Indian Placement Program - New Perpectives

[RubinHighlander]

So this topic was tackled a bit last year:
viewtopic.php?f=5&t=320&p=3503&hilit=pl ... gram#p3503

But the podcast yesterday on Radio West took a look at it from two perspectives: A professor of history TBM and native American professor.

http://radiowest.kuer.org/post/mormons- ... nt-program

I thought the TBM was pretty objective and transparent in his views, but still a bit skewed in his conclusions by his LDS perspective. The Native American professor offered good opposing perspectives to offset that.

Based on what I knew before listening to this podcast, I was not aware of how the effort to convert the natives had lost so much momentum then was rekindled with fervor by SWK and opposed by Mark E Peterson.

It was interesting for me that this podcast came up when it did, because just the night prior I was watching Big Love, the episode where Bill Paxton is trying to ink a deal with a Native American tribe and is getting drilled about the doctrines in the BOM that talk about the Lamanites being cursed but becoming a "white and delight some people." Here's the clip:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvoM3Vg ... e=youtu.be

Tom Hanks definitely did some good research for a lot of the little nuggets he adds to the series.

Anyone else catch the podcast?

[Gatorbait]

First of all, I think that the Indian Placement Program was born of good intentions. President Kimball was doing his best to do what the Book of Mormon asked him and the LDS church to do.

When President Kimball died, so died the Indian/Lamanite programs. The reason? Return on investment. The Indians did not offer anything for the church in the way of moola. Okay- call me anything you'd like- I got this straight from one of the chief accountants for the church.

Lamanite Seminary- gone.
Lamanite missions- gone.
Lamanite anything at BYU or anywhere else? Where'd ya go? G o n e -gone. Out a here.

The placement program was set up to help fulfill the Book of Mormon promises, that they would be "white" and delightsome, that they would blossom as a rose- and that they would build the temple in Jackson County Missouri....remember that? Another poor return on investment....g o n e. No more talk of the temple there. Now why is that?

I've rambled enough....(sigh)

[moksha]

Did Elder Mark E. Peterson oppose that effort based on not wanting to displace the Native American culture or because it was in accord with his general beliefs on not race-mixing?

[RubinHighlander]

Did Elder Mark E. Peterson oppose that effort based on not wanting to displace the Native American culture or because it was in accord with his general beliefs on not race-mixing?

I'm guessing he was racist...

https://archive.org/stream/RaceProblems ... 0/mode/2up

“Think of the Negro, cursed as to the Priesthood. Are we prejudiced against him? Unjustly, sometimes we are accused of having such a prejudice. But what does the mercy of God have for him? This negro, who, in the pre-existence lived the type of life which justified the Lord in sending him to the earth in the lineage of Cain with a black skin, and possibly being born in darkest Africa—if that negro is willing when he hears the gospel to accept it, he may have many of the blessings of the gospel. In spite of all he did in the pre-existent life, the Lord is willing, if the Negro accepts the gospel with real, sincere faith, and is really converted, to give him the blessings of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. If that Negro is faithful all his days, he can and will enter the celestial kingdom. He will go there as a servant, but he will get a celestial resurrection. He will get a place in the celestial glory.”

--Elder Peterson

[Korihor]

Did Elder Mark E. Peterson oppose that effort based on not wanting to displace the Native American culture or because it was in accord with his general beliefs on not race-mixing?

I'm guessing he was racist...

It's not Bro Petersons fault he was born privileged white. He was just doing what God told him to do. He was just following the rules.

Racists don't call identify as racist. Elitists don't consider themselves elite. They are a product of their environment.

[Corsair]

My grandparents had a Navajo young woman live with them for a while back in the late 60s based on the Indian Placement Program. I met her long after she had finished high school and was in the work force. She was nice and seemed to have had a good experience living with my grandparents.

When President Kimball died, so died the Indian/Lamanite programs. The reason? Return on investment. The Indians did not offer anything for the church in the way of moola. Okay- call me anything you'd like- I got this straight from one of the chief accountants for the church.

This is interesting. Basic platitudes like "tender mercies", "hastening the work", and "doubt your doubts" are cheap to deliver so I hardly count them. What can we infer about the serious cash outlays based on current LDS policies? Here is what I see:

• Temple building(admittedly slowing down)
• A grudging new policy of historical transparency
• Retaining the youth through:
  • family history work
  • proxy baptisms
  • lowering the mission age

Am I missing anything?