As I was preparing to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, I spent some time in the Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah. Within the Training Center is an area with little rooms. These rooms are furnished as living room apartments. As I remember it, the room had one wall that was one way glass so that we could be watched and evaluated.
People from the community are brought in, and we had to practice teaching them. We were told that some of them were members of the church and some were not, so we should try our best, because we may make a difference in these peoples lives. Of course we didn't know. I don't know whether these people were volunteers or paid for their service-- but a bit of current research uncovers this pdf that shows that they were all temple-worthy volunteers, or at least are so now.
My companion and I were shown into a room. I don't remember if we knocked on the door first, or what. Probably. We sat down across from an older man, with a coffee table between us. We proceeded to teach the discussion. At that time, they were written word for word in little booklets we were supposed to memorize. The man started out by being difficult. Unfortunately, I don't remember specifics. neither I nor my companion were very outgoing individuals, and we were stunned to silence. Neither of us spoke. In fact she nudged my leg and said under her breathe, "talk". I didn't know what to say, I think by that time we were both in tears. I did finally say something, the man softened up considerably, and we finished the lesson.
After the lesson, we were supposed to pray with the man. It was expected. It was written in the booklet, even. This was a fake lesson, I couldn't very well pray that this man would feel the Spirit to be converted or want to be baptized. I didn't know this man, only his fake life. I had no idea how I could pretend to pray. I didn't know that we truly had anything in common to pray about, and how that would relate to this fake teaching experience. Was I supposed to fake-pray or real pray? Fake-praying went against everything in my heart. I could not do it. It was wrong. If I was supposed to real-pray, I didn't know what to pray for. I think I just said something non-descript, certainly without feeling, and got the heck out of there.
I hated that experience! I am not a fake person. I wanted to teach the gospel. I wanted to help people. I didn't want to pretend to teach people. I didn't want to fake anything, especially prayer to my Father in Heaven. It felt wrong. Very wrong. I got past it at the time, but I found it greatly disturbing. I felt the Gospel was true, but some of the practices of the church were very much wrong. This was one of them.
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Race and the Priesthood
The LDS Church has the following article on their website: Race and the Priesthood
I have an issue with the information they present in their article. Quotes from the above webpage are in red.
"Over time, Church leaders and members advanced many theories to explain the priesthood and temple restrictions. None of these explanations is accepted today as the official doctrine of the Church."
"Today, the Church disavows the theories advanced in the past that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse, or that it reflects actions in a premortal life; that mixed-race marriages are a sin; or that blacks or people of any other race or ethnicity are inferior in any way to anyone else. Church leaders today unequivocally condemn all racism, past and present, in any form."
These statements bother me, because the following "theory" was not only accepted as church doctrine, but canonized in scripture:
"According to one view, which had been promulgated in the United States from at least the 1730s, blacks descended from the same lineage as the biblical Cain, who slew his brother Abel. Those who accepted this view believed that God’s “curse” on Cain was the mark of a dark skin."
Though the Mormon scriptures say this:
2Nephi 26:33
33 For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.
It does not change the fact that the scriptures also say that dark skin is a curse from God, as the following scripture references present:
Moses 7:22
I have an issue with the information they present in their article. Quotes from the above webpage are in red.
"Over time, Church leaders and members advanced many theories to explain the priesthood and temple restrictions. None of these explanations is accepted today as the official doctrine of the Church."
and
"Today, the Church disavows the theories advanced in the past that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse, or that it reflects actions in a premortal life; that mixed-race marriages are a sin; or that blacks or people of any other race or ethnicity are inferior in any way to anyone else. Church leaders today unequivocally condemn all racism, past and present, in any form."
These statements bother me, because the following "theory" was not only accepted as church doctrine, but canonized in scripture:
"According to one view, which had been promulgated in the United States from at least the 1730s, blacks descended from the same lineage as the biblical Cain, who slew his brother Abel. Those who accepted this view believed that God’s “curse” on Cain was the mark of a dark skin."
Though the Mormon scriptures say this:
2Nephi 26:33
33 For none of these iniquities come of the Lord; for he doeth that which is good among the children of men; and he doeth nothing save it be plain unto the children of men; and he inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.
It does not change the fact that the scriptures also say that dark skin is a curse from God, as the following scripture references present:
Moses 7:22
22 And
Enoch also beheld the residue of the people which were the sons of
Adam; and they were a mixture of all the seed of Adam save it was the
seed of Cain, for the seed of Cain were black, and had not place among them.
