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

[Shulem]

...New Zealand...

E kua tuku aia i te taumaa ki rungao ia raua, koia oki e taumaa kino roa no ta raua au ara. E i na oki, i akaketaketa ana raua i to raua ngakau iaia, i riro ei mei te toka pakari; i na oki, i mua ana, kua teatea to ratou pakiri, e te purotu e te manea; kia kore ra ratou e inangaroia e toku ra iti tangata, kua akakerekere te Atu, ko te Atua, i to ratou pakiri ra.

And he laid a yoke upon them, a very grievous yoke for their sins. And they hardened their hearts against him, and they became as a flint; and before, their flesh was white, and their hair was white, and their hair was white; so that my people would not love them, the Lord God made their flesh hard.

Why and how did the translator derive "their flesh hard" from the above verse when we expect something to the effect of the English version of skin of blackness? Could the arrangement of the wording somehow entangle the flint (stone) that describes the hardness of the heart with the body's flesh color at the end of the verse? A fascinating approach that may provide some insight into this language is to break it down in the translator. Let's break the verse down into two parts and put them into the translator and see how the flint appears to influence the end result and thus cancel out the body (skin) color.

E kua tuku aia i te taumaa ki rungao ia raua, koia oki e taumaa kino roa no ta raua au ara. E i na oki, i akaketaketa ana raua i to raua ngakau iaia, i riro ei mei te toka pakari;

And he laid a burden upon them, and it was a grievous burden for their iniquities. And yet they hardened their hearts against him, and became as hard as a rock;

The above 1st half looks okay, very similar to what we read when translating the whole verse.

Look what happens when we translate only the second half of the verse by itself when the flint has no effect/influence whereby the end result is entangled with color that is expressed within the latter half of the verse:

i na oki, i mua ana, kua teatea to ratou pakiri, e te purotu e te manea; kia kore ra ratou e inangaroia e toku ra iti tangata, kua akakerekere te Atu, ko te Atua, i to ratou pakiri ra.

For, before, their skin was white, and their hair was white and their hair was white; so that my people would not love them, the Lord God made their skin white.

Based on this simple experiment, it appears that Church translators may have arranged the wording of the language to change things up a bit in order to hide the racist curse of dark skin inflicted by the Lord! By removing the influence of the flint with hardness of heart, we are left with universal white skin for everyone!

[malkie]

This popped into my head this morning when I was thinking about something from my earlier life in Scotland. Not completely a derail, I hope.

I may have mentioned here some of the misunderstandings that occurred between local members and the Americans - mostly made up of missionaries and US sailors from the Polaris submarine base across the river from my home town. For example, several times I had to tell USians that they couldn't use certain words in talks if they didn't want howls of outrage from the locals.

Every so often an American or a local would mention mixed marriages, leading to a bit of confusion, because to the American, a mixed marriage was one in which the couple had different skin colours, but to the Scot a mixed marriage was between a Catholic and a Protestant.

Anti-Catholic bigotry (and to a lesser extend, anti-Protestant bigotry) was a big thing in the west of Scotland when I was growing up. For example, you could find yourself completely out of the running for a job for being (nominally) not of the same religion as the hiring manager. For Mormons it was sometimes worse, because neither the catlicks/Micks nor the proddies/Billies wanted you. I lost an opportunity that I was certain I was going to be hired for because my answer to one of the interview questions revealed that I was LDS, and not just a generic Protestant. That was pretty much the end of the interview.

When I was a child, my family was Protestant - Presbyterian. When I dated and almost became engaged to a Catholic girl (had the engagement ring picked out and partly paid for) some members of my family stopped talking to me.

Anyway, I thought that the "mixed marriage" idea might interest some folks.

[Shulem]

Based on this simple experiment, it appears that Church translators may have arranged the wording of the language to change things up a bit in order to hide the racist curse of dark skin inflicted by the Lord! By removing the influence of the flint with hardness of heart, we are left with universal white skin for everyone!

The latest Māori version (2017) we have been reading above was taken from the Church website. It obviously contains a corrupted snip that is siphoned off the original version!

The Book of Mormon was published in Māori in 1889 and I've located a PDF copy online and painstakingly copied the original verse from that version: 2 Nephi 5:21 (page slow to download) and entered it into the Google Translator.

Are you interested to see what the saints in New Zealand read back in the day?

Are you ready to see how Google really is God and proves that Mormons are dirty liars?

A kua meinga e ia te kanga kia tau ki runga ki a ratou, ae ra, he kanga nanakia, mo a ratou mahi tutu. No te mea i whakapakeke ratou i o ratou ngakau ki a ia a riro ana me he kiripaka; no reira i te mea he iwi ma ratou, he iwi ataahua rawa, he iwi ahuareka rawa, ka meinga ratou e te Atua he iwi parauri kia kore AI ratou e hiahia-tia e toku iwi.

