mormon religion?

Question

I saw this video about the mormon faith and it said that black Americans or any dark skined person was in limbo or like didn't pick a side of christ or satan is that still what they believe in what is a general outline of the mormon religion?

ok so it has changed now...how does something like that just change, who really decides that... do they change a lot of their religion when times change?

no I am a chriatian I just wanted to know what mormons believed in! I wasnt sure I just saw the video and I wanted to ask instead of assume that was it.

Answer 1

I'm not sure any of those ideas were ever official Mormon doctrine. It is important to remember that just because a Mormon expresses his opinion, that does not mean he is proclaiming "official doctrine" that is binding on all members.

It is not at all surprising that religions change according to the social environment in which they operate. Mormonism is hardly the only religion to adapt to its environment! I can't think of a religion that hasn't, frankly. Most churches have a past history of discrimination (Catholics discriminated against Jews and Muslims in the middle ages, southern Protestants discriminated against African Americans in the 18th and 19th centuries, some Muslims have discriminated against "infidels" in recent years, etc). Unfortunately, in the past (before I was born), Mormons taught some of the same things about blacks that Southern Protestants taught. Unlike Southern Protestants, however, Mormons never segregated their congregations and always taught that blacks could go to heaven.

However, all that changed decades ago. Modern Mormonism is very much opposed to discrimination of any kind. Ironically, many who discriminate against us (professional anti-Mormons) hypocritically accuse us of being discriminators!

The Mormon Church is not a racist church. I'm Mormon, and my wife is black. We were married in a Mormon temple, where the officiator told us that God approved of our marriage. My wife is treated well at church, as are the other African American members of our congregation. I've had a black bishop in several different Mormon congregations of which I've been a member.

Many anti-Mormons, however, intentionally misrepresent Mormon teachings in an attempt to discredit Mormonism. I've written about this type of discrimination on my site at http://www.allaboutmormons.com/brief_critique_anti-mormon_propaganda.php . Pay careful attention to the video at http://www.allaboutmormons.com/ENG_Video62.php .

To learn more about racial diversity in the Mormon church, visit http://www.allaboutmormons.com/racial_diversity_mormon_church.php .

Also, to see videos of black Mormons, visit these sites:

http://www.allaboutmormons.com/ENG_Video44.php
http://www.allaboutmormons.com/ENG_Video76.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C6VOBVDcSec
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u8V0oh2lNA0

Answer 2

No this has never been a DOCTRINE of the LDS church. If it had been, I guarantee you I would have never converted.

This was ASSUMED by some (even many) members of the church for a time. This doesn't mean it was ever doctrine of the church.

Actual full-fledged doctrine is found in the scriptures or on a pronouncement that is signed by all 3 members of the first presidency and sustained by the 12 apostles.

This means that even if you find a sermon, journal entry, or pronouncement by one person on their own (even by a prophet) it doesn't make it gospel.

I can liken this to a recent "change" in the Catholic teachings. For decades many Catholics have believed in a place called "Limbo" (A place where unbaptized infants go after death). It was SPECULATION since the Bible and writings of the early church fathers said nothing about dead, unbaptized infants. Catholics having trouble justifying a "just God" with a "merciful God" SPECULATED that there must be some auxiliary kingdom (Limbo) where deceased infants who had no chance of getting baptized would go). Now even though this wasn't actual doctrine of the Catholic Church, the church still published articles about Limbo, taught about "Limbo" to children in Catechism Classes (which is how I first learned about it). All in all it *seemed* that the church fully endorsed it.

Recently Limbo has been sent to.... well.... Limbo! It doesn't exist. The Catholic Church has officially declared that it is too much speculation to continue teaching it. Are they really "changing" their doctrine? Not at all because it was never defined, infallible doctrine to begin with.

This specific speculation (Black being "fence-strattlers" in the pre-existence) arose from another speculation which was originally perpetuated by Protestant circles, namely that the "Mark of Cain" spoken of in the old testament thus banning Cain's decendance from the priesthood was black skin. This belief was held by not only many Mormons in the 1800's but by many Protestant Christians too which thus "justified" the segregation of such Protestant churches. Now would you say that the "Mark of Cain" doctrine is ACTUAL doctrine of your religion? Would you say that it was EVER doctrine?

If every church were held accountable for every utterance of every member (prominent or not) then there would be no time to critically study those ACTUAL infallible teachings of the religion.

Answer 3

No. It isn't doctrine. Do some people believe this? Probably. That doesn't mean the church endorses it, or supports it as doctrine.

Our doctrine states that if have lived or are living, you picked Christ. There were no fence sitters.

What video did you see? There are a lot out there that try to hurt the church. They either tell whole lies, or partial truths. It usually isn't totally right. Be careful what you see and hear out there.

Thanks for asking the question in the way it was asked!! Here's a website for you. It will answer this question for you in a more detailed way.

Answer 4

This whole thing about blacks being neutral or whatever in the war in Heaven is all theory, it never was official church belief. Jus because one or two leaders from the past said it does not mean it was officially believed by everyone.

EVERYONE who was ever born into mortality was on the Lord's side in the war in heaven. As far as we know, no one was neutral.

Answer 5

We've never believed that.....

We're all here on earth because we chose God's side. There was no Swiss army in Heaven...

Also, we think black people came about by the curse of Cain, and then when Noah cursed Ham...

---------

Edit: PSSSSH!!!!

I have MagnaAngemon and Seraphimon!!!

Edit: Aravah...so Elijah Abel was just a white man in disguise as a black man??? Because Elijah Abel joined the church soon after it was formed in 1830's and he had the priesthood, along with many other black people.

http://blacklds.org/mormon/priesthood.html#dates

Know what you're talking about.

Answer 6

Some members have used the word "change" to describe our beliefs. Our beliefs have not changed. The verses below come from the Book of Mormon, one of our books of scripture. Please contact me if you have any questions regarding this or any other aspect of our beliefs.

"[Jesus Christ] inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile" (The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 26:33).

"Behold, the Lord esteemeth all flesh in one; he that is righteous is favored of God." (The Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 17:35)

"Now my brethren, we see that God is mindful of every people, whatsoever land they may be in; yea, he numbereth his people, and his bowels of mercy are over all the earth. Now this is my joy, and my great thanksgiving; yea, and I will give thanks unto my God forever. Amen." (The Book of Mormon; Alma 26:37)

Answer 7

The views of the Mormon church have changed on this subject, and black people can now take the same roles as whites.

Answer 8

anyone who was not on the Side of Christ in the pre mortal existance is not on earth, not only do they not have dark skin, they have no skin at all. never born. that is so false

Answer 9

Don't get your information on religions from a cartoon.

http://www.religioustolerance.org/lds.htm Is a much more accurate general outline of the Mormon religion.

Edit:

They have a guy who takes the role of "prophet" of the LDS church. He's in a big committee of twelve other guys and they make decisions for the church.

Answer 10

No we don't believe that....That was a statement made by a church leader in an attempt to explain something we knew little about. Now that we know better, nobody says it anymore. IT was never really doctrine in the first place.

Like i said, there is a big difference in what is doctrine and what isn't. We change our doctrine based on revelation from God, but anyone is able to make a conjecture about certain things. We haven't had that many major doctrine changes, with the exception of polygamy and blacks in the priesthood, but those were done one for timing purposes the other to rectify a grave mistake made by a previous prophet.

We are all fallible. I admit that.