Russel Nelson steps into the racism question in a good way.

[_Dr LOD]

This is a commendable move by Nelson. No we can see just how well the rest of the TBM’s follow this lead.

https://medium.com/@Ch_JesusChrist/lock ... 62180abf37

Locking arms for racial harmony in America

What the NAACP and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints are doing together

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

We met for the first time two years ago. The occasion was a simple conversation between leaders of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. That unlikely meeting was a first. But it sparked insights about ways to work together to improve self-reliance and upward mobility for inner-city and minority families.

During our collaborations, we quickly felt deep respect for one another, even referring to ourselves as “brothers from another mother.” Our common bond as followers of Jesus Christ and as religious leaders gave us a natural foundation from which to build a friendship as well as an opportunity to better appreciate each other’s unique perspective and experience.

Some might think us unlikely collaborators, but our respective organizations have connected in a significant way. Not as black or white, not as Baptists or members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, but as children of God who are working to bring hope, happiness, and love to all of God’s children.

Our joint efforts have shown that we have far more in common than issues that, at first glance, might appear to divide us. Both of our organizations have learned lessons from the past. Both of us have been willing to listen to and learn from each other. Respect and cooperation have yielded the sweet fruit of reconciliation, admiration, service, and genuine love.



Unitedly we declare that the answers to racism, prejudice, discrimination and hate will not come from government or law enforcement alone. Solutions will come as we open our hearts to those whose lives are different than our own, as we work to build bonds of genuine friendship, and as we see each other as the brothers and sisters we are — for we are all children of a loving God.

We share deep sorrow for the senseless, heinous act of violence that needlessly took the life of George Floyd. We mourn with his family, friends and community. We likewise look on with sadness at the anger, hate, contempt and violence spilling onto America’s streets, devastating cities across the nation, and creating fear and anxiety in citizens across this great land.

The wheels of justice should move fairly for all. Jesus of Nazareth came that we might have life, and have it “more abundantly.” We should follow His example and seek for an abundant life for all God’s children. This includes protecting our brothers and sisters who have been wronged and bringing to justice those who have taken life or broken the law, thus robbing others of an abundant life.

What is the solution? Whether you are a believer or not, Jesus Christ taught an inspired model that leads to peace and harmony — to love God first, and then to love our neighbor as ourselves. We don’t pretend that either of these pursuits is easy, but we do declare that they yield the fruits the Lord promised.

We agree with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s statement, that “hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that.” It is this kind of love that inspires us to do the rigorous work of building bridges of cooperation rather than walls of segregation and alienation.

We call on people everywhere to join us in a journey of understanding and overcoming. As de Tocqueville said, America is great because she is good. It is paramount that we rediscover the goodness in each and every human heart. In this spirit, there are things every one of us can do.

We invite all to pray to God that the people of this land will heed the Divine call to abandon attitudes of prejudice against any group of God’s children.



We also invite people of goodwill everywhere to look for ways to reach out and serve someone of a different background or race. Everyone can do something.

Prejudice, hate and discrimination are learned. Thus, we call on parents, family members, and teachers to be the first line of defense. Teaching children to love all, and find the good in others, is more crucial than ever. Oneness is not sameness in America. We must all learn to value the differences.

We likewise call on government, business, and educational leaders at every level to review processes, laws, and organizational attitudes regarding racism and root them out once and for all. It is past time for every one of us to elevate our conversations above divisive and polarizing rhetoric. Treating others with respect matters. Treating each other as sons and daughters of God matters.

We likewise remind everyone that we must renounce illegal acts such as looting, destruction, and defacement of public or private property. Never has one wrong been corrected by a second wrong. Evil has never been resolved by more evil.

Arm in arm and shoulder to shoulder, may we strive to lift our brothers and sisters everywhere, in every way we can.

We first linked arms as friends and have now locked arms in love and brotherhood. The people of America can do the same.

[_Fence Sitter]

We also invite people of goodwill everywhere to look for ways to reach out and serve someone of a different background or race. Everyone can do something.

Prejudice, hate and discrimination are learned. Thus, we call on parents, family members, and teachers to be the first line of defense. Teaching children to love all, and find the good in others, is more crucial than ever. Oneness is not sameness in America. We must all learn to value the differences.

A religious organization which is based upon racially divisive scripture, whose entirely white male leadership have recently, frequently and publicly punished those within its own organization who have questioned leadership's stance on minority issues, whose exclusive claim to posses the power of God is historically rooted in racism, and who today refuse to apologize for past bigoted institutional church doctrine against black people, have no business calling on others to understand differences in "background and race" when they are a huge part of the problem themselves.

We likewise call on government, business, and educational leaders at every level to review processes, laws, and organizational attitudes regarding racism and root them out once and for all. It is past time for every one of us to elevate our conversations above divisive and polarizing rhetoric. Treating others with respect matters. Treating each other as sons and daughters of God matters

Notice that Nelson mentions nothing about calling on religious organizations to review their own attitudes here. Why is that?

If they really wanted to look for a way to reach out and serve someone of a different background or race how about contributing some of that $100 billion dollars they are hoarding to programs aimed at the black community?

The church is so far behind on these issues that leadership might as well be wearing white sheets.

[_Dr LOD]

We also invite people of goodwill everywhere to look for ways to reach out and serve someone of a different background or race. Everyone can do something.

Prejudice, hate and discrimination are learned. Thus, we call on parents, family members, and teachers to be the first line of defense. Teaching children to love all, and find the good in others, is more crucial than ever. Oneness is not sameness in America. We must all learn to value the differences.

