White skin is seen as desirable, dark skin is seen as a mark of gods displeasure see chart on racial statements. What does the book of mormon mean by skin of blackness. This was changed by joseph smith in 1840 to read that nephis. Are we to believe that black people have a dark and loathsome skin because of their iniquity, whereas white people have a fair and delightsome skin because they are righteous. The book of mormon literally says god cursed lamanites. The book of mormon says nothing to suggest that for god to be consistent, the specific punishment and blessing that he applied in these two situations must be applied in. One derived from a single family who fled jerusalem in 600 b. Remember that the mormon version of god is not the god of the bible. Respecting skin color, only in alma is the word mark found in the book of mormon alma 3. The nature and appearance of the mark of dark skin noted in the book of mormon was not any kind of mystery to earlier mormon leaders who taught in unity that the mark of gods curse against the unbelieving lamanites was a skin of blackness dark skin that would be perpetuated through intermarriage.
You say that the earliest mormons had a vision of restorative racial universalism that shows up in the book of mormons ideal that the lamanites will acquire white skin when they become. As many members maintain a literal interpretation of the book of mormon as a factual historical record, in accordance with prophetic instruction, it is troubling to see how gods explicit curse of dark skin and the supposed promise from god that dark skin will be. The book of mormon tells of a violent struggle between two groups of people somewhere in south, central or north america. Consequently, latterday saints did not reap the benefit of the prophets clarification until it was restored in the 1981 edition of the book of mormon. The curse is expressed in two antithetically parallel phrases. In the book of mormon, not the musical but the actual sacred text dark skin is a sign of gods curse, while white skin.
The indians on the american continent are descendants of the tribes of ephraim, judah, and manasseh, we are told by the book of mormon. Posts about colors in the book of mormon written by grego. The history of racism and white supremacy in the mormon church. In 1978, the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. Why do we have a scriptural book that is all about skin color. The book of mormon clearly states, several times, that black skin is a curse from god. As of friday, december 6, the mormon church has officially renounced the doctrine that brown skin is a punishment from god. Mormons teach that the mark of cain stated in genesis is dark. Church members accept the book of mormon as holy scripture equivalent to the bible. These books, known as the book of mormon and pearl of great price published by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints are racist as the list of verses below show. Behold, the lamanites have i cursed, and i will set a mark on them.
The best explanation for needing an authentic lamanite is that moroni needed his language skills, not his skin color, for the ruse. Lds and black skin department of christian defense. In fact, prejudice against people of dark skin was condemned. In part 1 we explore scriptures in that discuss skin color. Nowhere is this principle more clearly revealed than in the book of mormon which says that a skin of blackness came upon laman and his followers subsequent to the spiritual and physical divisions of lehis colony 2 nephi 5. The scriptures you referenced in daniel appear to confirm the notion that whiteness refers to spiritual purity, rather than physical appearance when mentioned in the scriptures.
The book of mormon literally says god cursed lamanites who joseph smith claimed were native americans with dark skin so that they would be unattractive to the white and delightsome people. Church removes racial references in book of mormon. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him. White and delightsome changed to pure and delightsome jump to subtopic.
Yes, this was a book written in a different age, but it. How can one justify the change of the wording white and delightsome in 2 nephi 30. According to the book of mormon, the whiter the skin, the closer to god. The book of mormon did not countenance any form of cursebased discrimination. Mormons altering indian prophecy the new york times. The mormon church, as it has evolved, has been forced to rewrite the book of mormon. After we reported the elimination of racist theology from chapter headings in the online edition of the book of mormon here at rd late last week, readers have written to point out that verses linking dark skin to accursedness remain in the book of mormon itself. The lamanites are one of the four ancient peoples described as having settled in the ancient americas in the book of mormon, a sacred text of the latter day. Dark skin no longer a curse in online book of mormon. In 1981 the church decided to replace the word white with pure. The change in the 1981 edition seems to be an attempt to bring the book of mormon up to speed with the 1978 revelation that allowed black members of the church to hold the priesthood. Royal skousen, changes in the book of mormon royal skousen, restoring the original text of the book of mormon. The 1830 edition of the book of mormon had nephi prophesy that his descendants would become a white and a delightsome people through the gospel of jesus christ. Many people raised their eyebrows in august of 1980 upon reading newspaper headlines that the mormons had revised the latest edition of the book of mormon and no longer taught that the american indians would turn white upon becoming mormons.
First gabon baptisms, photo by the church of jesus christ of latterday saints. If white is a symbol for righteousness, why do we choose that word when it is fraught with overtones of white supremacy. The account, known as the book of mormon, first published in 1830, primarily tells the story of gods dealings with two israelite civilizations living in the new world. The book of mormon never describes the return of the curse of black skin upon the nephites and the lamanites. One group has claimed it cannot be racist as white skinned nephites and blackskinned lamanites are nothing more than metaphors for cultures, not for skin. Interpreting this passage as meaning that conversion leads to a change of skin color echo a misinterpretation of the book of. The book of mormon, dark skin, and racist theology.
