Most of us have seen this before: Race/Ethnicity White(not of Hispanic origin)___ Black (not of Hispanic origin)___ Asian/Pacific Islander ___ Native American/Inuit(Eskimo) ____ Hispanic ___ Other(specify)____ ...or at least something similar. You read it on college applications, job applications, and other important forms. I find it very interesting that people believe that this is the best way people can be classified in the United States. This is not at all correct. You see, many people who would check White, are not purely White, and so on. Many who would check black are not purely black as well. Many who are Black or White; are a mixture of African, European, Asian, and/or Native American. This begs to question how come there is not a category for Asian/Pacific Islander (not of Hispanic origin) or Native American/Eskimo(not of Hispanic origin) or East Indian? There is no specified racial category for the Chamorros, Phillipinos, or Sri Lankans check. Why can't all of us check Other? Because that is what we all are.
This is not only inaccurate, it is also not Biblical. Ethnologists and anthropologists have been classifying humans for centuries and most haven't come close, until now, to the true fact that race is not about skin color. In fact, some geneticists many so-called races have less in common than those of different races genetically as well as physically.
Some scientists have classified us into nine Geographical Races: European (Europeans, North American whites, Middle Easterners), African (Africans, Afro-Americans, Haitians, Jamaicans), East Indian (Indians, Sri Lankans, Bengals), Asian (Chinese, Japanese, Koreans, Phillipinos), Melanesians (Fiji, New Guinea), Polynesians (Hawaiians, Samoans), Micronesians , Australian Aborigines, and American Indians (Cherokee, Blackfoot, Lumbee, and Eskimos). However, in the Biblical Sense, many of these geographical racial groups would either be in different categories than the ones described. For example, the Lumbees are a mixture of British, African, and Native American peoples. Also, the Egyptians are a mixture of African and Semitic peoples. The people of Turkey are a mixture or melting pot of European, Semitic, and Asian peoples. To show you, the reader, how inaccurate these findings are, consider Genesis 10. This chapter is a genealogy of the human racial family.
"Genesis 10:1 Now these are the generations of the sons of Noah, Shem, Ham, and Japheth: and unto them were sons born after the flood. 2 The sons of Japheth; Gomer, and Magog, and Madai, and Javan, and Tubal, and Meshech, and Tiras. 3 And the sons of Gomer; Ashkenaz, and Riphath, and Togarmah. 4 And the sons of Javan; Elishah, and Tarshish, Kittim, and Dodanim. 5 By these were the isles of the Gentiles divided in their lands; every one after his tongue, after their families, in their nations."
Japheth was the ancestor of what is known as the Indo-European peoples, which includes the Irish, Germans, Greeks, and Spaniards.. This would also include the ancestors of Central Asian peoples such as the Persians and the Kurds, Uzbek, Afghans, Tibetans, Pakistani, Bengals, and Northern Indians.
"6 And the sons of Ham; Cush, and Mizraim, and Phut, and Canaan. 7 And the sons of Cush; Seba, and Havilah, and Sabtah, and Raamah, and Sabtecha: and the sons of Raamah; Sheba, and Dedan. 8 And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth. 9 He was a mighty hunter before the LORD: wherefore it is said, Even as Nimrod the mighty hunter before the LORD. 10 And the beginning of his kingdom was Babel, and Erech, and Accad, and Calneh, in the land of Shinar. 11 Out of that land went forth Asshur, and builded Nineveh, and the city Rehoboth, and Calah, 12 And Resen between Nineveh and Calah: the same is a great city. 13 And Mizraim begat Ludim, and Anamim, and Lehabim, and Naphtuhim, 14 And Pathrusim, and Casluhim, (out of whom came Philistim,) and Caphtorim. 15 And Canaan begat Sidon his firstborn, and Heth, 16 And the Jebusite, and the Amorite, and the Girgasite, 17 And the Hivite, and the Arkite, and the Sinite, 18 And the Arvadite, and the Zemarite, and the Hamathite: and afterward were the families of the Canaanites spread abroad. 19 And the border of the Canaanites was from Sidon, as thou comest to Gerar, unto Gaza; as thou goest, unto Sodom, and Gomorrah, and Admah, and Zeboim, even unto Lasha. 20 These are the sons of Ham, after their families, after their tongues, in their countries, and in their nations"
Ham is the ancestor of what could better be described as the Afro-Asiatic races, or who some in America would call persons of color.which are the Black African, Mongoloid Asians such as the Chinese, Native Americans, and ancestors of some Latinos, Indians, Middle Easterners such as the Yemenis, and those of the Pacific Islands such as Samoans and Tahitians.
