Our ward has made the decision NOT to give that lesson, because our leaders believe it's outdated by about fifty years. I asked our YM leaders and they worry more about basics than silly cultural lessons.

Good to see that most teachers have common sense. The still need to take that crap out IMHO.

Why would anybody living in the 21st century give that quote?

As Indy indicates there are much bigger fish to fry, and it's not relevant any more.

If one wishes to say, select a companion with some common interests and be aware of background to ensure you are able to communicate, that's useful.

Didn't we just have this discussion a few weeks ago?

Definitely.

If the Church wanted to get serious about preparing kids for real marriage issues, they should promote the following Top 10 Marriage Counsel tips:

1. Marry within your same or similar sex drive/fettish
2. Marry within non-conflicting sports allegiances
3. Marry within your own weight class
4. If you marry up a level in the money category, you lose the right to complain about most things
5. If you marry up in the looks category, you lose the right to complain about most things....also, you need to make good money.
6. Prior to marriage, spend some time with your future mother in law. If, after spending several hours together, you still secretly wish to have sex with your future MIL, then go ahead and marry your fiancee.....because that is what she will likely look and act like in 25 years.
7. Decide beforehand how many kids you both want to have. Subtract 1 from the number the man estimates and add 2 to the number the woman estimates. If you are both comfortable with those numbers, then proceed.
8. For the men: 4 months prior to marriage, ask your roommates to get upset with you, without notice, for trivial things. Have them do this twice daily. If, after 4 months, you are ok with this treatment, proceed.
9. For the women: 4 months prior to marriage, ask your female roommates to stop doing anything around your apartment. If, after 4 months, you are ok with this treatment, proceed.
10. See Rule #1

You are a fag, TripletDaddy, but it's okay because you didn't choose to be. You were just born that way.

I wrote an email to the church curriculum dept about this quote. They thanked me for my comments.

Cool!

I don't think it's exactly misguided to point out that people who don't share the same religious, ethnic and socioeconomic "heritage" are likely going to encounter more difficulties in marriage than those who are more homogeneous.

That's not bigotry, it's common sense. It doesn't preclude the possibility that people of completely disparate backgrounds can have a perfectly happy and successful marriage. I think it's still entirely appropriate to discuss the problems differences in background might present, but without necessarily couching that counsel in terms of "should avoid" or "refrain from" such relationships.