Mormon Racism

Mormon Racism

by Rocky Hulse of Mormon Outreach

(Updated from the Midwest Expositor Newsletters of January, April, July and October 2004 written by Rocky Hulse)

January 3, 2013

     This article is written about the Mormon Doctrine concerning Africans. This article will cover the history, doctrine, contradictions and the denial by the Mormon Church about its racist doctrine concerning those of African descent.

     I am going to say right up front that there are parts of this information that are quite inflammatory, and downright derogatory towards anyone who is not white. I will use the term “negro,” often during this newsletter. I’m not using it to offend anyone, it is simply the term used in the majority of the quotes, as it was the vernacular of the day.

     Please don’t get mad at the messenger, me. I will simply do what our ministry always does, in all facets of research: accurately and truthfully document all that we present. This information will undoubtedly offend both Mormons and non-Mormons alike; however, the truth needs to be told. We don’t skirt the hard issues; we research them and give the information to you, because you have a right to know what Mormonism is really about. Why does this ministry exist?  Simply because the Mormon Church will never show you the information I will present in this article. Modern Mormonism is all about hiding or rewriting the past, to hide the embarrassing truth!

     I have spent upwards of 200 hours of research on this topic, and all the while one thing has rung loud and clear: Of all the subjects of Mormonism that I have studied to date, and I have studied many, no single Doctrine of Mormonism more clearly shows that Mormon leaders are mere men, with no “higher calling” placed upon them, as Mormonism claims, than this “racist doctrine.”

NEGRO PENALTY REMOVED

     History shows us that on June 8, 1978, the First Presidency of the Mormon Church issued a letter allowing blacks full eligibility to all benefits of Mormonism, which up until that time were withheld from them.  Let’s look at that letter:

"Dear Brethren:

     As we have witnessed the expansion of the work of the Lord over the earth, we have been grateful that people of many nations have responded to the message of the restored gospel, and have joined the Church in ever-increasing numbers.  This, in turn, has inspired us with a desire to extend to every worthy member of the Church all of the privileges and blessings which the gospel affords.

     Aware of the promises made by the prophets and presidents of the Church who have preceded us that at some time, in God's eternal plan, all of our brethren who are worthy may receive the priesthood, and witnessing the faithfulness of those from whom the priesthood has been withheld, we have pleaded long and earnestly in behalf of these, our faithful brethren, spending many hours in the Upper Room of the Temple supplicating the Lord for divine guidance.

     He has heard our prayers, and by revelation has confirmed that the long-promised day has come when every faithful, worthy man in the Church may receive the holy priesthood, with power to exercise its divine authority, and enjoy with his loved ones every blessing that flows therefrom, including the blessings of the temple.  Accordingly, all worthy male members of the Church may be ordained to the priesthood without regard for race or color. Priesthood leaders are instructed to follow the policy of carefully interviewing all candidates for ordination to either the Aaronic or the Melchizedek Priesthood to insure that they meet the established standards for worthiness.

     We declare with soberness that the Lord has now made known his will for the blessing of all his children throughout the earth who will hearken to the voice of his authorized servants, and prepare themselves to receive every blessing of the gospel.

Sincerely yours,
The First Presidency
(Sunstone July 78, pg 12)

NEGROES NOT ENTITLED TO FULL BLESSINGS OF THE GOSPEL

     Why was there a need for a “Revelation” to allow all worthy brethren to receive the Mormon Priesthood? Another letter from the First Presidency, the highest level of the Mormon Church:

     “From the days of the Prophet Joseph even until now, it has been the doctrine of the Church, never questioned by any of the Church leaders, that the Negroes are not entitled to the full blessings of the Gospel.”  (Letter of LDS First Presidency to Dr. Lowery Nelson, July 17, 1947, quoted in Mormonism and the Negro, pages 42 and 43)

MORMON LEADERS, ORACLES OF GOD ON EARTH

     As you can see, the Mormon Church believed that blacks were not entitled to ‘the full blessings of the gospel’ (in Mormon vocabulary, “gospel” means Mormonism).  Twice I’ve quoted the First Presidency of the Mormon Church, 31 years apart, contradicting each other.  Who is the “First Presidency?”  The ‘First Presidency’ of the Mormon Church is the absolute top of the leadership pyramid.  The ultimate and highest leaders of the Mormon Church are the First Presidency:

                            THE PROPHET
                          (OR PRESIDENT)
                        /                                 \
1ST COUNSELOR                 2ND COUNSELOR

     Directly under the First Presidency is the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles; often referred to as the Council of the Twelve.  These fifteen men, the three men of the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles, are revered by Mormons as the “Oracles of God” on earth.

