Question for Don Bradley

[Shulem]

I was listening to Bill Reel and RFM on their podcast African Baptism fraud. They had a panel of former Mormons discussing the bann. I think it was Summer Rain (spelling?) Burgess Owen's daughter who said Jane Manning had two patriarchal blessings. She said the second one had the Cain lineage. I tracked it down and couldn't find where it said that but it got me wondering how many explicitly said that.

I can't say too much about that.

But I will say, in times past, prior to the priesthood ban, EVERY APOSTLE & PROPHET in the Mormon church for several generations, had a thing against black people. No modern Mormon propaganda or spin today can change that fact. The apostles and prophets of Mormonism today are dirty liars of the worst kind. The Church is utterly filthy and corrupt to the core.

[Shulem]

For behold, the Lord shall curse the land with much heat, and the barrenness thereof shall go forth forever; and there was a blackness came upon all the children of Canaan, that they were despised among all people.

And Enoch also beheld the residue of the people which were the sons of Adam; and they were a mixture of all the seed of Adam save it was the seed of Cain, for the seed of Cain were black, and had not place among them.

Scriptural precedent for Smith's word usage "and there was a blackness CAME UPON ALL the children of Canaan" shows how something effected an entire group, lock, stock, and barrel -- men, women, and children -- a universal effect such as genetic skin color.

• numerous host, and CAME UPON the inhabitants of the city (Hel 1:19)

• multitude beheld that the man had fallen dead, who lifted the sword to slay Ammon, fear CAME UPON THEM ALL (Alma 1924)

• numerous almost, as it were, as the sands of the sea, CAME UPON THEM to destroy them (Alma 2:27

And now for a direct reference citing the universal effect:

• And great fear CAME UPON ALL the church, and upon as many as heard these things. (Acts 5:11)

• Therefore as by the offence of one judgment CAME UPON ALL men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift CAME UPON ALL men unto justification of life. (Rom 5:11)

Thus, blackness came upon all the children of Canaan because they were descendants of Cain, a cursed black man, which was the belief of the entire Mormon church with all its apostles & prophets for several generations.

Simple. As. That.

[Rivendale]

What I find insidious is the gospel topics essay on the issue. Their use of the word disavow is insanity.

to deny connection to, reject responsibility for, or refuse support for someone or something. It is a formal way to say you have nothing to do with an action, statement, or group.

If current leaders were sent back in time with this reasoning printed on a sign and hung around their necks and placed in a tribunal with all past leaders what do you think their fate would be?

There is a book called A Short Stay In Hell by Steven L. Peck and I can envision a hell perfectly fitted for these leaders.

[Shulem]

If current leaders were sent back in time with this reasoning printed on a sign and hung around their necks and placed in a tribunal with all past leaders what do you think their fate would be?

Every leader of the Church going back in time to meet the old Mormon church would be cast out and excommunicated. Today's apostles & prophets are a collective body of apostate liars. They are not enlightened by the so-called Holy Ghost. Each of them possess the spirit of lying and deception -- they are evil and power hungry men. Think of Boyd K Packer, that miserable wretch. And Nelson, that man was an evil dog! And Oaks? He may just take the cake -- that rotten son of a bitch!

[Shulem]

For behold, the Lord shall curse the land with much heat, and the barrenness thereof shall go forth forever; and there was a blackness came upon all the children of Canaan, that they were despised among all people.

And Enoch also beheld the residue of the people which were the sons of Adam; and they were a mixture of all the seed of Adam save it was the seed of Cain, for the seed of Cain were black, and had not place among them.

Joseph Smith knew the Bible.

I now present precedent to support Smith's use of the words "blackness" and "black" in referencing skin color. Please notice how "heat" plays a part just as it did with the blackened Canaanites when "the Lord shall curse the land with much heat":

My skin is black upon me, and my bones are burned with heat.

My skin is black — By continual exposure to the open air, and parching influence of the sun.
My bones are burned with heat. — A strong expression, to point out the raging fever that was continually preying upon his vitals.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder:

• I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem...

• Look not upon me, because I am black, because the sun hath looked upon me...

I am black, but comely — This is literally true of many of the Asiatic women; though black or brown, they are exquisitely beautiful. Many of the Egyptian women are still fine; but their complexion is much inferior to that of the Palestine females. Though black or swarthy in my complexion, yet am I comely - well proportioned in every part.

Because the sun hath looked upon me — The bride gives here certain reasons why she was dark complexioned. "The sun hath looked upon me." I am sunburnt, tanned by the sun;

[Shulem]

And Enoch also beheld the residue of the people which were the sons of Adam; and they were a mixture of all the seed of Adam save it was the seed of Cain, for the seed of Cain were black, and had not place among them.

