Endogamy FAQ

[RedOctober]

1. What is Endogamy?

In a nut shell its a rule or law requiring that persons marry someone within the boundaries of a group or category or people, for example nobility in Europe were not allowed to marry outside their caste.

2. I heard the Bible is against Endogamy, is that true?

Absolutely false. Both the books of Ezra and Nehemiah have a theme of condemnation for those who do not marry within their own. See Ezra 9:1-3, 14; 10:1-44 and Nehemiah 13:13-31.

3. But that's just the Old Testament what about the New?

2 Corinthians 6:14-18. To summarize it states don't be unequally "yoked".

4. So you have to marry another Christian?

It depends, would a Catholic and a Baptist who are married be unequally yoked? Or a Mormon and an Orthodox? The answer to that would be an obvious yes. Also, during the initial Protestant Reformation most of the new religions took the position that any other religion was essentially false and therefore forbade intermarriage. It wasn't until much later some of that was relaxed.

5. What about ethnic Endogamy, I always hear Galatians 3:28 quoted about there being neither Jew or Greek, I guess that means ethnicity endogamy is not to be practiced?

Not necessarily. The reference I made to Ezra and Nehemiah would then be contradicting and thus creating a problem. But the hard reality is, Galatians 3:28 is often taken out of context. There was a huge division in the early church between the Jewish-Christians and the Hellenistic-Christians, its also well documented that Paul had disagreements with James and Peter. The Jewish Christians pretty much still followed the Law and therefore by preponderance, intermarriage was still discouraged, its noted that James lead this group.

6. So what happened to the Jewish Christians?

Long story. To make it short, they were at first viewed just as another sect of Jews, but when they began to multiply the Temple Priesthood took efforts to more or less expel them and destroy the sect. And the fact they did not get along with, were belief and faith wise different with the Hellenistic Christians, they were in between a rock and a hard place. Once Hellenistic-Christianity became "legalized" under Constantine, Jewish-Christianity was declared a heresy and persecuted. The vast majority of scholars believed they eventually died out in the 4th century. A small minority of scholars believe they went underground and its unknown when they died out, if at all. For more reading see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jewish_Christians

NOTE: Think its appropriate to mention that a number of Molokans believe that we are in fact a remnant of one of those groups that went underground, given the vast similarity we have with this group. There is absolutely no proof and at this point, just legend. However, its not entirely without merit, Christian Gnosticism survived well into the 1200's (and its my opinion groups such as the Khlysty are remnants of them) and if this group could survive why not Jewish-Christianity? It is know most fled to Damascus and could have fled further to avoid more persecution under Rome. In the 8th or 9th Century the Khazar Empire made Judaism its official religion, given the similarities of religion they could have easily fled here without raising much suspicion. The Khazar Empire controlled much of what is today southern Russia, western Khazakhstan, portions of the Ukraine, Azebaijan, and some of the northern Caucuses.

7. What about Joseph, Moses, etc.? They appeared to have married outside their people?

Yes, there are numerous examples in this in the Bible, but the underlying theme is that it's frowned upon. There are more examples of marriage outside the Jewish people leading to ruin, such as Samson and Delilah, King Solomon, King Mannesah, etc. As for Joseph, there is a long Jewish tradition that Asenath converted; Link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_and_Aseneth.

In the case of Moses, a number of scholars argue he married outside of his "Nation" and his wife was actually a descendant of Abraham;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Midian

Quote:According to the Hebrew Bible, Midian (Hebrew: מִדְיָן‎, Standard Midyan Tiberian Miḏyān; "Strife; judgment") was the fourth son of Abraham, the patriarch of the Israelites, and Keturah, his second wife. (Gen 25:2-6 and 1Chronicles 1:32).

Sort of like a Molokan marrying a Russian who was not part of the Molokan religion originally but converted.

8. OK, so do Molokans (Leaper and Jumper Sect) practice Endogamy?

Yes. For all the reasons mentioned above and due to the Molokan Faith being vastly different from Hellenized Christianity(2 Corinthians 6:14-18), therefore it is heavily discouraged in the United States.

9. But what if an American coverts to being a Molokan?

Russians who convert are still accepted in Russia, in the United States there is quite a bit of apprehension. Likewise, the children of marriages where one is Molokan and the other is not tends to be very taboo. There have been some great successes but at the same time great failure. And as a result some people hold a policy of blanket rejection. In some cases they even reject out-right Russian converts, which is ironic considering that one of our most famous prophets, Maxim Gavorilich Rudomentkin was from a family of Russian Converts.

But the largest reason converts are not actively pursued and incorporated is due to even more ironically, by an American Prophet many claim to be Ellen G. White http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellen_G._White

She stated that Molokans should not give up their language, dress, customs and not inter-marry with the general populace. Given that its virtually de-facto American policy to eliminate ethnic and religious identity in the United States, had those words not been heeded, Molokans may very well have been absorbed by now.

10. Are there any other examples of God wanting an ethnic separation?

Yes, Genesis chapter 11. In summary God scatters the people and language. One could take a very narrow point of view and claim that it was done only because they were building the tower. However, in Genesis 1:28 its commanded to fill the earth. To do so would most certainly create distinct groups of people develop diverging cultures. One only has to look how Molokans have evolved here in the United States and those in Russia to see how distance and environment can change the dynamics of people.

11. Is there something more direct than Genesis 11 that's cited?

Yes. In Numbers 36:6-9, Israel was even forbidden to intermix within the 12 Tribes. Some can argue it was so no physical inheritance be transferred from one tribe to the other, but irregardless it was forbidden. Furthermore as much of the Old Testament has a lot of symbolism of what is to come (Blood of a lamb to signify Christ, etc.), some can argue it has a spiritual significance as well, it fits with the theme about being "unequally yoked".

Also a good example of how God did not want any intermarriage between the differing peoples, see Numbers 25. The theme of this story and prevalent through much of the Old Testament is, whenever the people inter-marry, they fall away.

Now note however, this is not a license to be belligerent and rude to those who are not Molokan. It is very apparent from the New Testament that they can be considered equal in believers and can be ministered too. However, there is no ample evidence or explicit statement that it is ok to intermarry.


[color="navy"] [/color]12. Is there anything in the S&L that states one should not intermix?

Yes. MGR 12:4:14-17; 14.Therefore, all those inscribed in the Lambs books of the living must always marry those young maidens of their generation; for theirs is a holy seed and the couple is like unto Abraham and Sarah. 15. Likewise those written in the beasts books of death also always must take for themselves wives from among those accursed young maidens of their generation, 16. So that our holy seed should not ever mix with their accursed seed.17. They are of the sons of the devil. This why all of their children after them are cursed eternally. Amen, the truth.

13. Does this FAQ include all references to Endogamy?

No. That requires an exhaustive study and would defeat the purpose of a brief FAQ. This is however a good start to begin such an undertaking for yourself.