Is the Church Ready to Have a Racially Diverse Leadership?

[_dogmatic]

I'm a minority and I honestly couldn't stomach a religion with such a racist history. Origins are everything. It's like if the kkk became true Christians I just would wouldn't trust their future based on those past.

[_Everybody Wang Chung]

It takes time for people to rise up through local leadership callings and become "seasoned" enough for general leadership callings.

But I do think that we're seeing a considerable shift in the Seventy, including a fair number of Latin American, Asian, and European members. And even an African -- the second black general authority. Members of the Twelve typically emerge from the Seventy, and, thus, this shift will ultimately have its effect.

These things will come.

I just looked at the current Seventies (it's been a while) and I actually do see some racial diversity. Let's hope this trend continues. I really think the Church's best missionary tool right now is to have a racially diverse leadership.

As both a practical matter and a matter of policy, members of the Tabernacle Choir must come from within a certain radius -- I can't remember the precise figure; perhaps a hundred miles, perhaps a bit less -- of Temple Square. Thus, they're going to represent the Church's demographic in that area, which is (horrible as this may sound to some) largely Caucasian.

They're not going to represent, and cannot represent, the membership of the Church in Guatemala, Korea, Brazil, or Ghana.

Thanks. I wasn't aware of how the Mormon Tabernacle Choir selected its members. Maybe I am nitpicking, but I wish the Church would try to think of ways to encourage a more racially diverse Choir. For many people in the world, they equate the Choir with the Church, and right now the Choir is white.

And, for the record, although I would be perfectly happy and indeed very pleased to see a Latino member of the Twelve, and/or an Asian member, and/or a black member, I don't favor quotas or tokenism, and I don't think it's really very important that the presiding quorums "accurately reflect" the ethnic composition of the worldwide Church as if they constituted some sort of representative assembly.

I agree with you about quotas. I just personally think the Church is tremendously underestimating what a powerful missionary tool a racially diverse leadership would be and also, how much it would help in eradicating the belief that many people still have that the Church is a racist organization.

[_ludwigm]

... the top-level leadership usually comes from within a connected network of people...

... the fact that President Monson has known and worked with him for many years ...

...They just rely too heavily on their good old boy network. ...

I see some accordance.


by the way the Church has a few century to welcome a non-US president.
John Paul II was the first non-Italian pope in 455 years (after Adrian VI, the only Dutch pope).

[_bcspace]

Is the Church Ready to Have a Racially Diverse Leadership?

Always ready.

Is their any legitimate reason for the Church's top leadership to not accurately reflect the racially diverse membership of the Church? If so, what are the reasons?

Yes there is. To have a racially diverse leadership for it's own sake is racism in and of itself.

[_Morley]

Yes there is. To have a racially diverse leadership for it's own sake is racism in and of itself.

On the face of it, this is a ridiculous statement. It may sound good as a slogan, but doesn't pass the think test. Please elaborate.

[_bcspace]

Yes there is. To have a racially diverse leadership for it's own sake is racism in and of itself.

On the face of it, this is a ridiculous statement. It may sound good as a slogan, but doesn't pass the think test. Please elaborate.

Racial quotas don't pass the think test and racially diverse leadership for it's own sake is analogous to that. To engage in either is racist by definition.

[_moksha]

I got hammered on this subject in 2005 at MAD for suggesting that the time was overdue for an Apostle of color. It seems that many members have a problem with this idea. However, I suspect that if the Apostles were to select a non-Caucasian, that if would be accepted by the membership. It sure would be seen as something positive by the rest of the world.


http://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/7465-apostle-of-color/

[_Morley]

Yes there is. To have a racially diverse leadership for it's own sake is racism in and of itself.

On the face of it, this is a ridiculous statement. It may sound good as a slogan, but doesn't pass the think test. Please elaborate.

Racial quotas don't pass the think test and racially diverse leadership for it's own sake is analogous to that. To engage in either is racist by definition.

What definition is that? I've never read an accepted, standardized definition of racism that would fit what you're saying.

[_zeezrom]

I think Heavenly Father is most interested in candidates skilled in public speaking and an ability to move PR in a promoting way. Heavenly Father is not being prejudiced but rather finding many more qualified individuals within the same ethnicity as Brigham Young. He spends a ton of time in the Salt Lake temple and therefore meets lots of Utahns. Heavenly Father also loves to night ski at Snowbird and frankly Africa just doesn't provide a lot of recreational opportunities. Can you blame him?

[_GR33N]

Yes there is. To have a racially diverse leadership for it's own sake is racism in and of itself.

On the face of it, this is a ridiculous statement. It may sound good as a slogan, but doesn't pass the think test. Please elaborate.

Racial quotas don't pass the think test and racially diverse leadership for it's own sake is analogous to that. To engage in either is racist by definition.

What definition is that? I've never read an accepted, standardized definition of racism that would fit what you're saying.

You don't understand that keeping someone from a position of leadership just because of their ethnic background is the same as giving someone a position of leadership just because of their racial background? If you do anything perceived as positive or negative based on a racial condition is racist.