LDS racism/LDS sexism

[Sleeping in EQ]

I'm not eager to expunge those passages. Instead, I'd teach them as lessons in human frailty and ignorance (the opposite of what they have been used for). They can be powerful reminders of what not to do--sort of like the entire book of Judges.

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

Sage is just a nice term for a wrinked old fart.

Don't get in the habit of it, or he will change his mind to spite you.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by Archaea

Don't get in the habit of it, or he will change his mind to spite you.

Sage advice.

[SeattleUte]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

I'm not eager to expunge those passages. Instead, I'd teach them as lessons in human frailty and ignorance (the opposite of what they have been used for). They can be powerful reminders of what not to do--sort of like the entire book of Judges.

LOL.

I tried to board mail you but you're mailbox is full. Get organized!

[Sleeping in EQ]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

LOL.

I tried to board mail you but you're mailbox is full. Get organized!

If you only knew...

[Burning Bright]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

After the NRA the LDS church may be the most powerful monolithic organization representing socially conservative interests in the United States (small wonder the symbiosis between it and the troubled BSA). Like all religions, the LDS Church is a time capsule of the age and place in which it was born. (Ultimately, this may be the most interesting thing about religion, its place as a window to our past.) For better and worse, the LDS Church has been, at its core, a mosaic of nineteenth century America's values, beliefs and superstitions. Racism was a stain that marked nineteenth and twentieth American culture, especially in the hinterlands. We fought a terrible civil war and have endured civil strife in our major cities over racism. Likewise, Mormon theology and culture has been marked by the ugly stain of racism. Folks engage in silly sophistry distinguishing between the priesthood ban as "doctrine" (as if the LDS Church had any coherent and definitive statement of doctrine any place) or "policy," but there remain racist passages in the Book of Mormon as well as the Pearl of Great Price. One would hope that one day these will be expunged. So you see, the racism has been there from the beginning, and Mormonism's institutional racism and apartheid have been emblematic of such evils in our larger culture, just as Mormonism's virtues have been emblematic of many of greater American culture's virtues.

So it should make sense that the LDS Church is a profoundly sexist organization. The sexism goes hand in hand with the racism. Like racism and polygamy, sexism is a vestige of dark, primitive times. I hope the beacon of enlightenment will continue to shine ever brighter in America, inexorably forcing the LDS Church to amend those of its values that are backward and wrong. As we've seen since last Sunday, re-affirming those backward views from the highest pulpit will not tame the disenchanted. Maybe future generations will argue about whether Sister Beck's dogma was "doctrine" or "policy."

You say "sexist" like it's a bad thing?

[ERCougar]

Originally Posted by SeattleUte

Folks engage in silly sophistry distinguishing between the priesthood ban as "doctrine" (as if the LDS Church had any coherent and definitive statement of doctrine any place) or "policy," but there remain racist passages in the Book of Mormon as well as the Pearl of Great Price. One would hope that one day these will be expunged.

I agree that the Church has a long history of racism. However, to my understanding, the early Church was decidedly non-racist. In fact, some of the church's early difficulties with the settlers in Missourri stemmed from their New England abolitionist roots (and teachings). It's not difficult to find a multitude of quotes by JS and BY and others on the evils of slavery. I know JS ordained at least one black man to the priesthood. (Interestingly, Mormons were quite progressive in the nineteenth century in regards to equal rights for women as well--wasn't Utah the first state to allow women the right to vote?).

Anyway, I'm curious what passages you're referring to in the BOM and Pearl of Great Price that are racist?