This representation of LDS views on Priesthood in relation to Mitt Romney’s are shallow and do not represent the entirety of the church’s view on Priesthood entitlement or the LDS Church’s need to survive during this period of infant growth. First, the report fails to acknowledge that the LDS Church teaches, as do its authoritative scriptural accounts, that “God is no respecter of persons”. The Book of Mormon specifically teaches that all are alike before God, “Black or White, Bond or Free”. Therefore the Mormon Doctrine is and always has been that “God is no respecter of persons and that all are alike before God “Black or White, Bond or Free.” The LDS Doctrine also provides for universal salvation for all of God’s Children” according to the “Justice” of God. There is no evidence to suggest that a denial of the right to exercise priesthood power was anything other than a temporary condition, an intermediate “practice” rather than a doctrine – as evidence by the change in practice when Black’s were granted full priesthood blessings. This life is a test of faith, a time to grow in knowledge and experience. Any Black person temporarily denied priesthood authority, who truly believed that the Gospel and its authority had been restored to the earth (after its loss through an extensive apostasy, which is historically well documented) also had faith the God in his own sense of time based on his foreknowledge and his justice would grant the withheld priesthood authority. Which he did!! Thus any Black person who so believed was in fact never denied the opportunity – he simply had to wait out the time – which given the time frame of this controversy – was not very long. So all persons previously denied now have full priesthood authority, which is to say there was never a denial only an extended waiting period. It is my personal view that the LDS Church is still in its infancy. Contrary to a claim that it is a persecutor, and there is no evidence that the LDS Church offered any doctrine that sanctioned “persecution.” To the contrary it is the most persecuted religion in America – such persecution sanctioned by governmental direction and intervention. As a persecuted religion – it only survived because it settled in the barren deserts of the West and the governments focus and intent on destroying the LDS Church was dislocated by the events of the civil war. This respite gave the Church time to establish a foundation – albeit still a shaky foundation. Had the LDS Church opened its doors to full priesthood authority during the late 20th century (blessing of the Priesthood were never denied Black’s), the doctrines of the Church would so have impressed the Black community, the Church would have been overwhelmed with Black converts. This would have had serious consequences in the Church’s gestation period. An example of this attractiveness to the Black community are the events that have played out in Nigeria during the last 15 years – where Black communities on their own, without Church solicitation, formed “Mormon Churches.” Finally, all Blacks have the full advantage of Priesthood Temple ordinances – providing all priesthood blessings to any Black person who was a believer and lacked invitation to such priesthood authority and died without a bestowal of such authority. Finally, God is just – as the LDS Church has always taught and I along with Mitt Romney recognized the justice of God – would prevail on God’s time table. What the video also leaves out is that the LDS Church denies the authority of the priesthood to any and all White and Black people who have not obtained a testimony that the LDS Church is the only true and living Church on the face of the whole earth (is that not exclusionary) and have accepted baptism and proven themselves worthy and thereafter through a lengthy process to receive the right to full priesthood authority (not the blessing of the priesthood). So to any Black who was not so converted, whether or not the Church denied priesthood authority to Black’s was meaningless. – to any Black who had such a testimony and conviction, it also did not matter because they accepted the justice of God – that in his justice they would have full opportunity to attain to all the blessings which God has premised his faithful children.
‘THE GATES OF HELL HAVE PREVAILED…’
4. It seems that the early Mormon leaders were queuing up to express their adverse opinions of orthodox Christianity. The Mormon apostle, Orson Pratt had this to say: “All other churches are entirely destitute of all authority from God; and any person who receives Baptism, or the Lord’s Supper from their hands will highly offend God, for he looks upon them as the most corrupt of all people” (“The Seer,” p.255) & in his “Pamphlets,” (p.112): “THE GATES OF HELL HAVE PREVAILED and will continue to prevail over the Catholic Mother of Harlots, and over ALL her Protestant Daughters;…the apostate Catholic church, with all her popes & bishops, together with all her harlot daughters SHALL BE HURLED DOWN TO HELL. …”
“Apostle” Orson Pratt stated, with regard to the churches of Christendom (JoD, Vol. 16, pp. 175-6):
As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become.
Author: Lorenzo Snow
Source: Gospel Through The Ages
Chapter: 43
Page: 105
Conclusion God was once a sinner according to Mormonism
God himself is increasing and progressing in knowledge, power, and dominion, and will do so, worlds without end.” ~Wilford Woodruff, Journal of Discourses Vol. 6:120
There are at least six passages I could reference from the Book of Mormon that claim that God called certain Native Americans “dark and loathsome” after cursing them with “a skin of blackness.” If Mr. Romney is really a Mormon, he blasphemously believes this bigotry comes from God. He believes in this Book of Mormon now; not just back in 1978.
Is a person who believes that God made such statements competent to be President? I think not! Racism should not be excused just because it is a part of someone’s religion. It should not be tolerated. Mr. Romney should renounce Mormonism until the Mormons renounce their own phony scriptures.
