![]() |
Quote:
|
Jeff, would you include as folklore the explanation "the membership just wasn't ready for that yet"? I think that's the most prevalent explanation today, and I'd list it as folklore right up there with Cain and the Fence Sitter doctrine. The main difference being that the latter were espoused by GA's and the former has grown out of a lack of any explanation.
|
Guys, how do you think the typical member views or interprets Moses 7:22? I would be very pleased if most people were interpreting it in a figurative way or at least with the understanding that it doesn't apply to Africans in anyway way at all but must admit I am a little skeptical.
|
Quote:
|
I should be clear; I am not accusing the typical member of racism. At least not more racist than most groups. Jeff correct me if I am wrong, but I think the Mauss article found that Mormons were less likely to be racist using standard sociological survey questions.
|
Quote:
More likely than not, their first question will be, "If the folklore wasn't the reason for the priesthood ban, what was?" My guess is that the response is "racism," which probably wouldn't be a particularly helpful response. |
Jeff, an important point on this is that I believe a minority group gets to decide what is offensive or hurtful to them. The majority group doesn't get to tell the minority group to shut up and stop complaining about petty things. So if this was deemed very important by a group of LDS then I would be inclined to agree and to give them what they want. That would probably override my comment earlier that by apologizing formally you could bring more attention to the issue and make things worse.
|
Quote:
My wife's uncle died recently and over the holidays her aunt invited me to raid his bookshelves. He was a scientist and served a mission in Africa before the 1978 decision. The choicest score I landed from his shelf was Mormonism and the Negro by John J. Stewart (ninth [!] printing). [http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listi...810158&sr=1-4] While many of Stewart's ideas were evidently proven incorrect when the ban was lifted, his ideas and William Berrett's supplement (Berrett was VP of the BYU) bespeak a carefully constructed rationale for the systematic denial of the priesthood to black members. This rationale isn't just going to disappear, IMO. |
The notion that "God" allowed blacks to finally receive the priesthood per a revelation he gave to SWK ensures that most LDS will continue to regard blacks the same as they did before 1978. The first order of business is to renounce any claim to revelation.
|
Dare I say, the reason they don't explain it, because they believe the average member will lose respect for general authorities as a result.
And nothing could be more dangerous, they believe. A chink in their armor is much worse than millions dwindling in unbelief. That is the calculus. And it pisses me off. |
All times are GMT. The time now is 06:23 PM. |
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.2
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.