My problems with the R&P Statement
Posted: Thu Dec 26, 2013 9:33 pm
The new R&P Statement says this:
"Today, the Church disavows the theories advanced in the past that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse...."
Problem...The Book of Mormon teaches this:
"And he [God] 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 [note: flints are dark black]; 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." (2 Nephi 5:21)
Both of these statements CANNOT BE TRUE! If the R&B Statement is false, then why did the FP approve it? If they approved it, WHY did they not sign it? If the Book of Mormon statement is FALSE, then how much more of the book is false, or is it all false? The Law of Contradiction: black and white: black cannot also be white, and white cannot also be black. Both cannot be true at that same time.
THAT is my problem with the R&P Statement.
I was the victim of violent racism growing up in Los Angeles, and it was directed at me, a white person, by blacks and Hispanics. I did nothing to provoke this. This was in the early to mid 1970s, and many minorities were angered at whites because of slavery, racism, exploitation, which 98% of whites, including myself, had absolutely NOTHING to do with.
In the past, I did send the Brethren the following recommendations:
*I recommended to the First Presidency, as far back as 1978, that blacks in North america be allowed their own branches and wards, so that they would have their own black priethood leaders, and could feel more comfortable. Many African-Americans don't feel comfortable in mostly white branches and wards. This was rejected, because the Brethren fear the Media charging them with segregation.
*I recommended to the First Presidency, very long ago, That they hire and train black men to become "Pastors" (a new paid position in the Church) to lead black branches, and train local black priesthood leaders. As soon as the branch was large enough, and strong enough, the black Pastor would leave and work in another area to build up a new branch. This was rejected, again, because the Brethren feared negative press.
*I recommended to the First Presidency, long ago, that they issue a Public Apology for the Curse of Cain. The new "Race and Priesthood" Statement is a disavowal, not an apology.
*Begin to teach that the Jaredites were black (i.e. because they did not mention priesthood, and the Jaredites were descendants of Cain according to the Book of Ether...yes, its there). Again, the Brethren rejected this, because they were raised to believe that God would have NEVER communicated to descendants of Cain for any purpose.
*Begin to place articles in the ENSIGN about Elijah Abels and the other early faithful black Mormons. Again, this was not done, mainly because the Brethren did not want Members thinking about the Curse of Cain or priesthood-ban history. The Brethren wanted the Members to FORGET these things, not talk about them.
*Missionaries will always target those most likely to be baptized. The pressure for them to baptize is incredible! As a young English-speaking missionary in California, in the early 1980s, I was told to "baptize people of means--such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, business owners--educated people" because these were the people most likely to pay a faithful tithe, and most UNlikely to use Church Welfare. Well, of course, the doctors and lawyers and engineers and business owners were FAT AND HAPPY and did NOT want to join the Church. If they were religious at all, they already had a religion. Most were agnostics, and couldn't believe that an angel brought gold plates to a young boy. You might as well have told them that a Spaceship from Venus brought it! The only English-speaking people who had ANY desire to join the Church were two types:
1) Those very poor and down on their luck who WOULD use Church Welfare services and...
2) Men who wanted to marry Mormon women, but the women insisted they would only marry a good Mormon man. Most of my investigators were non-mormon men who were in love with or engaged to active Mormon women. They joined the Church ONLY because they wanted these women.
That was __________________IT________________! Nobody else, and I mean NOBODY ELSE, had any interest in the Mormon Church, in my mission, during the early 1980s, unless they were Spanish speaking, and were illegal immigrants. These folks would join any "American" church. If the JWs got to them first, they became JWs. If the Mormons got to them first, they became Mormons. Simple as that. The only folks in my mission who could believe in angels and plates and Adam and Eve being the first humans, were Evangelical Christians, ALL of whom believed Mormonism was an evil cult, or poor immigrants from Africa, or poor illiterate illegal aliens form Mexico or Central America. That's it.
The religion that has the most Pro-Black and pro-science teachings from the start, that I know of, is the Baha'i Faith.
