[JAKraig]

In the 1830’s nearly everyone believed that blacks were descended from Cain, that the black skin was the mark of Cain.

I don't think the Mormons have believed any differently on this subject than the vast majority of American religions.

[colorcountry]

Most? Do you have any proof of that allegation?

Even if you’re correct, I believe “most” had gotten over their misguided belief quite some time BEFORE 1978. It took Mormonism that long to admit their prophets had been completely wrong....so much for prophets.

[Dr. Sivana]

In the 1830’s nearly everyone believed that blacks were descended from Cain, that the black skin was the mark of Cain.

That is simply not true. The Catholic Church never promoted that line. Besides, Cain comes before the flood, and only Noah's family survived. Some (not nearly everyone) might have bought into the Curse of Ham business.

[svcw]

Links to this assertion.

[ansel12]

I would like to know what Harry Reid, as a Priest within the Mormon religion, taught about the black race during all those years that he and his religion were teaching that black men could not serve among his ranks, because of the blackness of their skin.

1960 to 1978 was a period when race and racism was a constant topic of discussion, He would have had to address this constantly.

In fact when America heard about the Mormons changing their religion in 1978, we were shocked because we thought that that kind of thing had been ended many years before.

We did not know that while we were listening to the “Police”, watching “Satuday Night Live” and waiting for the next “Star Wars” movie that the Mormons were still holding back the black race.

[ilovesarah2012]

I have never heard that blacks were descended from Cain and I grew up in the Baptist church. Do Mormons believe that?

[reaganaut]

ping to #10 - thought you might have some comments.

[Elsie]

This has nothing to do with Mormonism.

Nothing at ALL???

 

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"You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, uncomely, disagreeable and low in their habits, wild, and seemingly deprived of nearly all the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon mankind.

The first man that committed the odious crime of killing one of his brethren will be cursed the longest of any one of the children of Adam. Cain slew his brother. Cain might have been killed, and that would have put a termination to that line of human beings.

This was not to be, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin. Trace mankind down to after the flood, and then another curse is pronounced upon the same race--that they should be the 'servant of servants', and they will be, until that curse is removed."

Brigham Young-President and second 'Prophet' of the Mormon Church, 1844-1877- Extract from Journal of Discourses.

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Here are two examples from their 'other testament', the Book of Mormon.

  2 Nephi 5: 21    'And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people, the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them.'

  Alma 3: 6    'And the skins of the Lamanites were dark, according to the mark which was set upon their fathers, which was a curse upon them because of their transgression and their rebellion against their brethren, who consisted of Nephi, Jacob and Joseph, and Sam, who were just and holy men.'

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August 27, 1954 in an address at Brigham Young University (BYU), Mormon Elder, Mark E Peterson, in speaking to a convention of teachers of religion at the college level, said:

"The discussion on civil rights, especially over the last 20 years, has drawn some very sharp lines. It has blinded the thinking of some of our own people, I believe. They have allowed their political affiliations to color their thinking to some extent.I think I have read enough to give you an idea of what the Negro is after."

"He is not just seeking the opportunity of sitting down in a cafe where white people eat. He isn't just trying to ride on the same streetcar or the same Pullman car with white people. It isn't that he just desires to go to the same theater as the white people. From this, and other interviews I have read, it appears that the Negro seeks absorption with the white race. He will not be satisfied until he achieves it by intermarriage."

"That is his objective and we must face it. We must not allow our feelings to carry us away, nor must we feel so sorry for Negroes that we will open our arms and embrace them with everything we have. Remember the little statement that we used to say about sin, 'First we pity, then endure, then embrace'...."

(Rosa Parks would have probably told Petersen under which wheel of the bus he should go sit.)

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 1967, (then) Mormon President Ezra Taft Benson said,

"The Communist program for revolution in America has been in progress for many years and is far advanced. First of all, we must not place the blame upon Negroes. They are merely the unfortunate group that has been selected by professional Communist agitators to be used as the primary source of cannon fodder."

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We are told that on June 8, 1978, it was 'revealed' to the then president, Spencer Kimball, that people of color could now gain entry into the priesthood.

According to the church, Kimball spent many long hours petitioning God, begging him to give worthy black people the priesthood. God finally relented.

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Sometime before the 'revelation' came to chief 'Prophet' Spencer Kimball in June 1978, General Authority, Bruce R McConkie had said:

"The Blacks are denied the Priesthood; under no circumstances can they hold this delegation of authority from the Almighty.

The Negroes are not equal with other races where the receipt of certain blessings are concerned, particularly the priesthood and the temple blessings that flow there from, but this inequality is not of man's origin, it is the Lord's doings."

(Mormon Doctrine, pp. 526-527).

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When Mormon 'Apostle' Mark E Petersen spoke on 'Race Problems- As they affect the Church' at the BYU campus in 1954, the following was also said:

"...if the negro accepts the gospel with real, sincere faith, and is really converted, to give him the blessings of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost, he can and will enter the celestial kingdom. He will go there as a servant, but he will get celestial glory."

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When Mormon 'Prophet' and second President of the Church, Brigham Young, spoke in 1863 the following was also said:

"Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God is death on the spot. This will always be so."

(Journal of Discourses, Vo. 10, p. 110)

[mrreaganaut]

“In the 1830’s nearly everyone believed that blacks were descended from Cain, that the black skin was the mark of Cain. I don’t think the Mormons have believed any differently on this subject than the vast majority of American religions.”
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Then why did Northerners bother to denounce slavery? Why did they say it was unchristian? Southerners promoted the idea that black skin was the mark of Cain; just because some Northerners like Joseph Smith believed it does not mean that the “vast majority” did.

“Everybody does it” is a poor excuse, especially for a religion that claims to be superior to all others.