     “Men who receive revelations or oracles for the people are themselves called oracles.  (2 Sam. 16:23.)  Members of the First Presidency, [and] Council of the Twelve … – because they are appointed and sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators to the Church – are known as the living oracles.”  (Teachings of the Living Prophets, Student Manual Religion 333, p. 6)

     These fifteen men, according to Mormonism, have a special spiritual endowment in connection with teaching people:

     “Although the Church has many men who serve as “General Authorities,” only the First Presidency and the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators.” (Teachings of the Living Prophets, Student Manual Religion 333, p. 8)

     “It should be in mind that some of the General Authorities have had assigned to them a special calling; they possess a special gift; they are sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators, which gives them a special spiritual endowment in connection with their teaching the people.  They have the right, the power, and authority to declare the mind and will of God to his people…” (Teachings of the Living Prophets, Student Manual Religion 333, p. 9)

     I wanted to lay out here the belief of Mormonism about these fifteen men, because I’m going to be quoting men who held these offices.  As noted in the two quotes from the First Presidency, the historical Mormon stance was that blacks were not entitled to the “full blessings of the gospel”. 

MORMONISM DENIES NEGROES THE PRIESTHOOD, AND DOES NOT PREACH TO THEM

     Mormon Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, in his Mormon foundational work, Mormon Doctrine, said:
  
     “Negroes in this life are denied the priesthood; under no circumstances can they hold this delegation of authority from the Almighty. (Abra. 1:20-27.)  The gospel message of salvation is not carried affirmatively to them (Moses 7:8, 12, 22) although sometimes negroes search out the truth, join the Church, and become by righteous living heirs of the celestial kingdom of heaven.  President Brigham Young and others have taught that in the future eternity worthy and qualified negroes will receive the priesthood and every gospel blessing available to any man. (Way to Perfection, pp. 97-111.) … The negroes are not equal with other races where the receipt of certain spiritual blessings are concerned, particularly the priesthood and the temple blessings that flow therefrom, but this inequality is not of man’s origin.  It is the Lord’s doing, is based on his eternal laws and grows out of the lack of spiritual valiance of those concerned in their first estate.” (Mormon Doctrine, pp 527-528)

     What we clearly see here from this Mormon Apostle, who has “special authority,” and is an oracle of God on earth (and of note he is quoting two former Mormon Prophets) are four primary Mormon points:

1. Negroes are denied the priesthood in this life, and under no circumstances can they hold it;
2. That the gospel message (Mormonism) is not ‘carried affirmatively to them’;
3.  That they are not equal with other races where the receipt of certain spiritual blessings are concerned;   
4. These prejudices are based on Eternal Law and grow out of the lack of spiritual valiance of those concerned in their ‘first estate’ (‘first estate’ in the Mormon vocabulary refers to the unique Mormon Doctrine of ‘Pre-existence’ – that man pre-existed on a Spirit World prior to coming to earth, his ‘second estate’).

MORMONISM’S THEORY OF THE RACES

     Let’s recap what we just covered: Blacks are denied the Mormon Priesthood; Mormonism was not to be preached to them; they were not equal to other races as far as Mormon blessings were concerned; and, this is all due to their lack of spiritual valiance in their pre-earth life (‘first estate’).

     Mormonism teaches that the races of people here on earth began in a pre-existent, pre-earth life.  Christianity does not teach or believe this, because it is not taught in the Bible.  The premise for these beliefs comes entirely from Mormon unique scriptures.

BLACKS CURSED WITH A DARK SKIN

     Mormonism teaches that blacks, because of their lack of valiancy in the ‘pre-existence’ were cursed with a dark skin, and in order to come to this earth had to come through the lineage of Cain. Mormonism teaches Cain was cursed with a black skin for killing his brother Abel.  In the “History of the Church” under the date of January 25, 1842, in Nauvoo, Illinois, Joseph Smith taught that Negroes were the “sons of Cain”:

     “In the evening debated with John C. Bennett and others to show that the Indians have greater cause to complain of the treatment of the whites, than the negroes, or sons of Cain.” (History of the Church, Vol 4, p. 501)

NEGROES AN INFERIOR RACE

     The 10^th Mormon Prophet, Joseph Fielding Smith, in his book “The Way to Perfection,” taught that not only were Negroes the sons of Cain, but that they were an inferior race:

     “Not only was Cain called upon to suffer, but because of his wickedness he became the father of an inferior race.”  (The Way to Perfection, p. 101)

NEGRO BLOOD THROUGH THE FLOOD

     Mormonism teaches that Noah’s son Ham carried the Negro blood through the flood:

     “Noah’s son Ham married Egyptus, a descendant of Cain, thus preserving the negro lineage through the flood. (Abra. 1:20-27)”  (Mormon Doctrine, p. 527)

A SINGLE DROP OF BLOOD

     According to Mormonism, what qualified a person to be considered a Negro?  A “single drop” of Negro blood.  Mormon Apostle Mark E. Peterson gave an address at the Convention of Teachers of Religion on the College Level at Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, on August 27, 1954.  He said, quoting the former 4^th Mormon Prophet, Wilford Woodruff:

