African Book of Mormon translations starting to remove “skin of blackness” and other racist phraseology

[I Have Questions]

Shulem, the problem is that there are multiple ways to translate phrases into different languages. What's important is how the Church translation department does it. Which is probably more involved that using a simple online translating tool.

I DISAGREE!

Just to be clear. I’m not saying that excuses the Church for translating in a way that removes the reference to black skin colour being the sign of a curse from God. Just that the church’s translation department is probably not just simply typing the Book of Mormon verses into Google and pressing “translate”.

I’d be very interested to hear what rationale the Church used to decide what content did and what didn’t make the cut for the “selected content” versions of The Book of Mormon. I can think of no reasonable reason for not providing full translations. It’s not like the Church lacks the finances to fund a robust translation department, so it’s not a lack of manpower.

[Shulem]

I DISAGREE!

Just to be clear. I’m not saying that excuses the Church for translating in a way that removes the reference to black skin colour being the sign of a curse from God. Just that the church’s translation department is probably not just simply typing the Book of Mormon verses into Google and pressing “translate”.

I'm checking something right now and it's very, very, important.

It's exciting!

[Shulem]

Okay, so let's check the Chichewa Book of Mormon and see how BLACKNESS holds up elsewhere, shall we?

Ndimaveka thambo ndi mdima wakuda, ndi kupanga chiguduli chofunda chawo.

I clothe the sky with darkness, and make a blanket for them.

I clothe the heavens with blackness, and I make sackcloth their covering.

Blackness = darkness. Correct!

Now let's check some skin, shall we?

Tawonani, abale anu Alamani, amene mumawada chifukwa cha chidetso chawo, ndi thembelero limene lidagwera pakhungu lawo, ali olungama koposa inu; pakuti sadaiwale lamulo la Ambuye; limene lidaperekedwa kwa atate athu—kuti akhale ndi mkazi mmodzi, ndi akazi ena asakhale nawo, ndi kuti pasakhale zachiwerewere pakati pawo.

Behold, your brothers the Alamanni, whom you hate because of their uncleanness, and the curse that fell on their skin, are more righteous than you; for they did not forget the commandment of the Lord; which was given to our fathers - that he should have one wife, and that he should not have other wives, and that there should be no immorality between them.

Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not forgotten the commandment of the Lord, which was given unto our father—that they should have save it were one wife, and concubines they should have none, and there should not be whoredoms committed among them.

Abale anga, ine ndikuopa kuti pokhapokha mutalapa machimo anu, kuti khungu lawo lidzakhala loyera kuposa lanu, pamene mudzabweretsedwa pamodzi nawo kumpando wachifumu Washington Mulungu.

My brothers, I fear that unless you repent of your sins, that their skin will be whiter than yours, when you will be brought with them to the throne of God.

O my brethren, I fear that unless ye shall repent of your sins that their skins will be whiter than yours, when ye shall be brought with them before the throne of God.

Chifukwa chake, lamulo ine ndikupereka kwa inu, limene liri mawu a Mulungu, kuti inu musanyozenso motsutsana ndi iwo chifukwa cha kuda kwa khungu lawo; ndipo musawanyozenso chifukwa cha chidetso chawo; koma mudzakumbukira chidetso chanu, ndi kukumbukira kuti chidetso chawo chidabwera chifukwa cha makolo awo.

Therefore, the law I give to you, which is the word of God, so that you do not scorn against them because of the blackness of their skin; and despise them no more because of their impurity; but you will remember your impurity, and remember that their impurity came from their parents.

Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, which is the word of God, that ye revile no more against them because of the darkness of their skins; neither shall ye revile against them because of their filthiness; but ye shall remember your own filthiness, and remember that their filthiness came because of their fathers.

Thus we see that skin and darkness are applied correctly in the above verses, but not in 2 Nephi 5:21, wherein the word skin is omitted and replaced with "black blindness."

[Shulem]

I’d be very interested to hear what rationale the Church used to decide what content did and what didn’t make the cut for the “selected content” versions of The Book of Mormon. I can think of no reasonable reason for not providing full translations. It’s not like the Church lacks the finances to fund a robust translation department, so it’s not a lack of manpower.

The Church will be forced to provide an answer and correct their error. There is no getting out of this one. I hope RFM drills them a new one!

