Friday, 12/10/21, 11:27am Hello Brandon, Joan Runsthrough has strong feelings about her perceived racism in the BoM. Her kids are ½ native american. And she hates the parts that talk about cursed dark skin. She has dwelt on it a couple of lessons she has taught. I have been hunting for the places where it says: “Do you think you are more righteous than they? He that is obedient is favored of God.” These three verses are the best I can find so far. But the article from BoM Central is very helpful.
2N30:1 And now behold, my beloved brethren, I would speak unto you; for I, Nephi, would not suffer that ye should suppose that ye are more righteous than the Gentiles shall be. For behold, except ye shall keep the commandments of God ye shall all likewise aperish; 13 O all ye that are spared because ye were more righteous than they, will ye not now return unto me, and repent of your sins, and be converted, that I may heal you?(3 Nephi 9:13)[This is the voice of our Savior, Jesus Christ, speaking to the people who survived the destruction which occurred at the time of His death.] Jac 3:5 Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you; for they have not aforgotten the commandment of the Lord -v
Book of Mormon Central / KnoWhys\March 18, 2016\KnoWhy #57
First Gabon Baptisms, photo by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.\“Many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a white and a delightsome people”\
2 Nephi 30:6\The Know\In his prophecies of the last days, Nephi remarked that the Book of Mormon would be carried “forth unto the remnant of [his] seed." Upon receiving the Book of Mormon and the gospel of Jesus Christ, the remnant of Nephi's seed would “rejoice,” for then “they shall know that it is a blessing unto them from the hand of God; and their scales of darkness shall begin to fall from their eyes; and many generations shall not pass away among them, save they shall be a white and a delightsome people.”1
The Prophet Joseph Smith made an important textual emendation to this passage in the 1840 edition of the Book of Mormon, where the phrase “a white and a delightsome people” was changed to “a pure and a delightsome people.” According to Royal Skousen, “The 1840 change of white to pure seems to be a conscious one and was probably made by Joseph Smith as part of his editing of the 1840 edition. The change does not appear to be an accidental error based on any visual or phonetic resemblance between the two words.”2
The original reading of “white and delightsome” was retained in the LDS textual tradition until the 1981 edition of the Book of Mormon, where it substituted “white” with the “pure” for the 1840 edition.3 The reading of “pure” has been retained in the 2013 LDS edition of the text.
This textual discrepancy understandably raises concerns for many readers. How could the Book of Mormon be inspired if it supposedly has what many assume to be “racist” teachings—in this case that having white skin is somehow a sign of divine favor? To answer this question—or to even see if this is the right question to ask—we need to first try to understand the Nephite concept of “race” (assuming they even conceived of “race” similarly to how we do today) and then reflect on what we might learn from it to improve our own ethical and spiritual sensitivities.
First, it is critical to underscore the fact that modern sociologists, historians, and cultural anthropologists are coming to see “race” as being largely, if not solely, a social construct and not a biological feature. Many are no longer sure we have a clear definition of “race” anymore (if we ever did). Improved biological science (including advances in understanding human genetics and ancestry) and complicating cultural factors (international travel, cultural exchange, intermarriage, etc.) are largely erasing old racial categories.4 Any discussion of “race” or “racism,” therefore, must be careful to define these and similar concepts.
It is understandable how some, without this nuanced understanding, could read the Book of Mormon as a text that portrays the Nephites as having what we today would deem “racist,” or more properly ethnocentric, attitudes towards non-Nephites. “Could the Nephites have been racist in their views of the Lamanites?” asked John A. Tvedtnes. “Perhaps, in the same sense that the biblical patriarchs were racist when it came to their pagan neighbors—the Hittites, the Canaanites, and the Amorites—and did not want their offspring to marry these unbelievers.”5 [v- Idea: When you don’t wear clothes in the sun your skin darkens. The Lamanites are famous for not wearing much clothing.]
Brant A. Gardner remarked that “the Book of Mormon is, in fact, racist,” but quickly added that it is “not at all ['racist'] in the usual sense of the term.”6 Rather than being a form of modern racism that bases antipathy on a difference of skin color, Gardner reads Nephite “racism” as an ethnocentrism “along the insider/outsider boundary, not the white/dark boundary.”7 Gardner concluded that “the ‘skin of blackness’ was certainly intended to be a pejorative term, but it was not a physical description.”8
It should not be overlooked that the Book of Mormon itself condemns this Nephite ethnocentrism. Jacob slammed Nephite ethnic pride when he declared, “Behold, the Lamanites your brethren, whom ye hate because of their filthiness and the cursing which hath come upon their skins, are more righteous than you. . . . Wherefore, a commandment I give unto you, which is the word of God, that ye revile no more against them because of the darkness of their skins” (Jacob 3:5, 9). Clear at the end of Nephite history, tribalism and ethnocentrism was eschewed, and portrayed as leading to hatred, wickedness, pride, vanity, and rejection of the Gospel of Jesus Christ (4 Nephi 1:38–43).
[ v-es·chew /əsˈCHo͞o,iˈSHo͞o/
- deliberately avoid using; abstain from."he appealed to the crowd to eschew violence"]
The Why
Why might Joseph Smith have made this textual change in 2 Nephi 30? Skousen elaborated that “the editing change to pure may represent a conscious attempt at avoiding what was perceived as a difficult reading (the Nephites were supposed to be light skinned), which therefore explains why the change from white to pure was made here—and only here—in 2 Nephi 30:6.”9 In other words, Joseph Smith may very well have recognized the possible racial undertones in this passage if interpreted that way and ultimately wished to avoid them.