A religious organization which is based upon racially divisive scripture, whose entirely white male leadership have recently, frequently and publicly punished those within its own organization who have questioned leadership's stance on minority issues, whose exclusive claim to posses the power of God is historically rooted in racism, and who today refuse to apologize for past bigoted institutional church doctrine against black people, have no business calling on others to understand differences in "background and race" when they are a huge part of the problem themselves.

We likewise call on government, business, and educational leaders at every level to review processes, laws, and organizational attitudes regarding racism and root them out once and for all. It is past time for every one of us to elevate our conversations above divisive and polarizing rhetoric. Treating others with respect matters. Treating each other as sons and daughters of God matters

Notice that Nelson mentions nothing about calling on religious organizations to review their own attitudes here. Why is that?

If they really wanted to look for a way to reach out and serve someone of a different background or race how about contributing some of that $100 billion dollars they are hoarding to programs aimed at the black community?

The church is so far behind on these issues that leadership might as well be wearing white sheets.

I am acutely aware of all of this. But it is a start.

I was ran out of a small Mormon town because I stood up to the racism there.

[_moksha]

The way the Church is set up, the healing words of President Nelson in the present trumps any divisive and hurtful words of the past. So there.

I was ran out of a small Mormon town because I stood up to the racism there.

That is awful. I remember as a teenager walking out of a priesthood class because the teacher was spouting some racist nonsense (this was back before 1978), but they let me back in class the next Sunday. Of course, I didn't actually say anything (other than "I don't have to listen to this") being a young and dumb kid, but I gave off angry thoughts!

[Guest]

I am acutely aware of all of this. But it is a start.

I was ran out of a small Mormon town because I stood up to the racism there.

In my view it is not a start. It is a retrenchment.

No one outside of faithful Mormon's pays any attention to the ramblings of a 90-year-old self proclaimed prophet. This message isn't being read by anyone not already committed to the LDS leadership in SCL. What we have here is a statement that the faithful can point to in order to make them think they and their church are actually doing something about the problem and are not part of the problem, when exactly the opposite is the truth.

Until the church openly admits and apologizes for it's racist past, there is no start. Until members can openly admit their canon is full of racist teachings written by men, there is no start. Until the color white is not automatically seen as somehow superior to other colors there is no start. Until Jesus is portrayed as anything other than an old white guy, there is no start. Until white shirts are not expected attire for men in leadership positions (or even deacons passing the sacrament), there is no start. Until color has no meaning anywhere at any level, there is no start. Until leadership disavows statements like "the church does not apologize" there is no start. All we have are statements from leadership pointing the blame anywhere but at "God's anointed".

This isn't a step forward, its intended to assure the faithful that the church and it's leadership are without fault.

The church has no moral grounds on which to lecture others about racial problems.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

[quote="Dr LOD" post_id=1227714 time=1591629586 user_id=19335]I was ran out of a small Mormon town because I stood up to the racism there.[/quote]

Wut. No one is interested in this statement? All those views and not a one person is going to ask about this?

Dr. LOD,

DO TELL.

- Doc

[_Philo Sofee]

This is looking similar to Trump doing his photo op holding up a Bible as if that makes him a now moral pussy grabber and narcissist.

[_Dr LOD]

I was ran out of a small Mormon town because I stood up to the racism there.

Wut. No one is interested in this statement? All those views and not a one person is going to ask about this?

Dr. LOD,

DO TELL.

- Doc

I wouldn’t want to give away too much to Midge and his committees.

Some years ago while I was working in a rural area as one of the few physicians in the area, I found myself in the middle of a political conflict between the local Native American community and the white community, that was pretty much lead by the local LDS priesthood leaders. I won’t go into the why, but suffice it to say it was pretty racist, and disrespectful on the Mormons part.

Because I was part of both communities I was kind of thrust into a position of mediation. It quickly became apparent how wrong the Mormons were. We had the state investigate, almost had a civil rights investigation. Behind this I had the support of the LDS area presidency, because if this Mormon community got their way there would have been a series of very embarrassing legal challenges that would have come about.

In the end the racist Mormons were stopped. Along the way I had cops show up to my house to investigate child abuse after a bogus call. My kids threatened at school. Personally threatened multiple times, one bad enough I was about a half second from drawing my concealed weapon. My dog was poisoned.

I finally felt I had to leave when my wife’s Godfather warned me that things could get worse for us if we stayed. He was an part of the American Indian Movement and a well known civil rights activist in the seventies and had been shot during that time.

The funny thing was my last day working there an old man came in for a doctor visit with his granddaughter. I had had them as patients in the past. They told me the story of Mormon men looking for a Medicine Man to put a hex on me and some other people. The old man was a medicine man and politely declined their offer. They eventually found someone else to do it. When this guy found that out he gathered the other medicine men and traditional healers and put a protection ceremony on us. Which probably what was keeping me safe.

I relayed that last part to the GA who I was working with at the time, about 6 years later. He became visibly upset. A month later he sent me a link to the church news about the new Stake President. Apparently he cleaned house.

Someday I’ll come out more. The last court cases are finishing up in the next two years.

My faith crisis started a year after leaving as I was analyzing everything that went on there.

[_Philo Sofee]

I'm sincerely sorry you went through all that stupidity Dr. LOD. That is so wrong on so many levels. Thank you for sharing what you can.

[_Doctor CamNC4Me]

Oh, wow. How you get out of that without rage in your heart is foreign to me. How has this experience colored your view of the Other? Also, if you keep that bit about reports up you’ll see this used as a cudgel on your interactions with mopologists moving forward. Dossiers and all that...

- Doc