"21 Unto Shem also, the father of all the children of Eber, the brother of Japheth the elder, even to him were children born. 22 The children of Shem; Elam, and Asshur, and Arphaxad, and Lud, and Aram. 23 And the children of Aram; Uz, and Hul, and Gether, and Mash. 24 And Arphaxad begat Salah; and Salah begat Eber. 25 And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother's name was Joktan. 26 And Joktan begat Almodad, and Sheleph, and Hazarmaveth, and Jerah, 27 And Hadoram, and Uzal, and Diklah, 28 And Obal, and Abimael, and Sheba, 29 And Ophir, and Havilah, and Jobab: all these were the sons of Joktan. 30 And their dwelling was from Mesha, as thou goest unto Sephar a mount of the east. 31 These are the sons of Shem, after their families, after their tongues, in their lands, after their nations. "
Shem is the ancestor of the Hebrews and the Arabs, as well as other Semitic peoples such as the Berbers. Shem could possibly be an ancestor of many of the East Indian and Malay people as well, including the Indonesians. But it is certain that many Mediterranean and North African peoples such as the Tunisians, some Iranians, and Syrians also have Semitic ancestors.
The Bible clearly shows that there is no white race, black race, hispanic race, asian race, or any other race. The Human Race is one race. In fact, we are all people of color. Japheth is not "White" and Ham is not "Black" In fact Ham was not cursed because of his color. It was in fact his grandson, Canaan who was cursed by Noah because Ham uncovered his nakedness. He blessed Shem and Japheth because they treated Noah with dignity and respect. The Bible has never implied any racism nor is there any text or word that condoned racism.
It is however well-noted that the Geographical races further prove that we are more alike than what most of us admit. As mentioned earlier, geneticists have proven this fact. It also proves that there is not one person who can say that they are of a "pure race", for there is no such thing. God is the Creator of us all and He wants us all to be united. Japheth's descendants are as diverse as those of Ham and Shem. Biblical classification of race has less to do with skin color, hair color, and eye color as it is to do with language families. Notice that the biblical races written thousands of years ago in the Old Testament are those that belong to the same language families as classified today. The Indo-Europeans are those whose ancestors spoke languages within the Indo-European families of languages which includes English, Sanskrit, Russian, and Spanish. Geographically, the speakers of these language are originally from Europe, Central Asia, and South East Asia. Those who speak Hamitic and Semitic languages are originally from Africa, the Americas, the Pacific Islands, and the Middle East, which include speakers of Arabic, Hebrew, Hawaiian, and Swahili.
If you or anyone you know have racist or prejudicial views about another group of people, then you need to repent, for racism and prejudice too are unbiblical. If you harbor any racist or prejudicial views that you haven't repented of, I ask that you please pray this prayer.
"Lord Jesus Christ, I am a sinner in need of a Savior. I do harbor ungodly views about others because of their ethnic and cultural differences. I ask that you forgive me of this and all of my sins. I turn my will and life over to You. Come into my heart and be the Lord of my life. Write my name in the Lamb's Book of Life. I thank you for your cleansing and forgiveness and salvation. In Jesus' name, Amen. "
You have made the most important decision of your life! Tell somebody of your conversion. Publicly confess your salvation. Don't be ashamed of the gospel of Jesus Christ.