"I have deep compassion for those who have been mistreated, belittled, or persecuted by unfeeling and thoughtless people, because, in the course of my life, I have seen firsthand the pain good people suffer from being judged or dismissed because they happened to speak, look, or live differently. I also feel genuine sorrow in my heart for those whose minds remain darkened, whose vision is limited, and whose hearts remain hardened by the belief in the inferiority of those who are different from them. Their limited view of others actually obstructs their ability to see who they are as children of God. As foretold by the prophets, we are living in the perilous days leading up to the Second Coming of the Savior. The world in general is polarized by strong…
“There was considerable antipathy between the Jews and the Samaritans at the time of Christ. Under normal circumstances, these two groups avoided association with each other.” This is a lot like what I see in the news between black and white people even though it has been over a century since emancipation and decades since segregation... Surely good neighbors should put forth every effort to understand each other and to be kind to one another regardless of religion, nationality, race, or culture. Occasionally I hear of members offending those of other faiths by overlooking them and leaving them out. This can occur especially in communities where our members are the majority. I have heard about narrow-minded parents who tell children that they cannot play with a particular child in the…
“...the Church disavows the theories advanced in the past that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse, or that it reflects unrighteous actions in a pre-mortal life; that mixed race marriages are a sin; or that blacks or people of any other race or ethnicity are inferior in any way to anyone else. Church leaders today unequivocally condemn all racism, past and present, in any form.”
When I was 17 my little sister told a boy that lived on our street how excited she was that our older brother was coming home for a brief weekend visit. The kid was shocked that they were letting my brother come home from prison for the weekend. My sister responded that he was not in prison he was in college at BYU. This kid, who would be in prison less than 5 years later himself, asked a very telling question, “He’s in college?! Is he white? Being black is complicated in the US and especially in religion within the US. I have spent the last week and a half trying to find words to describe my recent trip to D.C. to participate in the Black LDS Legacy Conference. A…
“As we go forward on that path, furthering our prophet’s plea for us to abandon “attitudes and actions of prejudice,” we are helped by understanding what racism is and something of its history. There are many examples of racism in recent American history. The examples most familiarly reported by the media today are those that victimize Black Americans. These include the police brutality and other systemic discrimination in employment and housing publicized recently. Racism is still recognizable in official and personal treatment of Latinos and Native Americans. Less familiar in our day is America’s history of racism against Asians, which began with Chinese immigrants who worked on the transcontinental railroad. It was not until a century ago that Native Americans were considered U.S. citizens and that Asians were allowed to…
“Consider how the following examples could represent racism. How would the Lord have you change your heart if you recognize that you: -Prefer associating only with those of your own race and think others should too. -Make jokes or disparaging remarks relating to someone’s race or a racial group. -Believe that the gospel of Jesus Christ supports any racist thinking or behavior. -Justify racist attitudes or behaviors because of similar attitudes or behaviors shown by other good people, including Church leaders or members.”
“We all need to work together to build spiritual unity within our wards and branches. An example of perfect unity existed among the people of God after Christ visited the Americas. The record observes that there were no “Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.” Unity is not achieved by ignoring and isolating members who seem to be different or weaker and only associating with people who are like us. On the contrary, unity is gained by welcoming and serving those who are new and who have particular needs. These members are a blessing for the Church and provide us with opportunities to serve our neighbors and thus purify our own hearts.”
“...roughly 12.3 million Africans were trafficked to the Americas. Enormous wealth was generated for those in the slave industry through the unjust toil of Africans—men, women, and children. Daily life of enslaved Africans was punctuated by horrendous abuse. In some instances, they were branded with hot irons on the chest or face. Slaves were whipped, forced to wear iron masks, placed in the stocks, sexually assaulted, and subjected to other forms of torture. Besides torture, enslaved Africans’ agency was severely limited by a set of laws called slave codes. It was, for example, illegal for an enslaved person to own property, trade goods, leave an enslaver’s property without permission, learn to read and write, speak their native language, or marry. Black families had no rights under the law, which meant…
The Steps of Repentance 1. Sorrow for sin 2. Abandonment of sin 3. Confession of sin 4. Restitution for sin 5. Obedience to all the commandments 6. Recognition of the Savior
Examples of racism in bold lettering: "As we endeavor to heal the wounds of racism, here are four steps each of us needs to take so that we can all move forward together in our efforts to reach our divine potential. 1. Acknowledge the Problem:The first step toward healing is the realization that the problem exists. We cannot fix that which we overlook or deny. Our attitudes toward others of a different race or of a different culture should not be considered a minor matter. Viewing them as such only affirms a willingness to stay unchanged .2. Recognize It in Ourselves:Some people acknowledge the problem but may not recognize it in themselves. Sometimes racism is so subtle, we may not realize we’re expressing it. How are we to judge when our thoughts and comments might be out…
