Church apologizes for Racism!

[_Shulem]

When the church spokesman (I grew up thinking the prophet was the spokesman, but I was wrong) issues a press release stating that the church actually DIDN'T apologize for its past racist statements, how will it look?

The church can't apologize and at the same time maintain the status quo of claiming a divine connection had by holy prophets. Imagine a set of balancing scales: One side has prophets who speak for God and the other is truth. If the church is really what it claims to be the scales will be balanced with prophets on one side of the scale and truth on the other. But, if the prophets are fake then they have no real weight and therefore the truth will prevail independently and the scales will tip.

If the Mormon church was really true and their prophets were who they say they are then the scales would look like this:



But, if the prophets are fake then the scales will tip because truth always prevails.

[_Meadowchik]

I am curious why this is seen as an attempt to destroy the church. The complaint seems to be that this hoax hurt people because it made them confront a pain that was being caused by the church itself.

Many members believe that such an apology would make the church better. If that is so, why is a hoax that pretends to do something that would make the church better be considered an attempt to destroy it?

This hoax is going to have a definite effect on a set of members. It's going to get some members thinking outside the box and wondering more and more about why the church did what it did and why the church can't just admit that it was racist.

There will be thousands of Latter-day Saints that will end up leaving the church over this straw. Well done, Jonathan Streeter -- you just cost the church millions of dollars in future lost tithing revenue.

I wonder what the effect would have been if instead of a hoax on racism, this November it was a fake apology for the policy on Gays. Would you be congratulating Streeter?

[_Shulem]

I wonder what the effect would have been if instead of a hoax on racism, this November it was a fake apology for the policy on Gays. Would you be congratulating Streeter?

Absolutely, yes!

[_candygal]

Tacenda on MD&D put a you tube video up of the guy who made this "fake" apology. It is amazing..I am off to work...so check it out.

[_Fence Sitter]

http://www.mormondialogue.org/topic/70563-1st-pres-and-naacp/?do=findComment&comment=1209819961

Here is a link to Tacienda's MAD post of the video of the guy who put up the satire.

[_Shulem]

Foolish Mormon dialogue & discussion board

You are assuming it was a mistake. We can't judge what people did 150 years ago based on our 21st century thinking and culture. You had to be there. I can see how it would be considered a mistake if they did something like that today. I am sure they did it with the intention of doing what God wanted them to do and what was best for the church at that time.

It was a mistake! It was wrong. It was racial. It was unloving.

We can judge what people did 150 years ago compared to right thinking and decent culture experienced today. Hence, they were wrong and we are right.

We don't have to be there to know what they said and did. You're trying to give them a free pass like Christians do today when they say, "That was the Old Testament'.

Intention of doing what God wanted them to do? What the hell? Are they not prophets? Are they not seers? Are they not revelators? Do they not speak face to face with Jesus?

Do and what was best for the church at that time? What? It's supposed to be Jesus's church not the church of man. Where the hell was Jesus during all this -- out to lunch?

You, JAHS are one stupid, dumb, idiotic piece of garbage.

[_DoubtingThomas]

Let's say that most members think that somehow God really was involved in the ban but that the leaders and others have defended it incorrectly. At this point we can also agree on the fact the current leadership is not able to explain why the ban occurred. I see this essay as an attempt to draw attention to the fact that the current leadership is unable to explain why past leadership made those claims and is unable to apologize for those mistakes. I do not see the hoax as an attempt to destroy the church so much as an attempt to change it.

I hope you are right.

[_Dr. Shades]

Here is a link to Tacienda's MAD post of the video of the guy who put up the satire.

If you'd like to skip the MAD middleman and just watch the video for yourself, it's at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qjGS19A9i4

[_moksha]

You have to hand it to the valiant Mormon D&D defenders; their quotes are right on the tithing money.

The harm that men do must be covered up at all cost.
-- Mission Presidents Handbook, pg 23

No apology should be given for any harm we have caused.
-- Apostle's Handbook, pg 1