And he hath caused the curse to come upon them, yea, a cruel curse, for their transgressions. Because they hardened their hearts against him, and became as flint; therefore, whereas they were a white people, a very fair people, a very pleasant people, God hath made them a brown people, that they should not be desired by my people.

Have I made my point? Do you believe me now?

Kishy, do you believe in Google God?

Doctor Scratch, where the hell did you go? Get your ass back here, please.

[Shulem]

It suddenly dawned on me how this board is missing an important factor necessary to provide excitement for me, there aren't any apologists here to push against me. Wimpy MG hardly counts or moves the needle.

I'm bored. But maybe it's for the best.

You might have to don the armor and enter into their arena, shulem.

I refuse to dirty myself by entering their pigsty. The free speech arena here on Dr. Shades board is all I need.

But thanks for the suggestion.

[Limnor]

You might have to don the armor and enter into their arena, shulem.

I refuse to dirty myself by entering their pigsty. The free speech arena here on Dr. Shades board is all I need.

But thanks for the suggestion.

Fair enough. I’d like to see your work further disseminated, that’s all.

[Shulem]

A kua meinga e ia te kanga kia tau ki runga ki a ratou, ae ra, he kanga nanakia, mo a ratou mahi tutu. No te mea i whakapakeke ratou i o ratou ngakau ki a ia a riro ana me he kiripaka; no reira i te mea he iwi ma ratou, he iwi ataahua rawa, he iwi ahuareka rawa, ka meinga ratou e te Atua he iwi parauri kia kore AI ratou e hiahia-tia e toku iwi.

And he hath caused the curse to come upon them, yea, a cruel curse, for their transgressions. Because they hardened their hearts against him, and became as flint; therefore, whereas they were a white people, a very fair people, a very pleasant people, God hath made them a brown people, that they should not be desired by my people.

The brethren have always understood the Book of Mormon skin color curse as taught in the Book of Mormon Māori version and took joy in the opportunity to spread Mormonism to the brown people of New Zealand. Elder Ashton paid tribute to newly called Elder Cowley who had just been called into the Quorum of the Twelve after having served as Mission President in New Zealand:

I was very much impressed in the temple, day before yesterday, in listening to Elder Cowley speak of the virtues of *his* brown people in New Zealand. We learn some great lessons from these people. I will not forget in a hurry a little play I saw acted out a couple of years ago by the Papago Indians. The whole setup was teaching the lesson of America being the great melting pot and what the responsibility was of a new immigrant coming to this country in seeking shelter here.

[Shulem]

Of course, as I have mentioned there is at lest one jelly-fish floating around for those who are feeling hungry.

I figured he's more of a worm. And, he's not overly bright, like me.

[Shulem]

... *his* brown people in New Zealand.

The Great Spirit® rested upon me when I typed *his* and all I could think of was Marcus!

Marcus!

Where are uuuuu?

[Shulem]

Book of Mormon versions (ʻŌlelo Hawaiʻi & Māor New Zealand), two publications made under the direction of the First Presidency & Quorum of the Twelve, authoritatively testified the curse resulted in skin color change -- from white to red/brown:

...lakou i ko lakou mau naau e ku e ia ia, a i lilo me he pohaku paea la; nolaila, me lakou i keokeo AI mamua, a nani loa a oluolu, haawi mai la ka Haku ke Akua i ili haulaula maluna o lakou, i ole lakou e lilo i mea hoowalewale i koʻu poe kanaka.

...they set their hearts against him, and became like a solid stone; therefore, although they were white before, and very beautiful and pleasant, the Lord God gave them a red skin, so that they would not become a temptation to my people.

A kua meinga e ia te kanga kia tau ki runga ki a ratou, ae ra, he kanga nanakia, mo a ratou mahi tutu. No te mea i whakapakeke ratou i o ratou ngakau ki a ia a riro ana me he kiripaka; no reira i te mea he iwi ma ratou, he iwi ataahua rawa, he iwi ahuareka rawa, ka meinga ratou e te Atua he iwi parauri kia kore AI ratou e hiahia-tia e toku iwi.

And he hath caused the curse to come upon them, yea, a cruel curse, for their transgressions. Because they hardened their hearts against him, and became as flint; therefore, whereas they were a white people, a very fair people, a very pleasant people, God hath made them a brown people, that they should not be desired by my people.

Filthy apologists speak out of the poophole of Scripture Central with forked tongues as they falsely represents the Book of Mormon skin curse:

For many modern readers, these and similar passages in the Book of Mormon are understandably jarring in their seemingly “racist concepts of nonwhite racial inferiority as contrasted with white racial superiority.” In the past, many readers and writers have accepted such racial connotations without question, but a 2013 essay authorized by the First Presidency published on the Church’s website declares unequivocally, “Today, the Church disavows the theories advanced in the past that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse.”

