Is it true that the mormons believe that the brown color of the skin in some races it's a God's punishment?

Answer 1

They certainly did. And they preached that they would deserve punishment until God said otherwise.

then one day, one of their prophets said, "God says to stop punishing them for the color of their skin, so they stopped."

Wish we could get everyone else to drop rascist activities so quickly.

And yes, it did seem to coincide with threats to withdraw certain support, but it is likely the US Gov may have backed down, as the Mormons tend to be the first at any disaster with aid and the US Gov counts on this.

Answer 2

No! That is false doctine. Mormon doctrine does not believe skin color has to do with a punishment. This falsehood spread when the comment was made from a pulpit in a general church meeting, but what most people fail to remember is the Prophet standing up immediately after and denouncing that statement as false doctrine. Those who say that's what the Mormons believe should do a little more research.

Answer 3

No. The church opposed slavery when other churches sustained it. The church had members of many races from the beginning. The church approved of the civil rights movement in the 1960s. The church did not give the priesthood to those of African ancestry until 1978. It had previously given it to other races with dark skin, and was criticized for it.

Because the priesthood was restricted for a time, a rationale was developed that were based on personal beliefs not supported by scripture. This included the myth that it was a punishment.

Today no one in authority in the church supports this point of view.

Answer 4

Yes at one point of time in their church doctrine.

It is because the Mormons believe in a living revelation, which means that even until today they believe that the Elders of the Church are inspired by God in their doctrinal writings and discourse.

So what the Mormons believe now, maybe changed or amended later. All depends on the decison of the Elders of the Church (the main Church in Utah)...

Answer 5

I am not Mormon but I lived in Utah for a while. What I heard is that yes it is a punishment. To David I think. And all brown people are his descendants.

But the Mormons also believe Jesus and the Jews lived in and had huge cities in the USA. (ruins?)

Answer 6

According to the Book of Mormon, god turns the color of people's skin like a light switch, dark skin usually accompanied some sin, like not believing something stupid.

Later, enlightened church Apostles and Prophets made it quite clear that being born white in America meant God was pleased with you in the Pre-existence; those who were less valiant were born in Africa or China.

This still doesn't explain the likes of Jeffery Daumer compared to Martin Luther King though, does it?

Answer 7

It would be more correct to call it only a distinguishing mark, and only in some cases. After all, if the Jewish/Semitic peoples have darker skin, and all of the Old Testament prophet, the Apostles in the New Testament, and even Jesus Himself came through those peoples and cultures, it would be silly to say Jesus Christ was punished with darker skin. When I say a distinguishing mark, I could refer you to a few scriptures. In the Book of Mormon, for example, there are two older brothers, Laman and Lemuel, in the family of the prophet Lehi who are always complaining and rebelling against their father and anyone else who claims to have answers from God. They even try to kill their younger brother, Nephi at least 3 times. Finally they take their families (and all descendants afterwards being called Lamanites) and separate themselves to live however they want. In a matter of years, before the much younger brother of Laman and Lemuel (named Jacob) has grown old, the Lamanites have become dark-skinned. Whether or not this is a result of inter-marrying with heathen people who have also come to the Americas or if it is an immediate occurrence is not obviously apparent. The prophet Jacob tells the people NOT to think themselves better than Lamanites because of their dark skin, because at least the Lamanites were more faithful to their families than some of the Nephite men had been (Jacob Chapter 3). But because the Lamanites, or those who originally rejected the prophets of God, are dark-skinned, it serves as a distinguishing mark so that the Nephites know who is for and who is against them. Later on, the Lamanites actually become more righteous than the Nephites for something like a century, when they accept the teachings of Jesus Christ and prove themselves more faithful in living them.
In the case of blacks, I believe there was a similar mark put on Cain for killing his brother Abel. But just because one man received that kind of dark skin doesn't mean that all of his descendants were "punished" with dark skin. Children receive genetic characteristics from their parents, but they don't always receive similar personality traits. Children of murderers do not necessarily become murderers, and it would not be fair if they were punished for the sins of their parents. For example, I have met the son of a man guilty of multiple criminal offenses in one of the biggest cases Utah has ever had, and the son is the nicest young man you could ever hope to meet. He even served as a missionary. Everyone is accountable for their own sins. The more people I meet, the more I see how personalities are similar in all races and cultures. Varying skin colors may be merely a way to help keep peoples organized. It may be simplifying things a little, but do you ever sort things by color at home? Say, socks, or pants, or other items? Would it be wrong to say there is order and organization in the world, in spite of people suspecting some kind of unfair treatment? It's up to us to learn how to put aside differences and accept that God has His own way of organizing how life progresses down here on earth, and in the world to come. Have a happy day, and I send you a gummy bear.
P.S. I have worked with Spanish-speakers in Utah, California, Arizona, Puerto Rico, and gone to church with them in Mexico. Everywhere I go, I love the people I meet with brown skin. In some ways, I think of them as being warmer and kinder because of it.

Answer 8

Its a MARK, you could call it a curse or racism, whatever you like, but its a MARK. In their KJV Bible, cain's Mark is black skin, Ham's wife is black and the Laminite's MARK (indians) is dark skin. The war in heaven story gioes that the African Americans couldn't make up their mind whose side they were on when the war in heaven was going on, so they were nuetrual and so they got their skin color when they came to Earth.

Answer 9

This was for years part of the Mormon doctrine. Nowadays, that bit of history tends to be swept under the rug.

Answer 10

They also believed that Black People were the highest form of animals.

Until they had a "revelation" at the same time the Fed's were threatening to cut off their money in Utah.