Why do anti-Mormons think only in terms of black and white?

Question

Really, there are more races than blacks and whites, especially in our church. But, when anti-Mormons accuse us of racism, they think that all there are are blacks and whites. They talk like, if there were no blacks in our church, it would be all white.

But, there are Asians, pacific Islanders, Native Americans, even Middle Easterners in our church. My husband is not white and not black, and is a member of the LDS church.

The LDS church is one of the biggest in the Pacific Islands. I think it's the biggest in Tonga. I know that in Salt Lake there is one whole STAKE that is all tongan.

The church is in almost every country in the world. The world is more than black and white, and so is the church.

Answer 1

I think many anit-Mormons are showing their own true racist feelings when they bring up the past. We live in today and not the past. I don't know where antis are living.

gw

Answer 2

While I am neither a Mormon nor an antimormon, I will take a stab at this question. The JD is teachings from your infallible prophets like Brigham Young. They explain Mormon doctrine to people and expand upon what is found in what you regard as scripture. When I first investigated the LDS church a few years ago, these were official teachings. I guess they may have been declared "unofficial" in the last few years when the heretical things that your prophets came out with were more commonly noted.

Answer 3

So very true.
The first Temple outside the US was built in New Zealand. The Church is quite big amongst Pacific Islanders. I live in Australia but my ward is made up of mostly Samoans. Also Italians and other nationalities. Its always fun when we have food and culture nights. I am 'white' Aussie and there aren't many of us here! Melbourne is quite multi cultural anyway. I have noticed there are many more 'black' people around lately though (I mean from Africa) and a few have come to Church. I love the different looks in our congregation. They all bring something to the Church and help to build it up.
Btw I am married to a Maori. :D

Answer 4

I think you're taking the "black and white" thing a little too far. In general, as a group and as doctrine itself, mormons see the world as "black or white", right and wrong, good and evil - and mormons and anti-mormons. This is part of mormon heritage and culture developed by historical crimes committed against the church, and the atrocities committed in retaliation.

Utah's isolation from it's American roots also helped develop this notion of a "peculiar people", a people set apart, and god's 'chosen people of this dispensation'. If you're unaware of this notion, you've been sleeping during church meetings.

As for the racial epithets of the past: They have been made, they have been severe, they have been directed at those of African descent only, and they have been made recently - up to the summer of 1978. These racial denigrations remain in the church's publications, reference books, and even in it's own doctrine to this day, and it has NOT been retracted nor apologized for.

So to answer your question: What the hell are you ranting on about?

Answer 5

I know the church has many different kinds of people in the church now. But when the church was first started. Joseph Smith and Brigham Young made raciest comments.
Read the Journal of Discourses. so that why people say Mormons are racist. In 1978 were the government was on the Mormon Church. Then all of a sudden the church say that blacks could have the priesthood.

Answer 6

Unfortunately, that's all they see. They like to find one topic and nit-pick it to death trying to disprove our beliefs, such as the black and white issue. The funniest part is, if it was going to be disproven, they would have done it already! I have to say that there is a Tongan Stake in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area too. I couldn't attend there because I didn't understand what they were saying and the building was 2 blocks from my apartment. I had to drive 10 miles to my ward. We are one of the most diverse religions in the world. But all will see what they are missing when Christ returns.

Answer 7

I'm hispanic and I'm Mormon too. I've seen many ethnicity in church. The antis only talk about blacks and whites maybe because these are the most predominant races I think and they love to point out that African Americans were not allowed to have priesthood before so they make Mormons seem racist.

Answer 8

I had a Tongan mission companion- This issue really bugged her, as well.... her father was a worthy priesthood holder, her parents had been to the temple....

People hear one thing, and they make a judgement, without doing any homework. They take information out of context, they don't look at what the Church has published about the situation. They don't look at the bigger picture.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints declared that all worthy men can receive the priesthood and all the temple blessings, beginning in 1978... LONG after the civil rights movement. This move by the church had nothing to do with MLK or his supporters, friends, etc. It had to do with men who weren't sure of their racial background, who loved their families, kept all the commandments, and wanted the blessings of the temple- specifically being able to be their families in heaven.

Answer 9

thank you bellesnail for explaining what so many people don't understand. It's not that the church or the members are racist (if you ever met a devout member, you'd find that they are a very friendly people), but our history leaves those who non -members to think of us as racist. To answer your question Mormon 4 jesus, people think of us as black and white because of our past, white because a large percentage of Mormons in the U.S. are white, and black because the church was put on the spotlight and scrutinized for it's policy of not letting Africans of Cain's descent have the holy priesthood.
Very intresting question, thank you.

Answer 10

I think most "anti-mormons" think in terms of "black and white" because of the whole Blacks not receiving the priesthood until after the civil rights movement issue.

Liesel.

Answer 11

EXACTLY! There are members of the quorum of the seventies that are from all over the world. There are bishops and stake presidents from different ethnicities. If we wanted to remain an all white religion why would we teach the gospel to those parts of the world?