EXHIBITS
Blacks & the Priesthood: Conclusion
Array
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[0] => HIST 3770 Spring 2018
[1] => no-show
[2] => student exhibit
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Conclusion
The Doctrine was Racist
Depending on their orthodoxy, today's LDS members might agree or disagree with the argument that the pristhood ban was racist. They might believe, just as leaders of the church did at the time of the ban, that it was doctrinal, not discriminatory. We believe these two factors are connected, though not synonymous with one another. The ban was racist; yet it was rooted in evolved doctrine.
A few main things to keep in mind:
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One can find scriptural evidence to support nearly any claim
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The "curse of Cain" idea was born during the era of American slavery
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The Church was an American institution; pressures regarding the ban grew as the Church went global
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Most members valued (and still value) obedience to the Lord's prophets
"Church News"
In 1978, the LDS Church extended the priesthood to all men regardless of color.1 Today's church members are still often unclear what was motivating the ban. Some people cite the "curse of Cain" as a justified explanation, while others allude to members' racism, saying, "Blacks weren't ready to receive the priesthood, and whites weren't ready to grant the priesthood."
Questions regarding the ban occur frequently enough that the Church released an essay titled "Race and the Priesthood," found under its Gospel Topics page on LDS.org.
View the essay here:
"Race and the Priesthood" Essay
"The Church was established in 1830, during an era of great racial division in the United States. At the time, many people of African descent lived in slavery, and racial distinctions and prejudice were not just common but customary among white Americans. Those realities, though unfamiliar and disturbing today, influenced all aspects of people’s lives, including their religion."2
References
1. "Priesthood Granted to All Nations." Deseret News, 1978. MSS LJAHA 1, Box 40, Folder 7, USUSCA.
2. "Race and the Priesthood." 2016, LDS.org.