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Race, women and health · Claim record

The Watchtower of 1 December 1973 stated that "superiority of race is nowhere taught or implied in the Bible" and left interracial marriage to each Christian's own decision, while still asking the member to weigh whether such a marriage "is likely to create a seriously adverse effect" on local attitudes to the preaching work, and repeating that any law forbidding such marriages must be obeyed.

Claim ID claim-attitudes-race-1973-interracial-personal-decisionConcerns 1 December 1973Later reinterpretation
Later reinterpretation · 1 December 1973 Verified

The Watchtower of 1 December 1973 stated that "superiority of race is nowhere taught or implied in the Bible" and left interracial marriage to each Christian's own decision, while still asking the member to weigh whether such a marriage "is likely to create a seriously adverse effect" on local attitudes to the preaching work, and repeating that any law forbidding such marriages must be obeyed. The Watchtower, 1 December 1973The Watchtower, 15 July 1960

Show the evidence (2 sources)
Primary JW publication Verified

The Watchtower, “Questions From Readers”

1 December 1973 · pp.735-736 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“Superiority of race is nowhere taught or implied in the Bible. … So, the Bible nowhere implies that racial differences in themselves have anything to do with the properness of marriage. … As a factor, then, he may consider whether or not interracial marriage is likely to create a seriously adverse effect on the attitude of the people in his community toward this Kingdom-announcement work. … However, after weighing all these factors thoughtfully, each Christian must make his own decision—in good conscience and motivated by love for God and for his neighbor.”

A question from France. The answer states that racial prejudice does not make interracial marriage wrong, notes that such marriages were becoming more common, repeats the counsel to obey any law forbidding them, raises the possible effect on the preaching work and on children, and leaves the decision to the individual.

Official source

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. Opened on the Watchtower Online Library on 19 September 2026 and read from the document’s own HTML, twice and independently; the page markers read 735 and 736 and the printed citation line reads "w73 12/1 pp. 735-736". An earlier version of this record ended the quotation at "each Christian must make his own decision." with a full stop; in the document that sentence runs on past a dash, and the rest of it is now quoted.

Corroborated by. src-race-w-1960-0715-qfr-interracial

Notes. Published six years after Loving v. Virginia; the article still says Christians must obey any remaining law forbidding such marriages.

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-race-w-1973-1201-qfr-interracial

Primary JW publication Verified

The Watchtower, “Questions From Readers”

15 July 1960 · pp.447-448 · Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society

“God’s Word does not forbid marriage between the races. On the contrary, it shows that all races are related in that they all came from one man originally. … It is quite likely that those who marry across racial lines will have more of this tribulation than will others. … Then again, the law in certain lands and states forbids interracial marriage. Since Christians must recognize Caesar’s right to regulate marriage, Christians residing in such states or lands and contemplating interracial marriage would have to move to a land or state where such marriages are legal, and it would be inadvisable for them to return to their own land or state or to go to any others having such laws.”

The reader’s question is "Is it wrong for a white person and a colored one to marry if they truly love each other?" The answer says no, then lists practical cautions: added tribulation, restricted preaching opportunities, obstacles for any children, and "the law in certain lands and states" that then forbade such marriages. It closes: "If two persons of different races decide to take such a step, no one should criticize them."

Official source

Provenance and verification note

Confidence note. Opened on the Watchtower Online Library on 19 September 2026 and read from the document’s own HTML, twice and independently; the page markers read 447 and 448 and the printed citation line reads "w60 7/15 pp. 447-448". An earlier version of this record ended the quotation at "… where such marriages are legal." with a full stop; in the document that sentence runs on past a comma, and the rest of it is now quoted.

Corroborated by. src-race-w-1973-1201-qfr-interracial

Notes. The extract that circulates on critical sites omits the opening sentence, “God’s Word does not forbid marriage between the races”, and the closing one, “If two persons of different races decide to take such a step, no one should criticize them.”

Accessed. 19 September 2026 · Source ID. src-race-w-1960-0715-qfr-interracial

Claim page Correct or update

A direct link to this claim is https://jwtruth.org/evidence/claim-attitudes-race-1973-interracial-personal-decision/. Every source above opens the original document or the best available copy. If you believe the wording, date or context is wrong, report an error.