“You almost certainly hold personal beliefs that others would find equally bizarre and outrageous.”
No I don’t - unless you are referring to people in the psyche ward. I believe 2 + 2 = 4, no doubt that is bizarre and outrageous to nut jobs. I don’t believe I am a God (or in any danger of becoming one), though I can find thousands in the nut wards who do believe they are God. I don’t believe I can gaze into a rock crystal and create a new religion (though perhaps if I did, only then would you consider me sane [talkin’ bout spin!]).
But, let’s talk about my bigotry (of which I am often accused), versus the saintliness of our Mormon apologists:
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Joseph Fielding Smith wrote the following:
“There is a reason why one man is born black and with other disadvantages, while another is born white with great advantage. The reason is that we once had an estate before we came here, and were obedient, more or less, to the laws that were given us there. Those who were faithful in all things there received greater blessings here, and those who were not faithful received less.... There were no neutrals in the war in heaven. All took sides either with Christ or with Satan. Every man had his agency there, and men receive rewards here based upon their actions there, just as they will receive rewards hereafter for deeds done in the body. The Negro, evidently, is receiving the reward he merits.”
Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.1, pages 66-67
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Joseph Smith stated the following:
“For instance, the descendants of Cain cannot cast off their skin of blackness, at once, and immediately, although every soul of them should repent, obey the Gospel, and do right from this day forward. . . . Cain and his posterity must wear the mark, which God put upon them; and his white friends may wash the race of Cain with fuller’s soap every day, they cannot wash away God’s mark; The Lamanites, through transgression, became a loathsome, ignorant and filthy people, and were cursed with a skin of darkness … yet, they have the promise, if they will believe, and work righteousness, that not many generations shall pass away before they shall become a white and delightsome people; but it will take some time to accomplish this at best”
Source: The Latter-Day Saints Millennial Star, vol. 14, p. 418
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Remember, these are the Prophets of Mormonism speaking, the supposedly had a direct connection with the Holy Spirit. I wonder how Bishop Mitt is going to explain that away with a “revelation” that only came in 1978.
Coyote, I remember "talks" in mormon sacrament meeting when I was a youngster. One in particular stuck with me. It related how "A young couple traveled many miles to the SLC temple to be married, and as they tried to enter, they were turned away. The gatekeeper stated, 'I had a burning in my bosom that they were unworthy and not to be allowed in.' Then, it was discovered that the man had a Negro great, great grandfather. The Spirit can detect one ounce of Negro blood."
This is the attitude that members in the 50's-60's grew up with.
I wonder how many people care about ANY statement by ANY religious leader back in those days when discrimination happened as a matter of course. It certainly wasn't limited to LDS. Perhaps you should ask Gladys Knight, she may enlighten you on what that '78 revelation was all about.