To people who believe the "mark" on Cain was to darken his skin, wouldn't it make more sense....

Question

that Cain's skin was lightened? Whether you believe in science (we originated from the rift valley in Kenya), or a literal interpretation of the bible (we came from the Garden of Eden, which was by everyone's best guess is b/w the Tigris and Euphrates in Iraq), or a combination of both, we can safely say that Cain and Abel were NOT European. They were most likely very dark-complected.

So if you believe that God's "mark" on Cain was to change his skin tone, wouldn't it be more likely that he was lightened? Wouldn't that make him stand out much more?

(Let me stick a disclaimer on here that I don't believe the "mark" was to change his skin color, and I think it was a detail added by people trying to justify their own prejudices. It seems to be a definite example of Euro-centrism to assume in the first place that Adam & Eve or their kids would be white or light skinned. Just wanted to hear everyone's thoughts!).

Larrydaffern - I first heard this argument (that Cain's skin was darkened) on a Mormon website. Apparently they rebuked this belief in the '70s.

It's not anything that was ever taught in my church, but I was surprised at how many people have heard it and/or believe it. I agree with those of you who say skin color is not a curse!

Thanks everyone for your answers:-)

Red_F - Maybe you didn't read my question very thoroughly?

There's no need to be rude, btw.

Seed - that may be the best point yet!

Answer 1

I personally believe the mark on Cain was Leprosy, the first case, remember how in the old testament that was the main sign that a person had sinned!!

Answer 2

According to the commentary below:

Verse 15
Whosoever slayeth Cain vengeance shall be taken on him seven- fold - God having said in Cain's case Vengeance is mine, I will repay; it had been a daring usurpation for any man to take the sword out of God's hand. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain - To distinguish him from the rest of mankind. What the mark was, God has not told us: therefore the conjectures of men are vain.

So to speculate as to what the mark was is simply "vanity," and useless.

What I think happened to "cause" the speculation that his skin was darkened was that (see the next verse) Cain went out of Eden and dwelt in the land of Nod. There has been speculation that Nod was somewhere in Africa, and thusly, the "*******" race sprang from Cain.

But it is clear that the actual MARK of Cain was some distinguishing mark that set him apart from all other human beings, and "God stigmatized him and put upon him such a visible and indelible mark of infamy and disgrace as would make all wise people shun him, so that he could not be otherwise than a fugitive and a vagabond, and the off-scouring of all things." (Matthew Henry Complete Commetary)


Have a blessed day.

Answer 3

The speculation as to what the mark was began early...

At first people thought it might have to do with Cain's descendants being destined to a Nomadic life given the text of genesis....Later some early Christians wrote that it had to do with skin coloration...


"According to some scholars, some early interpretations of the Bible in Syriac Christianity combined the "curse" with the "mark", and interpreted the curse of Cain as black skin. Relying on rabbinic texts, it is argued, the Syriacs interpreted a passage in the Book of Genesis ("And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell") as implying that Cain underwent a permanent change in skin color.

Ephrem the Syrian (306-378): “Abel was bright as the light, / but the murderer (Cain) was dark as the darkness".

In an Eastern Christian (Armenian) Adam-book (5th or 6th century) it is written: “And the Lord was wroth with Cain. . . He beat Cain’s face with hail, which blackened like coal, and thus he remained with a black face".

The Irish Saltair na Rann (The Versified Psalter, AD 988), records Gabriel announcing to Adam: "Dark rough senseless Cain is going to kill Abel".

At Larrydaf....Blacks have always been allowed into the mormon church....you refer to the time when blacks were finally allowed into leadership positions after being denied due to the speculation of this curse, which took place in 1978....

Southern Baptists finally rescinded their views as well in the mid-1990's...Most of Christianity held that blacks were inferior and called them "savages", even the most enlightened, the main difference between them was whether they should be treated properly or abused....And most blacks were taught to believe in the mark of Cain being a dark skin....tragic....something no revisionist can erase...

Answer 4

I think the 'mark' of Cain was to be beardless. True Native Americans or Indians cant grow beards, though they depicted their gods to have beards. Cain and Abel most likely weren't white men Europeans. Just by looking at the region in which they lived, I would say they were dark skinned. also there is a ancient city in Peru, Tenochtitlan, look at the root of the word, 'enoch', It also was a capital city for the Aztecs.Cain built a city and named it after his son.

Answer 5

Very true. People think that Jesus was white, when in actuality he would have probably looked very dark or olive skinned like from someone who lives in Israel or Jerusalem. I personally think the mark may have been a mark on his soul and not necessarily a physical mark on his body, or possibly a birth mark of some kind. But that is a very true statement. During that time he would have been dark skinned. Great question.

From what I know, at one time, and I cannot stress this enough. At one time, but not anymore, it was the Mormon's who believed that the mark of cain was darkening of the skin. From what I understand only very few strict Mormon Sects believe this to this day. However, most Mormon meeting houses (church) have black people and other people of color in their congregations. Some have even converted to Mormonism. But I don't know of any other religion who used to or to this day believe in that.

Answer 6

Wow - this is a new one for me. But I'm not surprised. A lot of people twist the bible to make it justify their preferences/prejudices. I agree with you, particularly if you think about the curse that God placed on Miriam that made her skin white (with leprosy - maybe it was dry skin or something - when she grumbled against Moses' wife). God did heal her later and she went back to her regular color.

But I see no mention of skin color in relation to Cain's curse in the bible.

Answer 7

I believe when people went over to the continent Africa that is when people's skin color change. That just like God made everyone speak different languages because they disobeyed. I never heard Cain was marked. I don't know how much truth there is to that.

Answer 8

Because Mormons lived in the South and enslaved Black people and then beat them and then raped them. And Southern Baptists meanwhile (who are the biggest spreaders of this kind of dis-information) lived in the Rocky Mountains in and around what became the State of Utah. Right??? And Utah didn't have any slaves that were abused or raped or had anything bad happen to them, all because of the Southern Baptists (it did not have to do with anything about the fact that Mormons loved and respected Black people). I am just agreeing with your upside down and backwards messed up viewpoint on this subject. Sometimes you just have to give in, and say whatever. You win. Two plus two equals twenty seven... sure whatever. I give up. Believe whatever you want to believe. Like anything I write is going to change your insanity against Mormons... who give more to charity than any one else in the World. Your efforts at insinuations are naked, obvious, and reprehensible. You would think that it was Mormons that enslaved and beat and raped Black people in places like Georgia or Alabama in the past, by your question. But whatever you say, sure...

Answer 9

This racist idea is passing away (YaY) but to my misfortune it is still believed by my own father, and i can't scold my dad . . .

I have heard other ideas, some of them really "out there." One speculation is that the "mark" was a dog!

As for ANY change in skin color, it would just have to be cursed all over again (i don't believe this, but it's funny) because Cain's descendants all died in the Flood!

Answer 10

Anyone who even considers skin color as a "mark" or "curse" from God does not know the Bible and is a racist. The Mormon church wouldn't allow blacks into their church prior to 1987 which says what about Romney, his father, his grandfather, and all the way back to Brigham Young and Joseph Smith. People who believe that skin color is a curse or a mark are just looking for an excuse to hate blacks. When our country was importing slaves here they considered blacks to be sub-human. I know of no denomination that now takes this position. If anyone knows of one who still says that skin color is a curse or mark, please post them.