Why Race Is Still a Problem for Mormons

New York Times ^ | August 18, 2012 | John G Turner

[greyfoxx39]

---

.................In a June 1978 letter, the first presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints proclaimed that “all worthy male members of the Church may be ordained to the priesthood without regard for race or color.” Men of African descent could now hold the priesthood....

The revelation may have lifted the ban, but it neither repudiated it nor apologized for it. “It doesn’t make a particle of difference,” proclaimed the Mormon apostle Bruce R. McConkie a few months later, “what anybody ever said about the Negro matter before the first day of June of this year, 1978.”

McConkie meant such words to encourage Mormons to embrace the new revelation, and he may have solemnly believed that it made the history of the priesthood ban irrelevant. But to many others around the country, statements of former church leaders about “the Negro matter” do, in fact, matter a great deal.

The church would benefit itself and its members — and one member in particular, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee — by formally repudiating the priesthood ban and the racist theories that accompanied it.

-SNIP-

The priesthood ban had sweeping ecclesiastical consequences for black Mormons. They could not participate in the sacred ordinances, like the endowment ceremony (which prepares one for the afterlife) and sealings (which formally bind a family together), rites that Smith and Young taught were necessary to obtain celestial glory.

-SNIP-

Most Protestant denominations, however, gradually apologized for their past racism

[greyfoxx39]

It's mind-boggling that Rove, the RNC and Romney thought it wise to run a member of a religion with a proven, published racist doctrine until 1978 against a black man.

******************************

Convention of Teachers of Religion on the College/Online College Level, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, August 27, 1954.

"God has commanded Israel not to intermarry. To go against this commandment of God would be in sin. Those who willfully sin with their eyes open to this wrong will not be surprised to find that they will be separated from the presence of God in the world to come. This is spiritual death...."

Race Problems -- As They Affect The Church-Mark E. Peterson

Mark E. Peterson-A Giant Among Men-LDS.org 1984

[SpaceBar]

The original title “Why Mormonism Is Still a Problem for The New York Times” didn’t get past the editorial department.

[Gay State Conservative]

I thought the NY Times went bankrupt.Were they bought out by Pravda or The Peoples’ Daily?

[FlingWingFlyer]

I find it odd that “race” isn’t a “problem” for the commie ‘RATS. The GOP had to drag the ‘RATS, kicking and screaming, to the dance during many civil rights battles. George Wallace and Algore Sr. weren’t Republicans.

[alicewonders]

Wow. You had to go to the New York Times to find an article you are sympatico with!

But the NYT is using this article to try to upstart another distraction for Romney to have to address - to keep the focus off of Obama’s failed record.

Come to think of it - that’s the same reason you’re using it.

[greyfoxx39]

Wow. You had to go to the New York Times to find an article you are sympatico with!

I guess you aren't aware that the New York Times gives the marching orders for most of the media. This will be a meme picked up by the networks and other print media...

This is proven fact, and attempts to sidetrack will only give it more exposure.

I have been warning since '07 that if Mitt were to be the candidate this very thing would happen.

[Kansas58]

Obama thanks you for your support.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

Realistically, this is just starting. It is no surprise the NYT is leading off, but I doubt it will be alone. A history of racism is the history of the LDS (mormonic) group.

No doubt, you will be castigated for showing the first instance because of the source. Don’t let it bother you. There are non-thinking conservatives, just like with any other group. They tend to have a knee jerk reaction to the source, instead of the message and its implications.

Such is life.

The bottom line will remain, RINOmney, the mormon, will be confronted with his membership in a historically racist group - as a young adult. He will have to provide an answer. It is how elections work.

[mnehring]

Really? Who is the one with the racism in the closet? Romney's family marched for Civil Rights while Obama himself marched with the African-American's version of the KKK.

[Hoodat]

Gee, I never saw the Slimes run a story like this when Harry Reid was running for office. Go figure.

[Cubs Fan]

Funny though, the new york times has no problem with Islam. The religion that CURRENTLTY believes among other things that:

women must be subjugated in nearly every way, including if they are are raped they are required to be killed to alleviate “shame”

Christians, other non muslims, gays and dissentors should be murdered and sometimes even cricified

Could it be the NYT is engaging in an absurdly hypocritical, self serving attack on Romney?

Absolutely

[Sherman Logan]

God has commanded Israel not to intermarry. To go against this commandment of God would be in sin.

They be confused about what God was commanding. He was prohibiting intermarriage with unbelievers, not those of differing ethnicity.

Moses married a black women. Mirian, his sister, was struck by God with leprosy when she made a racist fuss about it.

At least two of the female ancestors of Jesus mentioned by name in the Bible were non-Jews, Ruth the Moabitess and Rahab the Canaanite. It is reasonable that others also were, especially since the Bible contains explicit laws about the procedures involved in taking women captured in battle as wives.

This is besides the fact that Israelite and Judean kings, one side of his ancestry, frequently made diplomatic marriage to foreign women, and some of them may have equally been in his line.

[colorcountry]

Isn’t it interesting that you’re getting all this flack just for linking a published article that will be read by thousands of people.

Yea, FreeRepublic, it’s just better that we hide our heads in the sand and not talk about Romney’s history of racism....yeppers, that should do the trick.

Sheesh, like it’s grefoxx’s problem. Attack the messenger - that’s the ticket.

[WatchOutForSnakes]

Aren’t you late for your conference call with the rest of the freeper cabal to get this weeks talking points? I always enjoy them. I am confident that Romney is going to win despite yours and others best efforts.

[greyfoxx39]

Really? Who is the one with the racism in the closet? Romney's family marched for Civil Rights while Obama himself marched with the African-American's version of the KKK.

Really? You believe that this is going to be mentioned on MSNBCCNNABCCBSNBC?

Dream on.

[Hoodat]

Great photo of George Romney. Thanks for posting.

"The rights of some must not be enjoyed by denying the rights of others. Neither can we permit states' rights at the expense of human rights . . . The chief cornerstone of our freedom is divinely endowed citizenship for all equally regardless of pigmentation, creed or race."

-George Romney-

[Cubs Fan]

I can guarantee that if someone were a muslim and running for office the NYT would be the first saying anybody who complained would be a horrible bigot—

even though islam in the year 2012 (not 1978) is the most hateful, murderous, and intolerant religion on the planet.

[Servant of the Cross]

It’s mind-boggling that a FReeper posts an article from the old gray ‘lady’ ... and agrees with it!

[MCH]

Hmmmm. I must have missed the Slimes piece on how race is “still a problem” with Black Liberation Theologists like their butt boy Obozo.

[WatchOutForSnakes]

“It’s mind-boggling that a FReeper posts an article from the old gray ‘lady’ ... and agrees with it!”

Not really, not if you think about what’s been going on here the last 2 or 3 weeks.