Inside this issue:

COWARDS IN THE PRE-EXISTENCE ?
A CURSE ON THE SEED OF CAIN ?
BLACKS:  NO PRIESTHOOD "IN THIS LIFE !"
THE "EVIL" & "WICKED" LAMANITES?
A CASTE APART ?"


Note:  Mormon quotations are marked: <LDS>
            Bible quotations are marked: THE TRUTH:
            Items in [brackets] are editorial comments

PREFACE

Preparations for a move out-of-state have prevented us from preparing our regular monthly newsletter. However, recent news regarding the LDS Church provided us the incentive to reprint portions of a previous newsletter. This week, many major newspapers ran stories documenting the Mormon church's decision not to repudiate its racist doctrines. Amid growing publicity, the church instead simply avoided the issue by claiming that its 1978 decision (to allow non-whites into its "priesthood") would suffice. And, in so doing, it has entirely sidestepped a more important issue. Such doctrines were allegedly received as revelations from God by its earlier "prophets," and were subsequently included in Mormon "scripture." If Mormonism now chose to repudiate these racist doctrines it would simultaneously expose the shortcomings of its alleged "prophets." Therefore, since Mormonism has made a conscious decision not to reject these teachings, we felt that it would be appropriate to again examine Mormonism's doctrines of white supremacy.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

"Since the 1978 revelation granting the priesthood to all worthy males, millions of people of all races have embraced the restored gospel of Jesus Christ.... The 1978 official declaration continues to speak for itself."
Unidentified LDS Governing First President, as quoted in the Arizona Republic, May 23, 1998.

Questions: How many of those "millions" are non-whites? Doesn't the church's failure to reject its racist "scripture" also "speak for itself?

COWARDS IN THE PRE-EXISTENCE!

<LDS> "Those who were less valiant in pre-existence and who thereby had certain spiritual restrictions imposed upon them during mortality are known to us as the negroes."
LDS "Apostle" Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 527, 1966 edition.

<LDS> "The negroes are not equal with other races where the receipt of certain spiritual blessings are concerned, ...but this inequality is not of man's origin. It is the Lord's doing, is based on his eternal laws of justice, and grows out of the lack of spiritual valiance of those concerned in their first estate [the Mormon pre- existence]."
LDS "Apostle" Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 527 - 528, 1966 edition.

<LDS> "Is there reason then why the type of birth we receive in this life is not a reflection of our worthiness or lack of it in the pre-existent life? ...[C]an we account in any other way for the birth of some of the children of God in darkest Africa, or in flood-ridden China, or among the starving hordes of India, while some of the rest of us are born here in the United States? We cannot escape the conclusion that because of performance in our pre-existence some of us are born as Chinese, some as Japanese, some as Latter-day Saints.... A Chinese, born in China with a dark skin, and with all the handicaps of that race seems to have little opportunity. But think of the mercy of God to Chinese people who are willing to accept the gospel. In spite of whatever they might have done in the pre-existence to justify being born over there as Chinamen, if they now, in this life accept the gospel and live it the rest of their lives they can have the Priesthood, go to the temple and receive endowments and sealings, and that means they can have exaltation. Isn't the mercy of God marvelous? Think of the Negro, cursed as to the priesthood.... This negro, who, in the pre-existence lived the type of life which justified the Lord in sending him to Earth in the lineage of Cain with a black skin, and possibly being born in darkest Africa.... In spite of all he did in the pre-existent life, the Lord is willing, if the Negro accepts the gospel with real, sincere faith, and is really converted, to give him the blessings of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. If that negro is faithful all his days, he can and will enter the celestial kingdom. He will go there as a servant, but he will get celestial glory."
LDS "Apostle" Mark E. Petersen, "Race Problems - As They Affect the Church," Address delivered at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, August 27, 1954, as quoted in Jerald and Sandra Tanner's book entitled "The Changing World of Mormonism," p. 294.

Note: Allegedly, even "if that Negro is faithful all his days," he will never achieve equality with his "white and delightsome" Mormon brethren. Instead he allegedly will go to the celestial kingdom "as a servant!"

A CURSE ON THE "SEED OF CAIN"?

<LDS> "You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, uncomely, disagreeable and low in their habits, wild, and seemingly deprived of nearly all the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon mankind The first man that committed the odious crime of killing one of his brethren will be cursed the longest of any one of the children of Adam. Cain slew his brother. Cain might have been killed, and that would have put a termination to that line of human beings. This was not to be, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin. Trace mankind down to after the flood, and then another curse is pronounced upon the same race -- that they should be the "servants of servants" and they will be, until that curse is removed; and the Abolitionists cannot help it, nor in the least alter that decree."
LDS "Prophet" Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7, p. 290, 1859.