"Today, the Church disavows the theories advanced in the past that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse...."
Problem...The Book of Mormon teaches this:
"And he [God] 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 [note: flints are dark black]; 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." (2 Nephi 5:21)
Both of these statements CANNOT BE TRUE! If the R&B Statement is false, then why did the FP approve it? If they approved it, WHY did they not sign it? If the Book of Mormon statement is FALSE, then how much more of the book is false, or is it all false? The Law of Contradiction: black and white: black cannot also be white, and white cannot also be black. Both cannot be true at that same time.
THAT is my problem with the R&P Statement.
I was the victim of violent racism growing up in Los Angeles, and it was directed at me, a white person, by blacks and Hispanics. I did nothing to provoke this. This was in the early to mid 1970s, and many minorities were angered at whites because of slavery, racism, exploitation, which 98% of whites, including myself, had absolutely NOTHING to do with.
In the past, I did send the Brethren the following recommendations:
*I recommended to the First Presidency, as far back as 1978, that blacks in North america be allowed their own branches and wards, so that they would have their own black priethood leaders, and could feel more comfortable. Many African-Americans don't feel comfortable in mostly white branches and wards. This was rejected, because the Brethren fear the Media charging them with segregation.
*I recommended to the First Presidency, very long ago, That they hire and train black men to become "Pastors" (a new paid position in the Church) to lead black branches, and train local black priesthood leaders. As soon as the branch was large enough, and strong enough, the black Pastor would leave and work in another area to build up a new branch. This was rejected, again, because the Brethren feared negative press.
*I recommended to the First Presidency, long ago, that they issue a Public Apology for the Curse of Cain. The new "Race and Priesthood" Statement is a disavowal, not an apology.
*Begin to teach that the Jaredites were black (i.e. because they did not mention priesthood, and the Jaredites were descendants of Cain according to the Book of Ether...yes, its there). Again, the Brethren rejected this, because they were raised to believe that God would have NEVER communicated to descendants of Cain for any purpose.
*Begin to place articles in the ENSIGN about Elijah Abels and the other early faithful black Mormons. Again, this was not done, mainly because the Brethren did not want Members thinking about the Curse of Cain or priesthood-ban history. The Brethren wanted the Members to FORGET these things, not talk about them.
*Missionaries will always target those most likely to be baptized. The pressure for them to baptize is incredible! As a young English-speaking missionary in California, in the early 1980s, I was told to "baptize people of means--such as doctors, lawyers, engineers, business owners--educated people" because these were the people most likely to pay a faithful tithe, and most UNlikely to use Church Welfare. Well, of course, the doctors and lawyers and engineers and business owners were FAT AND HAPPY and did NOT want to join the Church. If they were religious at all, they already had a religion. Most were agnostics, and couldn't believe that an angel brought gold plates to a young boy. You might as well have told them that a Spaceship from Venus brought it! The only English-speaking people who had ANY desire to join the Church were two types:
1) Those very poor and down on their luck who WOULD use Church Welfare services and...
2) Men who wanted to marry Mormon women, but the women insisted they would only marry a good Mormon man. Most of my investigators were non-mormon men who were in love with or engaged to active Mormon women. They joined the Church ONLY because they wanted these women.
That was __________________IT________________! Nobody else, and I mean NOBODY ELSE, had any interest in the Mormon Church, in my mission, during the early 1980s, unless they were Spanish speaking, and were illegal immigrants. These folks would join any "American" church. If the JWs got to them first, they became JWs. If the Mormons got to them first, they became Mormons. Simple as that. The only folks in my mission who could believe in angels and plates and Adam and Eve being the first humans, were Evangelical Christians, ALL of whom believed Mormonism was an evil cult, or poor immigrants from Africa, or poor illiterate illegal aliens form Mexico or Central America. That's it.
The religion that has the most Pro-Black and pro-science teachings from the start, that I know of, is the Baha'i Faith.
