Introduction to LDS Mormon Racism
An Old Story for Some
An Old Story for Some
& a New Story for the Young
Has it really been 30 years since the Mormon God decided he wouldn't be 100% racist? Has the LDS Mormon church cleaned up their racist history to be pure as the driven snow? Has the LDS marketing department really been able to spin this ugly old 'doctrine' of god-sanctioned racism into a pretty but pickled past-time 'policy' that was never supposedly 'preached' as doctrine?
I'm sorry. Let me start over. I got way ahead of myself in that paragraph.
I'm sorry. Let me start over. I got way ahead of myself in that paragraph.
Hello, Mormon Racism!
A Celebration and Anniversary
'30 Years in the Making'
A Celebration and Anniversary
'30 Years in the Making'
Welcome to an introduction to Mormon racism. You see, for the longest time, the LDS Mormon church and its leaders embraced a doctrine that perpetuated racism, bigotry, and ugliness.
In other words, if you weren't white, then you weren't 'as much' of a delight.
But that all changed in June of 1978 when then LDS Mormon Prophet, Spencer W. Kimball, convinced THE god of the universe - Mormon God Himself - to change his mind about being racist.
And now, the LDS church is going to celebrate. Except the LDS church leadership doesn't really support it. And the LDS marketing department really wishes this 'celebration' would go away.
And if the LDS church leadership doesn't support it, and the LDS marketing department doesn't like it, who the hell is celebrating? The Genesis group. The Genesis group is the special little 'black folks' club that the LDS church started back in the 70's for LDS Mormon blacks and their families.
According to this Salt Lake Tribune article, LDS Prophet and President Thomas S. Monson, along with Apostle Boyd K. Packer, were both scheduled to attend and speak at the event, but they aren't on the program now.
Meanwhile, the LDS marketing department is scrambling to clean up this PR nightmare. Recent articles and discussions throughout the internet are buzzing with LDS marketing tactics and clean-up strategies, labeling the once firmly preached 'doctrine' of LDS racism as a now softer social 'policy' that never really held any substance in the LDS Mormon church.
So, the white folks who lead the church won't be there to speak in support of the celebration - they'd much rather keep the attention and spotlight AWAY from this part of their history - and the LDS marketing department is out in full uniform cleaning up the mess that the Genesis group is making.
And so what if a bunch of black Mormons want to get together to praise a 'white man's' church? More power to them, I say. It's actually quite the teaching tool for folks investigating the church. Especially black folks.
In other words, if you weren't white, then you weren't 'as much' of a delight.
But that all changed in June of 1978 when then LDS Mormon Prophet, Spencer W. Kimball, convinced THE god of the universe - Mormon God Himself - to change his mind about being racist.
And now, the LDS church is going to celebrate. Except the LDS church leadership doesn't really support it. And the LDS marketing department really wishes this 'celebration' would go away.
And if the LDS church leadership doesn't support it, and the LDS marketing department doesn't like it, who the hell is celebrating? The Genesis group. The Genesis group is the special little 'black folks' club that the LDS church started back in the 70's for LDS Mormon blacks and their families.
According to this Salt Lake Tribune article, LDS Prophet and President Thomas S. Monson, along with Apostle Boyd K. Packer, were both scheduled to attend and speak at the event, but they aren't on the program now.
Meanwhile, the LDS marketing department is scrambling to clean up this PR nightmare. Recent articles and discussions throughout the internet are buzzing with LDS marketing tactics and clean-up strategies, labeling the once firmly preached 'doctrine' of LDS racism as a now softer social 'policy' that never really held any substance in the LDS Mormon church.
So, the white folks who lead the church won't be there to speak in support of the celebration - they'd much rather keep the attention and spotlight AWAY from this part of their history - and the LDS marketing department is out in full uniform cleaning up the mess that the Genesis group is making.
And so what if a bunch of black Mormons want to get together to praise a 'white man's' church? More power to them, I say. It's actually quite the teaching tool for folks investigating the church. Especially black folks.
Introduction to LDS Mormon Racist History
Once You Hate Blacks, It's Hard To Take It Back
Once You Hate Blacks, It's Hard To Take It Back
Why? Well, LDS Mormons embrace a belief in a life 'before' this life, known as the pre-existence. It is said that there, we all proved our obedience and faithfulness to Mormon God.
Everyone who was born 'white' was more faithful and obedient to Mormon God than the folks who 'aren't' white. This especially included black folks. Prophets, Apostles, and other church leaders all preached that blacks were the inferior race.
Because of this belief, the LDS Mormon church embraced the 'doctrine' that black people could never hold the special LDS Mormon priesthood until the cows came home.
This was a supposed 'punishment' for being less valiant and faithful in our past life with Mormon God.
Interesting, that the LDS boast of a belief that men are punished for their 'own' sins and not for 'Adam's' transgression, but when it comes to black people, they're definitely punished for Cain's/Ham's sins first and foremost. Thus, folks of color are punished for something that happened long ago in a previous life and for sins/transgressions of prior ancestors who lived way before their time. You tell me how that makes any sense.
But, I want to keep this fair. Mormonism isn't the only religion who embraced racism and ran with it. The majority of white folks in those days exhibited some form of racism. The Mormon church simply chose to follow the secular crowd rather than forge its own spiritual path. Again.
The LDS Mormon church was also 13 years late making the 'social' correction. While other Christian churches made efforts to embrace folks of color after the Civil Rights Movement, the LDS church showed no signs of moving.
Until Brazil. And the IRS.
Explore with me this legacy of LDS Racism.
Everyone who was born 'white' was more faithful and obedient to Mormon God than the folks who 'aren't' white. This especially included black folks. Prophets, Apostles, and other church leaders all preached that blacks were the inferior race.
Because of this belief, the LDS Mormon church embraced the 'doctrine' that black people could never hold the special LDS Mormon priesthood until the cows came home.
This was a supposed 'punishment' for being less valiant and faithful in our past life with Mormon God.
Interesting, that the LDS boast of a belief that men are punished for their 'own' sins and not for 'Adam's' transgression, but when it comes to black people, they're definitely punished for Cain's/Ham's sins first and foremost. Thus, folks of color are punished for something that happened long ago in a previous life and for sins/transgressions of prior ancestors who lived way before their time. You tell me how that makes any sense.
But, I want to keep this fair. Mormonism isn't the only religion who embraced racism and ran with it. The majority of white folks in those days exhibited some form of racism. The Mormon church simply chose to follow the secular crowd rather than forge its own spiritual path. Again.
The LDS Mormon church was also 13 years late making the 'social' correction. While other Christian churches made efforts to embrace folks of color after the Civil Rights Movement, the LDS church showed no signs of moving.
Until Brazil. And the IRS.
Explore with me this legacy of LDS Racism.
