MormonR throws the church under the bus over racism
Posted: Wed Aug 30, 2023 5:07 pm
https://mormonr.org/qnas/LAIKTb/black_s ... _1895_1978
Surprisingly honest answers. Yes the church was racist. No the church doesn’t have a good explanation. Yes the church leaders should probably be able to come up with a better explanation.
Surprisingly honest answers. Yes the church was racist. No the church doesn’t have a good explanation. Yes the church leaders should probably be able to come up with a better explanation.
Was the modern, twentieth-century Church racist?
Yes. For most of the twentieth century, many in Church leadership voiced racist ideas and followed racist practices, specifically towards people of African descent.
Did the ban change because of social pressure?
Yes, it was probably a factor.
Has the Church given an official explanation for why the ban happened?
Sort of.
Isn’t this something the Church should know?
Probably.
The experiences of Black Saints, the decisions of Church leaders, and the prevailing Church culture during the 20th century can be deeply unsettling, especially when interpreted through a 21st-century lens. Why did God's church sideline many of His children through the priesthood restriction? What were the origins of this discrimination, and why did it persist? And what brought about the change in 1978 that led to the lifting of "the ban"?
For a significant portion of the 20th century, Church leaders propagated ideologies that were prejudiced against Black individuals. While some of these sentiments might have mirrored broader American societal views, it does not absolve Church leaders from accountability for their racially biased views and actions towards people of African descent.