     “President Wilford Woodruff added, ‘The Lord said, ‘I will not kill Cain, but I will put a mark upon him, and that mark will be seen upon every face of every Negro upon the face of the earth.  And it is the decree of God that mark shall remain upon the seed of Cain, until the seed of Abel shall be redeemed, and Cain shall not receive the priesthood until the time of that redemption.  Any man having one drop of the blood of Cain in him cannot receive the priesthood.  But the day will come when all that race will be redeemed and possess all the blessings which we now have.” (quoted from “Mormons and Negroes,” p. 7 of the speech)

CURSE REMAINS UNTIL ABEL’S SEED IS REDEEMED IN THE NEXT LIFE

     According to Mormonism blacks were given the mark of Cain, a black skin, and that mark will remain until the seed of Abel shall be redeemed.  When will that day come?  When will the Negro receive all the blessings?  As we’ve seen, that can only happen after the “seed of Abel shall be redeemed.”  But Cain killed Abel, so Abel didn’t have any seed (children).  How will the seed of Abel be redeemed?  Mormonism teaches this redemption will happen in the next life.
    What is the Mormon teaching of when the curse will be removed?  On December 3, 1854, Brigham Young said:

     “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.  He deprived his brother of the privilege of pursuing his journey through life, and of extending his kingdom by multiplying upon the earth; and because he did this, he is the last to share the joys of the kingdom of God.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol 2, p. 142)

     On August 19, 1866, Brigham Young continued:

     “Why are so many of the inhabitants of the earth cursed with a sin of blackness?  It comes in consequence of their fathers rejecting the power of the Holy Priesthood, and the law of God. They 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.  The volition of the creature is free; this is a law of their existence, and the Lord cannot violate his own law; were he to do that, he would cease to he God.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol 11, p. 272)

THE PENALTY FOR INTER-RACIAL MARRIAGE IS DEATH ON THE SPOT

     Brigham Young taught that mixing your blood with someone who had even one drop of African blood in them was death on the spot:

     “Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so.”  (Journal of Discourses, Vol 10, p. 110)

     Brigham Young says the negroes “will go down to death” and when all the rest of human kind have received their blessings in the holy priesthood, then the curse will be removed, and not until.  He states that it is the Law of the Lord and He cannot violate His law or He would cease to be God.  But, the Mormon Church did change the Law.  So, I guess God ceased to be God, or we have a false prophet somewhere.  However, we approach this, the Mormon Church comes up lacking.

THE DOCTRINE

Let’s look at some Doctrine:

     “From the days of the Prophet Joseph even until now, it has been the doctrine of the Church, never questioned by any of the Church leaders, that the Negroes are not entitled to the full blessings of the Gospel.”  (Letter of LDS First Presidency to Dr. Lowery Nelson, July 17, 1947, quoted in Mormonism and the Negro, pages 42 and 43)

     This doctrine that blacks are inferior has its roots in the Mormon unique doctrine of man’s pre-existence.  Let’s look at that Mormon unique belief.  The 2^nd Mormon Prophet, Brigham Young, said on December 28, 1862:

     “There never was a time when man did not exist, and there never will be time when he will cease to exist.  Eternity is without confines, and all things animate and inanimate have their existence in it.  The Priesthood of God, that was given to the ancients and is given to men in the latter-days, as co-equal in duration with eternity—is without beginning of days or end of life.  It is unchangeable in its system of government and its Gospel of salvation.  It gives to Gods and angels their supremacy and power, and offers wealth, influence, posterity, exaltations, power, glory, kingdoms and thrones, ceaseless in their duration, to all who will accept them on the terms upon which they are offered.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol 10, p. 5)

     As you can see from this quote, Brigham Young brought forward some strange teachings that are totally foreign to the Bible and are “Anti-Christian":

1. That man existed eternally
2. The “priesthood” of God given to man in the latter-days, is what makes man co-equal with God
3. The ‘priesthood’ of Mormonism gives to Gods and angels their supremacy and power
4. For those who accept this Mormon Priesthood, it offers them wealth, influence, posterity, exaltations, power, glory, kingdoms and thrones.

     Mormon Apostle Orson Pratt taught extensively on the Mormon unique doctrine of a pre-earth life:

     “I have already told you that the spirits of men and women, all had a previous existence, thousands of years ago, in the heavens, in the presence of God; and I have already told you that among them are many spirits that are more noble, more intelligent than others, that were called the great and mighty ones, reserved until the dispensation of the fulness of times, to come forth upon the face of the earth, through a noble parentage that shall train their young and tender minds in the truths of eternity…” (Journal of Discourses Vol 1, pp. 62-63, August 29, 1852)

PRE-EXISTENCE

     In a nutshell, let me briefly describe the Mormon doctrine of pre-existence:

     Mormonism teaches that anyone who ever has, or ever will, live on this earth existed in a pre-existent life prior to coming to earth.  This doctrine states that we all existed eternally as ‘pure intelligence’.  Then through a celestial marital relationship between our polygamous God father and one of his many wives, our ‘pure intelligence’ was converted into a ‘spiritual’ pregnancy in our God mother.  Nine months later we, all humans born on this earth, were born as spirit babies into the ‘pre-existence’.