On that happy note, let's look at a nonofficial LDS Gospel Doctrine manual available on the Internet to assist Mormons in understanding scripture. The producer is apparently a nobody, but nonetheless, let's look:

Moses 7:8 a blackness came upon all the children of Canaan

Most have assumed that the children of Canaan were the descendants of Cain. This may not be a fair assumption as the origin of the term Canaan appears to be the name of a land or group of lands Canaan and has no direct connection with Adam's murderous son. Draper, et al, agree, "This people is not the same as 'the seed of Cain' (Moses 7:22)... their tribal names are of different origin." (The Pearl of Great Price: A Verse by Verse Commentary, RD Draper, SK Brown, MD Rhodes, [SLC: Deseret Book, 2005], 115) Furthermore, Cain's descendants lived in a city of Enoch (a wicked city built long before Zion) not in the land of Canaan (Gen. 4:17). Besides, why would Enoch's vision specifically show that a blackness came upon the Canaanites, if-as the descendants of Cain-they already had black skin (Moses 7:22)?

That my friend, is a question best left for Joseph Smith to answer or perhaps his successor, Brigham Young. Surely brother Brigham could give you an authoritative answer or perhaps you prefer to ask President John Taylor and see what he declares by the word of the Lord -- voice of the Spirit®. That was Mormonism back then! The important point is that you (the apologist) recognize that black skin is what is implied by the text, nothing more. So, how black is black? Go ask ACDC.

We don't like to think about God cursing his children but we have some examples from the Old Testament we have to deal with. In reality, it is just as important to understand God's cursings as it is to understand his blessings. Cain was cursed for murdering Abel (Gen. 4:11-12), Lamech was cursed for murdering for the oath's sake (Moses 5:52), the Canaanites were cursed for destroying the people of Shum, and Ham's descendants were cursed because of Ham's indiscretion (Abr. 1:26; Gen 9:20-25).

While Cain's curse was for committing the first murder, perhaps the Canaanites curse was for committing the first act of genocide, apparently completely wiping out the people of Shum. The consequences of the curse include 1) the loss of the gospel, 2) the land becomes barren and unfruitful, and 3) a mark of dark skin to cause a separation from the children of God. Nothing is mentioned with regard to priesthood with Cain or the Caananites. In the scriptures, it is with Ham's descendants that the curse pertained to the priesthood, but in the case of Cain's descendants and the Canaanites, we ask, "would they have had the priesthood if they didn't have the gospel?"

You admit (confess) that dark skin is what represents being "black".

Thank you

[Shulem]

Millennial Star

Let's take another peek at this Church periodical that was officially published by the Church and maintained under the direction of Church leadership. The issue at hand is December 3, 1903, Edited by Francis M. Lyman who had served as Editor for the past three years and at that time was the President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. The following month, Heber J Grant of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles assumed editorship of the Millennial Star. All is well in Zion!

EDITORIAL [Francis M. Lyman, President of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]

ARE NEGROES CHILDREN OF ADAM?

<snip>

In the first place we look on the negro as a human being, a child of Adam, who with all other members of the human race will be resurrected from the dead. Like his white brother the negro is capable of having belief in the Lord and has a consciousness of sin. Where sincere faith and repentance are manifested and all conditions are proper, negroes may be baptized and receive the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. They may partake of the sacrament of the Lord’s supper and enjoy blessings as members. They are barred, however, from ever receiving the Priesthood and the blessings that pertain to its possession. The endowments of the House of the Lord and marriage for eternity are not within their power to obtain.

We remember the curse that Noah placed upon Canaan the son of Ham after becoming aware of Ham’s transgression. A servant of servants he should become to his brethren (Gen. ix: 25). But why curse the son instead of the father? The Pearl of Great Price gives some light on the subject. In the time before the flood Enoch declared, Book of Moses vii: 8. And there was a blackness came upon all the children of Canaan, that they were despised among all people.” In the twenty-second verse of the same chapter it says: “And Enoch also beheld the residue of the people which were the sons of Adam; and they were a mixture of all the seed of Adam save it were the seed of Cain, for the seed of Cain were black, and had not place among them.” The two seem to be the same people. Later on in the Ist chapter of the Book of Abraham that patriarch says, verse 21: “Now this king of Egypt was a descendant from the loins of Ham, and was a partaker of the blood of the Canaanites by birth.” As Ham was not of the blood of the Canaanites, his wife must have been, and Canaan, whom Noah cursed, doubtless inherited not only his name but a black skin from his mother. Abraham says further (verse 26) that Noah cursed the descendant of Ham “as pertaining to the Priesthood.” It would seem from this that the negroes are descendants of Cain through the wife of Ham, and of a lineage that cannot receive the Priesthood of God.