Moses 7:8
8 For behold, the Lord shall curse the land with much heat, and the barrenness thereof shall go forth forever; and there was a blackness came upon all the children of Canaan, that they were despised among all people.
Genesis 4:15
15 And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
Now you can argue that it doesn't say what sort of mark the Lord set upon Cain, but the word "mark" is cross-referenced in LDS scripture to:
Alma 3:7
7 And their brethren sought to destroy them, therefore they were cursed; and the Lord God set a mark upon them, yea, upon Laman and Lemuel, and also the sons of Ishmael, and Ishmaelitish women.
which is then cross referenced to:
1Nephi 12:23
23 And it came to pass that I beheld, after they had dwindled in unbelief they became a dark, and loathsome, and a filthy people, full of idleness and all manner of abominations.
Further evidence in LDS scripture which shows that dark skin is a curse from God:
2Nephi 5:21
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.
2Nephi 2:15
15 And their curse was taken from them, and their skin became white like unto the Nephites;
Alma 3:6
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.
Jacob 3:5
5 Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our father—that they should have save it were one wife, and concubines they should have none, and there should not be whoredoms committed among them.
As you can see, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in an effort to distance itself from racist accusations, have been less than honest about their own scripture, posting that dark skin as a curse is not, nor has ever been doctrinal and was just a wrong theory held in belief by some. LDS apologetics, FairMormon, have even gone so far as to write a new article (Dec 2013)which suggests the word "skin", in the above references, is not literal, but only symbolic and was only seen with the spiritual eye. Isn't it funny how words change their meaning in order to fit into some preconceived notions (the church is true so I have to change how I understand things in order to fit into their published articles)?
Moses 7:8
8 For behold, the Lord shall curse the land with much heat, and the barrenness thereof shall go forth forever; and there was a blackness came upon all the children of Canaan, that they were despised among all people.
Genesis 4:15
15 And the Lord said unto him, Therefore whosoever slayeth Cain, vengeance shall be taken on him sevenfold. And the Lord set a mark upon Cain, lest any finding him should kill him.
Now you can argue that it doesn't say what sort of mark the Lord set upon Cain, but the word "mark" is cross-referenced in LDS scripture to:
Alma 3:7
7 And their brethren sought to destroy them, therefore they were cursed; and the Lord God set a mark upon them, yea, upon Laman and Lemuel, and also the sons of Ishmael, and Ishmaelitish women.
which is then cross referenced to:
1Nephi 12:23
23 And it came to pass that I beheld, after they had dwindled in unbelief they became a dark, and loathsome, and a filthy people, full of idleness and all manner of abominations.
Further evidence in LDS scripture which shows that dark skin is a curse from God:
2Nephi 5:21
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.
2Nephi 2:15
15 And their curse was taken from them, and their skin became white like unto the Nephites;
Alma 3:6
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.
Jacob 3:5
5 Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our father—that they should have save it were one wife, and concubines they should have none, and there should not be whoredoms committed among them.
As you can see, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, in an effort to distance itself from racist accusations, have been less than honest about their own scripture, posting that dark skin as a curse is not, nor has ever been doctrinal and was just a wrong theory held in belief by some. LDS apologetics, FairMormon, have even gone so far as to write a new article (Dec 2013)which suggests the word "skin", in the above references, is not literal, but only symbolic and was only seen with the spiritual eye. Isn't it funny how words change their meaning in order to fit into some preconceived notions (the church is true so I have to change how I understand things in order to fit into their published articles)?
How to help Friends/Family who have left the Mormon Church
This is a pretty good, non-antimormon video produced to help people deal with friends and family who have historical or doctrinal reasons for leaving the LDS Church.
There are a few points I wish Mr. Dehlin would have explained/addressed further. For instance, that Joseph Smith was not only married to over 30 women and teenagers, but engaged in intimate relations with them, in some cases even fathering their children. (there's plenty of documented historical sources on the web, but maybe not any "approved church sources"?) Also, specifically how current apologetics/policies/statements directly contradict approved scripture. I'd like to see more of this, so I'll personally address some of it later. Overall, though, I think Mr. Dehlin did a good job. I hope much social good can come from him and his video
There are a few points I wish Mr. Dehlin would have explained/addressed further. For instance, that Joseph Smith was not only married to over 30 women and teenagers, but engaged in intimate relations with them, in some cases even fathering their children. (there's plenty of documented historical sources on the web, but maybe not any "approved church sources"?) Also, specifically how current apologetics/policies/statements directly contradict approved scripture. I'd like to see more of this, so I'll personally address some of it later. Overall, though, I think Mr. Dehlin did a good job. I hope much social good can come from him and his video
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)