question was asked and answered. If ya wanna flame them, or debate it, go to a different forum.

So:
Cite?

And yes, I’m feelin’ pissy about this. **

For BJU to have claim they have “rescinded” their ban on inter-racial dating by removing support for it from their formal policy position, but then turning around and requiring that parents give permission for adults of two different races to date if attending BJU without the same permission required for same race students to date, and then after that position is ridiculed, to change the permission policy to a requirement that those wishing to date inter-racially must atted special “counseling” sessions, does make me think the change is not in mindset but only from a PR perspective.

Pontificator-Bob Jones University

The school, however, continues to discourage interracial dating. After announcing that the school would drop the interracial dating ban, Bob Jones told the student body at their daily chapel service the following day that they must tell their parents if they became involved in an interracial relationship and parents must send a letter to the dean of men or women approving the relationship before the university would allow it. Two days later, he announced that the school would drop the parental permission requirement but that students who wanted to engage in “serious dating relationships” against their parents’ approval would be referred to counseling by the university. That is mandatory special “counseling” for adults engaged in inter-racial dating – in the year 2001. That is a disgrace to our nation and all that we stand for.

There are plenty of both ignorant atheists (I’m in that pair of stocks quite often) and fundamentalists to go around and I think the SDMB is a pretty equal opportunity in caning both as needed. That in 1998 in the US, a letter like that could come out of as the stated policy position of an American, degree granting University does take my breath away. In any case, this is only my opinion and not a fact so you are quite correct insofar as I should have left it out of a GQ discussion of “facts”. My apologies.

[Duck_Duck_Goose]

Okay, I see that you have thought it through and weren’t just taking a cheap shot at BJU.

Pax.