Does Romney and Mormons disrespect blacks?

Question

He said nothing to refute the sayings of the Church of the Latter Day Saints.

"JOSEPH SMITH
(First Prophet and President and Founder of the Mormon Church)

"Had I anything to do with the ***** , I would confine them by strict law to their own species and put them on a national equalization.'' History of the Church, Volume 5, pages 218 - 219.

JOSEPH FIELDING SMITH
(Tenth Prophet and President of the Mormon Church)

"I would not want you to believe that we bear any animosity toward the *****. "Darkies" are wonderful people, and they have their place in our church."
Look magazine, October 22, 1963, page 79.

"THERE ARE OTHER TEACHINGS OF MORMONISM
which separate it forever from Christianity and the Holy Bible.

Specifically, Mormonism also teaches:

That God the Father has a body of flesh and bones, and was once a sinful man on another planet.

That Jesus Christ Is the brother of Lucifer, the Devil.

Answer 1

they are not disrespectful to blacks, and are not teachings of our Church.

Answer 2

Let's look at these statements:

"Had I anything to do with the ***** , I would confine them by strict law to their own species and put them on a national equalization.'' History of the Church, Volume 5, pages 218 - 219.

This was a very progressive statement for his day. He states that he would have them treated as equals. In the 1830s even people who were antislavery did not feel blacks were their equals.

This is probably the part you are having a problem with: "I would confine them by strict law to their own species." One has to ask the question of why. Perhaps he felt with so much hatred directed toward them turmoil would be eliviated by a seperation. And remember in the end, this was his same plan for the mormons as well.

One of the big problems the Mormons had in Missouri was that they didn't own slaves. With a mass influx of Mormons into Missouri the old time citizens were afraid they would vote Missouri a free state. They were probably right.

As for Joseph Fileding Smith... "Darkies" are wonderful people, and they have their place in our church." He says they are a wonderful people and belong in the church. How can that be construde as a racist statement during a time when the civil rights movement was just getting started. Please correct me if I am wrong but at the time "Darkies" was the polite way to refrence blacks. Much the same way "African American" is today. Although I think this is changing as that I know several blacks that don't care for the euphenism.

I 'love' the way you twist what we teach.

Yes we teach that, God the Father has a body of flesh and bones. However I have never been taught and I doubt any other mormon has either that God was once a sinful man on another planet. God is sinless and to claim that Mormons teach otherwise is dissengenous.

Yes we teach that we are ALL spirit children of God and we all existed as brothers and sisters with him and Jesus Christ our brother.prior to coming to this earth. Lucifer fell and thus was cast out losing the opportunity to ever gain a body. So in a sense yes Lucifer was not only Christ's brother but all of ours prior to being cast out and losing his first estate. This is not ever taught in this way but is a logical conclusion a person can come to when you consider that we are all spirit children of God.

We do not teach that Lucifer was born of Mary or that in any sense Lucifer is the physical brother of Christ. Furthermore no status is given to Lucifer other than to say he was not allways fallen, however in seeking glory for himself he was cast out and would exist forever in a fallen state.

Answer 3

When Joseph Smith said species he meant race, in the 19th century that wasn't the worst thing a white man can think of a black person. The bible belt south owned blacks as slaves.
He even said put them on a national equalization with every one else...Very few white men could say that and not be tarred and feathered or killed.

As for God the Father having a body of Flesh and Bones yes we believe that but we don't say he ever sinned? Document source for that please. He is an exalted man with flesh and bones but no LDS leader said God sinned..

As for Jesus and Lucifer are not physical brothers you twist things again, Satan will never have a physical body. They were once spirit brothers just like you and me. We all are children of our Heavenly Father. But Lucifer rebelled and was kicked out of heaven and banished from God.

Stop throwing bigoted, ignorant, doctrine twisting statements again. You will convert and LDS to your religion.
It doesn't have the spirit with it.

Answer 4

One of my favorite missionary companions was a lovely, talented black girl who could sing better than Whitney Houston or a myriad of "white" singers. Also was impressed with her integrity, sincerity, and intelligence. Never ever heard anyone say God was at any time "sinful" - only that He had progressed. It's like someone progressing from writing 2 and 4-page long papers in college up to writing a doctoral dissertation. He would have started at an advanced level to begin with and just progressed in wisdom, intelligence, and power as the generations passed.
When was the last time you watched "Star Wars"? Don't you know people can start out as being related, but turn into the "black sheep" of the family later on?

