Did/Does the Church "actually" teach that "Black skin was inferior"?

[_ldsfaqs]

The answer is no...

I thought this deserved its own thread, it was one I made in another thread on the subject...
Note: This post is NOT responding to every nuance that anti-Mormons come up with, nor every nuance of history that gives some indication that maybe some Mormons of history were racist, or at least ethnocentric, or gives anti-Mormons the belief that the church itself was racist. This is in response to very specfic charges, which I've included.

Why is the Church still promoting the idea that black skin is inferior?

Because it's NOT referring to black "skin", it is a metaphor in relation to "purity", a.k.a. righteousness.
Similar types of metaphor is used all through the Bible/Scriptures (as the below videos show).

The ONLY issue with this particular metaphor is because it was a bit more "accurate" due to Lamanite inter-marriage with locals who tended to be "darker" in skin color compared to the Nephites who didn't inter-marriage as much.
However, this is not 100% correct either, because inter-marriage is the only thing that can explain Nephite population growth.
Thus, ultimately, this cannot in ANY manner be in relation to "race" or "skin color", but in relation to righteousness.

Some of I've stated is well explained in these videos.

Black & White Skins in Light of Ancient Garment Color Symbolism in Book of Mormon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQFev9IX-70
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O64PJgxEWhI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_a0_nRgL9cE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzp70cBiLV4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WGFhnuBsqxA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tmi-Ya9ySY8

(Please ignore the eccentricness of the music and the speaker, but focus on the FACTS presented, they will allow you to understand scripture better, in relation to various "metaphors" (i.e. Color Symbolism and otherwise) being used to describe righteousness, or the absence of it.)

The problem here is NOT that the Book of Mormon is "racist", it's that Anti-Mormons do not understand the Word of God.
Darkness clouds their minds and souls in understanding Truth and Light.

The total lack here of awareness by Nelson of how his own church denied the most basic of priesthood authority and temple blessings to someone because of the color of his or her skin

Correction... Priesthood authority and Temple Blessings were ONLY denied to those considered of "African" Lineage, including some WHITE individuals being denied it.
Individuals who were just as BLACK as any African black, certain groups of Central/South America, Natives of the Islands, those of India, etc. were NOT denied the Priesthood.

Thus, it is 100% FALSE to say that those of "black skin" were denied the priesthood.

The policy denying the priesthood to the African lineage was entirely due to an interpretation of scripture, and due to a revelation of policy to Brigham Young. Given that the policy was lifted when institutional racism and with most people racism itself was finally gone from America in the mainstream, it's not a wonder why it existed in the first place, and why and when it was finally lifted.

[_Gadianton]

Because it's NOT referring to black "skin", it is a metaphor in relation to "purity", a.k.a. righteousness.

"Black skin is inferior" is a figure of speech meaning persons with black skin are inferior. No anti-Mormon has ever taught that the Church has taught that black skin is actually "inferior" --- it doesn't block the suns rays as well or whatnot.

Thank you for admitting that the Church has all along taught that persons born with black skin are inferior, having failed in the pre-existence. Even if some non-Africans got the priesthood who were black, Mormonism is an American religion and those with African heritage taken as slaves by white and pure Americans are the dominant "blacks". Basically, you're openly telling us what we already know: that a persecuted race is inferior to the persecutors, being rife with wickedness from the pre-mortal life, and the wickedness is signified by their racial features.

[_Philo Sofee]

LDSFaqs you do our work for us. THANK YOU. Gad has your number. You are so uninformed as to be utterly laughable. Keep drinking the Mormon racist Kool Aid.

[_ldsfaqs]

1. Again... If "black skin" was inferior, blacks wouldn't have gotten the Priesthood, and a few Whites wouldn't have been denied the priesthood.
Thus, I did NOT "admit" to the Church teaching anything of the sort. Do you and Kerry even read for comprehension?

2. ALL the Tribes of Israel were denied the Priesthood, save one. It was based on "lineage", just like the LDS Priesthood ban was.
Were the other Tribes "inferior"? No they weren't.

3. The Church is a worldwide religion, not just an "American" one. That's something someone actually racist/or American centric would say, as if the world revolves around America. Well, guess what... Those of the Islands, those of India, etc. would have disagreement with you that they are "American", simply because they join an American Headquartered Church.

4. I've told you NOTHING of the sort, you don't read for comprehension, and it really shows your character when you try and represent my position as COMPLETELY OPPOSITE of what I've said. Both you and Kerry think you have the virtue, but when you bear false witness of others, you have no virtue.

