Ask a Mormon II

[Schwesterherz]

I'm not a Mormon. I am a religious person who does not go to a church. My cousin is a member of your church. I had often talked with him about your church but he did not know any answer to two questions. These questions are:

1. In the past, why colored persons were not allowed to have the mormon priesthood, and why today in the LDS. It was his answer to it that God would have sent a revelation. I can believe this hardly. So what were the real reasons?

2. What does the LDS have against homosexuals? My cousin thought that already the Bible saw homosexuality as an abomination ( Lev. Chapter 18 ). I have looked at these verses more closely and do not share his opinion. So what are the real reasons?

I would be very pleased about an answer.

[pam]

Have you asked your cousin these questions?

[rameumptom]

Gunter, in your introduction, you said you are a Mormon. Now you say you are not a Mormon. What gives?

As to the priesthood ban on black people, it was initiated by Brigham Young. We believe in revelation, and several prophets over the years have looked into lifting the ban. However, the Lord did not lift the ban. President David O. McKay was very saddened that the Lord told him it was not yet time. When President Kimball and his apostles received the revelation in 1978, several of them described it as a major revelation from God. They were overjoyed by it, and quickly sent out notice to make the changes world-wide. Since 1978, there has not been a ban. We choose now to look forward, grateful for the revelation from God that lifted it, regardless of whether God first instituted it, or Brigham Young.

As for your second question: we believe that God has ordained marriage between man and woman. God has established a pattern of family that will bring the greatest joy, including eternal marriage. Both the Old and New Testament speak out against homosexual behavior. As it is, we believe it is not recognized by God as being part of his pattern of true happiness. Our Church counsels us to be kind and generous to all people, including those with SSA. At the same time, it cannot tolerate any sexual behavior that is contrary to the commandments of God. We love the person, but reject any sins they may commit.

A person cannot help innate tendencies: such as SSA, tendencies towards any other sexual desires, or towards drugs, gambling, etc. These things people are born with. We can determine what our behavior is going to be, though. This is where the Church speaks out against sinful behavior that threatens the concept of eternal families as God has prescribed through revelation. There are many people who struggle with SSA, yet live chaste lives. Many even marry persons of the opposite sex, have children, and lead happy lives - because they find they can still love one person of the opposite sex, while having an attraction to their own gender.

[skippy740]

I'm not a Mormon. I am a religious person who does not go to a church. My cousin is a member of your church. I had often talked with him about your church but he did not know any answer to two questions. These questions are:

1. In the past, why colored persons were not allowed to have the mormon priesthood, and why today in the LDS. It was his answer to it that God would have sent a revelation. I can believe this hardly. So what were the real reasons?

I would be very pleased about an answer.

This thread is all about helping people understand the answers to your questions. In fact, the entire Blacks in the Scriptures DVD series can be viewed online for free. Click on the link below and click on the links in my signature file for more information.

http://www.lds.net/forums/lds-gospel-discussion/45876-scriptures-church-history-racism-blacks-scriptures.html

BTW, it helps to have a testimony that God calls Prophets and Apostles to help with spiritual guidance and revelations. Do you believe in Prophets?

[tubaloth]

2. What does the LDS have against homosexuals?

http://www.lds.org/topics/family-proclamation/

[Wingnut]

Have you asked your cousin these questions?

See here:

My cousin is a member of your church. I had often talked with him about your church but he did not know any answer to two questions.

[pam]

Thanks Wingnut. There was a reason I asked this question again.

[estradling75]

Gunter... you picked the two aspects of our church that people outside the church like point to as proof that we are all intolerant, racist, bigots. But by so doing they they are showing that they simply do not understand us and are showing their own display of bigotry and intolerance for people who choose to live differently then they do.

Now clearly with any large group you are going to have a few that have issues, this is unavoidable but it by no means represent the group as a whole. As a group the LDS Church takes on principle the idea that there is a Loving God that will answer or reveal things to us. (See Joseph Smith?History 1* verse 16 and 17) Its how we got started, it is how we believe we are maintained to this day.

Accepting these principles as true then it becomes easy to see how logically follows that doing that which follows is the best course of action for us. That we stay with God even if the whole world turns against us.

Now others have pointed and touched on the Black and the Priesthood issue I see no reason to re-hash but I would like to point to the aftermath. We have two basic ideas on which the LDS Church could be... We could be as we claim a group that believes in God and that he will reveal things, that we need to do. Even if it rest of the world hates us for it. Or we could be what other people like to paint us as... Hateful, Intolerant, racist, bigots. With these set ups I would like you to imagine how such organizations would respond to a change from the very top.

The first organization which is acting on what they believe to be the will of God would change practically over night if they believed God gave new instructions. The second organization built on hate, racism and bigotry can't change overnight, lifetime of habits don't just disappear. Most likely the second organization would self destruct.. it would eat itself alive in internal conflict.

The historical record shows that the LDS church responded and adapted to this new change quickly and with very little internal conflict. So either the hate, racism, and bigotry were (largely) not present or we some how manged to cure it more or less over night. What do you find most likely?

Seeing that... Is it really that hard to think that for the Gay Marriage issue we are once again choosing to stand... Not on hate, not on bigotry... but were we believe that God would have us stand?

Edited August 9, 2012 by estradling75

[Schwesterherz]

Have you asked your cousin these questions?

Yes.

[C_T_R]

~~~~~

Edited August 9, 2012 by C_T_R

[HiJolly]

1. In the past, why colored persons were not allowed to have the mormon priesthood, and why today in the LDS.

At first blacks were given the priesthood, sent on missions, and so forth. I think that was right and good.

Then as the saints continued to grow and become a overwhelming political body, their non-lds neighbors began to fear them and their abolitionist views. Not only that, but a particular black guy began to take liberties such as John C. Bennett did in Nauvoo, and this added to the racists bias that Brigham Young already had. Between these factors and others a bit more difficult to pin down (like Joseph Smith's changing viewpoint), I believe that a few years after Joseph's death, BY shut down priesthood for the blacks within the institution of the Church.

And there it stayed until Prophet David O. McKay began to make waves concerning it. I love that guy. The only prophet whose hand I have had the pleasure of shaking.

2. What does the LDS have against homosexuals?

Nothing, especially if they are sexually pure.

I would be very pleased about an answer.

Well there you go.

HiJolly