Is Mormon doctrine racist?
This is a complicated question with many layers. The short answer is, not anymore-ish.
Until 1978, black members of African descent were unable to participate in temple worship. This ban was the result of Mormon prophets teaching that those of African descent were the descendants of Cain, Ham, Lamen and Lemuel (the baddies in the Book of Mormon), and those who disavowed the faith prior to the restoration of Christ's church through Joseph Smith. The descendants were cursed with black skin because of the sins of their ancestors.
Although this ban is often referred to as the "Priesthood Ban" for black men of African descent, it also applied to Mormon temple worship for both men and women.
For those unfamiliar with Mormon temple worship, the temple is where Mormons go to participate in the highest of Mormon rituals. Inside the temple Mormons make covenants with their god to live various commandments and learn how to return to god's presence after they die. Men, in particular, are also taught how to locate their spouse in the next life so that their family can be reunited as an eternal unit.
Preventing black men and women of African descent from entering the temple meant that they could not partake in these ordinances.
Assuming that the Mormon church is the "one true church," this meant that until 1978 these people could not learn how to return to god's presence in the next life, and the men could not learn how to find their spouses to become an eternally reunited family. This would result in broken families for black members only, and a heaven wherein a single racial demographic would be excluded.
The church does not teach this doctrine anymore, but there are still plenty of evidences in church literature and scripture where this doctrine is prevalent.
This doctrine of banning those of African descent from the temple directly contradicts the Mormon church's second Article of Faith, "We believe that men will be punished for their own sins and not for Adam's transgression [the fall in the Garden of Eden]." In other words, you're guilty for your own sins and not the sins of others.... unless you're black and of African descent.
The church has since disavowed these previous doctrines. However, this does not undo the pain caused to black people of African descent while the doctrine was actively taught.
curtishartleyYes. Go ahead, try to say the "skin turning black" thing was a metaphor. It still means dark = bad
kingofweirdThe church tends to swap the word doctrine with policy when they have to defend things like a racist history.
The thing is that that doctrine or policy is still being pushed out by the same people. Mormon prophets and apostles set the tone, and they have never apologized for the blatant racism.
Yes Mormon doctrine is racist, and will remain so until a prophet stands up in front of the church and says “we were wrong for teaching racist doctrine. We take ownership and apologize for it.”
ashmonster2000It depends who you talk to at this point. Nuanced mormons or people who don't understand the doctrine they claim to believe will tell you the church loves everyone. They'll usually cite the verse that says God is no respector of persons without mentioning that the same book teaches a number of white supremacist principles (including that dark-skinned people are dark-skinned because they or their ancestors have been evil).
elementalepistles