I know they only started allowing it around 1980 or so... did God change the rules, or did Mormons decide to ignore Gods's rules?
2007-12-12 08:54:33 · 10 answers · asked by Fred S - AM Cappo Di Tutti Capi 5 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Almost immediately after the death of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young returned to the old rhetoric concerning African Americans and the curse of Ham. Brigham Young actually subscribed to another common, although less popular theory that the descendants of Ham were also the descendants of Cain, Ham having married a woman of that race. The curse of Cain included a mark as recorded in the following passage from the Bible:
And the Lord said unto Cain, Where is Abel thy brother? And he said, I know not: Am I my brother's keeper? And he said, what hast thou done? The voice of thy broker's blood crieth unto me from the ground. And now art thou cursed form the earth, which hath opened her mouth to receive thy brother's blood from thy hand; When thou tillest the ground, it shall not henceforth yield unto thee her strength; a fugitive and a vagabond shalt thou be in the earth....
2007-12-13 01:36:25 · update #1
Behold, thou hast driven me out this day from the face of the earth; and from thy face shall I hide; and I shall be a fugitive and a vagabond in the earth; and it shall come to pass, that every one that findeth me shall slay me. And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him seven fold, and the Lord put a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him. (Emphasis added) (5)
Some scholars interpreted the mark placed upon Cain as the black skin of the African peoples.
President Young remained very strict in his interpretation. He believed the curse included not only priesthood restriction but also black skin and perpetual servitude. He believed the curse could only be removed by God and that the Civil War effort to free the slaves was in vain. He believed that the Civil War would destroy the United States and spread to every nation, until the Saints could return to Missouri and build a temple in Jackson County. The slaves
2007-12-13 01:36:52 · update #2
... was in vain. He believed that the Civil War would destroy the United States and spread to every nation, until the Saints could return to Missouri and build a temple in Jackson County. The slaves could only be freed by a decree from God by revelation to the prophet accompanied by the removal of the mark of Cain. It was not expected before the millennium.
The first statement linking priesthood denial with the curse of Cain was given by Brigham Young in response to the question, "What chance is there for the redemption of the *****?" Young responded, "The Lord had cursed Cain's seed with blackness and prohibited them the Priesthood."
2007-12-13 01:37:47 · update #3
Because persectution was very heavy at the time. Allowing blacks into the church would probably make the south even more mad and then.
We wanted it to be safe.
Plastic Punk is right also.
2007-12-12 08:59:14 · answer #1 · answered by ~*Felicity*~ 3 · 4⤊ 1⤋
Read Official Declaration 2. The revelation to extend the blessings of the Priesthood to all members of the Church was received of God. Follow the link.
http://scriptures.lds.org/od/2
2007-12-12 09:00:45 · answer #2 · answered by catalyst 4 · 3⤊ 1⤋
In 1960 a black African got ahold of a Book of Mormon and rote to Salt Lake on starting a church (in short there was a prayer over the saying "preach the gospel to the world" and the answr was to INCLUDE BLACKS
2007-12-12 10:54:07 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Uh...Try 1830's.
Elijah Abel was an early BLACK church leader, he was baptized in 1833...only 3 years after the church was officially founded.
2007-12-12 09:00:03 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
They were always allowed to be members. They just weren't officially allowed to receive the priesthood until 1978. And the priesthood is not a paid clergy.
2007-12-12 08:58:33 · answer #5 · answered by plastik punk -Bottom Contributor 6 · 6⤊ 1⤋
African-Americans have always been able to join the LDS church.
2007-12-12 09:03:30 · answer #6 · answered by Open Heart Searchery 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋
They have always been "allowed" to join the church.
2007-12-12 11:10:28 · answer #7 · answered by Melissa 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
because we started baptizing everyone back when the Church was organized.
2007-12-12 11:15:12 · answer #8 · answered by Avatar_defender_of_the_light 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
lol, why did christians stop burning witches...?
or why did they stop enslaving africans...?
funny how religion is absolute, yet not.
2007-12-12 08:58:44 · answer #9 · answered by Chippy v1.0.0.3b 6 · 4⤊ 1⤋
they will take anyone who will do as they say..
God did not change the rules.. blacks were slaves awhile back...is that what youre talking about?
2007-12-12 08:58:34 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 4⤋