Mormons descended from Cain?

[SkepticTheist]

I think what you say is definitely part of it.

Ed

Skeptic Theist... I don't think God's reasoning behind the ban is quite as simple as people are making it. In fact... I think though the ban may have been placed over 'African' members, it's purpose had nothing to do with the fact that they were African, but with the fact that God put them there to overcome a specific type of trial. Kind of like how I have Autism and Tourrette's not of my own fault, but of the knowledge and wisdom of God to give me such as trials. Just a trial I have to overcome, because it will teach me good things, not necessarily because of my pre-existance (though it could be that too). I think the Priesthood Ban covers the same thing, but for specific souls that God put where they were in the world (he could have put a different soul there if he wanted to, I think) specifically to have a trial to deal with. A test of sorts.

But yes... that's just a theory I have behind it and such... in no sense scriptural... and really more deep than that.

[TAO]

TAO:

Or it could have been a trial of the White Saints to see how they would treat their Black brothers and sisters.

Just my non-Scriptural opinion.

Agreed, it could also be this. I like something along a trial, for both of us =).

[Obiwan]

Hi All,

It is a virtual certainty that if Cain was a real person and he has any descendants alive today that every person living including all LDS are descended from Cain. This would also be the case in the days of Brigham Young.

Basing blessings/cursings on the basis of heredity is extremely problematic this includes such ideas as the "curse of Cain" or "curse of Ham". Such concepts are greatly weakened if not falsified outright by population genetics. For example as you go back in time you reach a point where if someone has any living descendants they are the ancestors of everyone currently living. Estimates place this point within historical times i.e.(2,158 B.C. - 5,353 B.C.) ref( Rohde D, Olson S, Chang J (2004) Modeling the recent common ancestry of all living humans. Nature 431:562