Am I racist if……
Thanks for helping me understand where I need improvement. I desire to eliminate all vestiges of racism that exist in my being.
**As of 11:00pm, CST, 58 survey responses. 61%: Racist. 39% Not Racist. Dang. I was hoping I was less racist than that.
**As of 12:00am, CST 8/31/16: 167 responses. 65% Racist. 35% Not Racist. Looks like I’m getting more racist as time goes on.
Tocubit Is Invisible's Cubit 
Hmm. I find this a bit hard to fill out. I do see a bit of difference between someone that holds these beliefs and someone that is racist. I do think there are a very few people that could hold on to these teachings in one hand, and then go out and serve every fellow man with equal effort. But for the vast majority – as in almost all – individuals, holding those now debunked gospel teachings influences how you see and then how you treat others.
I would say it even occurs on a different level. Take how your average member looks at someone that has left the church vs never been a member. Generally those that have been a member and left are significantly looked down upon as really “failing”. Consider how someone that studies with the missionaries for 3 years, even attending meetings, and never joins vs. someone that joins quickly and then after 3 years of activity decides it isn’t for them/they don’t believe in the church teachings. Those two individuals are viewed very differently because of how we think about them.
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“Now debunked gospel teachings.” Where have they been debunked? When have they been debunked? Have any been addressed in general conference? Has there ever been a Sunday School class or of priesthood class on debunking these beliefs?
Maybe I don’t listen closely, but I don’t remember any of these issues being debunked in a talk or lesson, on a general, ward or stake level. At our first Sunday School lesson this year, the instructor asked the question, what are some of the unique teachings of the Book of Mormon not found in the Bible. I immediately thought, “The Indians have dark skin because of the wickedness of their fathers.” I didn’t dare say it. I’m pretty sure that belief hasn’t been debunked.
When I was growing up, we were taught that the Indians’ skin would eventuraally turn white. In fact, President Kimball said that children in the LDS Indian school had already changed a few degrees whiter than their non-member families back on the reservation. Has his statement and teaching been debunked?
Happy Hubby, as always I love your comments and insight. Thanks!
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Well in MY MIND they are debunked. When I read the essay on the subject closely I see that Brigham Young is thrown under the bus as starting the policy against blacks (and I agree that he was just normal for his time – just as President Monson is normal for not being accepting of gays for someone his age). I don’t see it actually stating that the BAN was not of God, but the theories of explaining the ban were incorrect. I do think the essay was written so that someone that gives it a quick read will come off saying, “Brigham Young made a mistake – we are all human, Nothing here – move along folks.” I can see many people doing just that and being able to say, “see – we are not bigots and that is all in our past.” That does not explain why one of my good friends in the church that is black was told in the very temple you and I go to that, “You don’t belong here” by a temple worker only a handful of years ago. I both wish I had been in earshot of that and glad I wasn’t. I at LEAST would have whispered into that temple worker’s ear, “F@#$% YOU!” (I don’t think I have used that word out loud since I was a teenager) and I am worried I would have done WORSE. But just to show you want a great person my friend is, it was just water off a duck’s back to him. This is probably because he has had to deal with racism all his life and this was nothing new.
And to your question of “have they been debunked?” Certainly not officially. In studying church history the MO of the church seems to be on many items, “Just stop talking about them and after a while they will fade into oblivion.” I think this is one reason Elder Benson said, “a living prophet always trumps a dead prophet.” I don’t think it is that easy if you are to believe the current prophet is telling you “the truth.” As an example, if you go back into the 60’s you can see conference talks adamantly saying, “The man is the head of the home and any uppity wives need to get in line” and then by the 80’s it is all “we are equal but the man presides.” If the 1960’s talk was given again in 2 months in general conference, it would raise eyebrows and be seen as retrenchment on conservative 1950’s views of marriage. The Internet has changed that game of “just stop talking about it” and not only will it not work now – it is undoing this for past times where it was used. Many are shocked at what our church has taught and previous practices (I just found out that for a LONG time garments were only worn when you go to the temple, not everyday. WOW!)
I wish the two of us could be in the same SS class sitting way back in the corner so we could say some of these comments. I find that generally many of the classes on Sunday to be boring (same old correlated stuff for 40+ years), often frustrating (like you experienced wanting to say what is on your mind, but knowing the reaction), and only occasionally touching my heart. It is getting harder each week to attend and I do feel I am going to have to step away a bit or I will become an angry ex-mo. I do NOT want to become that.
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They weren’t debunked – they were swept into the Memory Hole.
So is this just a hypothetical sort of question? I rarely run into people who still believe the race/priesthood thing.
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