Why are there so few Black members of the US Mormon (LDS) Church?
2010-07-15T14:57:41Z
BTW - There's definitive evidence that blacks had be discouraged from joining the LDS Church until the days of MLK and there became a more open dialouge considering minorities in the US! Check how many are in the current Tabernacle Choir...
2010-07-15T15:22:11Z
Choir maybe (very queastionable), but there is absolutely no doubt that the LDS Churchn hierarchy did Not fully support new Black members until the early 1970's!
2010-07-15T15:29:20Z
PS: The LDS Church did not formally allow Blacks to become Priests in the Mormon Church until 1978!
2010-07-15T15:47:51Z
I said LDS in the USA, not in England, Europe or Africa. Sorry
2010-07-15T15:52:01Z
Bottom line, my own opinion, is that the LDS Church either outright refused to admit many Black here in the US or heavily discourgaed their membership! Also, that LDS "policy" would have remained just as strong in the US except for the changes as the result of mandatory segregation and more legal rights offered in early and late 1970's.
phrog2010-07-15T14:49:28Z
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because the LDS religion is more predominant in the western states (utah, nevada, arizona, etc) and the population of blacks is more situated in the mid-states.....
@Big.....that is not doctrine - it is opinion/inferrence @Atom.....also not doctrine - although it may have possibly been opinion in the 1800's of some @desidani/jada.....wrong. they have always been "allowed in" - and there have always been some black members of the LDS church. @flipoc......also wrong.
for ACTUAL information http://www.blacklds.org/
edit: if you were to do some actual research - you would find that the LDS is one of very few churches that never did have segregated congregations - even though there were members from the beginning. wispy is right about qualifications for the MTC, and yes, you are correct that blacks were not allowed the priesthood until a revelation in 1978 - @which time the church membership rejoiced - and THAT is why it changed - it had nothing to do with "mandatory segregation" or "legal rights". do yourself a favor and enhance your own opinion with some education on the subject - visit the link and do some reading. http://www.blacklds.org/priesthood http://www.blacklds.org/history
edit: @estin and cinni...(whoever you are today).....segregation is keeping groups separate - the LDS did not have segregated meetings. segregation was when black had their own meetings in a spearate place from others. the priesthood ban did withhold offices of priesthood, but was not segregated. and the temple is a rite of priesthood.....it was the same as the levites were treated in the bible. I don't know the why's - I'm just using vocabulary skills.
Which Mormons are you judging by? If there aren't any black Mormons around you, it's probably just because there aren't many blacks period. Our congregations always reflect the local populations. Frankly, the majority of Mormons in America are either white or Hispanic, but then that's true of America. If you find an area with mostly black people, the members will be mostly blacks. It's pretty simple.
What definitive evidence?
And absolutely no doubt?
You're making statements that don't seem to be based on evidence. How are you drawing this conclusion?
Bottom line...that's just your opinion. You don't give evidence or support. You don't give links. You don't even give many facts to back up your opinion. If you're trying to convince us, please address the lack of support, then ask again.
in order that which you recognize, my spouse is black, and Mormon besides. nonetheless initially few in extensive style, blacks have been attracted to the Church because of the fact that its business enterprise. Early converts joined throughout the 1830s and 1840s and a few got here to Utah as pioneers. throughout the early twentieth century, small numbers of blacks persevered to connect the Church. those contributors remained dedicated to their thoughts and Church activities even nonetheless past to 1978 black contributors could desire to no longer carry the priesthood or take part in temple ordinances, and missionaries did no longer concentration on proselyting in black communities. the motives for those regulations have not been revealed. As early as 1852, President Brigham youthful, reported that the time could come while blacks could have all the privileges of different contributors and much extra. throughout the civil rights era interior the USA, Church leaders defined that eliminating of the priesthood restrict could require a revelation from God, no longer coverage ameliorations with the help of adult men. On June 9, 1978, Spencer W. Kimball, then President of the Church, introduced the revelation that all and sundry worth men could desire to hold the priesthood. Following this revelation, proselytizing replaced into extra beneficial international to incorporate human beings of African descent. Black club a great deal extra beneficial. analyze point out that black contributors interior the USA journey social interactions and significant relationships with Church contributors of all races. in the present day black Latter-day Saints relish opportunities in all aspects of Church interest, the two as leaders and contributors.
You know...I would bet if you looked into your own beliefs you would find a few things that have been changed for the better over time.
It is absolutely true that the view points of the average U.S. citizen have changed drastically concerning the blacks. After all, we now have a black President.
My point is opinions change. That is just human nature. The time was right in the 70's for God to bring forth the privilege of holding the Priesthood to all men regardless of color. Before that time perhaps the people themselves were not ready for these changes to occur. God knows all things he brings forth his revelations as they are needed.
I am very glad that the blacks have the right to hold the priesthood now. I love blacks and all people, but I grew up in the 60's and 70's and saw the changes that occurred in society and the changes of opinions over time.
Blacks are joining the church in record numbers now. Even in America. I think though that one of the reasons that there are fewer blacks in the church in the U.S. than in Africa for example is that a good portion of the black population lives in the south which is very steeped in the Baptist religion.
It is hard to get southern people in general who have been raised in the Baptist faith to listen to the gospel message and to read the Book of Mormon. I am not sure why this is the case but it is a fact.
Missionaries do not discriminate on who they approach with the gospel message. The rejection now is coming from the one being approached themselves. Blacks are welcome with open arms into our church. Come and learn with us, and worship with us and see for yourself if you are not accepted and welcomed.
First of all, you're making a claim that you're not backing up in any way.
The states with the highest percentage of Mormons are Utah, Idaho, Nevada, and Wyoming. Guess what.......there aren't a ton of black people in those areas. The areas of the United states that have the lowest percentage of members (of any color) is East of the Mississippi. Guess where most of the Black people in America live???
That said, I'd suspect that there are higher percentages of black mormons than caucasion mormons in the south, but I don't have a stat for this and neither do you.
For the record, I know a lot of Black Mormons. Funny thing..........they don't have a chip on their shoulder yet you do. Go figure.