Nature of the priesthood ban - Revision history

GregSmith: /* The critics appeal to an audience that is ignorant of the abysmal history of most of Christianity's dealings on race issues */

2024-05-28T03:19:11Z

The critics appeal to an audience that is ignorant of the abysmal history of most of Christianity's dealings on race issues

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	Racism has become one of the most strident and damaging accusations that can be ~~leveled~~ in our society, and ~~as such has become~~ a useful weapon for those who wish to harm an organization or individual. As Southern Baptists know, "Few chapters in American religious history prove as embarrassing as the response of the American churches to the issue of race."<ref name="manis"></ref>{{Rp\|33}} Thus, the critics appeal to an audience that is ignorant of the abysmal history of most of Christianity's dealings on race issues. They are obviously hoping their target audience will not notice that Latter-day Saints have always had integrated churches while other Protestant churches struggle with the residual division brought about by their own prolonged discrimination or outright expulsion of black members. Emerson and Smith assess the problem in the following manner:		Racism has become one of the most strident and damaging accusations that can be levelled in our society, and thus a useful weapon for those who wish to harm an organization or individual. As Southern Baptists know, "Few chapters in American religious history prove as embarrassing as the response of the American churches to the issue of race."<ref name="manis"></ref>{{Rp\|33}} Thus, the critics appeal to an audience that is often ignorant of the abysmal history of most of Christianity's dealings on race issues. They are obviously hoping their target audience will not notice that Latter-day Saints have always had integrated churches while other Protestant churches struggle with the residual division brought about by their own prolonged discrimination or outright expulsion of black members. Emerson and Smith assess the problem in the following manner:

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	~~LDS~~ are, of course, not immune from the same human ~~foibles~~. We, like all Christians, might wish that we had played a larger role in correcting social injustices. We must all look at our past and learn from it. ~~But for the here and now~~, ~~the LDS~~ do have a decided advantage in our centralized leadership and our historical practice of maintaining congregations based on geographical boundaries rather than personal preference or race. Our members have never ~~traveled~~ past a white or black church to get to their own. We cannot fire ministers who do not succumb to the wishes of a congregation to remain racially segregated. Yet, we join all concerned followers of Christ in acknowledging that we have work ahead of us in putting aside differences accumulated through centuries of misunderstanding and intolerance.		Latter-day Saints are, of course, not immune from the same human weaknesses. We, like all Christians, might wish that we had played a larger role in correcting social injustices. We must all look at our past and learn from it. At present, Latter-day Saints do have a decided advantage in our centralized leadership and our historical practice of maintaining congregations based on geographical boundaries rather than personal preference or race. Our members have never travelled past a white or black church to get to their own. We cannot fire ministers who do not succumb to the wishes of a congregation to remain racially segregated. Yet, we join all concerned followers of Christ in acknowledging that we have work ahead of us in putting aside differences accumulated through centuries of misunderstanding and intolerance.

	We can only hope that ~~the~~ critics will desist in their racially divisive campaign against other religions. We challenge them to focus their talents on the important question of pastor Gregory E. Thomas as he says, "we must again note that a predominant pattern of church life for black churches has been that of racial separation. The question remains: why?"<ref>Thomas, "Black and Baptist in the Bay State," 75.</ref>		We can only hope that our critics will desist in their racially divisive campaign against other religions. We challenge them to focus their talents on the important question of pastor Gregory E. Thomas as he says, "we must again note that a predominant pattern of church life for black churches has been that of racial separation. The question remains: why?"<ref>Thomas, "Black and Baptist in the Bay State," 75.</ref>

			{{Critical sources box:Mormonism and racial issues/Blacks and the priesthood/Double standard/CriticalSources}}{{blankline}}

	==Bruce R. McConkie: "We have now had added a new flood of intelligence and light on this particular subject, and it erases all the darkness, and all the views and all the thoughts of the past"==		==Bruce R. McConkie: "We have now had added a new flood of intelligence and light on this particular subject, and it erases all the darkness, and all the views and all the thoughts of the past"==

GregSmith at 02:14, 28 May 2024

2024-05-28T02:14:26Z

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	=Was the ~~Mormon~~ priesthood ban simply a policy or was it doctrine?=		=Was the priesthood ban simply a policy or was it doctrine?=
	==According to the Church, the priesthood ban was a policy implemented by Brigham Young==		==According to the Church, the priesthood ban was a policy implemented by Brigham Young==

