did god create the distinctions between the races?

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_sock puppet
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did god create the distinctions between the races?

Post by _sock puppet »

Is the fact that their are different races of people, such as caucasion, hispanic, African, etc, the result/plan of god?
_JLHPROF
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Re: did god create the distinctions between the races?

Post by _JLHPROF »

If you believe in evolution and science, no. You would believe they are a natural result.

If you don't believe in evolution and science, there would have to be another explanation. God is as good a non-scientific explanation as any.
Thy mind, O man! if thou wilt lead a soul unto salvation, must stretch as high as the utmost heavens, and search into and contemplate the darkest abyss, and the broad expanse of eternity—thou must commune with God. - Joseph Smith
_Chap
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Re: did god create the distinctions between the races?

Post by _Chap »

sock puppet wrote:Is the fact that their are different races of people, such as caucasion, hispanic, African, etc, the result/plan of god?


Race was once (quite a long time ago) a scientific concept widely enough accepted to justify having a discussion about why 'races' might exist. Nowadays the kinds of 'races' you list above are not generally seen as having a useful biological references, so asking why there "are different races of people' Is not likely to lead anywhere very interesting.

We are basically all one species, homo sapiens, and we can all make babies with one another without any difficulty. We've evolved a few superficial local variations (like high skin melanin levels in very sunny areas), and we tend to resemble our neighbours more than people born on the other side of the world, but so what?

The surprising thing would be if we all looked exactly the same. Now that would demand an explanation.
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_Craig Paxton
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Re: did god create the distinctions between the races?

Post by _Craig Paxton »

Nope evolution did
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_sock puppet
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Re: did god create the distinctions between the races?

Post by _sock puppet »

Chap wrote:
sock puppet wrote:Is the fact that their are different races of people, such as caucasion, hispanic, African, etc, the result/plan of god?


Race was once (quite a long time ago) a scientific concept widely enough accepted to justify having a discussion about why 'races' might exist. Nowadays the kinds of 'races' you list above are not generally seen as having a useful biological references, so asking why there "are different races of people' Is not likely to lead anywhere very interesting.

We are basically all one species, homo sapiens, and we can all make babies with one another without any difficulty. We've evolved a few superficial local variations (like high skin melanin levels in very sunny areas), and we tend to resemble our neighbours more than people born on the other side of the world, but so what?

The surprising thing would be if we all looked exactly the same. Now that would demand an explanation.

For the theists among us (not me), the question is a perplexing one. God would be the author of racial differences, having created the opportunity for racism to develop. And what would be god's purpose for the differences? And why did religions once forbid interracial marriage, particularly since we are all of the same species and can as you say make babies with one another without any difficulty?
_huckelberry
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Re: did god create the distinctions between the races?

Post by _huckelberry »

sock puppet wrote:
For the theists among us (not me), the question is a perplexing one. God would be the author of racial differences, having created the opportunity for racism to develop. And what would be god's purpose for the differences? And why did religions once forbid interracial marriage, particularly since we are all of the same species and can as you say make babies with one another without any difficulty?


Religion forbidding interracial marriage is infrequent and based upon unusual social conditions like preserving the american peculiar institution.

As a christian believer I find no reason to find the natural causes of racial differences insufficient. It is geographic, African, European, Asian or Americas. for much of human history these areas were relatively isolated from each other.
_deacon blues
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Re: did god create the distinctions between the races?

Post by _deacon blues »

No matter how we were created, there are approximately 7 billion brothers and sisters living today. We are one family.
_Mormonicious
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Re: did god create the distinctions between the races?

Post by _Mormonicious »

Check out this link for what the press thinks

http://historylocker.com/revealed-25-se ... m=referral
Revelation 2:17 . . give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it. Thank Google GOD for her son eBay, you can now have life eternal with laser engraving. . oh, and a seer stone and save 10% of your life's earning as a bonus. See you in Mormon man god Heaven Bitches!!. Bring on the Virgins
_I have a question
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Re: did god create the distinctions between the races?

Post by _I have a question »

Yes He did, and it was a mechanism to ensure purity of the righteous genetic line.
21 And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them.

https://www.lds.org/scriptures/Book of Mormon/2-ne/5?lang=eng

I seem to recall an Austrian in the 30's and 40's had a similar idea...
“When we are confronted with evidence that challenges our deeply held beliefs we are more likely to reframe the evidence than we are to alter our beliefs. We simply invent new reasons, new justifications, new explanations. Sometimes we ignore the evidence altogether.” (Mathew Syed 'Black Box Thinking')
_reflexzero
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Re: did god create the distinctions between the races?

Post by _reflexzero »

God seems to feel a United people would be a threat. And therefore they must be stopped, elsewise they would have no need for religion.

Gen 11:6 And the LORD said, Behold, the people is one, and they have all one language; and this they begin to do: and now nothing will be restrained from them, which they have imagined to do.
Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by rulers as useful.
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