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*'''Black Skin and the Lamanite Curse''': Nephi explains that because the Lamanites hardened their hearts “the Lord did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them” (2 Nephi 5:21). This has traditionally been interpreted very literally by LDS readers as a miracle in which the Lord actually changes the color of the skin of the Lamanites. In recent years LDS scholars and researchers have challenged that notion by pointing to examples in the text where a black/white division between Nephites and Lamanites does not make sense. Instead, the description of the Lamanites as being “dark” or having a “skin of blackness” can be read as a metaphorical description of their state of wickedness. This kind of metaphorical use of skin color has precedent in the Old Testament, and makes the more sense of some Book of Mormon stories. Furthermore, it is useful to distinguish between the “curse” and the “mark” that was placed on the Lamanites. Finally, these passages have nothing whatsoever to do with the pre-1978 priesthood ban and can not be appropriately used, as some have tried to do, to demonstrate that Mormons are racist. | *'''Black Skin and the Lamanite Curse''': Nephi explains that because the Lamanites hardened their hearts “the Lord did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them” (2 Nephi 5:21). This has traditionally been interpreted very literally by LDS readers as a miracle in which the Lord actually changes the color of the skin of the Lamanites. In recent years LDS scholars and researchers have challenged that notion by pointing to examples in the text where a black/white division between Nephites and Lamanites does not make sense. Instead, the description of the Lamanites as being “dark” or having a “skin of blackness” can be read as a metaphorical description of their state of wickedness. This kind of metaphorical use of skin color has precedent in the Old Testament, and makes the more sense of some Book of Mormon stories. Furthermore, it is useful to distinguish between the “curse” and the “mark” that was placed on the Lamanites. Finally, these passages have nothing whatsoever to do with the pre-1978 priesthood ban and can not be appropriately used, as some have tried to do, to demonstrate that Mormons are racist. | ||
− | **Brant Gardner, | + | **Brant Gardner,[http://www.fairlds.org/authors/gardner-brant/what-does-the-book-of-mormon-mean-by-skin-of-blackness "What Does the Book of Mormon Mean by “Skin of Blackness”?"] |
**Lamanites' Curse: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Lamanites/Curse | **Lamanites' Curse: http://en.fairmormon.org/Book_of_Mormon/Lamanites/Curse | ||
**Racism, MormonVoices.org, http://mormonvoices.org/19/racism | **Racism, MormonVoices.org, http://mormonvoices.org/19/racism |
Lesson Six | A FAIR Analysis of:
Book of Mormon: Gospel Doctrine Teacher’s Manual |
Lesson Eight |
Lesson #7- Sunday School Manual: I Know in Whom I Have Trusted
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