[Shulem]

I'll go out on a limb and categorically state that the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve have direct responsibility and supervise the language department responsible for the work involving translating the Book of Mormon into foreign languages. There is no doubt in my mind that "black blindness" was approved and rubber stamped by the First Presidency. I challenge or dare anyone to prove me wrong!

Make Shulem eat crow.

I f-ing dare you!

[Shulem]

Let's test the translator further and see if it's reliable:

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/stu ... 1?lang=nya
Mfundo za Chikhulupiliro
za Mpingo Washington Yesu Khristu Washington Oyera Mtima
M’masiku Otsiriza

1 Timakhulupilira mwa Mulungu, Atate Wamuyaya, ndi mwa mwana Wake, Yesu Khristu, ndi mwa Mzimu Woyera.

2 Timakhulupilira kuti anthu adzalangidwa chifukwa cha machimo awo osati chifukwa cha zolakwitsa za Adamu.

3 Timakhulupilira kuti kudzera mu Chiyanjanitso cha Khristu, anthu onse akhoza kudzapulumutsidwa pakumvera malamulo ndi miyambo ya Uthenga Wabwino.

4 Timakhulupilira kuti ziphunzitso ndi miyambo yoyambilira ya uthenga wabwino ndi: choyambilira, chikhulupiliro mwa Ambuye Yesu Khristu; chachiwiri, Kulapa; chachitatu, Ubatizo wonyikidwa mmadzi pochotsa machimo; chachinayi Kusanjika Manja kuti tilandire Mmphatso ya Mzimu Woyera.

5 Timakhulupilira kuti munthu ayenera kuitanidwa ndi Mulungu, kudzera mu uneneri, komanso kusanjikidwa manja kuchokera kwa adindo, kuti alalikire uthenga wabwino ndikuyendetsa miyambo ya Mpingo.

6 Timakhulupilira ndondomeko za bungwe limene linalipo mu Mpingo Washington Yesu Khristu wakale, monga, Atumwi, Aneneri, Abusa, Aphunzitsi, Alaliki ndi ena.

7 Timakhulupilira mu mphatso za malilime, uneneri, vumbulutso, masomphenya, machiritso, kutanthauzira malilime, ndi zina zambiri.

8 Timakhulupilira kuti Baibulo ndi mau a Mulungu kufikira kuti alitanthauzira molondola; timakhulupiliranso kuti Buku la Mormoni ndi mau a Mulungu.

9 Timakhulupilira zonse zimene Mulungu anavumbulutsa, zonse zimene amavumbulutsa, pano, komanso timakhulupilira kuti adzapitilizabe kuvumbulutsa zinthu zazikulu zambiri zofunikira mu ufumu Washington Mulungu.

10 Timakhulupilira mu kusonkhana kwenikweni kwa mtundu Washington Israeli ndi kubwenzeretsa kwa mitundu khumi; kuti Zion (Yerusalemu Watsopano) adzamangidwa ku Amerika; kuti Khristu adzalamulira dziko lapansi; komanso, kuti dziko lapansi lidzasandulidwa kukhala latsopano ndikulandila ulemelero wake Washington paradiso.

11 Timafunsa mwayi wopembedza Mulungu Wamphamvuzonse ndi mmene chikumbumtima chathu chimatidziwitsa, ndipo timalola anthu onse mwayi womwewo, aloleni iwo adzipembedza mmene iwo afunira, paliponse komanso chimene akufuna.

12 Timakhulupilira kumvera mafumu, atsogoleri a dziko, olamula, komanso ozenga milandu, pakumvera, kulemekeza, ndikutsatira lamulo.

13 Timakhulupilira kukhala achilungamo, onena zoona, oyera, wokoma mtima, woyeletsedwa, komanso kuchita zabwino kwa anthu onse. Indetu timakhulupilira malangizo a Mtumiki Paulo, timakhulupilira zonse, tili ndi chiyembekezo chonse, tapilira mu zambiri, tidzapilira mu zonse, ngati kuli zoyeretsedwa, zokondeka, za mbiri yabwino, komanso zotamandika, ife timafunafuna zimenezo.

Principles of Faith
of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
In the Last Days

1 We believe in God, the Eternal Father, and in His son, Jesus Christ, and in the Holy Spirit.

2 We believe that people will be punished for their sins and not for Adam's mistakes.

3 We believe that through the Atonement of Christ, all people can be saved by obeying the laws and traditions of the Gospel.

4 We believe that the basic teachings and traditions of the gospel are: first, faith in the Lord Jesus Christ; secondly, Repentance; thirdly, Baptism in water for the remission of sins; fourth Laying on of hands to receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit.

