LDS and Caucasian Americans

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I was reading this parapraph and something caught my eye. It remined me of something I read a few years ago before I joined the LDS church but did not pay much attention to.

*The Mormon apostle Mark E. Petersen gave a talk at Brigham Young University in 1954 concerning race relations. Here are select parts of that talk:

“Is there reason then why the type of birth we receive in this life is not a reflection of our WORTHINESS OR LACK OF IT in the pre-existent life?..can we account in any other of way for the birth of some of the children of God in darkest AFRICA, or in flood-ridden CHINA, or among the starving hordes of INDIA, while some of the rest of us are born here in the United States? We cannot escape the conclusion that because of performance in our pre-existence some of us are born as Chinese, some as Japanese, some as Indians, some as Negroes, some as Americans, some as Latter-day Saints. THESE ARE REWARDS AND PUNISHMENTS, fully in harmony with His established policy in dealing with SINNERS AND SAINTS, rewarding all according to their deeds…*

I know a thread was closed that was talking about the LDS church and race. But what caught my eye in the paragraph was that Peterson puts down Indians, Negroes, and then Americans and then LDS.

So is he saying even “white” Americans born in the U.S.A. who were not born in an LDS family were not as brave in the pre-life as those born into an LDS family? So since I was not born into an LDS family Peterson thinks I was not as brave or did not do something as special as those born in an LDS family? So I should be happy I was born white but sad because I was not born in an LDS family? Hmm, what did I do in the pre-life that got me cursed on this earth? This is depressing. I thought I was a great warrior in the pre-life. Now I find I was not as great as the saints. Disappointing.
 
Jesus teaches the falseness about such systems, by healing the blind man, who was considered cursed by God for something his parents did. By teaching us to love our neighbor as ourselves, which tells us, this Mormon caste system has no value or virtue. So let it go, you don’t need it and it is has no truth.
 
This kind of goes along with the “is LDS a North American religion” thread.
 
The mods can move it then if they want. But I’ve read other discussions by LDS where it was asked if those born in LDS families were born to them because they were “special” in the pre-life. From that paragraph I get the feeling Peterson is saying that.
 
Obviously, you have qualms about the teachings of the LDS Church. Why do you stick to this religion? Look in your heart, do you really think Joseph Smith was a true prophet of God? He claimed the Book of Mormon was the truest book ever written, but all evidence shows it is the falsest.

Brother, open your heart to the Holy Spirit and let the Truth of Jesus Christ come into your life.
 
TikiTokiguy said:
The mods can move it then if they want. But I’ve read other discussions by LDS where it was asked if those born in LDS families were born to them because they were “special” in the pre-life. From that paragraph I get the feeling Peterson is saying that.
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No I don’t think it should be moved just wanted to note that it not only touched on the race issue but also on the idea of LDS as a US-centric religion.
I think it’s obvious that Peterson was saying that those born white and, LDS in the US were special in the “pre-life”. And he does so with rather inflammatory language “darkest Africa” “hordes of India”, really nice stuff from and “apostle”:rolleyes:
 
(Rom 10:12 RSV) For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; the same Lord is Lord of all and bestows his riches upon all who call upon him.
(Rom 10:13 RSV) For, “every one who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”

I thought that the verses above were relevant to this discussion.
 
TikiTokiguy said:
The mods can move it then if they want. But I’ve read other discussions by LDS where it was asked if those born in LDS families were born to them because they were “special” in the pre-life. From that paragraph I get the feeling Peterson is saying that.
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I agree; the implication seems to be that. Remember that the church puts all people into one of three catagories: members, potential converts, and anti-Mormons. Mormons “born in the covenant” are likely to be more noted in the church, especially those who are descended from early church leaders, but I don’t know that it affects their callings or positions held.
 
People had a way of talking in those days…

We have to keep focused on the universality of faith that Christ came to bring salvation to all…
 
I am very thankful that the TRUE God, unlike the lds god, is not a racist
 
TikoTokiGuy, I kept a homily from 2008, when Auxilary Bishop Joseph Perry was visiting our parish, and gave the homily. It was on the Baptism of the Lord, and tied to Martin Luther King day. This is one part:
In the second reading assigned for today [Acts 10:34-43] , God’s acknowledgment of us comes without distinction or partiality regarding gender, ethnicity or social status. This in fact is a piece of good news. Early Christians also reached out in caring and service to others without exception. “God chose no partiality”, admitted Peter the Apostle in the house of Cornelius the gentile. The natural consequences of that sudden piece of insight required that the other disciples do likewise.

This is the testament of a figure like Martin Luther King, whose observance begins all over this country, and even beyond, next week attached to his birth date. “God chose no partiality”. A question being, how does this enunciation of faith trickle down to our social relations with one another, in all aspects?

