In early 1978, the Mormon Church found itself suffering from a massive news media campaign criticizing their attitudes towards blacks and non-whites. Allegations of discrimination and racism by such groups as the NAACP and ACLU were directed against the LDS Church, and rightly so.
The Mormon leadership began to sweat.
If things progressed badly for them, they feared losing large numbers of their members who saw the Church as a White Supremacist haven, and were willing to tell the media about it.
Even worse, they feared losing their federal tax exempt status from the IRS; a loss that would have devastated their financial empire.
On June 8, 1978, Mormon President and prophet, Spencer W Kimball announced to the world a new Official Declaration from the Lord.
Suddenly, he claimed, ‘...all worthy male members of the Church may be ordained to the priesthood without regard for race or colour’. Mike Schreib, Mormonism: A Religion for Dumb White People
Those who believe that the Church ‘gave in’ on the polygamy issue and subsequently should give in on the Negro question are not only misinformed about Church History, but are apparently unaware of Church doctrine ... Therefore, those who hope that pressure will bring about a revelation need to take a closer look at Mormon history and the order of heaven. Elder John L Lund, The Church and the Negro pp.104-105,1967
OK, the church finally relented in 1978 and gave black men the opportunity to receive the priesthood. But what about this other cursed group? According to D&C 121:21 there are some men, apparently even though they may join the church and be faithful, obedient, tithe-paying members, are barred from ever receiving the priesthood.
They are the descendants of Joseph Smith’s Missouri enemies:
They [the persecutors] shall not have right to the priesthood, nor their posterity after them from generation to generation (D&C 121:21). Confused, board post 18th September 2009, ‘Doctrine & Covenants 121 is a Utah Edition Fabrication’
It’s one thing to distort history, quite another to invent it. Kathy Erickson ... claims that the federal government threatened the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with its tax-exempt status in 1978 because of the Church’s position regarding Blacks and the priesthood.
We state categorically that the federal government made no such threat in 1978 or at any other time. The decision to extend the blessings of the priesthood to all worthy males had nothing to do with federal tax policy or any other secular law. Bruce L Olsen, Church Public Affairs department, Salt Lake Tribune 5th April 2001
cf.
I was quite surprised by LDS PR man Bruce Olsen’s attack ... regarding the Mormon Church’s motivations for abandoning its anti-Black doctrine ...
His bold assault is particularly amazing in light of the fact that history ‘distortion’ and ‘invention’ have been trademarks of Mormonism since its inception. Of course, the risk in Mr Olsen’s gallant tossing of the gauntlet is that someone might just pick it up.
For example, it didn’t take much investigation to discover that in 1981 the Solicitor General of the United States, Rex Lee, a Mormon, rescued himself from a case against Bob Jones University.
In that case, the US government was threatening to revoke Bob Jones University’s tax-exempt status because of its racist policy of prohibiting interracial dating.
When asked why he took himself off the case, Mr Lee explained that previously when representing the Mormon church in a similar case, he had argued that the church should retain its tax-exempt status despite its racist policies and felt conflicted from arguing an opposing view in the Bob Jones case. Gary Anderson, letter Salt Lake Tribune; viz Lincoln Caplan, The Tenth Justice
Unfortunately, some married couples fail to realize that sexual experiences were never intended by the Lord to be a mere plaything or merely to satisfy passions and lusts. When couples engage in physical intimacy devoid of emotional and spiritual intimacy, or when they participate in unholy practices, what should be a spiritually bonding element in their marriage may actually become a disruptive force. Going to the scriptures and to the words of modern prophets for inspired counsel is one of the best ways husbands and wives can improve their communication and strengthen their marriage. Spencer J Condie, article Ensign July 1986, ‘Finding Marital Unity Through the Scriptures’
There is some widely accepted theory extant that homosexuality is inherited. How can this be? No scientific evidence demonstrates absolutely that this is so. Besides, if it were so, it would frustrate the whole plan of mortal happiness. James E Faust, general conference spring 1995, ‘Serving the Lord and Resisting the Devil’
Alternatives to the legal and loving marriage between a man and a woman are helping to unravel the fabric of human society. I am sure this is pleasing to the devil ... If practiced by all adults, these life-styles would mean the end of the human family. ibid.
As I say, it never ceases to amaze me how gullible some of our Church members are. Harold B Lee, eleventh Mormon president, article Ensign January 1973, ‘Admonitions for the Priesthood of God’
I was shocked to have you raise the question about oral lovemaking in the genital area among married couples. Heaven forbid any such degrading activities which would be abhorrent in the sight of the Lord. For any Latter-day Saint ... to engage in any kind of perversions of this sacred God-given gift of procreation would be sure to bring down the condemnation of the Lord whom we would offend were we to engage in any such practice. Harold B Lee, letter 17th May 1973 (prepared by secretary); viz Board Question #6853 & i4m online article & Michael T Griffith’s ‘Intimacy in Marriage’
Marriage is not performed in the heavens in the hereafter. Harold B Lee, Youth and the Church p128
My lovely Joan was sent to me:
So Joan joins Fern
That three might be, more fitted for eternity.
‘O Heavenly Father, my thanks to thee.’ Harold B Lee, cited Deseret News 1974, & Church Almanac p17
There are those among us who think (if it can be called thinking) that having a large family of children is old-fashioned and an evidence of those who are unsophisticated and don’t know better. No more pernicious doctrine than that could hardly be imagined. Those who refuse to accept the obligations of parenthood are not living up to their greatest opportunities and thereby fail to gain the sweetest joys of life with a beautiful family ... Those who refuse as husbands and wives to have children are proving themselves already too small for the infinitude of God’s creative powers. Harold B Lee, Ye Are the Light of the World pp.266-267
People who are attracted to members of their own sex can change. Bruce C Hafen
Even touching another person’s body with sexual intent is part of the intimacy that is kept holy by the sanctuary of chastity. Please also beware of unnatural sexual acts that are just as immoral, if not worse, than traditional fornication or adultery. Bruce C Hafen article Ensign October 2003, ‘Your Longing for Family Joy’
Guatemala is a country of about three million people. About half of them still dress in the Indian costume of a thousand or two thousand years back. They are wonderful people, very simple ... I went ... to present them with a Book of Mormon. I started to say, ‘I come to give you a copy of the Book of Mormon, a history of your people,’ and two chiefs immediately arose on their feet, and I started to say, ‘You are of the house of Israel,’ but before I could get it out of my mouth they jumped to their feet and said, ‘We are of the House of Israel!’ Gordon M Romney, general conference April 1957
Tithing is not a free-will offering; it is a debt. Marion G Romney, article Ensign June 1980, ‘Concerning Tithing’
The payment of tithing is also worthwhile as fire insurance. ibid.
A further reward for paying tithing is a guarantee against being consumed in the burning which is to accompany the second coming of the Savior. Marion G Romney, article Ensign May 1979, ‘Trust in the Lord’
Q) About that, God the Father was once a man as we were. This is something that Christian writers are always addressing. Is this the teaching of the church today, that God the Father was once a man like we are?
A) Gordon B Hinckley: I don’t know that we teach it. I don’t know that we emphasize it. Time magazine 4th August 1997
Q) And this belief in contemporary revelation and prophecy – as the prophet, tell us how that works. How do you receive divine revelation? What does it feel like?
A) Let me say first that we have a great body of revelation, the vast majority of which came from the prophet Joseph Smith. We don’t need much revelation. We need to pay more attention to the revelation we’ve already received. Gordon B Hinckley, San Francisco Chronicle 1997