Mormon Faith Racist???? Help me out please?

Question

As we have a Presidential Candidate who is a Mormon, many of us are trying to learn more about this faith. After watching this YouTube video and Reading this Web-sites Nutshell of the Doctrine, I must say it does sound a lot like a cult. I am especially disturbed by the racist tones noted in the video and would like to know if those hold true?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=n5dscqcNOGM

http://www.carm.org/lds/nutshell.htm

I realize that the Catholic faith with Transubstantiation, the Holy Trinity and the Pope may be odd.

The 72 virgins for the terrorists are certainly suspicious.

And on Kid Nations, one of the young boys mentioned that as a Hindu have hundreds of millions of Gods and Goddesses. I found this on the internet.

“Thus, Hindus have a multitude of gods and goddesses. Deities are represented by a complexity of images and idols symbolizing divine powers. Many of these idols are housed within ornate temples of unparalleled beauty and grandeur. Hindus also worship spirits, trees, animals and even planets. “

http://hinduism.about.com/od/hinduism101/a/gods.htm

But I really have concerns about the racist tone on the YouTube video, so please let me know if this is accurate data. Thank you.

Answer 1

Mormonism has tenants which were racially motivated. Something about darker skin meaning a more tainted soul or something... Not entirely sure on the details there... But it's not a widely held belief anymore, and there's no reason to think that such an idea would have any effect on the decisions of a President. People thought that Kennedy would be a puppet of the Pope because he was Catholic.

*edit*
Hinduism is often misconstrued in such a way. It is in fact Panentheistic in nature, meaning that all the gods and goddesses that they worship are facets of the same thing.
*/edit*

Answer 2

No, it is not accurate. Mormons believe that we are all sons and daughters of God. We are all brothers and sisters. There is no race superior to other races. God is no respecter of persons. There is nothing about a person's skin that makes a difference to whether he is entitled to the blessings of heaven or not.

Jesus did not establish a cult, and therefore the Mormon church is not a cult. Mormons believe in the Bible just as other Christians do.

Most of the other answers previously given are not based on fact, but rely on what other's have said in an attempt to discredit the Church.

Answer 3

the following is my difficulty with Mormonism. Mormonism is the Scientology of its day. Even by using the same old astronomical criteria of religion, Mormonism demands that the believer swallow an massive pile of of route preposterous nonsense - a lot of it quite is provably incorrect. operating example, DNA checking out has shown previous a shadow of any doubt that the yankee Indians at the prompt are not a misplaced tribe of Israel. The record is going on and on. I overtly question the judgment of all of us who believes in Mormonism.

Answer 4

First, Mormons have a history of racism, just like all other faiths. But Mormons didn't give up their racist perspectives officially until 1978.

Second, if you want to know about a religion, don't watch a video that was designed by antagonists who are motivated to tear that religion down. Look for a more objective source of information. Here's a hint:

If it's angry or sensational in tone, you're not looking at an objective source of information. If it's encylopedic in tone, it's probably more objective.

Best scholarly source on Mormonism I've found:

Bushman's book _Rough Stone Rolling_.

Answer 5

Joseph Smith himself was not racist and even ordained an African man as an Elder. It was Brigham Young who instituted the practice after he went to Utah. In his journal of discourses he even preached, over the pulpit, that anybody caught in a interracial relationship was to be put to death on the spot. All Priesthood and political offices were denied to anybody with African blood, even so much as one drop. Young and many of the Apostles were very racist. It was not until the 1970s that they abandoned this practice due to political pressure.

In the Book of Mormon it teaches all are equal in God's eyes. Samuel the Lamanite had dark skin and was chosen as a prophet of God to rebuke the wicked fair skinned Nephites. There was even a case where the fair skinned Nephites were slaves to the dark skinned Lamanites because of the Nephite wickedness.

Jacob severely rebukes the Nephites for their racism and polygamy and says the unbelieving dark skinned Lamanites were far more righteous than the "believing" fair skinned Nephites because the Lamanites had only one wife and no concubines. Too bad Jacob wasn't around to rebuke the Brighamites, though they certainly had his words in the Book of Mormon.

Edit: A cult is a group of people who follow the leadings of a man and ignore what is plainly written in the scriptures. The LDS Brighamites certainly fall under the category of a cult by that definition. Both Bible and Book of Mormon state that "Cursed is the man that trusts in man and makes flesh his arm".

Answer 6

I attend a ward that is like the United Nations. Nobody cares about your race or background. Was it alway that way? I suppose not, I wasn't a member then. I remember few minorities in any other churches thirty years ago.

Answer 7

I really wish people would stop throwing around the word cult whenever they wish to describe a faith other than their own. It has come to be a catch-all label for anything that does not conform to what "I" believe is proper. If one wishes to reject the beliefs of another religious group, then do so. But to resort to labeling and name-calling demonstrates nothing more than an arrogantly dismissive attitude which treats "their" beliefs as inferior and worthless.

Hannah J Paul

Answer 8

It was believed there was a mark of dark skin put upon Cain and that held through to all decedents,etc.

Therefore in the mormon religion all of dark skin were considered "stained" by sin and were not allowed to do much within the church til the late 70's. Then finally the "prophet" had a revelation that said they could get all the blessings the "white and delightsome" folks could have.

Answer 9

Honestly, having lived in a strongly mormon area all my life, racism is the least of my problems with the religion. First would be their treatment of women. Women are subservient to men, they only advance to heaven if they have permission from their husband, and are expected to have as many mormon babies as possible (failure is not an option, and is grounds for divorce). Then, they are so secretive about their ceremonies. I understand keeping it sacred, I don't understand hiding it from not only the public, but from most of your members, who are not considered holy enough to know. As a child moving into a new neighborhood, I would have lots of friendly kids asking me to play, until their parents realized my parents weren't going to convert. Then it was just my sister and I, abandoned and avoided because we weren't the right religion.

Answer 10

If you delve into the roots of all religions, you will actually see the beginnings of discrimination. Think about it. All religions teach "believe as I do or you will go to hell."