Are Indians somehow "inferior" because they got the Priesthood and the African lineage didn't?
Are Islanders somehow "inferior" because they got the Priesthood and the African lineage didn't?
Were the 11 Tribes of Israel considered "inferior" simply because only the Levitical Tribe was allowed to have the Priesthood?
There is ZERO argument for the "inferiority" of ANYONE in my comments as well as the Gospel of Christ.

5. As to the pre-mortal life... You confuse an "attempt" at understanding from the scriptures of "why" those of the African Lineage were denied the Priesthood. A Doctrine in relation to how not all spirits of God are not of the same righteousness, was incorrectly applied to the Priesthood issue and those of African Lineage. This idea however was NEVER a doctrine of the church, it was an "interpretation" by some, and it has been directly and specifically, 100% denied as doctrine by Church leaders.
So, try another strawman... by the way, don't you think I'm "inferior" to you since you and Kerry claim I'm a racist?

Inferiority in relation to righteousness is a Doctrine...
There has NEVER been a doctrine in relation to the inferiority of race or skin color in the Church.

6. I feel so sad about ex-Mormons like Kerry, how anti-Mormons come to completely forget everything they used to know about the Gospel, creating entirely new narratives, that are entirely ignorant and forgetting of key principles, facts, etc. about the Church. To such a degree, it's as if they never knew the church. It's really a fascinating phenomenon.

Gad has no number other than the fantasy's of his own mind, just like you Kerry if you actually think he "debunked" or exposed me in any way.

There's not a racist bone in my body Kerry, and there's nothing racist about the Church either.
I've been an anti-Mormon, thought like you, so I KNOW you're not right here. Sorry for you.

by the way, I'm waiting for a response to the things I actually posted... especially the videos.
They debunk your lying about the Church and those like me. But, you're all Leftists, actual Truth and Morality isn't in your wheelhouse.

[_Shulem]

I'm black and Joseph Smith hacked my nose off!



Brigham Young was a murderer!

Joseph Smith boinked 14 year old girls.

President NelSatan is EVIL! He has the devil in him.

666 Mormon Church

Masonic secrets in the temple.

Evil!

[_ldsfaqs]

It really fascinates me how people on this forum think "I" am the insane, nuts, crazy, etc. in contrast to you all.

Just wow...

[_I have a question]

Mark E Peterson, Apostle. Speaking as an Apostle on behalf of the Church.

At Brigham Young University on 27 August 1954, at the Convention of Teachers of Religion on the College Level, Petersen delivered the speech, "Race Problems—As They Affect the Church".[5][6] The speech outlined the religious underpinnings of racial segregation and supported its continued practice as it related to intermarriage between blacks and whites. Particularly, he reaffirmed the LDS Church's stance at that time that those with dark skin had been less valiant in their lives before coming to earth.[7][8] He also reiterated the idea that blacks were to be servants to righteous white people after the resurrection, as was the case with Jane Manning James who was sealed to Joseph Smith to be his servant in the next life.[9] Petersen said:

"In spite of all he did in the pre-existent life, the Lord is willing, if the Negro accepts the gospel with real, sincere faith, and is really converted, to give him the blessings of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. 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 a celestial resurrection. He will get a place in the celestial glory."

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_E._Petersen

[_I have a question]

In 1852, President Brigham Young publicly announced that men of black African descent could no longer be ordained to the priesthood, though thereafter blacks continued to join the Church through baptism and receiving the gift of the Holy Ghost. Following the death of Brigham Young, subsequent Church presidents restricted blacks from receiving the temple endowment or being married in the temple.

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/stu ... d?lang=eng

The Church itself doesn't try to hide behind the misdirection of the word "lineage".

[_Fence Sitter]

It really fascinates me how people on this forum think "I" am the insane, nuts, crazy, etc. in contrast to you all.

Just wow...

Personally, I do not think you're any of those things Faqs, I just think you're interested in defending your version of Mormonism the best you can, but don't do it very well.

Anyone familiar with Mormonism, and is not driven to defend their version of it at all costs, can see it is is a product of a 19th century American frontier environment rife with racial beliefs concerning skin color, beliefs that were/are still found in scriptural texts like the Bible, PoGP, and Book of Mormon.

[_SuperDell]

My Favorite African American is Charlize Theron. No worry on Priesthood as she is a babe.