Is the Book of Mormon Racist?

Question

I don't want to offend any Mormons or people that know Mormons. Seriously, I don't have anything against Mormons and I consider them Christian but why did the Book of Mormon have racist slurs? I appreciate if a Mormon could explain it to me.


"As a result of his rebellion, Cain was cursed and told that "the earth" would not thereafter yield him its abundance as previously. In addition he became the first mortal to be cursed as a son of perdition...The Lord placed on Cain a mark of a dark skin, and he became the ancestor of the black race. (Moses 5; Gen. 4; Teachings, p. 169)." Mormon Doctrine by Bruce McConkie, page 109.
"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. This will always be so." Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 10, page 110.

http://www.carm.org/lds/lds_*****.htm

Also, I want people to watch this video.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=TDhW0kWSm-A

So the Mormons changed their book to cover up the racism of Birgham Young? What else have they changed?

I want people to watch the video link that I posted. It has more quotes about this and shows the leaders of the LDS church answering the questions.

Straight,
There are quotes from the book of Mormon in this question. Also, watch the video link where they give quotations from the Book of Mormon. This supports my statement.

Answer 1

Well 1st of all Brure R McConkie was speaking for him self and not the church. Second of all we are not a racist church. We dont know why blacks where not given the priesthood until the 70's. But if you look at the Bible there was times when God only allowed I believe the tribe of Levi to carry the ark of the covenant. Or when Jesus was on the earth he preached to the Jews and not to others. It was only after his death that he commanded the apostles to go preach to the whole world. Why is this? I have no idea. God has his plan and we may not always know it but in his own good time all things will be revealed.
Third im not so sure that the journal of Discourses are an acurate book. I have never been taught that in the church and its hard to believe Brigham Young would say that.

Answer 2

I don't know if you can accurately ascribe an onomatopoeic attribute such as "racism" to a book, but I know what you mean and I think it is a good question.

Some Mormons may not agree, but as a Mormon myself, I believe that our current definition of racism could be ascribed to certain quotes by various leaders of the church, even ancient prophets of the Book of Mormon. By that same token, I believe it could also be ascribed to most holy writ in the bible as well. By our current standards, I would say there are things that have been written and said that would now be considered "politically incorrect". Now does that jeopardize the veracity of the Book of Mormon or the integrity of early church leaders or the benevolence of God? Well that's up to you to decide. Personally, I do not feel it does. Has God ever delivered blessings to one people, while refraining these blessing from another people? Well of course, any Christian would agree that there are countless examples in the Old and New Testament of this. I, for one, am grateful that we now live in a time where all individuals are equally entitled to the blessings of the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.

Answer 3

it is racist. But the Mormons don't see it that way.
I mean, only in the 70's were African Americans aloud to hold the priesthood, and this is because of pending law suits, but it is common for Utahan Mormons to still have the mentality that other races of people weren't as great in the "pre existent" life.
and that people weren't born into Mormonism weren't as valiant, either.
I don't know if it's doctrine, or just learned within the culture, though.
and I wouldn't know what the views of Mormons outside of Utah or the United States think.
but when my sister in law was pregnant out of wed lock, it was okay, and although she had greatly sinned, she could be forgiven, but then they found out the father was black, and it was the worst tragedy of the family.

Answer 4

Look in a newer version, it may not be there. The BOM has been revised at least 3 times, maybe 4.
In the first edition of the book of Mormon it was a sin to have more than one wife. After Joseph Smith was exposed for his adulteries, he revised the book to say you should have more than one wife (to cover his own tracks). The third revision took that back out.

Answer 5

Very racist. For most of its early years to well into the 20th Century, the Mormon Church was racist. They taught that Blacks had their dark skin because of sins they committed in a previous spirit life, I believe. At any rate, Mormons did not try to convert Blacks until the latter half of the 20th Century. Later, their President received a communication from God telling them to accept Blacks into their priesthood.

Or so they say...

Answer 6

Have you yet asked the same question about God's Chosen People?
You can find the non-politically correct under every rock if you look hard enough.

Answer 7

Well, only somewhat recently have black men been admitted to the Mormon priesthood.

Answer 8

First of all, you ask if they Book of Mormon is racist, but cite no examples. Rather, you provide quotes from members of the church, who despite holding high positions in the church, were also human and allowed to speak as themselves and not "as the church". If you have read the Book of Mormon, and the Bible, and you think that the Book of Mormon is racist and the Bible is not, then you need to read them again, because you cannot call the Book of Mormon racist without also calling the Bible racist based on similar doctrine. Anyway, to each his own. Unfortunately, you will find racists in all religions and walks of life. We should all be more respectful of all people and accepting of others' beliefs.

Answer 9

The Bible also has some racial slurs.

Both books were written when racism was acceptable, nowadays it is different but the books never changed.


"The books do not necessarily represent the opinions of the readers."

--Phillip Cole, Philosopher

Answer 10

ive visited salt lake city.
i believe in bible new and old testament, but i don´t believe in in catholic church.
i have a lot of problems in salt lake city because mormon dont like catholic they want to force me to convert to mormon.
i went to know my father. my father left my mother when she was pregnant 6 month he never gave money for education or food, but now he give money to mormon church.
he doesn´t like latin people im from Spain, he told me garbage because im woman and because im spanish, im very proud of my mother family.
the worst is mormon church knows that my father is racist person and they doesn´t say anything because my father gave them money.
when i went to a mormon church my father forced me first i don´t understand because they separe women an men, this is a machist thing, because the women are the same that the men.
there aren´t black people or latin people, like another religions.