Mormon Leaders and Racism

Mormon Leaders and Racism

The Mormon Church is very good at picking and choosing what they will teach and not teach.  One of the teachings I received in Mormon Seminary was that of Cain.  You know the story in the Bible, Cain killed his brother Abel and then was cursed form God for doing so.  I was taught in Mormon Seminary that Cain was given a curse along with dark skin.  I really never gave any thought to the dark skin part of the curse that I was taught through out my Seminary years.  It wasn’t until years later that I learned the racism that was being taught in the Mormon Church.  I really had to take a step back and look into the teachings I was given when I was younger because I don’t believe there should be racism in any church, especially the Church I grew up believing in.

I first learned of racist comments from Brigham Young, who was a Prophet of the Mormon Church.  Brigham Young said: “Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race?  If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot.” https://archive.org/details/JoDV10/page/n117 Look at the 2nd column last full paragraph on the page.    This had a real significance to what I was taught in Mormon Seminary….. I was taught that Cain was cursed with dark skin and that the entire African race was descended from Cain.  Then I learn that Brigham Young was teaching that anyone who mixes their seed with the seed of Cain, they will receive “death on the spot”.  Ummmmm…… What the hell?   If God loves all of his children, why would he consider any one person or any race to be lesser than another?  God wouldn’t!!!!  At least not the God I believe in.  I believe God loves us all and no one is better than anyone else.

There are many more examples of racist comments from Mormon Church leaders…..Leaders such as Bruce R McKonkie, David O McKay, Joseph Fielding Smith, Mark E Peterson, George Albert Smith, and lets not forget the current Mormon Prophet Russell M Nelson, or as I like to say…. Racist Russell.  These men were Apsotles for the Mormon Church and a couple of them were even the Prophet of the Mormon Church.  I urge you to research these men and their racism as leaders of the Mormon Church.  There are also many talks given by Mormon leaders about how the Prophets will never be allowed to lead the church astray and the Lord would never allow the president of the church (the Prophet) to lead anyone astray.  The Mormon Church leaders want its followers to follow blindly and not ask questions.  There are individuals who have asked questions and they received ex-communication for doing so.  I hate this topic and it makes me sick to think what was taught in the early days of the Mormon Church.  These were teaching my Grandparents received.

Mormon Apostle Mark E Peterson gave a talk on August 2th, 1954 that is titled “RACE PROBLEMS – AS THEY AFFECT THE CHURCH”.  I read this talk and it makes me sick to think I used to be a blind follower of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  Here is a link to the talk.  https://archive.org/details/RaceProblemsAsTheyAffectTheChurchMarkEPetersen  If the Lords Prophets and Apostles would never lead anyone astray, then why would there have been a long period of racism in the Mormon Church?  If you want my 2 cents, I believe we are all equal and equally loved in Gods eyes.

I just remembered to add this….. Look up Mormon Church leaders and there “White and Delightsome” comments.  This was also a change in The Book of Mormon.  I came across a scan of an old Book of Mormon with a current copy of the Book of Mormon where the old Book of Mormon referenced “White and Delightsome” in a verse, but in the current Book of Mormon, it has been changed to “Pure and Delightsome”.    Enjoy and have fun with your Mormon research and learning the REAL TRUTH!!!!

I want to quickly add that I believe the vast majority of Mormons are not racist in the least bit.