     We grew up to adult spirithood in the ‘pre-existence’ and progressed as far as we could as spirits; then something had to be done, as we could progress no further as spirits.  We needed a mortal body to continue our progression to ‘Godhood’.  So, Mormon theology says a “Council of the Gods” was convened, and all the ‘great ones’ were there: Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, Jesus and even Lucifer – yes in Mormonism Lucifer was a God.

     The “Council of the Gods” convened to decide what to do with all of God’s spirit children.  Lucifer stood up and addressed the Council and proposed a plan where an earth would be created for the spirit children to go and get their mortal bodies.  He, Lucifer, would go down to earth and usher all of God’s children through life and not allow them to sin.  For his efforts, he believed he should receive all the glory for doing this.  When he had finished, he sat down.

     Then Elohim, the Mormon name for the head God of this earth, called on Lucifer’s brother to address the council;  his name was Jesus.  Yes in Mormonism, Lucifer and Jesus are brothers.  Jesus proposed a plan to build an earth for God’s spirit children to come to and receive their mortal bodies; however, he proposed that man should be given ‘free-agency’ to live life as he saw fit.  Man could follow God or live a life of sin.  Jesus proposed that he would come to earth and die for the sin of man, for those who would repent, so they could come and live with their ‘Father God’ again. 

     Elohim accepted Jesus’ plan.  This made Lucifer furious and he rebelled against God and started a war in heaven.  When the war was over, one third of all the ‘spirit children’, including Lucifer, were cast out of heaven and were destined to become the devil and his demons here on earth.

     Your performance in the ‘pre-existence’ and how valiant you were in the war in heaven, determined your status of birth in this life.  The more valiant in heaven, the whiter your skin color.  The most valiant were reserved to be born white and born into a Mormon home on this earth.  The more pigmentation in your skin the less valiant you were in heaven.  Mormon teaching is that Blacks sided with Lucifer but didn’t actually fight with him; therefore, they were not kicked out of heaven but, were cursed with a black skin and were denied the future privilege on earth of receiving the Mormon Priesthood.

BLATANT PREJUDICE

     Let’s look at a statement by Mormon Apostle Melvin J. Ballard.  Remember, as an Apostle in Mormonism, he has the “right, the power and authority to declare the mind and will of God”…

     “Now, my brothers and sisters, I would like you to understand that long before we were born into this earth we were tested and tried in our pre-existence and the fact that of the thousands of children born today, a certain proportion of them went to the Hottentots of the south seas, thousands went to the Chinese mothers, thousands to Negro mothers, thousands to beautiful white Latter-day Saint mothers. Why this difference? You cannot tell me that the entire group was just designated, marked, to go where they did. That they were men and women of equal worthiness. There are no infant spirits born. They had a being ages before they come into this life. They appear in infant bodies, but they were tested, proven souls. Therefore, I say to you that long before we came into this life all groups and races of men existed as they exist today. Like attracts to like. Why is it in this Church we do not grant the priesthood to the Negroes? It is alleged that the Prophet Joseph said--and I have no reason to dispute it--that it is because of some act committed by them before they came into this life. It is alleged that they were neutral, standing neither for Christ nor the devil. But, I am convinced it is because of some things they did before they came into this life that they have been denied the privilege. The races of today are very largely reaping the consequences of a previous life.” (Three Degrees of Glory, pp. 21-22)

     Mormon authors Lester Bush and Armand Mauss, in their book “Neither White Nor Black” discuss the compromise of 10th Mormon Prophet Joseph Fielding Smith on the varying Mormon doctrine on what constituted the curse on the Negroes:

     “The Way to Perfection seemingly reconciled these two positions. Treading a fine line, Apostle Smith distinguished between the neutrality condemned by Brigham Young and another condition comprised of those ‘who did not stand valiantly,’ who ‘were almost persuaded, were indifferent, and who sympathized with Lucifer, but did not follow him.’ The ‘sin’ of this latter group ‘was not one that merited the extreme punishment which was inflicted on the devil and his angels. They were not denied the privilege of receiving the second estate but were permitted to come to the earth-life with some restrictions placed upon them. That the negro race, for instance, have been placed under restrictions because of their attitude in the world of spirits, few will doubt.’" (Lester Bush & Armand Mauss, Neither White Nor Black, pp. 87-88)

THE DOCTRINE IS CHANGED

     I have shown thus far in this article quotes outlining the history and the doctrine behind the Mormon teaching that those of African decent are an inferior race, cursed with a black skin because of their actions in a previous life, that they were not entitled to the rights and blessings of Mormonism, and that this restriction would remain until this earth was long over. Contradicting their doctrine and numerous ‘Prophets and Apostles’, whom Mormons belief to be ‘oracles’ of God, the Mormon Church reversed “God’s Law” and the restriction was removed in 1978. The official letter from the First Presidency , dated, June 8, 1978, was quoted at the beginning of this article.

