The recent controversy that erupted after George Bush made a campaign stop at Bob Jones University might provide an interesting current example of religion being used to justify racism, in this case a policy forbidding interracial dating. The president of the university has just officially ended the policy. There's an article about this with links to related materials at: Bob Jones Bends http://racerelations.about.com/library/weekly/aa030600a.htm Here's a relevant excerpt: "Jonathan Pait, the university's community relations coordinator, reiterated their policy [before it was ended] all the while maintaining that, '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.'" There's a link to the full letter which has a more detailed explanation of the school's interpretation of God's will. I don't know how widespread those beliefs are but they certainly didn't end with slavery or even with segregation. Jim Zwick [log in to unmask] http://www.boondocksnet.com/ http://marktwain.about.com/