Those "writers" in whom they condemn are the very writers who approved the translation from the English Book of Mormon into foreign languages that testify of the curse! The 2013 essay approved by today's apostate First Presidency is a disgrace. The moral character of Church leaders today is a trainwreck. The apologist affirm, “Today, the Church disavows the theories advanced in the past that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse.” This is why we see the Church translation department make the necessary changes to the text in order to shy away from the old racist beliefs the entire Church under the influence of the Holy Spirit® taught for over a 150 years.

For additional apologetic nonsense, please see Question for Don Bradley.

[Shulem]

I'm back, and I'm still board.

For the record, let's look at more African translations, shall we? It's for the record book if for anything.

Futsi yona yenta kutsi sicalekiso sehlele etikwabo, yebo, sicalekiso lesibuhlungu, ngenca yebubi babo. Ngoba bukani, bebatente taba lukhuni tinhlitiyo tabo ngalokumelene nayo, kangangekutsi bese banjengelitje lelicine kakhulu; ngaloko-ke, njengoba bebamhlophe, futsi babukeka kahle kakhulu baphindze batsandzeka, kute bangabe basakwati kuyenga bantfu bami iNkhosi Nkulunkulu yenta kutsi sikhumba sebumnyama sibe kubo.

And it itself brought upon them a curse, yes, a bitter curse, because of their badness. For behold, they had hardened their heart against him, that they were become as a very hard stone; therefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and lovely, that they might no more deceive my people the Lord God caused that the skin of darkness should be upon them.

Kandi yatumye umuvumo ubazaho, koko, ndetse umuvumo utoneka kubera ubukozi b-w’ibibi bwabo. Kuko dore, banangiye imitima yabo kuri we, maze bahinduka nk’isarabwayi; niyo mpamvu, uko bari umweru, kandi ari beza, banejeje bihebuje, kugira ngo batazareshya abantu banjye Nyagasani Imana yatumye uruhu r-w’igikara rubazaho.

And he caused a curse to come upon them, yea, even a curse to come upon them because of their iniquities. For behold, they hardened their hearts against him, and they became as sable; therefore, as they were white, and fair, they rejoiced exceedingly, that they should not deceive my people the Lord God caused a black skin to come upon them.

Ó sì ti mú kí ìfibú wá sórí wọn, bẹ̃ni, àní ìfibú kíkan, nítorí ti àìṣedẽdé wọn. Nítorí kíyèsĩ i, wọ́n ti sé ọkàn wọn le síi, tí wọ́n ti di bí òkúta ìbọn; nítorí-èyi, bí wọ́n ṣe funfun, tí wọ́n sì lẹ́wà tí wọ́n sì ládùn lọ́pọ̀lọpọ̀, ki wọn má bã jẹ́ ẹ̀tàn sí àwọn ènìyàn mi Olúwa Ọlọ́run mú kí àwọ̀ ara dúdú wá si órí wọn.

And he hath caused a curse to come upon them, yea, even a sore curse, because of their iniquity. For behold, they have hardened their hearts, that they have become as flint; wherefore, while they are white, and fair, and exceedingly sweet, that they should not be a deceit unto my people the Lord God did cause a blackness to come upon them.

EXCELLENT, SO FAR!

Na ɔmaa nnomee baae wɔn so, aane, nnomee a ɛmu yɛ den, ɛnam wɔn amumuyɛ nti. Na hwɛ, wɔyɛɛ wɔn akoma den tiaa Awurade, maa wɔbɛyɛɛ sɛ ɛboɔ a ɛyɛ den; ɛno nti, ɛnam sɛ na wɔn yɛ fitaa, na wɔn ho yɛ fɛ yie na wɔn ho yɛ anika, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ na wɔn ho anyɛ anibereɛ amma me nkurɔfoɔ no nti, Awurade Nyankopɔn maa wɔn honam bɛ pirimuee.

And he brought upon them a curse, yea, a sore curse, because of their iniquities. And behold, they did harden their hearts against the Lord, insomuch that they became like unto a hard stone; wherefore, because they were white, and exceedingly fair and comely, that they might not be envious of my people, the Lord God caused that their flesh should be cut off.

RED ALERT! SHIELDS UP!

Let's look closer because we can get the correct English version by entering the second half of the verse into the translator by itself:

• ɛnam sɛ na wɔn yɛ fitaa, na wɔn ho yɛ fɛ yie na wɔn ho yɛ anika, sɛdeɛ ɛbɛyɛ na wɔn ho anyɛ anibereɛ amma me nkurɔfoɔ no nti, Awurade Nyankopɔn maa wɔn honam bɛ pirimuee.

• for they were white, and exceedingly fair and comely, that they might not be envious of my people, the Lord God caused their flesh to become black.

It appears the Google Translator doesn't know how to properly translate the entire verse as a whole or something fishy is going on. Indeed, all of this is above my paygrade but it's been fun. Based on the other African translations that do reveal black skin, it therefore seems the translator in this case is confused and fails to provide results we would expect from Star Trek's computer.

Kudos to the Church. I'll leave it at that.