What is the Curse of Cain?

[_Sam Harris]

You might just want to take time to educate yourself about those issues.

But that would be asking Mercury to accept the very concept of education.

He can start where you did, Front Page magazine!

[_Mercury]

Excuse me, Mercury. Do you know anything at all about the show depicted in the poster you used? Anything? The talent and experience of the actors? How the show was produced? It's innovations? The history of the show?

You might just want to take time to educate yourself about those issues.



“I didn’t feel it (“The Amos ‘n’ Andy” television show) harmed the Negro at all,” said Alvin Childress (Amos), during an interview in the mid-1950’s. “Actually the series had many episodes that showed the Negro with professions and businesses, like attorneys, store owners, and so on, which they never had on television or in movies before.”

Now that you are done acting like teh know-it-all (how fast did it take you to google that?) how about getting off my case?

[_Brackite]

Here's my question: Were Lamanites ever denied the priesthood? Or is being denied the priesthood a part of only the Curse of Cain, along with dark skin?

And by the way, I know several people in my former ward who believe to this day that they witnessed American Indians (Lamanites) turning lighter-skinned when they joined the Mormon church. They truly believe God is removing their curse.


KA

Hi There KimberlyAnn,

There is absolutely No incident of any Lamanite being denied the priesthood in the Book of Mormon. Samuel the Lamanite, in the Book of Mormon, definitely held the Priesthood when he was Preaching to the Nephites who were pretty wicked during that time period in the Book of Helaman. (And also other Lamanite males were given the Priesthood in the Book of Mormon.) The Priesthood was also given to the worthy males in the Country of Mexico, before the Year of 1978, because of the LDS Church believed that they were the descendents of the Lamanites. However, the Country of Spain imported African slaves during the 16th and 17th Century into the Country of Mexico. There were about a total of at least 200,00 African slaves who were imported into the Country of Mexico. They ended up intermarrying and intermixing with the Indians and the Caucasian Spaniards there.
Pleasse Check Out and See:

http://www.mexconnect.com/mex_/feature/ ... /brief.htm

And:

http://www.isteve.com/2002_Where_Did_Me ... cks_Go.htm


'Too "bad" that the LDS Church Leaders didn't know too much about that information back then.' Worthy Mexican Males in the Country of Mexico were indeed given the priesthood prior to the Year of 1978.

[_Blixa]

I think we all know now what the mark of Cain is. Its what Jimi Hendrix has.

[_KimberlyAnn]

Hi There KimberlyAnn,

There is absolutely No incident of any Lamanite being denied the priesthood in the Book of Mormon. Samuel the Lamanite, in the Book of Mormon, definitely held the Priesthood when he was Preaching to the Nephites who were pretty wicked during that time period in the Book of Helaman. (And also other Lamanite males were given the Priesthood in the Book of Mormon.) The Priesthood was also given to the worthy males in the Country of Mexico, before the Year of 1978, because of the LDS Church believed that they were the descendents of the Lamanites. However, the Country of Spain imported African slaves during the 16th and 17th Century into the Country of Mexico. There were about a total of at least 200,00 African slaves who were imported into the Country of Mexico. They ended up intermarrying and intermixing with the Indians and the Caucasian Spaniards there.

Thank you, Brackite, I was hoping someone would answer my question! I knew the Lamanites had established churches in the Book of Mormon, so they must have had the Priesthood to officiate in them, and I had never heard of Lamanites being denied the Priesthood, but I wasn't sure if there ever was a time when they were denied the Priesthood because of their dark skin. Understandably, wickedness would be a factor in anyone, dark or light, being denied the Priesthood. Well, unless you're a woman. Then you can't have the Priesthood even if you're the most stalwart Mormon on the planet. Not that it really matters. As you probably realized from my original post, I think the Priesthood held by Mormon men is as real as the Priesthood I hold. That is, not real at all.

I do thank you for answering my question as it helped me clarify the Mormon doctrine of the Curse of Cain.

KA

[_Valorius]

The Prophet Spencer W. Kimball had asked the Lord regarding the priesthood ban and its lifting. D&C 50:30 states that the Spirit will inspire those who are worthy to ask specific questions of the Lord, persuading them to offer up a prayer, then after the effort of prayer is put forth a revelation will be given. I have seen this happen myself.

Brother Kimball was told that before the subject could be aproached further, he had to repent of the prejudices he had himself concerning the matter. In later councils among the brethren he told the members that they must do the same. After repenting, they then offered prayer and received revelation from God to allow a full dispertion of the priesthood.

Gaz

Hi, Gazelam.
I have not read precise details about SWK asking about lifting the ban regarding the Priesthood. Could you provide some? I'm especially interested in the dates. If the asking was important enough to publicize, and if the President of the Church keeps a decent journal, I would expect the date(s), at least the years, to be available.

Some questions that come immediately to mind are: Did previous prophets ask? Were they told don't lift it? If so, were they told why not to lift it?

Joseph Smith said words to the effect that if we pray to God with prejudices, we will get answers satisfying those prejudices. What we must do is ask with a sincere heart, not holding on to our own preconceptions.

Why would God have made an exception in this case with SWK? He gave him an answer that did not match his prejudice and unspoken hope. If it was not an unspoken hope, but a genuine hope, how can he be said to have been prejudiced? In fact, even if it was an unspoken hope, what was the nature of the prejudice? I was taught as a youngster that descendants of Cain could not do well at agriculture. I was stunned when I heard about a mass movement in the U.S. where they were buying farms and farming. I thought, how sad, they will fail. Next thing I knew, they were prospering. That put some questions in my revelatory skull.

Was SWK's prejudice based on supposed agricultural incompetence, intellectual differences, cultural differences, dance styles, physical appearance, spiritual differences, or was it that he just didn't like them personally?

If other members of councils also had to get rid of prejudices, is it possible that the delay in getting the Priesthood to this branch of humanity was more a problem of racial prejudice within the councils of the Church than it was of the Lord's timing? If the councils of the Church were able to harbor such prejudices for so many years, delaying the Will of the Lord, might there be prejudices they hold today which are stifling the growth of the church? Since what these men bind on earth is bound in heaven, is it possible that such prejudices are restricting the very progress of Heaven itself?

Is there some external agency or parallel council, that would not share the prejudices of these councils, that could be used for future "quality assurance" testing so such delays do not occur again, and such ungodly prejudices do not further hinder the church? Perhaps the ACLU, the UN Commission for Refugees, or the Church of Christ on the Temple Lot?