AIDS and People of Color in the Mormon View

Are the Mormons finally coming around?

Mormonism founder Joseph Smith and his successor as church president with the most followers, Brigham Young, both taught that the skin color of Black people was the result of the curses of Cain and Ham. During the 20th century, many LDS leaders opposed the civil rights movement.

In the 1980s, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) excommunicated people who had AIDS... a member, Clair Harward, who was dying from complications due to AIDS, primarily for his homosexuality, not the disease itself, and he was also banned from church meetings. Try to imagine how he felt in his dying days. How did Jesus feel? Probably angry...I'm angry just thinking about it. " Vengeance is mine, saith the Lord" is a biblical statement in Romans 12:19, meaning that God, not humans, will handle justice and retribution.

Recently, some changes have been made to allow for more inclusiveness of the LGBTQ and as you can see in this video, more people of color using a "Fiddler on the Roof," a song from a quintessential Jewish musical. Extraordinary! Maybe someday they might include a trans person? Baby steps for them I guess. But, we should not condemn religions if they make these tremendous changes...we should applaud them. It took them a long time to finally get the message from Jesus:

"Judge not, that you be not judged" (Matthew 7:1) is a biblical verse urging humility and compassion, reminding us that we will be judged by the same standards we use to judge others.

"He who is without sin, cast the first stone" comes from John 8:7 in the Bible, where Jesus tells those who want to stone a woman accused of adultery to first cast the stone if they themselves are without sin. This phrase is often used to emphasize the importance of humility and the need to avoid judging others, as everyone is imperfect.

You are no better than anyone else. You are not on a higher level. No less than - no better than.

I look forward to joining my Mormon friends in their church from time to time. Jesus did not just stick with Jewish people or Christians...he went out among the people - he talked to everyone. I go where I'm invited. I go where I please and I please where I go. I get around. Peace and Love, Ev

Mormon Video showing more diversity. We should applaud them - not condemn them for their past. But always remember.