Mormonism and racial issues

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Mormonism and racial issues


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Blacks and the priesthood

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Brigham Young

Summary: Brigham Young made a number of statements related to race which are quite offensive by 21st Century standards. These articles examine some of these statements.

Mark E. Peterson claims that Blacks become servants in heaven

Summary: Elder Mark E. Peterson said, " 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."

Maher claims that blacks go to heaven as slaves

Summary: Bill Maher said, "...[I]n the [19]50s, the Mormons preached that the only way a black man could get into heaven was as a slave." It is unknown exactly what Maher was using as the source of such a comment, as it has never been a doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ that blacks would enter heaven only as slaves. It is possible, however, that Maher misread and was referring to an address given by Elder Mark E. Petersen at Brigham Young University on 27 August 1954.

Racial statements by Church leaders

Summary: Why did past prophets make racist statements? God had already revealed to Peter that he should not call anything "common" that God had cleansed (Acts 10:9-16), yet some modern-day prophets thought that blacks were inferior to whites; why is that?