If you listen to the above linked documentary:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-
8594203721530427132
Quoted from above Video Documentary:
"Mormon 1:7 says of the growing Nephites, the whole face of the land had become covered with buildings, and the people were as numerous almost as the sand of the sea."
Some of the staunchest evidence against mormonisn comes from the above statement. How can the whole of North America be covered with buildings and peoples. Yet there is no artifactual evidence of these vast civilizations.
On the other hand they are yearly finding more and more evidence to back the Bible and it's place in history. You can even go visit this land and it's many Biblical artifacts and places. Even archeological evidence thousands of years old from the old testament times, much older than evidence that has "been destroyed" here in North America.
This should be a real problem to some caught up in the LDS system. Where are traces of these civilizations?
Also 2 Nephi 5:21,24 says of the rebellious lamanites, "the Lord God caused a skin of blackness to come upon them." and "because of the cursing which was upon them they did become an idle people full of mischief."
Also Alma 3:6 we read "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... "
The prophet Joseph Smith taught that the Lamanites eventually destroyed the white skinned people (Nephites) and that the American Indians are the descendants of the ancient Lamanites.
Joseph Smith himself taught that "Negroes" are the "sons of Cain, this is exactly where Brigham Young got his opinion from."
(History of the Church, Vol. 4, page 501)
Mormon leaders also taught that "As a result of his rebellion, Cain was cursed with a dark skirt; he became the father of the Negroes, and those spirits who are not worthy to receive the priesthood are born through his lineage." (Mormon Doctrine, 1958, page 102)
"And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity.-..wherefore, as they were white, and exceeding 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." (2 Nephi 5:21)
The doctrine which Mormon leaders used to teach concerning blacks was clearly set forth in a letter written by the First Presidency of the church in 1947: "From the days of the Prophet Joseph even until now, it has been the doctrine of the Church, never questioned by any of the Church leaders, that the Negroes are not entitled to the full blessings of the Gospel. "
(Letter from the First Presidency of the Mormon Church, July 17, 1947, as cited in Mormonism and the Negro, by John J. Stewart, 1960, pages 46-47)
That is correct. I was an active member in the late 70's when the last official proclaimation published in the Doctrine & Covenants was posted, allowing the Blacks to hold the priesthood. It was a great day!
They always have politically expedient revelation. Just like the manifesto against polygamy that came just in time for Utah to be granted Statehood.