<LDS> "Though he was a rebel and an associate of Lucifer in pre-existence, ...Cain managed to attain the privilege of mortal birth.... [H]e came out in open rebellion, fought God, worshiped Lucifer, and slew Abel.... As a result of his rebellion, Cain was cursed with a dark skin; he became the father of the negroes, and those spirits who are not worthy to receive the priesthood are born through his lineage."
LDS "Apostle" Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, pp. 108-109, 1966 edition.

<LDS> "...[F]rom Ham sprang the race which preserved the curse in the land."
LDS Pearl of Great Price, Abraham 1:24.

<LDS> "Noah's son Ham married Egyptus, a descendant of Cain, thus preserving the Negro lineage through the flood."
LDS "Apostle" Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 527, 1966 edition.

<LDS> "And after the flood we are told that the curse that had been pronounced upon Cain was continued through Ham's wife, as he had married a wife of that seed. And why did it pass through the flood? Because it was necessary that the Devil should have a representation upon the earth as well as God...."
LDS "Prophet" John Taylor, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 22, p. 304, 1881.

Note: Taylor claimed that blacks were Satan's representatives on Earth.

<LDS> "Ham will continue to be servant of servants, as the Lord decreed, until the curse is removed. Will the present struggle [the U.S. civil war] free the slave? No.... Can you destroy the decrees of the Almighty? You cannot."
LDS "Prophet" Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 10, p. 250, 1863.

<LDS> "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
LDS Pearl of Great Price, Moses 7:8.

<LDS> "And it came to pass that Enoch continued to call upon all people, save it were the people of Canaan [allegedly blacks], to repent."
LDS Pearl of Great Price, Moses 7:12.

Note: Mormonism long considered Blacks unworthy of its missionary efforts, essentially unworthy of the Gospel message.

<LDS> "The gospel message of salvation is not carried affirmatively to them [blacks]...."
LDS "Apostle" Bruce McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 527, 1966 edition.

THE TRUTH: "He [Jesus] said to them, `Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.'" Mark 16:15.

THE TRUTH: [Jesus said]: "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you." Matthew 28:19.

BLACKS: NO PRIESTHOOD "IN THIS LIFE" !

<LDS> "Negroes in this life are denied the priesthood; under no circumstances can they hold this delegation of authority from the Almighty."
LDS "Apostle" Bruce R. McConkie, Mormon Doctrine, p. 527, 1966 edition. (See also LDS Pearl of Great Price, Abraham 1:20 - 27)

<LDS> "Not only was Cain called upon to suffer, but because of his wickedness he became the father of an inferior race. A curse was placed upon him and that curse has been continued through his lineage and must do so while time endures. Millions of souls have come into this world cursed with a black skin and have been denied the privilege of priesthood and the fulness [sic] of the blessings of the Gospel. These are the descendants of Cain. Moreover, they have been made to feel their inferiority and have been separated from the rest of mankind from the beginning. Enoch saw the people of Canaan, descendants of Cain, and he says, `and there was a blackness came upon all the children of Canaan, that they were despised among all people.
LDS "Prophet" Joseph Fielding Smith, The Way to Perfection, pp. 101-102, 1931.

<LDS> "I tell you, this people that are commonly called negroes are the children of old Cain. I know they are, I know that they cannot bear rule in the priesthood, for the curse on them was to remain upon them, until the resedue (sic) of the posterity of Michal (sic) and his wife receive the blessings...and hold the keys of the priesthood.... In the kingdom of God on the earth the Affricans (sic) cannot hold one partical (sic) of power in government [within the LDS church]."
LDS "Prophet" Brigham Young, Brigham Young Addresses, Ms d 1234, Box 48, folder 3, Feb. 5, 1852, as quoted in Bob Witte's book entitled "Where Does It Say That?," p. 2-9.

<LDS> "How long is that race to endure the dreadful curse that is upon them? That curse will remain upon them, and they never can hold the priesthood or share in it until all the other descendants of Adam have received the promises and enjoyed the blessings of the Priesthood and the keys thereof. Until the last ones of the residue of Adam's children are brought up to that favourable position, the children of Cain cannot receive the first ordinances of the priesthood. They were the first that were cursed, and they will be the last from whom the curse will be removed. When the residue of the family of Adam come up and receive their blessings, then the curse will be removed from the seed of Cain, and they will receive blessings in like proportion."
LDS "Prophet" Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 7, pp. 290-291, 1859.

