An Open Letter To Mitt Romney: Repudiate The Racist Doctrines of the LDS Church

Dear Mitt,

I'm writing you this letter as a potential Mitt Romney supporter. I have a similar background. I grew up in the Mormon church and I served a foreign mission. I'm proud of my LDS heritage. My ancestors were some of the original Mormon pioneers that immigrated to this country with the promise of religious freedom and a chunk of the American dream.

There are chapters of our history that bring me shame. I was reminded of such a chapter as I read this article. The former racist doctrines in the Mormon church have absolutely no founding in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Based on your previous comments regarding your reaction to the 1978 revelation, I imagine you feel the same way.

It is my opinion that the recent official responses to the Negro Priesthood Ban by those held as Prophets in the Mormon church are almost as shameful.

 You may recall a recent interview where Gordon B Hinckley was asked,

"So in retrospect was the Church wrong in that [denying blacks the priesthood]?". 

The prophet's response was this:


"No I don't think it was wrong. It, things, various things happened in different periods. There's a reason for them."

Gordon B Hinckley was given the opportunity to repudiate all the ugly slurs uttered by earlier Mormon prophets. He had a chance to change attitudes across the entire church. He had a chance, one and for all, to put the issue behind us. He chose instead to insist that God was behind the racism. It was God that decided that the Negro was not worthy of the full benefits of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

I refuse to accept this. It speaks volumes to all those who hold this religion to be the only true church on earth. It tells the current Mormon membership that there was a reason, prior to 1978,  that God withheld his blessings to those born with a black skin. It fails to erase these comments made by Brigham Young:

"You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, uncomely, disagreeable, sad, low in their habits, wild, and seemingly without the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon mankind."

Please join me in repudiating the racist doctrines of the Mormon church. I would formally like to say that this was a mistake made by men who were a product of their time. The act of denying individuals the right to full participation in Christ's gospel was not a directive from God. The former doctrine was not based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ in any way.

This would be a good chance for you to show the electorate that you are not controlled by the LDS church. It would show that you are capable of holding a belief that is opposed the current LDS hierarchy.

Holding the belief that God held back his blessings to the Negro race until 1978 is also a racist doctrine. It leaves fertile ground for racism to grow. It fails to condemn the dehumanization of an entire race. Your detractors will hold these statements over your head until you clearly repudiate them.


Signed,
Independent Mormon Voter