While it is certainly possible that this change reflected the racial attitudes of early members of the Church, who assumed many of the views of their 19th century environment,10 Tvedtnes argued convincingly that the change may have occurred to emphasize that the text is speaking of a spiritual, not biological, condition. “Is the Prophet’s change from ‘white’ to ‘pure’ justified in the scriptural context? The answer is yes. The terms white and pure are used synonymously in Daniel 7:9, Revelation 15:6, and Doctrine and Covenants 110:3. They are also found together in a number of passages where they clearly refer to those who are purified and redeemed by Christ (Alma 5:24; 13:12; 32:42; Mormon 9:6; D&C 20:6).”11
Skousen likewise wrote that “when white collocates with pure, we find that the passages describe a state of righteous perfection (referring either to the righteous at the day of judgment, to the garments of the righteous at that day, or to the fruit of the tree of life). In most of these passages pure and white collocate with the word spotless; all of these adjectives emphasize [spiritual] purity and cleanliness.”12 Being “white” (or “pure”) and “delightsome” in the eyes of God therefore has nothing to do with skin pigmentation or ethnicity, but rather with spiritual and moral uprightness or personal and collective holiness.
Alma the Younger, for example, testified that all whose “garments are washed white; yea [whose] garments [are] purified until they are cleansed from all stain, through the blood of him . . . who should come to redeem his people from their sins,” shall “have a place to sit down in the kingdom of God, with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob, and also all the holy prophets, whose garments are cleansed and are spotless, pure and white” (Alma 5:21, 24).
Regardless how past Church members and leaders or ancient prophets may have interpreted skin color, one thing is clear: “Today, 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 premortal 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.”13
The Book of Mormon affirms that salvation through Christ is available to everyone. Skin color (as well as gender, ethnicity, economic status, or any other such conditions) does not bar one from finding the fullness of Heavenly Father's blessings in this life and salvation in the life to come through abiding the laws, ordinances, and precepts of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As Nephi affirmed, the Lord invites “[all] the children of men . . . to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female.” He remembers all who ever have or ever may come unto him, “both Jew and Gentile,” as “all are alike unto God” (2 Nephi 26:33).
Further Reading
John A. Tvedtnes, “The Charge of ‘Racism’ in the Book of Mormon,” FARMS Review 15, no. 2 (2003): 183–97.
Brant Gardner, Second Witness: Analytical and Contextual Commentary on the Book of Mormon, six volumes (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2007), 2:114–122. The relevant section is available online at FAIR Mormon here.
Ethan Sproat, “Skins as Garments in the Book of Mormon: A Textual Exegesis,” Journal of Book of Mormon Studies 24 (2015): 138–65.
“Race and the Priesthood,” Gospel Topics Essay. @@@
From the Director’s Desk\Hello everyone!\The center is slowing down; typically, it is what\happens this time of year. People are busy with\Christmas shopping and family preparations for the\holidays. Downtime at the center might be a good\time for us to work on our #52STORIES. I have\learned from interviewing many people who wish to\serve at the center that many do lots of work for\other people but fail to make themselves an\important part of their tree. Take this slow period\at the center and write about yourself when you\aren’t helping guests. It will be a gift that keeps on\giving.\Lots has changed over the years with Temple and\Family History work. And it is work! I remember\reading a “Message from the First Presidency” in an\Ensign one year from President Monson. He himself\said it was work and that it wasn’t easy, but it is a\very important part of the Gospel.\With our study of Section 138 in the D&C, I was\reminded of how tirelessly Susa Young Gates\worked for the cause of family history and temple\work. Thanks to her efforts thousands of Latter-\day Saints received training in how to do this\important part of the Gospel. But, despite her\accomplishments she often believed that many\saints exhibited “a very general indifference”\toward temple and family history. “Not even an\angel from heaven could induce some of these club\women and these successful business men to set\aside a portion of their time for temple work.” Susa\wrote to a friend.\“At the October 1918 Relief Society conference,\stake leaders reported that the genealogy lessons\were too difficult. They suggested that the lessons\be ‘simplified’ and ‘emphasis placed on the spiritual\rather than on the educational side of this study.’”\Susa felt that they were equally important and\complimented each other.\Susa wrote in 1918: “To have this [D&C 138] given\at a time when our Temple work and workers & our genealogy need such encouragement. No words of\mine can express my joy and gratitude.”\We are taking up where Susa left off. We\encourage, teach and testify of the importance of\temple and family history work. We say to you what\President Joseph Fielding Smith told Susa Y. Gates\two weeks before he passed away, “You are doing a\great work, greater than you know anything about.”\Thank you for your dedicated efforts. Take\advantage of this December lull, while on shift and\no one needs help, write a few memories, tell a story\about a picture, or answer some questions from\#52STORIES. From time to time, we need to\practice what we preach .\Hope to see you all at the party on Friday evening,\Elder and Sister Topham
MM and I studied 138 and read aloud Susa’s story from Revelations in Context. My bishop says that 138 reveals more about the post mortal spirit world than all the rest of our canonized scriptures combined! There are only little tiny sprinklings of spirit world information in the rest of our scriptures. What a glorious blessing 138 is! Sister Director Nancy Topham wrote the above. Looks like she was touched and inspired by Susa’s story as well. So I wanted to share it.@@@ Mareea Maynes absolutely loved Susa’s story. WE are kindred spirits she kept saying. :) More power to Mareea!
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