     This was the official notification of the “Revelation” which changed the Mormon Church’s 140 plus year anti-black doctrine. You’ll notice that this letter states that a revelation was received changing the anti-black position of the Mormon Church in reference to blacks holding the priesthood and taking part in the Mormon Temple ceremonies to become Gods in the next world.  It’s now 35 years later and a “Revelation” has never been produced.  This is amazingly similar to the “Revelation” that stopped polygamy.  The last two revelations that the Mormon Church received have been because of controversial doctrinal practices: Polygamy and Prejudice.  In both cases the Mormon Church was under heavy pressure to cease these practices – and along comes a revelation; it should be noted, these revelations are like no others.

THUS SAITH THE LORD – NOT!

     The Mormon Church “Canon” contains four books of scripture.  One of those is named “The Doctrine and Covenants.”  This book is purported to contain the revelations given to Joseph Smith, the founding Prophet of Mormonism, and is revered by Mormons as scripture.  These “revelations” are divided into “Sections”; there are 138 Sections and two “Official Declarations” in the Doctrine and Covenants. In these “revelations” from God given to Joseph Smith, God spoke directly to Joseph as evidenced by the statements penned by him stating “Thus saith the Lord.”  The quotes of “The Doctrine and Covenants” leave no room for questioning these revelations as being from God. 

     When Joseph Smith and his successor, Brigham Young, died, God must have changed his way of communicating with His modern day prophets, because the last two “Revelations” received, polygamy and prejudice, have glaringly been missing the “Thus saith the Lord” delivery.  Why is it that the last two revelations, given because of direct pressure on the Mormon Church to change its doctrinal positions, do not have God speaking?  Maybe it is because these last two revelations were human realization, vice Holy Revelation.  (Now, don’t get me wrong here, I do not believe the “Revelations” of The Doctrine and Covenants received by Joseph Smith were from God, anything but.  I’m using this line of reasoning to make a point.)

     The letter from the Mormon Presidency which reverses the Mormon Church’s Anti-Black Doctrine is attempting to rewrite Mormon History as to when the Negroes will be allowed to hold the Mormon Priesthood.  Let’s look at what the Mormon “First Presidency” wrote:

     “Aware of the promises made by the prophets and presidents of the Church who have preceded us that at some time, in God's eternal plan, all of our brethren who are worthy may receive the priesthood, and witnessing the faithfulness of those from whom the priesthood has been withheld, we have pleaded long and earnestly in behalf of these, our faithful brethren, spending many hours in the Upper Room of the Temple supplicating the Lord for divine guidance.

     He has heard our prayers, and by revelation has confirmed that the long-promised day has come when every faithful, worthy man in the Church may receive the holy priesthood, with power to exercise its divine authority, and enjoy with his loved ones every blessing that flows therefrom, including the blessings of the temple.” (quoted from the Letter from the First Presidency dated June 8, 1978)

     This letter leads the uninformed to believe that previous “prophets and presidents” promised that at some undefined time in the future the Negroes could receive all of the blessings everyone was entitled to.
    
TWO BIG, MAJOR STIPULATIONS

     When did these previous “prophets and presidents” say this “time, in God's eternal plan,” was going to happen?  In the book “The Church and the Negro” published in 1967, 11 years before “The Revelation” changing the anti-black doctrine, Mormon writer John L. Lund discusses the two stipulations before the priesthood can be given:

     “The prophets have declared that there are at least two major stipulations that have to be met before the Negroes will be allowed to possess the Priesthood.  The first requirement relates to time.  The Negroes will not be allowed to hold the Priesthood during mortality, in fact, not until after the resurrection of all of Adam’s children.  The other stipulation requires that Abel’s seed receive the first opportunity of having the Priesthood.”  (The Church and the Negro, p. 47)

     This Mormon writer clearly lays out that previous Mormon Prophets have dictated two major requirements: (1) The first requirement relates to time.  The Negroes will not be allowed to hold the Priesthood during mortality, in fact, not until after the resurrection of all of Adam’s children.  (2) The other stipulation requires that Abel’s seed receive the first opportunity of having the Priesthood.

NEGROES CANNOT HOLD THE PRIESTHOOD IN MORTALITY

     Let’s look at these previous prophets.  Brigham Young on December 3, 1854 said that the Negroes will not have the privilege of receiving the priesthood until:

     “…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.” (Journal of Discourses, Vol 2, p. 143)

     Twelve years later on August 19, 1866, Brigham Young speaking on the Negro and the priesthood said:

     “They 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. The volition of the creature is free; this is a law of their existence, and the Lord cannot violate his own law; were he to do that, he would cease to he God.”  (Journal of Discourses, Vol 11, p. 272)

     These quotes from the second Mormon Prophet, Brigham Young, clearly show that the Negroes must pass through mortality; they must die, before they can hold the Mormon Priesthood.  Brigham stated this was from the Lord and that He cannot violate His law or He would cease to exist.