<LDS> "When all the other children of Adam have had the privilege of receiving the Priesthood, and of coming into the kingdom of God, and of being redeemed from the four quarters of the earth, and have received their resurrection from the dead, then it will be time enough to remove the curse from Cain and his posterity."
LDS "Prophet" Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 2, p. 143, 1854.

Note: Young taught that blacks would not receive the Mormon priesthood until after the resurrection.

<LDS> "They [blacks] will go down to death. And when all the rest of the children have received their blessings in the Holy Priesthood, then that curse will be removed from the seed of Cain, and they will then come up and possess the priesthood, and receive all the blessings which we now are entitled to."
LDS "Prophet" Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 11, p. 272, 1866.

<LDS> "In the spirit of sympathy, mercy and faith, we will also hope that blessings may eventually be given to our negro brethren, for they are our brethren - children of God - notwithstanding their black covering emblematical of eternal darkness."
LDS "Prophet" Joseph Fielding Smith, The Way to Perfection, p. 102, 1931.

Note: Even as LDS "Prophet" Joseph Fielding Smith professed "sympathy" and "mercy" toward blacks, he continued to preach condemnation and contempt for them.

Note: Despite Mormonism's 148 years of teaching white superiority as the "word of God," LDS "Prophet" Spencer Kimball feigned compassion and support for blacks by allegedly intervening with God on behalf of "these, our faithful brethren." Astonishingly, Kimball seemed to actually take credit for convincing God to change His mind on the issue. Mormonism finally allowed blacks to enter the Mormon priesthood in 1978, amid allegations of racial discrimination.

Question: Blacks and other non-Caucasians still possess "dark skins" which Mormonism alleges to be an indication of inferiority, a mark of unworthiness in the pre-existence. Does this mean that the Mormon priesthood is now available to the "unworthy and inferior," as well as to those self-proclaimed "worthy and superior" individuals whom God has allegedly rewarded with a "white and delightsome" skin?

<LDS> "And the skins of the Lamanites [native Americans] were dark, ...which was a curse upon them.... And this was done that their seed might be distinguished from the seed of their brethren, that thereby the Lord God might preserve his people, that they might not mix and believe in incorrect traditions which would prove their destruction."
Book of Mormon, Alma 3:6-8.

<LDS> "Thus the WORD OF GOD is fulfilled...: Behold, the Lamanites [native Americans] have I cursed, and I will set a mark on them that they and their seed may be separated from thee and thy seed, from this time henceforth and forever, except they repent of their wickedness and turn to me that I may have mercy upon them."
Book of Mormon, Alma 3:14, emphasis added.

<LDS> "Here are the Lamanites [native Americans].... Their wickedness was not so great as those [Jews] who slew the Son of God. ...Is their curse as great as that of those in Palestine? No, it is light, in comparison. They began to thirst for each other's blood, and massacred each other, from generation to generation, until they sunk into wickedness, and evil principles the most degrading, and have become loathsome and vile. Still the curse will be removed from them before it will be removed from the children of Judah; and they will become a "white and delightsome people."
LDS "Prophet" Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 2, p. 143, 1854.

Note: This passage from the original Book of Mormon has subsequently been altered by Mormonism's leaders. The Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi 30:6, now reads: "they shall be a PURE and a delightsome people." Substituting "pure" for "white" seems to indicate that Mormonism considers those two words to be interchangeable. The logical assumption, then, is that Mormonism also considers "NON-white" to be the equivalent of "impure." Even in this attempt to obscure Mormonism's racist "scripture," the LDS church continues to divulge its underlying doctrine of white supremacy.

Note: Allegedly, Mormonism's doctrines of racial discrimination are "right and proper," actually approved by God!

Questions: If these doctrines were received from God, how can Mormonism simply repudiate them? If Mormonism chooses to repudiate such doctrines as false, how can it continue to claim to be the only "true" church? If Mormonism's "prophets" were wrong on these doctrines, how can one trust any other pronouncements issued by them as the "Word of God?" Furthermore, if it does not choose to repudiate them, how can Mormonism deny its racist nature?

THE TRUTH: "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to ALL who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by His grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus."
Romans 3:22-24.

THE TRUTH: "Then Peter began to speak: `I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism but accepts men from every nation who fear him and do what is right.'"
Acts 10:34.
Note: Clearly God does not discriminate between His children, nor should God's children discriminate among themselves.

THE TRUTH: "Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all."
Colossians 3:11.
Note: The NIV footnote states "Christ transcends all barriers, and unifies people from all cultures, races and nations. Such distinctions are no longer significant. Christ alone matters

COMMENTS

Don't rely upon our words, or upon the words of any other men. We believe that the only infallible standard of truth is God's Word, the Holy Bible  TRUST IT!