Toward a more convincing LDS disavowal of racism (some things that aren’t helping)

[Five Solas]

The LDS Church has made some strong statements against racism generally--but here are a few things that might still be leaving folks with a reasonable doubt.  In no particular order--

1. Insisting that God “established” the U.S. Constitution (complete with its Three Fifths Clause pertaining to African Americans).  https://www.deseretnews.com/article/865688778/Protection-of-God-given-moral-agency.html

2. Refusing to condemn the Alt-Right movement, as the Southern Baptist Convention has done (in unflinching, unequivocal terms).  See discussion here. 

3. Its foremost apologist defending Confederate General Robert E. Lee and pretending the American Civil War was about states rights instead of slavery.  (Perhaps we could all chip in & buy Dr. Peterson a ticket to visit the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture—which I’d highly recommend to anyone in or visiting the D.C. area.) 

4. And on our own board (and seemingly inspired by President Trump’s deplorable remarks alleging moral equivalency at Charlottesville between avowed Nazis/white supremacists and those who protested them)—we have a writer for the Church-owned Deseret News wringing his hands over the tactics of Antifa, as though that were the real problem.

On that last topic of moral equivalency—it’s interesting to recall the LDS Church’s position during the Second World War, when all of Europe (save Britain) was overrun by the Fascist governments of Germany & Italy and Hitler’s genocidal ambitions were no longer a secret.  Five months after Pear Harbor—we get this remarkable statement of position.  Against Communism!  And against the war generally—but nonetheless arguing citizens must do their duty to their government (and no exception here for the German ones, they have a duty to serve the Fascist regime).  

5. One last thought on the topic.  I spent 5 years in Glenwood Utah, graduating from Richfield Junior High, class of 1984.  (Thereafter my parents moved us to unincorporated Salt Lake County.)  Richfield Junior High was the home of the Roadrunners! 

But the school hadn’t always been Roadrunners.  Consistent with Southern Utah “Dixie” themes—originally it was home of the Rebels.  You want to know why they changed it in the 1970s?  Do you think it's because they didn’t want to be associated with traitors who fought to persist the institution of slavery?  Well, silly you if you thought that!  They changed it because they felt the term “rebel” had an association with 1960s counter-culture.  I’m not making this up.  Hippies are the real problem!

As they might say, "Far out, man."
;0)

--Erik

No politics. No Nazis. No attacks on other posters. 

[thesometimesaint]

Utah Mormon's are a strange group of LDS.