Answer 5

Even though I am not a Mormon I have to say that this question is not fair as far as todays Mormons are concerned. Remember when Joseph Smith founded the Mormons slavery was the law of the land. Men did not consider a slave a person but a posssession.
It was not until 1964 that the Civil Rights act was enacted into law. It took many more years for African Americans to be treated as equals.
Todays Mormons treat African Americans as equals and they are given the Priesthood in the Mormon religion.

Answer 6

Don't know where you found that crap, but The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints does not, in any way, disrespect blacks. Blacks have been members of the Church since its founding. Joseph Smith had great respect for people of all races, and was not ever a racist. Church history shows that there was a group of blacks who made their way to Nauvoo, IL, and they stayed with the Prophet Joseph while he made arrangements for a place for them to live.

I think that I should stay away from Yahoo Answers in the future. All I do is find comments like yours that make me sick to my stomach. I have never, in my 35 years as a member of the Church, found such blatant ignorance in my life. I am sorry that you dislike the Church so much that you have to show your ignorance to the world in this way. I believe that in the future, you should contact members of the Church and ask them your questions, and get the truth from them, not the garbage that you dig up on the internet.

Answer 7

The e book Of Mormon says it in numerous places. The Mormons refuse to do away with that scripture from their e book, yet they're predicted to often get up in church and say that e book is genuine. in fact they suspect it to be extra suitable to the Bible in accuracy and often say that too. evaluate this to Andy's "unfair" argument: The BOM is the main sacred of all their scriptures and that they decline to do away with the so-spoke of as "as much as date" scriptures as in line with revelation. The presidents merely shove a brilliant pacifier interior the black guy's mouth and say, "cope with it". So why no longer admit that the e book of Mormon has areas that are actually not genuine? different than for the entire South American Jew tale... this might properly be an exceptionally boastful and potential hungry team of persons. they'll disguise their ideals quite than substitute them while shown incorrect. you will be conscious that those "revelations" merely approximately continuously come on a similar time because of the fact the advent of federal brokers (see the tip of polygamy). What you notice in Romney-the turn flopping and hypocrisy is a properly defined artwork. So is Mormon non secular discrimination. Mormons ***** while somebody would not vote for them because of faith yet they vote so continuously against everybody that's no longer Mormon that they look the main important bigots of all. final election Romney have been given ninety% of the Utah accepted vote on a similar time as the rustic as an entire gave him in uncomplicated terms 22%. Why? because of the fact the Mormons won't vote for a Christian.

Answer 8

Please point out how those sayings are disrespectful toward black people? The language used in the day may be unacceptable now, but what I see in those statements is that blacks have as much right to be as anyone else. Why don't you actually look into the Mormon faith and deeply study your bible. Your heart might actually change you might come to know the truth.

Let's break it down. In the first quote it refers to species. Which they are the human species. And it talks about giving them equal rights. Sounds far more caring than most from that time period.

Your second quote actually tells what great people they are. Of course the language is a little ignorant, but given the time period, understandable.

Answer 9

I don't see any quotes here from Romney, or indeed, by any LDS person who actually lives in the late 20th and now te 21st centuries. These quotes are not TEACHINGS of Mormonism. they are quotes by past Mormon leaders who were giving their own personal opinions, or their own words about the topic. Actually, Elder Bruce R. McConkie said, in 1978, that everyone should FORGET EVERYTHING said about blacks that was not complimentary, that GOD has given NEW LIGHT AND KNOWLEDGE, and that what was said in the past should remain in the past. He was, in effect, apologizing for any racist and racist-sounding statement made by him or other past LDS leaders.

That aside, why don't you ask this question of all the black in our ward.

Yes, we have several.

Answer 10

You do not correctly understand the Mormon Church. 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 11

It seems to me my friend, that you're saying that it's bad to discriminate Blacks, but ok to discriminate Mormons? As I Mormon it saddens me to think that ignorant people would make false claims such as this! The LDS church teaches only of love, and no hatred.