Popular BYU Randy Bott Takes Heat for Comments

[_bcspace]

BC. Again: Racism isn't just based on skin color.

But it's not based on lineage and it implies some sort of erroneous inherent inferiority to a class of people. Thus, the priesthood ban does not fit the definition of racism.

[_Morley]

BC. Again: Racism isn't just based on skin color.

But it's not based on lineage and it implies some sort of erroneous inherent inferiority to a class of people. Thus, the priesthood ban does not fit the definition of racism.

Really? Antisemitism is a type of racism.

Antisemitism is based on lineage. Sometimes antisemitism is based on Jews possibly ruling the world, which is hardly a supposition of inferiority.

[_Joseph Antley]

Bott's comments are taken as racist because he groups an entire race of people into one homogeneous clump that he claims God may have viewed as unprepared or not ready. The ban and Bott's remarks apply to black people who lived in the U.S., Latin America, Africa, and other parts of the world, who have virtually nothing in common besides their skin color.

[_moksha]

I don't plan on protesting but may cover the protest out of interest.

That is wise since bad things have happened to those who speak up at BYU. If you will be working in the field of Mormon Studies, then it would be best to stand apart from such ideals and risk taking. If questioned by the the Honor Enforcement Squad in regards to reporting this story, offer to turn all your notes over and dramatically profess your loyalty. They will pass you by unharmed.

Bott is one of BYU’s most popular professors and is the top-rated professor of any university on RateMyProfessor.com.

Wow. That makes this hit for the Church take on a whole other dimension, does it not? It calls into question what type of thinking makes one popular at the Y, as well as tarnish the credibility of this rating system.

[_Darth J]

BC. Again: Racism isn't just based on skin color.

But it's not based on lineage and it implies some sort of erroneous inherent inferiority to a class of people. Thus, the priesthood ban does not fit the definition of racism.

Today's Zen exercise:

If bcspace was an anti-Mormon sock puppet parody of a delusional Mormon fanatic, how would you be able to tell?

[_Drifting]

BC. Again: Racism isn't just based on skin color.

But it's not based on lineage and it implies some sort of erroneous inherent inferiority to a class of people. Thus, the priesthood ban does not fit the definition of racism.

Bcspace,

What is the official reason the Priesthood ban was instigated in the first place? (please provide the quote from the revelation on it)

[_DrW]

But it's not based on lineage and it implies some sort of erroneous inherent inferiority to a class of people. Thus, the priesthood ban does not fit the definition of racism.

Today's Zen exercise:

If bcspace was an anti-Mormon sock puppet parody of a delusional Mormon fanatic, how would you be able to tell?

Give me another few minutes, please. Figuring out this one is going to take some time.

[_Chap]

I love this bit:

Bott compares blacks with a young child prematurely asking for the keys to her father’s car, and explains that similarly until 1978, the Lord determined that blacks were not yet ready for the priesthood.

“What is discrimination?” Bott asks. “I think that is keeping something from somebody that would be a benefit for them, right? But what if it wouldn’t have been a benefit to them?” Bott says that the denial of the priesthood to blacks on Earth — although not in the afterlife — protected them from the lowest rungs of hell reserved for people who abuse their priesthood powers. “You couldn’t fall off the top of the ladder, because you weren’t on the top of the ladder. So, in reality the blacks not having the priesthood was the greatest blessing God could give them.”

Yup. Booker T. Washington and Percy Lavon Julian were simply not ready for the power and responsibility of the priesthood. On the other hand any white trash from Dogpatch who turned Mormon was ready for it, no problem.

The Lord knew what was best. No racism here.

[_Drifting]

Perhaps the BYU professor should write to a church General Authority to get an official...oh....wait a minute....

[_Jason Bourne]

The statement as quoted in the blog is not racist. There is nothing that says or implies that because blacks have blacks skin, they were not ready for the priesthood. Bott would have to be questioned further as to why he thinks they were not ready. Perhaps he would point to some of their general cultural aspects. Perhaps he would say that it was everyone else who was not ready. Perhaps something else.

BC oddly thinks that because the priesthood ban came first and the skin color second that there is no racism as a result. This not withstanding that the ban ONLY applied to a group of people born into this race. And notwithstanding all the reasons that were given for the bad just like this professor gave, that all these poor apologists want to dismiss as not official and folklore, were all focused on those being born into this race being something less than others who could receive the priesthood. Say this with a straight face to those who think Mormonism is odd already.