The Church was a brand new idea in that time. People looked upon us with askance for we were a motley crew, a collection of working class people, the poor, and the well to do. We were the slaves as well as the free. We were people of other languages and backgrounds, mixed together in the same room. How unconscionable. But the Church dealt with people anew, unlike the conventional patterns of prejudice, separation and discrimination found in the human condition. Nevertheless, the mandate of acting without partiality continues to challenge the Christian community. In the beginning that challenge required people who came to Christ through the Jewish faith, with circumcision, to accept those who did not come from that direction, namely the gentiles. People with different shaped noses, different colored eyes, and different hues of skin.

Today that challenge still requires sincere believers to extend a welcome to others that admits of no exception. Today of course it’s not a matter of circumcision or not, Jewish faith or not. Today it’s often a matter of ethnic and racial origin, a language I don’t understand, opportunity and lack thereof; the typical stumbling blocks toward a more positive humanity in our time.

If we dare friends to accept this new mandate of Christ as it stands, this requires of us an entirely new way of thinking. This requires of us a looking at others as God sees them, and a totally new manner of dealing with others that supersedes all our preconceptions, our prejudices and fears.
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The LDS teachings you have brought up in this thread are contrary to all that Christ taught, in His words and His actions. LDS teach contrary to Christ as though God does show partiality, as some sort of “divine order”. It is easy to see that this teaching contains no truth.

Praise God, that your eyes have been opened. 🙂
 
Instead of “Caucasion American,” I prefer the term “Cracker American.”
 
Returning_Home said:
Instead of “Caucasion American,” I prefer the term “Cracker American.”
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Hey, mister, I don’t mean to tell tales out of school,
but there’s a fella in there’ll pay you $10 if you sing into his can.

I’m not hear to make a record, you dumb cracker.
They broadcast me on the radio.

That’s Governor Menelaus “Pappy” O’Daniel.
He’d sure like it if you ate his farina and voted him a second term.
 
I just picked up The Confessions by Augustine at the library. I read he was born in North Africa. So if he lived in the 1830’s or so, and wanted to join the LDS church, he would not be allowed to because of his possible skin color? St. Augustine not allowed to be a Saint? And then if they let him he would have to take four or five or ten wives? Hmm, I wonder what Augustine thinks of the LDS church.
 
TikiTokiguy said:
I just picked up The Confessions by Augustine at the library. I read he was born in North Africa. So if he lived in the 1830’s or so, and wanted to join the LDS church, he would not be allowed to because of his possible skin color? St. Augustine not allowed to be a Saint? And then if they let him he would have to take four or five or ten wives? Hmm, I wonder what Augustine thinks of the LDS church.
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Tiki,

You can’t possibly be LDS if you believe that it was a requirement that people live polygamy to be a member in good standing. It never was a requirement. Also, black people were always allowed to join the LDS Church. They were refused the priesthood however.

To answer your question, we don’t know if St Augustine was black or Caucasian like Egyptians or Libyans. If he was black then he would have not been allowed to be a priesthood holder.

Augustine views the LDS faithful like he views Muslims, Jehovah Witnesses, Buddhists and any other group that does not have the fullness of truth. He honors the good they do and prays for their full conversion.
 
Oh wow, I’m getting revelations like crazy tonight! I just remembered a talk I had in a guys homes before I joined the church. He’s a nice guy and former Bishop, but anyway - he was telling me LDS members have been known to have a glow about them, their personality. It’s like you can look at someone and that person just glows, something is unusual about him or her, they glow!

Now I’m sad. I guess I don’t glow. This is depressing. I don’t glow. Dang it. How do I get that glow anyway? Is it marriage? Is that it? That’s it isn’t it? I have to get married! That’s it! I have to be married! I’ll join five online dating sites like I did last year and drive myself crazy trying to find a wife just to please the LDS God. 🙂
 
TikiTokiguy said:
Oh wow, I’m getting revelations like crazy tonight! I just remembered a talk I had in a guys homes before I joined the church. He’s a nice guy and former Bishop, but anyway - he was telling me LDS members have been known to have a glow about them, their personality. It’s like you can look at someone and that person just glows, something is unusual about him or her, they glow!

Now I’m sad. I guess I don’t glow. This is depressing. I don’t glow. Dang it. How do I get that glow anyway? Is it marriage? Is that it? That’s it isn’t it? I have to get married! That’s it! I have to be married! I’ll join five online dating sites like I did last year and drive myself crazy trying to find a wife just to please the LDS God. 🙂
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Don’t they store alot of nuclear waste in utah?

I’m just sayin…🤷
 
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