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	Once again, the reader is left to decide whether critics are completely ignorant of the history of race theory, anthropology, and the centuries-old Christian use of the Bible to justify slavery or if they are simply race-baiting. One is truly forced to ponder this as they selectively use quotes and remove portions that may reflect positively on Mormons. They turn to such sources as little-known "Mormon writers" instead of using authoritative sources that the LDS recognize as accurately representing their beliefs. They relentlessly refuse to deal with modern Church practice and teachings that are well attested to by living leaders, preferring instead to use dated and out-of-context quotes that obviously clash with our modern social sensibilities.		Once again, the reader is left to decide whether critics are completely ignorant of the history of race theory, anthropology, and the centuries-old Christian use of the Bible to justify slavery or if they are simply race-baiting. One is truly forced to ponder this as they selectively use quotes and remove portions that may reflect positively on Mormons. They turn to such sources as little-known "Mormon writers" instead of using authoritative sources that the LDS recognize as accurately representing their beliefs. They relentlessly refuse to deal with modern Church practice and teachings that are well attested to by living leaders, preferring instead to use dated and out-of-context quotes that obviously clash with our modern social sensibilities.

	=Were blacks denied access to ~~Mormon~~ temple open houses?=		=Were blacks denied access to temple open houses?=
	==There is no priesthood requirement to tour a temple during an open house, and all were welcome==		==There is no priesthood requirement to tour a temple during an open house, and all were welcome==

	A message to ~~FairMormon~~ reads: "I heard that, prior to 1978, blacks were denied access to temple open houses because they carried the "mark of Cain."" Is this true?		A message to FAIR reads: "I heard that, prior to 1978, blacks were denied access to temple open houses because they carried the "mark of Cain."" Is this true?

	It would be surprising and unfortunate if a black person in the 1960's was turned away from a temple open house during the period that the priesthood ban was in place. Blacks were certainly allowed in during a temple open house, and many did tour the temple during these times. There is no priesthood requirement to tour a temple during an open house, and all were welcome. This is not to say, however, that such an unfortunate denial of entry did not take place. Sadly, prevailing racial attitudes during the 1950’s and 1960’s make it quite possible that a member might have denied such entry, even going so far as to say that the person carried the "mark of Cain." Even highly placed Church leaders made [[Racist statements by Church leaders\|statements during this period]] which would now be considered quite racist. Such attitudes are, of course, repugnant to modern Latter-day Saints.		It would be surprising and unfortunate if a black person in the 1960's was turned away from a temple open house during the period that the priesthood ban was in place. Blacks were certainly allowed in during a temple open house, and many did tour the temple during these times. There is no priesthood requirement to tour a temple during an open house, and all were welcome. This is not to say, however, that such an unfortunate denial of entry did not take place. Sadly, prevailing racial attitudes during the 1950’s and 1960’s make it quite possible that a member might have denied such entry, even going so far as to say that the person carried the "mark of Cain." Even highly placed Church leaders made [[Racist statements by Church leaders\|statements during this period]] which would now be considered quite racist. Such attitudes are, of course, repugnant to modern Latter-day Saints.

	~~FairMormon~~ is not aware, however, of any policy of forbidding entry to open houses to people of a given race or ethnicity.		FAIR is not aware, however, of any policy of forbidding entry to open houses to people of a given race or ethnicity.

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GregSmith: GregSmith moved page Mormonism and racial issues/Blacks and the priesthood/Nature of the priesthood ban to Nature of the priesthood ban

2024-05-28T02:12:22Z

GregSmith moved page Mormonism and racial issues/Blacks and the priesthood/Nature of the priesthood ban to Nature of the priesthood ban

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GregSmith at 02:09, 28 May 2024

2024-05-28T02:09:30Z

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2024-04-13T21:03:35Z

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RogerNicholson at 03:06, 29 November 2018

2018-11-29T03:06:27Z

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RogerNicholson at 23:11, 4 August 2017

2017-08-04T23:11:09Z

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RogerNicholson at 23:09, 4 August 2017

2017-08-04T23:09:48Z

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RogerNicholson at 23:09, 4 August 2017

2017-08-04T23:09:12Z

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2017-08-04T23:07:20Z

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