Why one child should be born heir to the Priesthood and another cursed as pertaining to it, when neither child apparently had any influence over the conditions of its birth, is one of the unnumerable questions regarding the differences of inherited power and opportunity among human beings. In a general way they may be satisfactorily answered by the doctrine of the preexistence of spirits, that in a former probation our spirits, like Christ's, lived in the presence of the Father and attained to varying grades of excellence. When the great war between the hosts of Michael and Satan occurred in Satan and one-third of the spirits of heaven were cast out for their rebellion and became devils, but between these and the noble spirits who devotedly followed Michael there were doubtless indifferent ones who were not good enough to fight for God, and not bad enough to join themselves to Lucifer. It has been thought by some that these spirits were allowed by the Lord to come on earth, but under the curse of the dark skin and, worse than that, under the curse as pertaining to the Priesthood.

Though the Latter-day. Saints believe, as do all other ‘thoughtful people among both whites and negroes, that marriages between the two races should be strictly prohibited, yet we have no hatred toward the colored people, and would do nothing to make their lot any harder to bear. They are the children of God, and we strive to love all His creatures.

[Shulem]

WHO were the [Editors] ?

SACRED METALLIC PLATES.

BY 0, PRATT. [Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]

Notwithstanding the vast accumulations of evidence, proving the Jewish origin of the American Indians, yet the enlightened Jew has an aversion to claim in them a brotherhood. He contemplates them sunk down into the very depths of degradation and savage life, weltering apparently under the withering curse of Jehovah, with knowledge but little in advance of the brute beast, with a dirty copper colored exterior, rendered still more frightful by horrid daubs of paint and clay. Can it be possible, exclaims the Jew, that these low and degraded specimens of humanity are my kindred? Can they be the seed of Israel—the chosen seed? If so, whence then this skin of blackness—this blighting curse —this ferocious savageism? Oh, Judah, and hear the sad and mournful history of Joseph, thy brother; it is the history from the Gold Plates of Cumorah’s hill; it is the voice of the dead, speaking from their ancient tombs; it is the voice of Prophets whose speech is low out of the ground, and whispers mournfully from the dust. Listen to the words of Nephi :—

Wherefore, the word of the Lord was fulfilled which he spake unto me, saying: "That inasmuch as they will not hearken unto thy words, they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. And behold, they were cut off from his presence. And he had 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; 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...

[EDITOR. Brigham Young Jr., Quorum of the Twelve Apostles]

[x] Elder Pratt prayed about what to write
[x] Elder Pratt felt the Holy Ghost® testify of the truth
[x] Elder Pratt testified with apostolic authority

[I Have Questions]

The Church in an anonymous gospel topics essay claims to disavow the theory that black skin is a sign of disfavour in the eyes of God, whilst simultaneously promoting the doctrine in the Book of Mormon that black skin is a sign of disfavour in the eyes of God. If the Church really did disavow that "theory" they would have removed all traces of it from Church scriptures. They haven't, so they don't really mean they disavow it. It's just playing at spin doctoring. Nobody, no Apostle, no Apologist, has a good explanation for the conflict between what is said in Race And The Priesthood, and what is said in The Book of Mormon, and nobody has a good answer for why obvious racist teachings are still being promoted by the Church.

[Rivendale]

The Church in an anonymous gospel topics essay claims to disavow the theory that black skin is a sign of disfavour in the eyes of God, whilst simultaneously promoting the doctrine in the Book of Mormon that black skin is a sign of disfavour in the eyes of God. If the Church really did disavow that "theory" they would have removed all traces of it from Church scriptures. They haven't, so they don't really mean they disavow it. It's just playing at spin doctoring. Nobody, no Apostle, no Apologist, has a good explanation for the conflict between what is said in Race And The Priesthood, and what is said in The Book of Mormon, and nobody has a good answer for why obvious racist teachings are still being promoted by the Church.

Remember Oak's elevated himself to the most powerful prophet in Mormonism’s pantheon of prophets when he said this.

I observed the pain and frustration experienced by those who suffered these restrictions and those who criticized them and sought for reasons. I studied the reasons then being given and could not feel confirmation of the truth of any of them.

And he lays the blame right at Elohim's feet.

As part of my prayerful study, I learned that, in general, the Lord seldom gives reasons for the commandments and directions He gives to His servants.