new-to-the-show

In "Blacks and the Mormon Priesthood", Martins talks about a lot of the different reasons people give for blacks not having the priesthood. He delves into the folklore. Essentially by the end he admits that he doesn't know why blacks didn't get the priesthood, because none of the reasons given don't make much sense. That blacks are all descendants of Cain and therefore unworthy doesn't follow any other principle in the gospel, that is was a practice that the Lord allowed doesn't seem to fit with the callings of prophets, seers, and revelators who speak to God daily, and that the white members of the church weren't ready doesn't match Heavenly Father not being a respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). We don't know why, and I for one will believe Martins because he's the first black missionary.

"I suspect you mean gentiles." Oops. Yes. Thank you. Christ avoided the Gentiles until the time was right.

I don't think this has to be a big deal. When Christ was on the earth he said not to give the priesthood to the Gentiles, and even to not preach to them. The priesthood has been banned due to skin color or race, or culture, before and having it in the last century should be no big deal. Some people may view it as racist old men, but it's God, and God's ways are not man's ways (Isaiah 55:8). God is the same today, tomorrow, and yesterday (Hebrew 13:8) and will not change because of man. What may be perceived as 'racism' is not if it's God. He decided when it would change, and change it did eventually. If you believe in the Bible then there is no issue here.