ABEL’S SEED MUST FIRST BE RESURRECTED

     I’m going to quote again from the book “The Church and the Negro”: 

     “The second major stipulation that needs to be met before the Negroes can be allowed to possess the priesthood is the requirement that Abel’s seed receive the opportunity of holding the priesthood first.”

     “The Prophet Joseph taught that Negroes could not hold the Priesthood or act in any of its offices until the seed of Abel received that Priesthood.” (Milton R. Hunter, Pearl of Great Price Commentary (Salt Lake City Utah: Bookcraft, 1951), p. 142) (The Church and the Negro, p. 48)

     The book “The Church and the Negro” answers the obvious question then for us: “When will Abel’s seed receive the priesthood?”:

     “It will first of all be necessary that Abel marry, and then be resurrected, and ultimately exalted in the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom so that he can have a continuation of his seed.168  It will then be necessary for Abel to create an earth for his spirit children to come to and experience mortality.  These children will have to be “redeemed” or resurrected.  After the resurrection or redemption of Abel’s seed, Cain’s descendants, the Negroes, will then be allowed to possess the Priesthood.  Joseph Fielding Smith has said that ‘the Lord decreed that the children of Cain should not have the privilege of bearing the priesthood until Abel had posterity who could have the priesthood and that will have to be in the far distant future.  When this is accomplished on some other world, then the restrictions will be removed from the children of Cain who have been true to their ‘second’ estate.’169  This earth life is considered the ‘second’ estate and those Negroes who prove through their individual righteousness their worth will certainly be blessed by God to possess the Priesthood in that distant future when Abel’s seed has been redeemed.” (The Church and the Negro, p. 49)

     These quotes of the 2nd and 10th Mormon Prophets, without question show that the Negroes cannot hold the Mormon Priesthood in this life, it will only happen in a future world.  According to Brigham Young, this is God’s Law and if He were to change it “He would cease to be God.”  Then along comes Mormon Prophet number 12, Spencer W. Kimball, who up and changes God’s Law.  So, according to Brigham Young, GOD CEASED TO BE GOD, or ALL THE MORMON PROPHETS FROM NUMBER 1, JOSEPH SMITH, TO NUMBER 11, HAROLD B. LEE, WERE WRONG – WHICH MAKES THEM FALSE PROPHETS!  The Mormon Church can’t have it both ways.  ACCORDING TO THEIR OWN PROPHETS, EITHER GOD CEASED TO BE GOD AND ALL PROPHETS BEFORE KIMBALL WERE FALSE, OR HE (KIMBALL) WAS A FALSE PROPHET.  The facts simply do not bear out any other conclusion.

PROMOTING A NEW IMAGE

     The “Church News” is an official publication of the Mormon Church.  It is published by the Deseret Newspaper Company owned by the Mormon Church.  On the front cover of the May 31, 2003 issue are two black men sporting white shirts and black name tags, which identify them as Mormon Missionaries.  The cover says:

25 years since priesthood revelation

‘The long-promised day has come when every faithful, worthy man in the Church may receive the holy priesthood.’  Official Declaration – 2, Doctrine and Covenants

     Denial and deceit by the Mormon Church of the anti-black doctrine appears to be the way to avoid facing the reality that this anti-black doctrine proves that Mormonism is a false religion.

     The front cover of the Church News was laid out such that, under the picture of the two black missionaries, was the above statement that “The long-promised day has come…”  That statement perpetuates the lie the Mormon Church is putting forward to hide the truth of their anti-black doctrine.  That statement ignores history, and insinuates that the previous Mormon Prophets all prophesied that a “Day would come,” and that is true, they did all prophecy that “a day would come” when the blacks could hold the priesthood; but, that day, they all said, or agreed with the position of the previous prophets, was to be in the next life - after the resurrection.

ON SOME OTHER WORLD

     The 10th Mormon Prophet, Joseph Fielding Smith, who served as Prophet until he died in 1972, wrote a series of books called “Answers to Gospel Questions.”  In Volume 2 of that series he answers a question concerning when Negroes will be allowed to receive the Mormon Priesthood:

“the Lord decreed that the children of Cain should not have the privilege of bearing the priesthood until ABEL HAD POSTERITY who could have the priesthood and that will have to be in the FAR DISTANT FUTURE.  When this is accomplished ON SOME OTHER WORLD, then the restrictions will be removed from the children of Cain who have been true to their ‘second’ estate.”  (Answers to Gospel Questions, Vol 2, p. 188)

GOD’S ORACLES ON EARTH

     The Mormon Prophet, Joseph Fielding Smith, died holding this doctrinal position, just six years prior to the 12th Mormon Prophet, Spencer W. Kimball, changing the anti-black doctrine.  Remember, Mormons believe that Mormon Prophets and Apostles are “GOD’S ORACLES ON EARTH”:  

