Skin of Blackness Discussion

[Mormorrisey]

So, Sis. M and I had an interesting discussion about this last night, and it bled into today. Basically I told her that the BOM was racist, the priesthood policy was racist, and this is why, in the come follow me manual, they are talking about the curse being removed from God's presence, instead of black skin. When clearly, the BOM is talking about black skin. It was a calm, rational and interesting discussion. She mused why the church isn't talking about this more in the come follow me manual or in the Ensign. I basically stated that it would be a tough discussion, because basically they have to disavow prophets like Brigham Young, Heber Grant, and others, who were convinced that the "curse of Cain" was actually real, and this was the reason for the whole blacks and the priesthood ban. That they can't do. "Why?" Sis. M queried. Because, I said, that opens the door for people like me, who not only see that prophets back then were wrong, but maybe prophets today are wrong about issues dealing with gender and the priesthood, gay marriage and the temple, etc. She just said, "Hmm," and that was that.

As a result, I didn't go to Sunday School today. Literally, as a gift to my wife, that I would not speak out if I heard something stupid. Luckily, according to Sis. M, the teacher didn't even go there in the lesson, so it didn't matter if I went or not. But I think it was a good decision. One hour church rocks!

In any event, for those still stuck going, anybody hear anything interesting? Any old guard people supporting the old skin of blackness ideal?

[Mackman]

Our Sunday school class was very interesting and the teacher who is also a public school teacher was attempting all kinds of mental gymnastics, I felt kind of bad for her because it was easy to see it was all racist bullshit !!!!

[Not Buying It]

I was with friends the other night when this subject came up, I kept my mouth shut on my wife's behalf, but they were well comforted by the thought that the curse was not the skin color change, but the separation from God such that they no longer felt the Spirit. Whatever. What they didn't say was the skin color change was just so the Lamanites wouldn't be enticing to the Nephites. See? Not racist at all:

2 Nephi 5:21

21 And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticing unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them.

[moksha]

wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome...

Seems like Joseph was having a glimpse at the Elven folk of Lothlorien rather than a group of Semites.

[Hagoth]

All of the BoM redefining of the words black and white can't erase all of the other stuff, like the BoA Mark O' Cain/priesthood connection, Zelph the White Lamanite, and the statements of PS&Es like Brigham and Kimball. It's just plain racist, folks. They can't apologize for scripture so they point fingers in random, non-specific directions and change the definitions of words that already have perfectly good, although inconvenient, definitions.