All Hands on Deck: Helping Lighten the Burden of Racism
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Sasha Bill KwapinskiSeptember 7, 2017
The Book of Mormon contains at least 20 different passages indicating that the church and gospel will spread among all nations and people. The D & C contains at least 78 such references. The Bible contains the promise that through the seed or priesthood of Abraham, all of he families of the earth will be blessed -- a promise that is also contained in the B of M. The well-known passage in Revelation about "I saw another angel fly . . ." also speaks of the everlasting gospel being for all nations and people, no exceptions. Joseph Smith prophesied (in the Wentworth letter, for example, and elsewhere) that the church would sound in every ear, and sweep every continent. Moreover, this is the same gospel which brought with it the staff or spirit of Elijah, enabling African Americans as well as others to reach back through time and identify their ancestors (Anybody remember Alex Haley and "Roots"?)
Ruth WestAugust 31, 2017
Thank you Mellisa
Anna FeatherstoneAugust 31, 2017
Hey Melissa Innouye, thanks for the article, will go check out that website now.... You know as a convert, reading about the 'curse' put upon Laman and Lemuel and their descendants gave me much to wrangle with. I love the Book of Mormon and so many of its teachings speak volumes to me; but I'm still trying to understand the truth behind the 'curse' and its implications. Arohanui Sister
Earl ChantrillAugust 30, 2017
Thank you for your thoughtful and thought-provoking article. I have been LDS from birth in 1943. I have seen huge changes in the attitudes of people both inside and outside the Church during my lifetime, mostly for the good, but sometimes for the worse. Among my acquaintances when I was a young child it was not considered rude to use the "n" word or other words referring to Japanese, Italians, Chinese, or Jews, etc. Those words were just what those people were. No disrespect intended. It wasn't until my family moved to California that I began to learn that those words were considered disrespectful by those people whom they designated. I would not then, nor now, treat them in any way different than I would treat my other friends and acquaintances. The whole point of certain racially exclusive groups is to have the favored members treated in some way different from those who are racially different. This is the antithesis of the view expressed by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. when he said, and I paraphrase, that we should be racially color blind; that we should judge people on their character, not the color of their skin. I applaud the Church for coming out in opposition to all racism.
MarileeAugust 30, 2017
Thank you for writing this article. I will be sharing and doing what I can in my own community.
Michael ColemanAugust 30, 2017
I believe the author has good intentions however articles like this do not help. Racism is insidious and feeds off itself and its discussion perpetuates it. Every large panel debate aptly demonstrates this as each side is more determined and biased with no resolution in sight. Society would be better served by focusing on the teachings of Jesus to love and serve one another and leaving race out of it. If we do that then white privilege, microaggression, black rage, and every other condescending term and preconceived notion will be replaced by kindness, trust, and the welfare of others.
Elizabeth GrahamAugust 30, 2017
This is an excellent article. We have so much to do in our families, communities and our nation, to change the attitude of condemning a race instead of an act and condemn is not even the right word. Killing is wrong, destruction is wrong, name calling is wrong, judging is wrong. We are all guilty. I plead with my Heavenly Father daily to help me to look at the problem and suggest a solution instead of just being critical, to remember that all of His children and he loves us all equally.
LisaAugust 30, 2017
BRAVO!!!!!
Jeff DrakeAugust 30, 2017
This is a great article, but I think it has the unfortunate side effect of perpetuating the very racism it attempts to combat. By failing to qualify statements such as “church leaders beginning with Brigham Young restricted blacks from priesthood ordination, temple endowment, and temple sealing,” it gives the false impression that individuals were so restricted based solely on the color of their skin—a charge that flies directly in the face of all available evidence. Were “blacks” restricted from priesthood ordination, temple endowment, and temple sealing? Absolutely. However, so were “whites”. So were “yellows”. So were “reds”. The restrictions were based on whether or not an individual was ostensibly of Hamitic descent, not the color of his or her skin. Fijians, Melanesians, Maori, and even ostensible Hamites who were adopted out of that lineage were *not* subject to said restrictions. White supremacy—like black supremacy and any other supremacy—is absolutely deplorable, as are the racist comments that prompted this article. None of this behavior is in any way becoming of a Christian. However, compressing complex history into meme-worthy statements only serves to perpetuate misinformation. The inclusion or exclusion of a single word can lead to a grossly errant perception, which in turn leads to the very ignorance this article seeks to combat.
Joey SmithAugust 30, 2017
"racism and white supremacy will still be with us" Racism will and must be rooted out, but white supremacy must be considered just a fringe movement, whose attitudes are held by only a few -- unless you buy into the current microaggressive white privilege hogwash.
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