At present, church members are likely to feel, with some justification, that they will be criticized for their views from both the secular political left and the evangelical political right.

I think that if such is the case, all is as it should. We should not be too comfy with either fringe. There’s a reason why words like “wingnut” were coined.

There surely is a cognitive dissonance for many, who like me (and like you), believe in complete and full racial and ethnic equality, and the history of differential treatment within the Restored Church of individuals based on whether they were of black lineage (deemed descendents of Cain).

With all respect, early on in the discussion, you stated:

“I cannot recall any official statement declaring a certain ethnic group to be inferior. Our doctrine, like that of most who believe the Bible is the word of God, is that we are all His children whom he loves and desires to succeed equally.”

You are correct as to current official doctrine.

As to prior statements, if you choose to believe that there have never been “official statement[s]” declaring any ethnic group to be “inferior”, because the statements quoted are (1) either not “official statements”, or (2) because they do not use the word “inferior,” that is certainly your right to do so.

On the other hand, if it is your position that the Church has always officially taught that blacks (those deemed to be of descent from Cain) and whites are fully equal in God’s eyes and in the then-current structure of the Church, then, my best wishes to you in trying to understand prior teachings of the Church (and its leaders), and in trying to square how blacks and whites were treated equally in the Church when, among other things, whites could be endowed and sealed in the temple in this life, but anyone with any known black ancestry could not.

Elder Packer probably should have qualified his remarks to a specific segment of the gay community.

As for homosexuals and BSA, I think beyond the moral reasoning, they seek to avoid abuse issues, which would obviously only present itself if a leader/boy were homosexual. When my dad was 13, a scout leader made a pass at him in his tent. Luckily, my dad was assertive enough. *please take this example in the spirit in which it was received – by no means do I assert that most homosexuals do this.*

I would chalk up the therapy BYU thing (of which I know nothing about) to sincere misguided attempts to help people, however revolting they seem from our current perspective.

Also, @ Queuno (144) – I’m a Jim Brown fan, meant it as a joke. =)

Finally, with regards to all the quotes you’ve informed me of, here are my thoughts:

1. Many of them do not expressly communicate that a black person is inferior, merely that something linked with racism (segregation) may be favorable.

2. I suppose that many of them stem from an incomplete understanding of doctrine, aided by culture and circumstance of the day. If church leaders really were racist, then why no such remarks concerning polynesians, asians, etc?

Feel free to correct/educate me, as I’m just seeking to better understand. Thanks.