This representation of LDS views on Priesthood in relation to Mitt Romney’s are shallow and do not represent the entirety of the church’s view on Priesthood entitlement or the LDS Church’s need to survive during this period of infant growth. First, the report fails to acknowledge that the LDS Church teaches, as do its authoritative scriptural accounts, that “God is no respecter of persons”. The Book of Mormon specifically teaches that all are alike before God, “Black or White, Bond or Free”. Therefore the Mormon Doctrine is and always has been that “God is no respecter of persons and that all are alike before God “Black or White, Bond or Free.” The LDS Doctrine also provides for universal salvation for all of God’s Children” according to the “Justice” of God. There is no evidence to suggest that a denial of the right to exercise priesthood power was anything other than a temporary condition, an intermediate “practice” rather than a doctrine – as evidence by the change in practice when Black’s were granted full priesthood blessings. This life is a test of faith, a time to grow in knowledge and experience. Any Black person temporarily denied priesthood authority, who truly believed that the Gospel and its authority had been restored to the earth (after its loss through an extensive apostasy, which is historically well documented) also had faith the God in his own sense of time based on his foreknowledge and his justice would grant the withheld priesthood authority. Which he did!! Thus any Black person who so believed was in fact never denied the opportunity – he simply had to wait out the time – which given the time frame of this controversy – was not very long. So all persons previously denied now have full priesthood authority, which is to say there was never a denial only an extended waiting period. It is my personal view that the LDS Church is still in its infancy. Contrary to a claim that it is a persecutor, and there is no evidence that the LDS Church offered any doctrine that sanctioned “persecution.” To the contrary it is the most persecuted religion in America – such persecution sanctioned by governmental direction and intervention. As a persecuted religion – it only survived because it settled in the barren deserts of the West and the governments focus and intent on destroying the LDS Church was dislocated by the events of the civil war. This respite gave the Church time to establish a foundation – albeit still a shaky foundation. Had the LDS Church opened its doors to full priesthood authority during the late 20th century (blessing of the Priesthood were never denied Black’s), the doctrines of the Church would so have impressed the Black community, the Church would have been overwhelmed with Black converts. This would have had serious consequences in the Church’s gestation period. An example of this attractiveness to the Black community are the events that have played out in Nigeria during the last 15 years – where Black communities on their own, without Church solicitation, formed “Mormon Churches.” Finally, all Blacks have the full advantage of Priesthood Temple ordinances – providing all priesthood blessings to any Black person who was a believer and lacked invitation to such priesthood authority and died without a bestowal of such authority. Finally, God is just – as the LDS Church has always taught and I along with Mitt Romney recognized the justice of God – would prevail on God’s time table. What the video also leaves out is that the LDS Church denies the authority of the priesthood to any and all White and Black people who have not obtained a testimony that the LDS Church is the only true and living Church on the face of the whole earth (is that not exclusionary) and have accepted baptism and proven themselves worthy and thereafter through a lengthy process to receive the right to full priesthood authority (not the blessing of the priesthood). So to any Black who was not so converted, whether or not the Church denied priesthood authority to Black’s was meaningless. – to any Black who had such a testimony and conviction, it also did not matter because they accepted the justice of God – that in his justice they would have full opportunity to attain to all the blessings which God has premised his faithful children.
‘THE GATES OF HELL HAVE PREVAILED…’
4. It seems that the early Mormon leaders were queuing up to express their adverse opinions of orthodox Christianity. The Mormon apostle, Orson Pratt had this to say: “All other churches are entirely destitute of all authority from God; and any person who receives Baptism, or the Lord’s Supper from their hands will highly offend God, for he looks upon them as the most corrupt of all people” (“The Seer,” p.255) & in his “Pamphlets,” (p.112): “THE GATES OF HELL HAVE PREVAILED and will continue to prevail over the Catholic Mother of Harlots, and over ALL her Protestant Daughters;…the apostate Catholic church, with all her popes & bishops, together with all her harlot daughters SHALL BE HURLED DOWN TO HELL. …”
“Apostle” Orson Pratt stated, with regard to the churches of Christendom (JoD, Vol. 16, pp. 175-6):
New International Version (©1984)
And I tell you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not overcome it.
New Living Translation (©2007)
Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means ‘rock’), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it.
Orson disagrees with Jesus
As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become.
Author: Lorenzo Snow
Source: Gospel Through The Ages
Chapter: 43
Page: 105
Conclusion God was once a sinner according to Mormonism
God himself is increasing and progressing in knowledge, power, and dominion, and will do so, worlds without end.” ~Wilford Woodruff, Journal of Discourses Vol. 6:120
There are at least six passages I could reference from the Book of Mormon that claim that God called certain Native Americans “dark and loathsome” after cursing them with “a skin of blackness.” If Mr. Romney is really a Mormon, he blasphemously believes this bigotry comes from God. He believes in this Book of Mormon now; not just back in 1978.
Is a person who believes that God made such statements competent to be President? I think not! Racism should not be excused just because it is a part of someone’s religion. It should not be tolerated. Mr. Romney should renounce Mormonism until the Mormons renounce their own phony scriptures.
Bill Arthur
Cumberland, MD