Blacks as slaves in heaven?

[_aussieguy55]

This appeared in the letters section of Religion Dispatches. Does anyone have a historical reference to the high lighted comment.

The problem is really with a person claiming that a media outlet has a Mormon problem, merely because an opinion article carries a few mentions of Mormonism. _Every_ worthy Mormon, including Joanna, believes that black people are black due to unworthiness in some pre-earth life (read: they were not as valiant to God's cause as earthlings blessed to be born white). All Mormons pretend (for social expediency) to not believe that doctrine nowadays, but they're all phony in this regard. The ramifications of Mormon racism are broader than blacks merely not being allowed to be priests until 1978. (So-called priesthood means a whole lot more to Mormons than they hope people consider as they casually dismiss the race issue with some general statement about men becoming priests.) It involves individuals and families being denied the same "blessings" as white individuals and families based solely on skin color, including entrance to the highest degree of Heaven. It involves black people being 'sealed' to white Mormons as eternal slaves. It involves a whole lot more than Mormons are willing to examine and address, because it's shameful and embarrassing.

[_Gentile Persuasion]

There was a free black woman Jane Elizabeth Manning James who was close to Joseph Smith, and who was sealed to him as a servant for eternity. It's an interesting story: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jane_Eliza ... ning_James

Besides that, and of course the Doctrine & Covenants reference to how those who are not in the Celestial Kingdom will be "ministering spirits" serving those who make it to the CK, I'm not sure there's anything much in Mormonism about eternal servitude.

But it's interesting that Utah was the only western territory that asked to be allowed to practice slavery. Until territorial slavery was abolished by the federal government in 1862, there were an average of about 30 African-American slaves in Utah at any given time. Most of the slaves in Utah were Indians.

[_Samantabhadra]

http://mormonmatters.org/2008/01/11/the ... lications/

In 1964, when Willard Romney's father George was governor of Michigan, Delbert Stapley sent him a letter castigating him for his support of the Civil Rights Bill. Stapley said that he thought "the Negro is entitled to considerations... but not full social benefits nor inter-marriage privileges with the Whites," and that "the position of the Church cannot change until the Lord changes it Himself."

[_bcspace]

It involves black people being 'sealed' to white Mormons as eternal slaves.

Such is not doctrine:

The attitude of the Church with reference to the Negroes remains as it has always stood. It is not a matter of the declaration of a policy but of direct commandment from the Lord, on which is founded the doctrine of the Church from the days of its organization, to the effect that Negroes may become members of the Church but that they are not entitled to the Priesthood at the present time. The prophets of the Lord have made several statements as to the operation of the principle. President Brigham Young said: "Why are so many of the inhabitants of the earth cursed with a skin of blackness? It comes in consequence of their fathers rejecting the power of the holy priesthood, and the law of God. They will go down to death. And when all the rest of the children have received their blessings in the holy priesthood, then that curse will be removed from the seed of Cain, and they will then come up and possess the priesthood, and receive all the blessings which we now are entitled to."

August 17, 1949 First Presidency (George Albert Smith) statement

[_ludwigm]

It involves black people being 'sealed' to white Mormons as eternal slaves.

Such is not doctrine:

And when all the rest of the children have received their blessings in the holy priesthood, then that curse will be removed from the seed of Cain, and they will then come up and possess the priesthood, and receive all the blessings which we now are entitled to."

August 17, 1949 First Presidency (George Albert Smith) statement

The underlined condition seems to have some meaning...

[_Benjamin McGuire]

This appeared in the letters section of Religion Dispatches. Does anyone have a historical reference to the high lighted comment.

First, it seems to be a web comment posted to a column by Joanna Brooks on the web edition. The poster also seems to be an ex-Mormon who left the church in 2000, and formally resigned in 2005, and who occasionally makes disparaging remarks about Mormons under Brook's columns there.

If I were going to look for a doctrinal basis for the statement, I would start with the special sealing of Jane Manning James in 1902. On the one hand, it certainly seems to do what the bolded section in the OP suggests. On the other hand, it also seems to be the only time that unique ordinance was performed, and it was done at Jane's insistence (although it apparently didn't satisfy her and she continued to seek for a full sealing into Joseph Smith's family). I am not sure that this creates a doctrinal position of the sort that the comments suggest (nor, I would imagine, is this singular event even common knowledge among LDS members).

I think in general that the absolutes thrown out there create credibility issues of course (Chance might try to dodge around with the notion of "worthy Mormon"), I think by and large most members of the LDS faith do not (currently) see the priesthood ban as being caused by their being less worthy in the pre-existence. Nor do we continue in general terms to deny blacks priesthood blessings at this time (or retroactively back with proxy temple work). I could be wrong on the first part (since I don't know a majority of LDS members), but I am not wrong on the second part.

B. McGuire

[_LDS truthseeker]

"If that Negro is faithful all his days, he can and will enter the celestial kingdom. He will go there as a servant, but he will get celestial glory." (Apostle Mark E. Peterson, Race Problems - As They Affect The Church, Convention of Teachers of Religion on the College Level, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, August 27, 1954)

[_Quasimodo]

"If that Negro is faithful all his days, he can and will enter the celestial kingdom. He will go there as a servant, but he will get celestial glory." (Apostle Mark E. Peterson, Race Problems - As They Affect The Church, Convention of Teachers of Religion on the College Level, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, August 27, 1954)

Wow. That's a hard offer to pass up. No wonder Blacks were flocking to the LDS Church in those days. An eternity of celestial janitorial work pickin' up after the white folks.

[_moksha]

"If that Negro is faithful all his days, he can and will enter the celestial kingdom. He will go there as a servant, but he will get celestial glory." (Apostle Mark E. Peterson, Race Problems - As They Affect The Church, Convention of Teachers of Religion on the College Level, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, August 27, 1954)

Wow. That's a hard offer to pass up. No wonder Blacks were flocking to the LDS Church in those days. An eternity of celestial janitorial work pickin' up after the white folks.

Quasimodo, you must remember this was before more light and knowledge entered the world.

[_bcspace]

The underlined condition seems to have some meaning...

Yes. It means the notion that blacks will be slaves in heaven being LDS doctrine is wrong.

"If that Negro is faithful all his days, he can and will enter the celestial kingdom. He will go there as a servant, but he will get celestial glory." (Apostle Mark E. Peterson, Race Problems - As They Affect The Church, Convention of Teachers of Religion on the College Level, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, August 27, 1954)

Wow. That's a hard offer to pass up. No wonder Blacks were flocking to the LDS Church in those days. An eternity of celestial janitorial work pickin' up after the white folks.

Non doctrinal venue/publication by definition.