AboutBrian Rogers Expertise LDS for over 45 years. Very knowledgable regarding LDS theology and practices, Early Christian history, Biblical inerrancy, etc. active on FAIR private list.
BYU and UoU
Expert: Brian Rogers Date: 3/9/2008 Subject: Questions
Question My family history in the church is prominent, my great grandfather is John D. Lee. My family has called him a martyr for the well-being of the church. What is your stance? Also, I have not been active in the church for more than a decade and I am 23 years old. I have many questions and no one answers me, and if they do it is constantly a different statement. Why wasn't a black man allowed to hold the priesthood until 1978 a decade after the assassination of the great Martin Luther King jr? My father has told me it is because the church has always followed the laws of the land....which i find completely outrageous on many levels. If the church is so right, why can't they break the mold of the rest of the injustices? If they follow the laws of the land, polygamy would have never been instituted. Wine was also partaken in sacrament, and now tea is thought of as wrong...why? Why did Brigham Young state that crossing the seed of black and white were wrong....when my white mormon uncle and my hispanic mormon aunt are married today. I find much shakey stance in the teachings throughout history...and yet the book of mormon never changes context...
Answer Good Evening Devin,
You ask quite a few questions here and I hope to address them all. If I don't, you are welcome to email me personally at brogersclan@gmail.com and we can take a deeper look at your concerns.
I have absolutely no stance on your great grandfather and here is why. I was not alive at the time nor was I there. I am not and will not be his judge, regardless. There was so many extraneous circumstances that are involved with the Mountain Meadows Massacre that I am not familiar with that it is mind boggling. If I recall correctly, there is a new book out or shortly will be out that is alleged to be the latest and best available on the event. It is written by Richard Turley. In fact, Bro. Turley had an article in the Ensign last year, I believe either August or September on the subject. You may want to get a copy of both and get to know your grandfather a little better. But I suggest let the critics criticize and let God judge. There is nothing to gain for you if this is or becomes a personal issue.
To the best of my knowledge, there is no historical information we have that explains why the Church denied the Priesthood to the blacks. And I am not sure if the revelation rescinding the policy is related to MLK assassination or not. I do not recall the timing of MLK death. I have my own personal spin on the subject but it is just that, spin or rationalization on my part. One is that in the Old Testament, only the tribe of Judah was able to hold the priesthood. I do not know why, but whatever the reason, males in the other tribes were denied it, which under the lens we view everything today, it does not seem right or fair. In that case, we know that God did not allow the other tribes to participate in the Priesthood. In our case, we do not know if the policy came from God or not. We simply do not know other than Pres. Kimball did take it to the Lord and pleaded for every worthy male to be able to receive it. I commend Kimball for that. Like you, I do not agree with your father that the Church denied the priesthood to the blacks because of the law of the land. I would like to know what law and how does that law, if any, issued by any government, have jurisdiction over the Church. I don't buy it and I am glad you did not either.
Regarding wine vs water in the Sacrament, I suggest you take another look at D