5 We believe that a person should be called by God, through prophecy, as well as the laying on of hands by the elders, to preach the good news and manage the Church's traditions.

6 We believe in the policies of the organization that existed in the Church of Jesus Christ in the past, such as, Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teachers, Preachers and others.

7 We believe in the gifts of tongues, prophecy, revelation, visions, healing, interpretation of tongues, and more.

8 We believe that the Bible is the word of God until it is interpreted correctly; we also believe that the Book of Mormon is the word of God.

9 We believe in all that God revealed, all that He reveals, here, and we also believe that He will continue to reveal many important things in the kingdom of God.

10 We believe in the true gathering of the nation of Israel and the reconciliation of the ten nations; that Zion (New Jerusalem) will be built in America; that Christ will rule the world; and, that the earth will be made new and receive its paradisiacal glory.

11 We ask for the opportunity to worship Almighty God as our conscience informs us, and we allow all people the same opportunity, let them worship themselves as they want, wherever and what they want.

12 We believe in obeying kings, leaders of the world, rulers, and prosecutors, by obeying, respecting, and following the law.

13 We believe in being fair, truthful, pure, kind, restrained, and doing good to all people. Indeed, we believe in the instructions of the Prophet Paul, we believe in everything, we have all hope, we have endured in many things, we will endure in everything, if it is pure, lovely, of good reputation, and praiseworthy, we seek that.

[I Have Questions]

I’d be very interested to hear what rationale the Church used to decide what content did and what didn’t make the cut for the “selected content” versions of The Book of Mormon. I can think of no reasonable reason for not providing full translations. It’s not like the Church lacks the finances to fund a robust translation department, so it’s not a lack of manpower.

The Church will be forced to provide an answer and correct their error. There is no getting out of this one. I hope RFM drills them a new one!

With the greatest of respect to RFM, he’s really just niche YouTube noise. Very few active Mormons will have ever heard of that channel, let alone bother to listen. This needs to hit mainstream media, like The Salt Lake Tribune, for the Church to even consider paying any attention. The current first counsellor in the First Presidency aided and abetted a known child abuser, allowing them to continue their abuses for decades. That should be a big deal, resulting in a resignation or two, or a dismissal or two. But nothing.

This goes nowhere unless or until the main stream media grasps the nettle and the members agitate for change. The Church will react to the risk of significant membership loss, or the risk of being sued. The SEC case showed us more evidence, if any were needed, that the Church will only tell the truth and change when it absolutely has to. Not proactively, and not simply because it’s the right thing to do.

[Shulem]

With the greatest of respect to RFM, he’s really just niche YouTube noise. Very few active Mormons will have ever heard of that channel, let alone bother to listen. This needs to hit mainstream media, like The Salt Lake Tribune, for the Church to even consider paying any attention. The current first counsellor in the First Presidency aided and abetted a known child abuser, allowing them to continue their abuses for decades. That should be a big deal, resulting in a resignation or two, or a dismissal or two. But nothing.

This goes nowhere unless or until the main stream media grasps the nettle and the members agitate for change. The Church will react to the risk of significant membership loss, or the risk of being sued. The SEC case showed us more evidence, if any were needed, that the Church will only tell the truth and change when it absolutely has to. Not proactively, and not simply because it’s the right thing to do.

Yes, I hear what you're saying and concur. But, Bot robots are crawling about this message board and will pick up on the term "black blindness" and it will get spread around by that means, if but just a little, a snowball rolls down hill slowly at first. Researches and interested parties will learn about it and spread the word. Let it be known how Mormons equate dark people as blind or rebellious and thus undeserving of holding the priesthood and entering Mormon temples until 1978 when the time finally came that Mormon leadership couldn't continue to push back in discriminating against Africans solely on the basis of race and color.

Shout out on the mountain tops: Black blindness!

It's up to journalist to do their job and find this out for themselves. They will get tipped off, but they have to move on it of their own accord or they are just as stoopid blind as the Lamanites for being cursed with dark skin.

[Kishkumen]

AGAIN, I DISAGREE!

OK, disagree with reality. Sure.

[Shulem]

AGAIN, I DISAGREE!

OK, disagree with reality. Sure.

I take it that's what you're doing. At least I know how to read, my dear Professor Severus Snape.

And it's only two words! My Google God said so.

So, take that.