     “Although the Church has many men who serve as ‘General Authorities,’ only the First Presidency and the members of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles are sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators. (Teachings of the Living Prophets, Student Manual Religion 333, p. 8)

     “It should be in mind that some of the General Authorities have had assigned to them a special calling; they possess a special gift; they are sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators, which gives them a special spiritual endowment in connection with their teaching the people.  They have the right, the power, and authority to declare the mind and will of God to his people…” (Teachings of the Living Prophets, Student Manual Religion 333, p. 9)
 
     WAIT A MINUTE!!  Oracle number 10 and all previous Oracles, back to number 1, say that blacks will not be allowed to hold the priesthood until after the resurrection in another world.  Oracle number 12 comes along and reverses the doctrine.  HOW CAN THAT BE?  One of the Oracles has to be wrong!  The 13th Prophet of the Mormon Church, Ezra Taft Benson, gave a speech at Brigham Young University on February 26, 1980.  This speech was after the reversal of the anti-black doctrine.  The speech by Prophet Benson was called “FOURTEEN FUNDAMENTALS IN FOLLOWING THE PROPHETS.”  Let me quote from the speech concerning the Fourth Fundamental:

FOURTH:  The Prophet Will Never Lead The Church Astray.

President Wilford Woodruff stated:

     “I say to Israel, the Lord will never permit me or any other man who stands as president of the Church to lead you astray.  It is not in the program.  It is not in the mind of God.” (The Discourses of Wilford Woodruff, pp 212-213)

President Marion G. Romney tells of this incident which happened to him: “I remember years ago when I was a Bishop I had President (Heber J.) Grant talk to our ward.  After the meeting I drove him home … Standing by me, he put his arm over my shoulder and said:  ‘My boy, you always keep your eye on the President of the Church, and if he ever tells you to do anything, and it is wrong, and you do it, the Lord will bless you for it.’  Then with a twinkle in his eye, he said, ‘But you don’t need to worry.  The Lord will never let his mouthpiece lead the people astray.” (CR, October 1960, p. 78.) (Following The Brethren, Part 1, pp. 5-6)

MORMONISM HAS A PROBLEM

     We see that the Mormon Church teaches that Prophets and Apostles are God’s Oracles on Earth.  They have the “Right, the Power, and the Authority to declare the mind and the will of God,” and the Lord will never permit them to lead you astray. WELL, SOMEONE HERE IS LEADING SOMEONE ASTRAY!!  THE MORMON CHURCH CAN’T HAVE IT BOTH WAYS!

     The 12th Mormon Prophet can’t come along and reverse what 11 other Prophets have all stated directly or indirectly was God’s Law.  Either they were all wrong and led the Church astray, or number 12 led the Church astray.  Which is it?

JESUS’ CHARGE TO HIS APOSTLES (Mark 16:15)

“And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” 

     What was the Mormon Church’s doctrinal position up until June 8, 1978?  In the foundational work, Mormon Doctrine, by Mormon Apostle Bruce McConkie we read:

     “Negroes in this life are denied the priesthood; under no circumstances can they hold this delegation of authority from the Almighty. (Abra. 1:20-27.) The message of the gospel is not carried affirmatively to them…” (Mormon Doctrine, p. 527)

     Now let’s look at the utter hypocrisy that the Mormon Church is putting forth today; a complete denial of “God’s Law” as taught by their Prophets and Apostles.  An article in the June 1990 “Ensign” magazine, the official magazine of the Mormon Church, titled “A Hike to Eternity.”  This article shows the absolute denial of Mormonism about their racist doctrine.  The article tells of a mixed race family that lived below the Oakland, California Temple, as it is built on the side of a hill.  Let me quote from the article:

     “We had lived just below the Oakland Temple for more than a year, but we had never gone near it. We were an interracial family and, though we had heard the Mormons now allowed blacks to hold the priesthood, we were certain we wouldn’t be welcome there. Besides, we really weren’t interested in going anywhere near a church with such a well-known image of discrimination against blacks … Michael, I don’t think we’d better go there,” I said. “Mormons don’t like blacks, and they especially don’t like mixed families.”

     The story continues with the family taking a hike and ending up at the Temple.  They sneak into a tour group and the Mormons leading the group are so nice to them.  One thing leads to another and they take the missionary lessons and join the Mormon Church.  The article concludes with this:

     “In the intervening decade, our family’s “hike to eternity” has carried us halfway around the world and back again to our present home in Oregon. We’ve taken some wrong turns and detours along the way, and some of the trail has been rough.  But in all our wanderings, we have never found hide nor hair of the racism we had worried about. What we have found is a world filled with Bodines and Nelsons—Church member “co-hikers” who are always ready to reacquaint us with the map and put us back on the right path to eternity. (“A Hike to Eternity,” Ensign, June 1990)

     This article perpetuates a lie that the Mormon Church has never been racist and fully accepts “MIXED RACE MARRIAGES.”

