Quetzalcoatl, white gods, and the book of mormon by brant a. The book of mormon tells of a violent struggle between. And it will work for you too, no matter how loathsome, filthy, idle, or abominable you are, or how dark your skin may be. What does the word skin mean in the book of mormon? Black vs. -- 1830 book of mormon white was changed to delightsome to try to soften the obvious racism of this prophecy. His people and fellow converts then took their new kings name upon themselves alma 23:17; 24:3. 331 An icon of white supremacy, says blum, who cowrote his book with paul. Other commentators have tried to downplay the charge of racism against the book of mormon by differentiating between the curse god spoke upon the lamanites. Church drops dark and skin of blackness from lamanite. Were the nephites brown-skinned? When the book of mormon speaks of skin color, is it literal or a metaphor? Actual or symbolism? The book of mormon narrator records that the lamanites accepted the nephites religion; upon returning to the abrahamic covenant, their skin became white. The book of mormon is a volume of holy scripture comparable to the bible. The mormon church no longer believes that dark skin is a punishment. Be it known unto all nations, kindreds, tongues, and people, unto whom this work shall come: that we, through the. The mormon church has altered the wording of a prophecy about indians so that it no longer says native americans will develop white skin. The book of mormon also states that a mark of dark skin came upon the lamanites after the nephites separated from them. Who are the lamanites? The introduction to the current book of mormon maintains that the lamanites are the principal ancestors of the american indians. The indians, 1880-120, is not a book about indian education per se.
Thus, in this case, white was changed to pure, on revelation to do it, because the sense had become interpreted that their skin would change color. Gardner first publshed in the blog rational faiths, jan. It is a record of gods dealings with ancient inhabitants of the americas and contains the fulness of the everlasting gospel. 774 The book of mormon, viewed as sacred text by church members, promises that lamanites, who were cursed with dark skin, will become white. The book of mormon never describes the return of the curse of black skin upon the nephites and the lamanites. Why wont hear mitt romney talking about jesuss skin color. Yet another reason to silence the real history of the. Some mormons insist that this was a clarification since the word was never meant to refer to a person with dark skin pigmentation who would magically turn white based upon a conversion to the mormon gospel; rather, it is claimed that the change referred to a cleaner state of heart. The skins of lamanites who join the nephites became white. In part 1 we explore scriptures in that discuss skin color in both the book of mormon and the bible. When the text of the book of mormon describes a skin of. Q: why did the book of mormon nephites find the dark skin of the lamanites unattractive? Very obviously in black and white in 2 nephi 5:21. Curse of canaan colonial and antebellum biblical hermeneutics shared with the book of mormon the idea that a dark skin was a curse from god for sinfulness. Old version: because of their unbelief, the lamanites are cursed, receive a skin of blackness, and become a scourge to the nephites. It is said that god cursed the lamanites with black. The very fact that a native american people would have a bearded caucasian deity has led to widespread speculation about who might have been the real person about. Respecting skin color, only in alma is the word mark found in the book of mormon alma 3:6, 7, 10, 1416.
The salt lake city-based lds church edition of the book of mormon taught that dark-skinned lamanites. 3the book of mormon is, according to mormon beliefs, the history of. The edit made by joseph smith in 1840 in which this phrase was changed to pure and delightsome. 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 turned white has been used to justify additional racial discriminatory theories. Because they were considered descendants of ham and cursed with dark skin. Alma 3:6 and jacob 3:5 still make it clear that the dark skin of the lamanites was a curse. The book of mormon makes it clear that the color of ones skin has no bearing on ones status as a righteous or sinful person. The lds version of the king james bible and the book of mormon help us to. The phrases describe a previous condition and its succeeding condition, pivoting upon causation. In the book of mormon, not the musical but the actual sacred text dark skin is a sign of gods curse, while white skin is a sign of his. Mormon, which describes a curse of a skin of blackness that came upon the. Chapter one: the book of mormon: a whiteuniversal gospel. 1024 While the book of mormon states that god denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free 2 nephi 26:33, it still embraces a racist concept that dark skin is a curse from god. In 178, apostle legrand richards clarified that the curse of dark skin for wickedness and promise of white skin through righteousness only applied to indians, and not to black people.
