AboutMichael Kelley Expertise For a different viewpoint on Mormonism for your questions, try me. I am a staunch believer in the Book of Mormon and belong to another church (the Church of Christ)that is set up identically to the Biblical church. If there are things about traditional Mormonism that trouble you or you have questions about, just ask and you might find the answers from the Book of Mormon to be quite surprising. I have been studying the scriptures diligently for 16 years under the school of hard knocks... I may not have all of the answers but will sure go find them if I don`t. I`m strongest on Biblical and Book of Mormon doctrines, and am also somewhat familiar with Mormon history and archaeology.
Question Are these Mormon scriptures still valid today in the Book of Mormon and The pearl of Great Price?
LDS MORMON SCRIPTURES PREACH that BLACK SKIN is A MARK & A CURSE ->
"...the Lord God did cause a skin of BLACKNESS to come upon them (Book of Mormon 2 Nephi 5:21)."
"And the skins...were DARK,according to the MARK which was set upon their fathers...which WAS A CURSE upon them...(Book of Mormon, Alma 3:6)."
"and the CURSING which hath come upon their skins...(Book of Mormon, Jacob 3:5)."
for this people...shall become a dark, a filthy, and a loathsome people, (Book of Mormon, Mormon 5:15)
"being of the (BLACK AFRICAN)lineage by which he could not have the right of PRIESTHOOD,(Abraham1:26-27)"
24..from (BLACK AFRICAN)Ham,sprang that race which preserved the curse in the land.(Abraham1:23-24)
"..A BLACKNESS came upon all the (BLACK AFRICANS)...of Canaan..(Moses7:8)"
"...seed of Cain were BLACK...(Moses7:22)"
30 And Satan sware unto (BLACK AFRICAN) Cain that he would do according to his commands..(Moses5:28-31)
Also, will you please tell me where the river laman is?
Thank you.
Answer Hi John,
I will be happy to answer your questions, please note that I am ex-LDS and belong to the Church of Christ that believes in the Bible and Book of Mormon (BoM).
Yes, there are a few passages in the BoM that mention a cursing of blackness or possibly darker skin. This was used by God as a tool to separate the two nations that evolved from the seed of Nephi (more righteous) verses the seed of Laman (warlike, idolotrous). This was not necessarily a token of racism but rather a tool to cause a division so that the wicked would not intermingle and overpower the righteous and both be destroyed. This is much like when God confounded the languages at the tower of Babel as a tool to divide the people. There are instances in the BoM where the darker skinned people (Lamanites) were more righteous than the fair skinned peoples and God favored the Lamanites over the Nephites at this time. There is also an account where, because of their wickedness, the fair skinned people were made slaves to the Lamanites. There is even a painted mural found in Mayan ruins that depicts this very thing. It should be noted that the BoM only covers peoples in the Americas, and has nothing whatsoever to do with people from Africa or what are referred to as "Blacks" or "Negros". I believe God does favor or disfavor certain peoples or nations, but solely because of their righteousness or wickedness, no other reason, God is not a respector of persons. There were times when God favored only the Jews, because of His promises to Abraham. This does not mean God was racist against the Samaritans or Gentiles, only that the righteousness of one man pleased God so much that for a time He favored one nation over another. At other times the Jews became wicked and idolotrous and God disfavored them and led them into cruel punishments.
On the other hand, the Pearl of Great Price, which consists of the books of Abraham and Moses, is pure fiction. When Joseph Smith received the plates he was commanded to pretend to no other gift than to translate the BoM because no other gift was to be given. After the BoM was translated the tools used to translate, the Urim and Thummim (mentioned in the Bible) was removed from his possession. In disobedience to this commandment (and others) Smith wanted to remain a great prophet and thus "pretended" to translate other works, one being an Egyptian papyrus into the Pearl of Great Price, however Egyptologists say this papyrus is nothing more than a common Egyptian book of the dead and bears no resemblence to what Smith "pretended" to translate. BTW the revelation that had forbidden any other gift was later altered and changed to allow for additional gifts... so Smith not only disobeyed a direct commandment, but altered a direct revelation from God. Remember what it says in the Book of Revelation about what happens to those who add or take away from God's word. Smith and his followers faced many punishments and ultimately Smith's untimely death for his disobediences, much like what happened to David when he murdered Uriah in the Bible. The Church of Christ officially rejects the Pearl of Great Price and we do not use it as scripture, we also do not use the LDS Doctrine and Covenants, mainly because many of it's revelations were altered from the originals, and contains many doctrines that are opposed by both the Bible and BoM.
As for racism, the BoM strongly opposes any form of racism saying that all are equal in God's eyes, black or white, Jew or Gentile. Ironically in the Book of Jacob the fair skinned Nephites are severely rebuked for their polygamy and racism and were told the unbelieving dark skinned Lamanites were more righteous because they had only one wife! I believe many of the past racist doctrines in the LDS church came soley from Brigham Young who I have no doubt was very racist. He himself is recorded as saying that any couple caught in an interracial relationship was to be put to death on the spot. He also said no Africans were to ever hold a priesthood or political office. If that isn't pure unChristian racism I don't know what is. The Church of Christ has never espoused this and has ordained Africans into our priesthood and in Africa is our fastest growing groups... now probably outnumbering the non-Africans in membership. It is a touchy issue for me because I was led to Christ in an all African church, I was the only white guy there. The LDS have since walked away from their racist doctrines, but yet still Defend Brigham Young and his ways.
I cannot say for a certainty where this river is, there are some of our scholars who have speculated certain rivers in Egypt that seem to be along the path of Lehi's trek through Egypt before they crossed the ocean. Lehi named a river they happened to be passing by after his son in an effort to preach to him (Laman was always rebellious), another man in the future would not know this and obviously would have named the river something else, possibly what said river is called today.
I hope this helps answer your questions, feel free to ask others if you wish.
