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Archive for the ‘Mormon’ Category

Chicago’s Jabari Parker Balances Faith, Fierceness on the court

Tuesday, April 24th, 2012

Jabari Parker has been compared to Grant Hill, but with better shooting ability

As a devout Mormon, Parker strives to balance both athletics, Christian faith

Parker has already paid unofficial visits to Michigan State, Kentucky and Duke

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/writers/seth_davis/07/18/Jabari.Parker.Peach.Jam/index.html

 
 
 

Max Mueller on Blacks and the Priesthood

Tuesday, March 20th, 2012

See http://www.fairblog.org/2012/03/09/fair-conversations-episode-16-max-mueller-on-blacks-and-the-priesthood/

Max Mueller, a Ph.D. candidate in religious history at Harvard University, wrote a response (to a recent Washington Post article) for Slate which stated:

For many Mormons, reading Bott’s words was like unearthing a theological dinosaur long thought extinct but suddenly rediscovered in the corner of an obscure BYU office. His positions seem radically out of place in a modern church with an international membership that includes probably some 500,000 Mormons of African descent. The church’s expensive and ubiquitous “I’m a Mormon” public relations campaign has been carefully and deliberately multiethnic; Mormon leaders want the world to view the religion as the diverse global community it has become. Unfortunately, Bott’s beliefs, though arcane, represent a strain of Mormonism that has persisted well past the 1978 revelation.

Bishop Bethel Responds to Rev Dozier on Racism

Friday, March 16th, 2012
See:
http://weblogs.sun-sentinel.com/news/politics/broward/blog/2012/03/broward_pastor_blasts_mitt_rom.html
 
This article includes the following:
 
Fred Bethel, who is African-American, is a Mormon bishop in Fort Lauderdale.

Here’s what he said via email:

“I can appreciate Rev. Dozier’s active participation in the 2012 presidential campaign and support for his candidate. But the delegate lead Romney currently has, demonstrates that most Americans do not share Rev Dozier’s concerns about a racial divide if Romney is the nominee. Americans are very smart and are most concerned about fixing the economy and together getting Americans back to work.As a 40 year old African American Bishop for the past five years here in the Ft. Lauderdale, FL area, I have experienced a multicultural atmosphere within our house of worship. When you step into our service, it’s hard to tell which cultural group is the majority.

Every religion has members that struggle with or embrace inequality in some form. Ours is no exception. However, just as in every religion, it’s important to separate the people and their personal struggles from the actual doctrine of the church. Three simple points help to illustrate that the doctrine of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not prejudice against Blacks or any other group:

1. The Book of Mormon was originally written in, and translated from an African language, Egyptian.

2. The Book of Mormon and the LDS version of the King James Bible, actually clarifies that the use of the words “skin”, “black” and “darkness” are referring to the state of the spirit, heart and mind, and not a reference to race or literal skin color at all

3. The Doctrine & Covenants, the book of divine instructions for establishing the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, clearly states numerous times that all are equal and all are to receive alike.

We would invite Rev Dozier and anyone else who would like to gain clarity on these issues to attend one of the African American Outreach Program classes put on throughout the country by regular members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, or by simply viewing the Blacks in the Scriptures DVD series by Marvin Perkins and Darius Gray, two African American Latter-day Saints. Information on the DVD series and where classes are held can be found at www.BlacksintheScriptures.com

The Church’s position is clear—we believe all people are God’s children and are equal in His eyes and in the Church. We do not tolerate racism in any form.”

 

See also:

http://www.nationalreview.com/campaign-spot/293039/black-clergy-group-demand-romney-renounce-mormonism

Jane Manning James – Black Pioneer

Thursday, March 8th, 2012

If perseverance in the face of persecution is a mark of divine chosenness and a key to Mormon identity, then black Latter-day Saints are “doubly Mormon,” argues Max Mueller, a Harvard-trained non-Mormon scholar.
http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsfaithblog/53668023-180/mormon-james-lds-mueller.html.csp

A Mormon Priesthood Timeline

Thursday, March 8th, 2012

Because of a recent statement by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints strongly denouncing all forms of racism within and without the Church both past and present, many are curious about the history of the Church’s restrictions on priesthood, a policy that ended thirty four years ago. An article in BYU Studies on this topic, published originally in 2008, has recently come available: “This article is the definitive scholarly treatment of the 1978 priesthood revelation,” says Professor John W. Welch, editor-in-chief of BYU Studies. …

http://ldsmag.com/church/article/9461?ac=1

Church Statement Regarding ‘Washington Post’ Article on Race and the Church

Saturday, March 3rd, 2012

Go to: http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/racial-remarks-in-washington-post-article or

http://www.blacklds.org/church-statement-regarding-washington-post-article-on-race-and-the-church

See also http://www.mormonnewsroom.org/article/race-church or

http://www.blacklds.org/the-church-and-race-all-are-alike-unto-god

See a related blog at: http://www.fairblog.org/2012/02/28/dispelling-the-myth-of-the-curse-of-cain

Three Mormon Myths About Blacks and the Priesthood

Monday, February 27th, 2012

http://ldsmag.com/society/people/article/9415?ac=1

Church reaches out to minorities

Friday, February 17th, 2012

See this article:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/mindful-of-history-mormon-church-reaches-out-to-minorities/2012/02/13/gIQAZKJrKR_story.html?tid=ts_carousel

By , Published: February 17 The Washington Post

It was Sunday morning, and the church was filled with more than 200 men, women and children, praying, singing and testifying.“I have been searching for a faith all of my life,” Melvin Davis, 60, of Southeast declared from the pulpit. The grocery clerk’s story, genial and direct, bared a quest for a spiritual home that long had come up short. …

Local Mormon Bishop Living King’s Dream

Thursday, February 9th, 2012

FORT LAUDERDALE — Bishop Fred Bethel sees his congregation as an example of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s dream of brotherhood.            

Bethel, 40, of the Fort Lauderdale Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 1100 S.W. 15th Ave., ministers to a diverse congregation that represents almost every face known to man. …

http://www.sfltimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=8990&Itemid=331

Latter-day Saint Mayor runs for President in Mali

Thursday, December 29th, 2011

http://ldsmag.com/church/article/9116?ac=1

“In this audio interview, BYU graduate Yeah Samake shares the story of his father’s vision for education which raised an entire family from hunger to prominence.  We’ll hear how his actions eliminating corruption as Mayor of a small town brought him to the attention of national leaders in Mali, and what he hopes to accomplish if elected President of Mali in April of 2012.  You’ll also learn what it’s like for brother and sister Samake and their children to be the only members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in a country with a population which is 90% Muslim.”

See also http://ldsmag.com/church/update/article/9047?ac=1

http://www.byupoliticalreview.com/?p=102863