Church removes racial references in book of mormon headings. Are we to seriously believe that the color of ones skin is the result of ones moral behavior 2 nephi 5. Lds scripture church drops dark and skin of blackness from lamanite descriptions. A historian looks at the legacy of racism in the church of jesus christ of latter day saints.
It definitely enhances my reading of the book of mormon scriptures that josh originally mentioned. The skin shades of surviving peoples in book of mormon lands include a substantial range, from dark brown to virtual white. The book of mormon states that a mark of dark skin came upon the lamanites after the nephites separated from them, reads the online explanation. Most white americans have looked upon the stories of the lamanites as racist. Chapter headings in the online version of the book of mormon have been changed by lds church officials, eliminating vestiges of racist theology that linked dark skin to spiritual accursedness.
These colors cover nearly the same range as were found anciently around the mediterranean coast and in the near east. Patrick discusses the book of mormon sections that teach that god cursed white people by turning their skin dark, and points out that though the mormon church now repudiates this claim. Mormon wrote that the lord employed that term in telling nephi three things. The lamanites were not a whiteskinned people when the lds church says that the lamanites are. A historian looks at the legacy of racism in the church of jesus christ of latterday saints.
Whatever you want to say about the origins of the book of mormon, it fits its time period really well. Black and white skin matter to the mormon god because white skin are the good people and black skin are the bad people only in the mormon church thats there doctrine it is not in the holy bible. High quality book of mormon inspired laptop skins by independent artists and designers from around. Its not as bad as it sounds, but i feel as though a lot of people try to use this to attack the church. I was not aware of these white skin color references in the bible. The mormon belief in black skin being a curse is found in uniquely mormon books they call scripture. Larry echo hawk is leaving his position as assistant secretary of the interior for indian affairs after he was named to the church of jesus christ. A look at the come follow me lesson that looks at the skin of blackness found in the book of mormon, and why the printed manual takes the scriptures at face value while the digital versions were changed so members do not hear about the 19th century racism in the book of mormon.
The book of mormon originally stated that when lamanites converted they would then become white and delightsome. Black and white in the book of mormon, book of mormon, book of mormon. The change in skin color from white to black 2 nephi 5. The pearl of great price teaches that cain the first murder, brother of able, was the first black. The book of mormon teaches that white people from israel came to the american continent. The second book of nephi, chapter iv, asserts that white skin is exceeding fair and delightsome but that god, in order to punish nephis enemies, did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them, leading them, in turn, to become an idle people, full of mischief and subtlety. That is scientifically wrong, insanely racist, and i cant believe i ever believed it. Many generations shall not pass away among them, save they. In 1947, mormons, dewey farnsworth and his wife edith published an impressive book that is still in print, the americas before columbus. The history of racism and white supremacy in the mormon.
Some believe this, but it is not a teaching of our scriptures. The book of mormon is black and white about skin color. Some of those white people disobeyed the mormon god and were turned into mexicans as punishment. Over the next fifteen years his doctrines underwent radical changes. It stated that the lord denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female. One white elder jokingly said that he and his companion were donating blood regularly to the hospital in the hope that the process might be accelerated. Let us conclude by examining the lds scriptures, which indicates plainly that dark skin was a sign of gods curse. In fact, god created dark skin just to punish people for their bad behavior.
What does it mean to be a white and delightsome people. Error in printed lds church manual could revive racial. The book of mormon once taught that god cursed white. One group has claimed it cannot be racist as white skinned nephites and black skinned lamanites are nothing more than metaphors for cultures, not for skin. Book of mormon reader by the church of jesus christ of.
A presentation exploring what the people in the book of mormon may have looked like for use with art, film or just your own imagination. One of the most objectionable doctrines in the book of mormon is its view of skin color. This promotes racism and the idea that white skin is preferable to god. Nowhere is this principle more clearly revealed than in the book of mormon which says that a skin of blackness came upon laman and his followers. The book of mormon by joseph smith, paperback barnes. Two things happen to the lamanites as a result of their hardening their hearts against him.
Skins as garments in the book of mormon lds scripture. Book of mormontextual changeswhite changed to pure. How do these notions of white purity end up in a sacred mormon text. Why was the phrase white and delightsome changed to pure and delightsome in the 1840 edition of the book of mormon. The nephites separate themselves from the lamanites, keep the law of moses, and build a templebecause of their unbelief, the lamanites are cut. The book of mormon considers the people with dark skin the. Colors in the book of mormon book of mormon notes how. Is it a belief of the mormon church that a curse from god is the initial origin of all dark skin among humankind today.
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