A predominantly white Baptist church in Jackson, Missisipi, USA denied a black couple the chance to get married in the church. The couple who are not members of the church, but attend regularly, were told that some members of the church had demanded that their wedding be moved to another location because the church would not marry a black couple.
No black couple has ever been married at the 150-year-old church.
Sources say that some members of the church had approached the pastor to complain about the marriage ceremony after they saw the black couple rehearsing in the church and told the pastor that they would vote him out if he proceeded with the wedding. Speaking about the incident, the bride said, "He (the pastor) had people in the sanctuary that were complaining about us being a black couple. I didn't like it at all, because I wasn't brought up to be racist. I was brought up to love and care for everybody."
Commenting on the issue, the pastor said that he was only trying make peace when he decided to ask the couple to move their wedding to another location. He said, "I was just trying to think about a win-win. The thing is, I'm a peacemaker, and sometimes because I'm a peacemaker it gets me in trouble. The thing about it is this: I love the people of our church and that's the bottom line."
However, some members suggested that the Pastor should not have allowed the views of a minority in the church to stop the wedding. Some church members have apologized to the couple and the local black community.
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PAUL BANYE LAGOS, NIGERIA August 22, 2012
May God have mercy on us,how are we practicing christianity? is it what christ teaches us, heaven is real o,no black or white in heaven. how are we preparing for HIS coming?
These people are RELIGIOUS people and they not CHRISTIAN
Chidi Madrid Spain Madrid, Spain August 11, 2012
Well, regular attendance to any church or religion doesnt make one heaven bound. The bible in the book of Genesis 1-26-28, states that God made man in his image, there is no version of the scripture that explains if God is black or white, so any racist in the house hold of God should be ready to discriminate against God, Jesus, Holy spirit and angels of God, and such discrimination leads to hell. Pastors should know that we are called to follow in the footsteps of Christ, that is ministering the word without fear, favouritism or influence of any member.
Joseph Lagos, Nigeria August 11, 2012
A church at 150years, imagine how 150years backward they went
Igiri Victor Lagos, Nigeria August 10, 2012
If this kind of marginalization can be taken into the church, then, why do we practice Christianity? This was not Christ taught us. I feel for the black couple that were marginalized. And for the church members who rejected this idea, it is high time we defined our basis of Christianity. Peace, love and equality are some of the qualities of Christ.
Abioye Sango-ota, Nigeria August 08, 2012
May God have mercy. This is nothing but carnality in action. The spirit of the Lord is no longer in control of that church but the will of the minority. I pray that God of heaven would open their spiritual eyes so they can see clearly where they have derailed and retrace their steps back to calvary, to living by what Jesus Christ laid down for us. In fact, this world is moving to an end. Friend, how prepared are you for Christ coming?
