I know that African Americans were once discriminated against in the Mormon Church. There was once a piece of Mormon scripture thought to say that dark skin was cursed.
Then in the 1970s this was changed and they said that dark skin was not a curse.
I am wondering if race is still in any way an issue with LDS Church doctrine. Is there any role that a black person is prohibited from holding in the LDS Church? Do any barriers remain, doctrinally or politically?
2007-06-09 09:48:38 · 10 answers · asked by Zezo Zeze Zadfrack 1 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Race plays absolutely no issue in anything. An African American is our Stake President, which is a high calling.
2007-06-09 09:52:22 · answer #1 · answered by D 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
Actually, blacks were never discriminated against, not technically. They were not given the priesthood until 1978. But, they were never segregated from the other races as was the practice in other Christian churches in the 19th and early 20th centuries.The only time I heard of any discrimination is, before 1978, when a young black man was in an LDS Boy Scout troup and was not allowed a position of leadership because he didn't hold the priesthood, but that was quickly cleared up, and holding the priesthood was no longer a requisite.
Dark skin was NEVER a curse. If you read the Book of Mormon CAREFULLY, you will see that dark skin was the MARK of the curse. Even Brigham Young said that one day soon, blacks WOULD hold the priesthood.
2007-06-09 10:57:44 · answer #2 · answered by mormon_4_jesus 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, the LDS church doesn't have issues against black people. It is true that blacks were denied the priesthood until 1978, the reason? not sure. There are no barriers for black people in the church, they are treated the same way others are treated and there is no racism.
Myself, I am hispanic but I have dark skin and I could be mistaken by beind African - American and I'm Mormon, I have never been discriminated or treated different. I go to a spanish ward that is in the same building with another ward in english. In that ward there are a lot of whites and there are African Americans too and they are all (whites and blacks) very nice to us and we are very nice to them too. Everyone talks, greets, etc.. No hate or discriminations. :]
2007-06-09 10:01:20 · answer #3 · answered by Love Yahoo!!! wannabe a princess 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Not at all, although some apologists have come out and said the constant changing of the skin color so prevalent in the Book of Mormon means only 'figuratively', not to be taken literally. This is another example of the church doctrine being altered to fit withing the political climate. That should be no problem except since the church claims it is the one true church, their doctrine is the most 'correct' and god is unchanging, the claim becomes suspect.
However, the racist and bigoted remarks made be former apostles and prophets remain "On the books" in the Journal of Discourses, Doctrine of Salvation, published talks in conferences, temple dedications, and church magazines.
Except now they're just brushed off as 'opinions.."
2007-06-09 10:20:22 · answer #4 · answered by Dances with Poultry 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
No. There is no official anti-black sentiment within the LDS church. It is also important to know that Black people have always been able to be baptized LDS. There were issues with this in Missouri (a slave state). At this time the official Church docterine about race is as follows in the link:
http://www.lds.org/portal/site/LDSOrg/menuitem.b12f9d18fae655bb69095bd3e44916a0/?vgnextoid=2354fccf2b7db010VgnVCM1000004d82620aRCRD&locale=0&sourceId=84d4425e0848b010VgnVCM1000004d82620a____&hideNav=1
2007-06-09 11:57:14 · answer #5 · answered by Fotomama 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Marriage and families continues to be a priority, but LDS parents I know are concerned about the mindset common among young people that there is something wrong with a girl who isn't married by the age of 21 and are encouraging our daughters to be selective, thoughtful and prayerful about their life decisions. I think more young women are placing a priority on education. Education has always been important in our church, but in the past women tended to drop out of college after marriage. The trend I'm seeing is that women aren't getting married so young anymore, though still young by most people's standards, and more and more young women are putting off marriage to complete their education or are continuing on with pursuing education after marriage.
2016-04-01 12:47:31 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are no doctrinal or political barriers for blacks of any nationality in the modern LDS Church.
2007-06-09 11:27:17 · answer #7 · answered by je_apostrophe 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Doctrinely, no. Politically, Yes. How many Black people do you see as HIGHUPs in the LDS Inc. Church.
Even as a kid born in 1971 and raised in the Mormon Inc religion, the topic of Blacks being cursed was talked about all the time. Maybe from the "lets let blacks in" Perspective, blacks were okay.. But they were not accepted as much as white people. Mormonism is a very racist and mostly white religion, no matter what they try to portray in their propaganda.
Note I am no longer a Mormon by choice.
2007-06-09 09:55:38 · answer #8 · answered by Cheese and Rice 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
Mormonism has evolved to conform to society, just like every other religion. They don't admit that they are doing it, though. It was the same with mormon polygamy. They miraculously got a revelation to stop doing that when the law told them that if they didn't they would be imprisioned.
2007-06-09 09:53:47 · answer #9 · answered by Amy 4 · 0⤊ 3⤋
yes. it plays the organ
2007-06-09 10:01:49 · answer #10 · answered by blackroserequiem 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