And the gospel of jesus christ shall be declared among them and their scale of darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes; and many. I think this view is directly contradicted by the text of the book of mormon, and one of the clearest moments is in alma 3. We cover that in the posts above, and leaders from the church confirmed that until it became untenable following the 178 lifting of the priesthood ban. Returned to the church, their skin could once again become white. 671 The lord covenanted with enos to bring forth the book of mormon to the lamanites, enos 1:1516. At the time that this statement was made by elder kimball, the book of mormon did indeed say white and delightsome. About 30 years before the civil war by a bunch of white farmers. Since our ministry works with many former members of the mormon church, we know very well that most mormons are not racist. Yet, in over 180 years of changing many other parts of the book of mormon, the mormon. Nephi, the son of helaman, declared to the nephites, for behold, thus saith the lord: i will not show unto the wicked of my strength, to one more than the other, save it be unto those that. There can be no doubt that the curse contained in the book of mormon refers specifically to skin color changing from white to dark, even loathsome. The legend says that the piaute were at war with these giants for generations and that the red haired giants began to decline to a point where they became dog eaters. The book of mormon describes a similar story, identifying the race as the nephites there are tales among the piaute about red haired giants with fair skin in the west. The lamanites were not a white-skinned people when the lds church says that the lamanites are. Its common to hear statements like dark skin is a curse, blacks are cursed. The book of mormon chapter summary, 2 nephi 5, published 181: 1. When the book of mormon speaks of skin color, is it literal or a metaphor? Ancient civilizations such as the egyptians used skin color as a. Yet despite the prominence of native americans in mormon theology. The book of mormon tells us that; and he has a dark skin, but he has promise there that through faithfulness, that they all again become a white and.
The book of mormon teaches lamanites were swept from the land due to unrighteousness. The converted lamanite king renamed his son and successor anti-nephi-lehi. How could the book of mormon be inspired if it supposedly has what many assume to be racist teachingsin this case that having white skin. Skinned race of pre-columbian native americans resurrected as an angel. Were the nephites brown-skinned? When the book of mormon speaks of skin color, is it literal or a metaphor? Actual or symbolism? Ancient civilizations such a. The book of mormon teaches that dark skin is a curse from god, and that as you become good again, your skin will turn back to white. Book of mormon language about skin color: the curse is expressed in two antithetically parallel phrases: as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome the lord god did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them 2 ne. According to the book of mormon, by 385 ad the dark-skinned lamanites. By the same token, a white skin is only relatively so jacob 3:8. Book of mormon language about skin color: the curse is expressed in two antithetically parallel phrases: as they were white, and exceedingly fair and. The mormon belief in black skin being a curse is found in uniquely mormon books they call scripture. Destroyed an ancient white civilization reflect the anthropological speculations of colonial and antebellum america. These books, known as the book of mormon and pearl of great price published by the church of jesus christ of latter-day saints are racist as the list of verses below show. 973 2 nephi 30:6, in the book of mormon, claims that if the bad black people repent, then they too will become white like the good people. Mormon 4:12 even records that these people were the most wicked of any of the tribes of israel mormon 4:12. The current book of mormon warns both groups of people that they should not mix their seed between the blacks and whites or god will curse them. This passage is often quoted relative to the lifting of the curse since the phrase white and delightsome was changed to pure and delightsome in the 1840 and again in the 181 editions of the book of mormon. Garments must be cleansed and made white through blood of christ, alma 5:27 morm.
Several other teachings in the book of mormon speak of black skin as vile and evil and white skin as pure and delightsome. 364 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. A close reading of the book of mormon text makes it untenable to consider that literal skin color was ever. Yet the bible teaches in john 3:16 that god so loved the worldnot just the people with white skin. The book of mormon shall stand as a testimony against the world, ether 5:4. The book of mormon re-centers the story of jesus on the americas, and the faith. Assimilating into white lds society, native american skin would become white. Remember that the mormon version of god is not the god of the bible. The story maintained that the lamanites would not regain white skin and a civilized. Today, the church disavows the theories advanced in the past that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse, or that it reflects. 2014 part i: skin color the aztec deity quetzalcoatl has entered public consciousness as the white god. 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.