Posted on 12/09/2013 7:46:04 PM PST by Jet Jaguar
More than three decades after reversing its prohibition of black priests, the Mormon church has disavowed the ban, saying it was put into place during an era of great racial divide that influenced early teachings of the church.
The nearly 2,000-word statement posted on The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints' website was the church's most comprehensive explanation of why it previously had barred men of African descent from the lay clergy. In the article, the church pinned the ban on an announcement from church president Brigham Young in 1852.
The ban ended in 1978, but in the 35 years since then, the church had never given an official explanation for the reasons behind the ban or addressed the once widely held notion that blacks were spiritually inferior, said Matthew Bowman, an author and assistant professor of religion at Hampden-Sydney College in Virginia.
In the article, posted Friday, the church addressed what has become a sensitive topic for current leaders and the 15 million members around the world.
"The Church disavows the theories advanced in the past that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse, or that it reflects actions in a premortal life; that mixed-race marriages are a sin; or that blacks or people of any other race or ethnicity are inferior in any way to anyone else," the statement read. "Church leaders today unequivocally condemn all racism, past and present, in any form."
Mormon church officials declined comment on the article but said it is part of a series of new online postings to explain or expand on certain gospel topics for its members. Other topics include, "Are Mormons Christian?" and one about founder Joseph Smith's first visions.
Armand Mauss, a retired professor of Sociology and Religious Studies at Washington State University, said the article is the most comprehensive explanation yet about the past exclusion of blacks from the priesthood and marks the first time the church has explicitly disavowed its previous teachings on the topic.
Mormon scholars over the years have written much of what is in the posting, but it is noteworthy coming from church headquarters in Salt Lake City, he said. He and other scholars were interviewed several months ago by staff from LDS Public Affairs in preparation for the new article, Mauss said, adding that it reflects a "new Church commitment to greater transparency about its history, doctrines, and policies."
Don Harwell, a black Mormon, called the article a great moment.
"History and changes all happen due to time. This is way past due," said Harwell, 67, of Cottonwood Heights, who converted to Mormonism in 1983. "These are the statements they should have made in 1978, but better late than never."
Harwell is the president of Utah's Genesis Group, a support organization founded in 1971 for black Mormons. While he noted that he doesn't speak for the church, he said he believes the next step is getting more black Mormons into church leadership positions. He serves as counselor to the bishop in his local congregation and can see how that is helping young church members change their perceptions.
Margaret Blair Young, an adjunct professor at Brigham Young University who made a documentary about the untold stories of black Mormons, called the new article a miracle.
"I'm thrilled," Young said. "It went so much further than anything before has done."
(It's good not having to respond to certain comments...sometimes, action is best!)
IIRC, “Peter Priesthood” is the typical returned mishie now elevated to the Melchizedek priesthood & accorded the title of “Elder” at age 22, usually.
Ideally, he quickly marries “Molly Mormon” & they start having children so that `premortal’ souls may acquire living bodies.
Who knew Mel Brooks was Mormon?
He’s a...
He’s a...
He’s a N...!
Is he DEAD?
EVERYONE becomes a MORMON (or at least has a chance to) after they die!
(If you know their name, anyway.)
Ok...
So you are an Atheist Mormon?
How exactly does that work...
Does anyone else wonder at the timing of this revelation...Mandela has probably already been proxy baptized mormon!
Nothing here happens by accident......PR machine is strong.
Yeah...I think those Mormon missionaries in the spirit world...as they relay the Mormon version of the Gospel to black spirits...kept getting asked for explanations.
So the Mormon gods thought they'd head this off to some degree if they powered up the PR FAQ version on earth.
Well your hammer has hit the nail square on its head.
Note this paragraph from yesterday's Salt Lake City Trib on this story:
EVERYTHING Brigham Young has uttered -- if it wasn's suspect enough with his teachings that...
...Adam is God...
...Blood atonement...
...etc...
...is FURTHER brought into disrepute and distrust.
Furthermore, it thereby brings EVERYTHING that a church body does that elevates the name "Brigham Young" (i.e. BYU) into the same level of disrepute and distrust!
Recovery from Mormonism: Blacks and the Priesthood in the Mormon Church
Discuss the issues all you want, but do not make it personal.
Me too. :(
Lamanite you say??
Which brings us here:
The question is, do they believe Brigham Young to have been a false Prophet?Do ANY of you "damned " SLC mormons reading this, who has gotten any information from your church, that old B.Y. was:1. Speaking the very words of GOD2. Drunk3. On peyote4. REALLY upset at SOMEone5. Or just running his mouth as a man: a mere mortal, prone to the slings and arrows that beset us all or do you6. just accept the FACT that you are, truly, damned for not following your Scripture found in D&C 132:58-66?
This guy’s darker than we are!
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