MIXED RACE MARRIAGES

     What did Brigham Young say about mixed race marriages?

     “Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so.” (Journal of Discourses Vol. 10, p.110)

     Do you see the deception?  The Mormon Church is in utter denial of its past. You can say, “Well, men of other Christian Churches made racial statements over the years.”  You’re absolutely right; however, the Mormon Church says its leaders are God’s Oracles on earth and have the “Right, the Power, and the Authority to declare the mind and the will of God,” and the Lord will never permit them to lead you astray.  No one else says that.  This article clearly show that the Mormon Prophets and Apostles weren’t led by God; rather, they are simply sinful men led by their environment and egos.

PREJUDICIAL STATEMENTS

     In an interview with LOOK Magazine on October 22, 1963, the 10th Mormon Prophet, Joseph Fielding Smith, said:

     “I would not want you to believe that we bear any animosity toward the Negro.  ‘Darkies’ are wonderful people, and they have their place in our church.”  (Mormonism 101, p. 233)
    
     The 3rd Mormon Prophet, John Taylor, said blacks were the Devil’s representatives on earth:

     “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 representative upon the earth as well as God;” (Journal of Discourses, Vol 22, p. 304)

     The 2nd Mormon Prophet, Brigham Young, said:

     “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 Essential Brigham Young, p.132)

     Brigham Young’s First Counselor, George A. Smith said this:

     “There is not a man, from the President of the United States to the Editors of their sanctorums, clear down to the low-bred letter-writers in this Territory, but would rob the coppers from a dead nigger’s eyes, if they had a good opportunity.”  (Journal of Discourses, Vol 5, p. 110)

     Mormonism today promotes a story that the Church was opposed to slavery. NOT TRUE. Joseph Smith, the founding Prophet of Mormonism, said the Church was opposed to setting the Negro free:

“Thirteenth-‘Are the Mormons Abolitionists?’
“No, unless delivering the people from priestcraft, and the priests from the power of Satan, should be considered abolition.  But we do not believe in setting the negroes free.” (History of the Church, Vol 3, p 29)

     The Mormon Church today is deceitful about its position on slavery in the past. In an article in the Church’s official magazine the “Ensign,” April 1996, titled “Shepherding in Mississippi’s Jackson Stake,” under the subheading “No Prejudice Within These Walls,” we see the deception by the use of the word “continues”, thus inferring a non-slavery position was always held by the Church:

     “More than a century ago, the United States was ripped apart over the issue of slavery.  But today the restored gospel continues to be a healing balm and force for mutual understanding and unity among members of all races and backgrounds. They attend church together, worshipping and learning about love, service, and Heavenly Father’s plan for them.” (Ensign, Apr. 1996, p. 40)

     Brigham Young (B.Y.) in an interview with abolitionist Horace Greely (H.G.), Editor of the New York Tribune, at Salt Lake City, on July 13, 1859 said this:

“H.G. – What is the position of your church with respect to slavery?”
“B.Y. – We consider it of DIVINE INSTITUTION, and not to be abolished until the curse pronounced on Ham shall have been removed from his descendants.”
“H.G. – Are there SLAVES now held in this territory?”
“B.Y. – THERE ARE.”
“H.G. – Do your territorial laws uphold slavery?”
“B.Y. – Those laws are printed – you can read them for yourself.”

(Interview reprinted in the Salt Lake Tribune, Aug. 15, 1993)

     Slavery in America was anything but a “DIVINE INSTITUTION” as Brigham told Horace Greely.  Our ministry has a copy of those laws – The Act of Organizing the Territory of Utah, dated 1852.  Beginning on page 80 and running through page 82 “An Act in Relation to Service,” which lays out the law for slavery in Utah.

     Utah was the only territory in the Western United States that allowed slavery, and it was drawn up by a legislature that was made up of 100 percent Mormon men.  The Mormon Church is trying its best to promote an image of universal acceptance of all men as equals. The Mormon Church may have changed its position in allowing blacks to hold the Mormon Priesthood and enter their temples to perform the ordinances they believe are required to becomes Gods; however, the teachings that blacks are an inferior race and have been cursed with a black skin because of their actions in the “Pre-existence” have not changed, and are still part of Mormon Theology!

     No other doctrine of Mormonism more clearly shows the contradictions between present and past Mormon Prophets and Apostles. These men were not, are not, “Called of God.”

     This article clearly shows the prejudicial Mormon teaching on the African race and how today they are promoting a two faced position towards blacks, while retaining those false prejudicial teachings in their theology.   The Mormon Church is a false religion and is absolutely not Biblical in its beliefs and is NOT JUST ANOTHER CHRISTIAN RELIGION! Mormonism is a religion promoting itself as Christian and needs to be exposed!!

(underlining, bolding and sustained capitalization emphasis throughout the article is mine)

© Copyright 2013 Rocky Hulse—Permission granted to reproduce for non-commercial purposes, provided text is not changed and this copyright notice is included.