Saudra, when I was growing up, YOU cannot imagine the horrible comments I heard from Mormons about Black people and the "N" word was not only used regularly, it was used almost exclusively every time a Mormon would refer to a black person. That is the honest truth.
After I left the Mormon Church, I went to a Southern Baptist Church for a while and never heard anyone there refer to Black people in the derogatory manner in which I had heard Mormons refer to them. Back when I was growing up, the Mormons were teaching that the reason people were born black was because they were less valiant in the pre-existence and the black skin was a curse from God.
You've been a Mormon all of 8 years. You were obviously not exposed to the type of racism that was commmonplace in the Mormon Church back in the 1960's when I was growing up. Now the Southern Baptists have their bad history too, but I don't think it was born out of a belief that black people were born black because they were cursed by God. It was just a natural prejudice that is part of our sinful nature. I would venture to guess that if you went to a Southern Baptist Church today, that you would not hear such blatant racism as you were exposed to.
Those were the Baptists I grew up with, pal.
And those were the Mormons I grew up with "Pal".
I am ashamed to say that this kind of prejudice was rampant in my extended Mormon family. When I was growing up, Mormons believed that Blacks were an inferior race and that it was a blessing to be "White and Delightsome" and how it was a reflection of how valiant we were in the pre-existence not only to be born "white and delightsome", but to be born into a Mormon family.
That peculiar doctrine appears to have been changed and the Mormon Church now will not even admit that it taught such demonic doctrines in the past. Talk about contradictions and hypocrisy.
Many people can't imagine the horrible comments about Blacks and American Indians in Mormon Scripture
And it came to pass that I beheld, after they had dwindled in unbelief they [American Indians] became a dark and loathsome, and a filthy people, full of idleness and all manner of abominations – Book of Mormon, 1 Nephi 12:23).At the time the devil was cast out of heaven, there were some spirits that did not know who had authority, whether God or the devil. They consequently did not take a very active part on either side, but rather thought the devil had been abused, . . . These spirits were not considered bad enough to be cast down to hell, and never have bodies; neither were they considered worthy of an honourable body on this earth: . . . But those spirits in heaven that rather lent an influence to the devil, thinking he had a little the best right to govern, but did not take a very active part any way were required to come into the world and take bodies in the accursed lineage of Canaan; and hence the Negro or African race. – Speech of Elder Orson Hyde, delivered before the High Priests' Quorum, in Nauvoo, April 27, 1845, printed by John Taylor, p. 30)
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. – President Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, 10:110, March 8, 1863).
For some reason, I have found lds.org to be a little less than completely forthcoming about the matter.
I recommend you check out these sites for a more complete discussion of the topic of racial bigotry and the Mormon Church:
Mormon Racism
Ten articles by ex-Mormons discussing some of the racial issues facing the LDS movement.
The Curse of Cain? Racism in the Mormon Church
An online book -- well organized and well researched -- containing an in-depth analysis of the issue plus hundreds of supporting citations.