sin because it serves to divide the body of Christ and

 The Declaration of Independence `holds these

dehumanize children of God. 

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The Disciples recognize

truths to be self evident, that all men are created

racism as a systemic evil and, to counter it, have passed

equal: that they are endowed by their Creator with

several resolutions and initiatives to address the sins of

certain inalienable rights; that among these are life,

racism, including:

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liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,' but, at the

same time, some two or three million people are

  Reconciliation Mission to work toward racial

held as slaves for life, because the spirit in them is

reconciliation and anti racist projects.

covered with a darker skin than ours...The

Constitution of the United States of America meant

  The General Nominating Committee's use of 20%

just what it said without reference to color or

racial/ethnic minority provision for all boards and

condition, ad infinitum! 

37

committees established after the 1969 General

Assembly.

As the Church grew, its advocacy for racial justice grew.

Many leaders in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day

  The Short Term Employment Experiences in Ministry

Saints continued their denouncement of racism:

Program to prepare African American and Hispanic

persons for ministry.

 Negroes should be treated like human beings...For

their abuses of that race, the whites shall be cursed,

  Establishing The Central Pastoral Office for Hispanic

unless they repent. 

38

Ministries and North American Pacific and Asian

Ministries.

 What a different world this would be if men would

accumulate wealth, for example, not as an end but

  Establishing offices of education and ministry for the

as a means of blessing human beings and improving

African American established churches.

human relations. A Christian conception of the

right and value of a human soul, even though his

On an individual basis, the Disciples assert  [r]acially

skin be dark, would have prevented the slaughter

motivated bigotry manifests itself as a separation of

that at this moment is being perpetuated in

persons, stereotyping, devaluation, fear, scapegoating, and

Ethiopia. 

39

overgeneralization based on race. 

33

 We reject racism. We

reject the black racism of the Manifesto. Equally we reject

 America has the great opportunity to lead the

the white racism which pervades American society and in

world from political intrigue and cheap

which all of us have shared sometimes deliberately, most

demagoguery, from national selfishness, from

of the time unconsciously, sometimes against our will. 

34

unrighteous usurpation of power, and from unholy

aggrandizement. She must prove to the people of

the world that she has no selfish ends to serve, no

THE CHURCH OF JESUS

desire for conquest, nor of national or race

CHRIST OF LATTER DAY

superiority. When these ideals are established,

SAINTS

America can blaze the trail and lead the world to

peace. 

40

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (the

Church) was founded by Joseph Smith, who is considered

 The Mormon Church does not believe, nor does it

a prophet by the Church and an advocate for racial

teach, that the Negro is an inferior being. Mentally,

justice.

35

While slavery was practiced in America, Joseph

and physically, the Negro is capable of great

Smith made several declarations condemning racism and

achievement, as great or in some cases greater than

advocating racial justice:

the potentiality of the white race. 

41

 They [Negroes] came into the world slaves,

 Certainly the Negroes as children of God are

mentally and physically. Change their situation with

entitled to equality before the law and to be treated

the whites, and they would be like them. They have

with all the dignity and respect of any member of

souls and are subject to salvation. 

36

the human race. 

42

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