Conference reports

[Forest]

Excuse me, I would like to verify the authenticity of this conference report. Are there any sources within the mormon church I can verify this against. Thank you

Conference Reports, CR April 1939, Second Day-Morning Meeting: Elder George F. Richards

"The negro is an unfortunate man. He has been given a black skin....But that is as nothing compared with that greater handicap that he is not permitted to receive the Priesthood and the ordinances of the temple, necessary to prepare men and women to enter into and enjoy a fulness of glory in the celestial kingdom....What is the reason for this condition, we ask, and I find it to my satisfaction to think that as spirit children of our Eternal Father they were not valiant in the fight. We are told that Michael and his angels fought, and we understand that we stood with Christ our Lord, on the platform, "Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever." I cannot conceive our Father consigning his children to a condition such as that of the negro race, if they had been valiant in the spirit world in that war in heaven. Neither could they have been a part of those who rebelled and were cast down, for the latter had not the privilege of tabernacling in the flesh. Somewhere along the line were these spirits, indifferent perhaps, and possibly neutral in the war. We have no definite knowledge concerning this. But I learn this lesson from it, brethren and sisters, and I believe we all should, that it does not pay in religious matters, matters that pertain to our eternal salvation, to be indifferent, neutral, or lukewarm."

[Guest Doctrine]

You could read the journal of discourse

[HiJolly]

Corpus of LDS General Conference Talks, 1851-2010

Hope that serves.

, profit by the experiences of others. And so we should profit by the experience of Lucifer and those who went away with him in rebellion, and forever and always try to make our minds and our wills conform to the mind and will of God, the Eternal Father, and his Son, Jesus Christ, who are one, and who seek our welfare, our happiness and our salvation. PUNISHMENT OF THOSE NOT VALIANT The negro is an unfortunate man. He has been given a black skin. But that is as nothing compared with that greater handicap that he is not permitted to receive the Priesthood and the ordinances of the temple, necessary to prepare men and women to enter into and enjoy a fulness of glory in the celestial kingdom. What is the reason for this condition, we ask, and I find it to my satisfaction to think that as spirit children of our Eternal Father they were not valiant in the fight. We are told that Michael and his angels fought, and we understand that we stood with Christ our Lord, on the

HiJolly

[HiJolly]

Just as a passing comment...

It is unfortunate that the detractors of the Church have found such an effective tool in convincing members of the Church that the Church is not true. What tool? The truth, as found in Church History that we members have never been taught. It's a tragedy.

HiJolly

[estradling75]

Just as a passing comment...

It is unfortunate that the detractors of the Church have found such an effective tool in convincing members of the Church that the Church is not true. What tool? The truth, as found in Church History that we members have never been taught. It's a tragedy.

HiJolly

Its a tragedy that too many members want the church to spoon feed them everything...

Thus opening them up to the lies that the church must be trying to hide stuff because the Church has opened and made available the historical records that the detractors are using.

Were as if the church was really try to hide it.. if the accusations were true... then the detractors wouldn't have the documentation in the first place

[NeuroTypical]

Conference Reports, CR April 1939, Second Day-Morning Meeting: Elder George F. Richards

"What is the reason for this condition, we ask, and I find it to my satisfaction to think that ..."

I love that Elder Richards qualified his answer by making it clearly understood that he was expressing his opinion. I get to disagree with him all I want.

Many of our critics won't give such plain and simple explanations the weight they deserve. Whenever I encounter one, I am looking at someone who claims to value truth, yet really are just out to spread their concluded agenda.

I also like something I heard a Catholic say about their leaders:

The idea that every comment that proceeds from the mouth of a bishop is true simply because it is a bishop making it is foolish. It is demonstrably wrong and no one should take such a suggestion seriously. When they speak out on moral issues and the faith of the Church they are to be heeded but when they make prudential judgments on practical issues, then, while their comments are to be accorded due respect, we have no obligation to assent to them as those opinions do not carry the weight of their office. We are free to form our own opinions and act accordingly.

[JohnPAB]

The way I see it, is that Elder Richards was expressing his opinion of why God would make someone "negro", because he couldn't understand how a loving God could do such a thing to one of his children without reason. And why was being a "negro" such a bad thing? Why couldn't "negros" receive the priesthood? Because the church needs to follow the laws of the country, and back then, "negros" didn't have equal rights to white people in America, which was where the Church was settled, something critics seem to overlook.

Now, why I think God made some of his children "negros", differs from Elder's OPINION, I think it was very much the opposite, I think it was because they showed to be the most faithful, and God wanted to test them and trial them accordingly to their faith, and many "negro" members of the church were indeed faithful enough to endure, and I know that they received many eternal blessings for it.

[howdeedoo]

Its a tragedy that too many members want the church to spoon feed them everything...

Thus opening them up to the lies that the church must be trying to hide stuff because the Church has opened and made available the historical records that the detractors are using.

Were as if the church was really try to hide it.. if the accusations were true... then the detractors wouldn't have the documentation in the first place

Just because I showed you the knife with which I stabbed you, doesn't make the stabbing any less of a crime. Some members find this stabbing surprising, because they were told a great many things, and either was told of this in passing in a manner that down played the event, or they never saw the bloody knife for themselves...When they do, it shocks them.

They ask to be spoon fed the information because it doesn't just "click" in their heads that there was a stabbing, and there was no conviction, no guilty verdict, no settlement between the victims and perpetrator , all that was said was: "Yes indeed there has been a stabbing that has occurred, we aren't sure how, however; there shall be no such crime committed anymore". Move on. Don't ask. Don't tell. We addressed this already, end of story.

[bytebear]

The fact is, wen the statement was made it was a handicap to be born with black skin, and still is a handicap to be born in certain countries and into poverty. The idea that God has a reason why some people are born to poverty, and others to privilege is not unique to Mormonism. You can't discuss such things in a Mormon leadership vacuum. if you really want to know about the subject, you need to research what contemporaries were saying in theological, sociological and cultural circles. My suspicion is that Mormons leaders were far more open to race equality than their non-Mormon theologians.