--from Ham, sprang that race which preserved the curse in the land""-- Now the first government of Egypt was established by Pharaoh, the eldest son of Egyptus, the daughter of Ham,""..Noah, his father, who blessed him with the blessings of the earth,".but cursed him as pertaining to the priesthood"[POGP] Book of Abraham] 1:24
"Now Pharaoh being of the lineage by which he could not have the right (to) Priesthood""" [POGP] Book of Abraham 1:26-27
These quoted statements of a cursing by God are doctrinal in Mormonism and hence where taught to children of the church such as I and my age group and long before up at least until 1978 when the church seemingly lifted the curse. But the question arises has the church removed the above language of the Pearl of Great price or more importantly has it removed the whole book from its standard works [what it teaches]? And if the curse was made by God, earthlings cannot rescind it
Dissident
scholars of Mormonism have shown that the entire book [POGP]was a fraudulent
construction by church founder Joseph Smith Jr. [J.S] and proven by the 1967 discovery
of the Egyptian scrolls from which J.S
made a totally wrongful false translation of it! The Book of Moses was not a part of the scrolls bu rather an "enlightened" translation by Joseph Smith of the words of Moses from the King James version of the bible.
So as to the issue of Racism by church leaders until 1978 it is clear that the church used the spurious J.S. translation as the basis for the ban/restriction on priesthood for black men. So racism was not solely the product of the mind of Brigham Young. Yet it can be argued that from the time of the Mormon exodus from Illinois to the Great Basin of Utah in 1847, that the racist practice of priesthood restriction to black men based on the POGP was used by Brigham Young, the second "Prophet, Seer, Revelator" and President of the Mormon Church!
On or about January 29, 2012 an official statement by the church on the issue of past racism by the Church is revealing of the continued denial of the church proper being responsible for what it had practiced for all the years between 1847 and 1978 based on the POGP. See Following:
Response -- 29 February 2012
'Washington Post' Article on Church Statement Regarding Race and the Church.
Salt Lake City --
The [Mormon] Church issued the following statement today in response to news media requests:
"The positions attributed to BYU professor Randy Bott in a recent Washington Post article absolutely do not represent the teachings and doctrines of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. BYU faculty members do not speak for the Church. It is unfortunate that the Church was not given a chance to respond to what others said.
The Church's position is clear--we believe all people are God's children and are equal in His eyes and in the Church. We do not tolerate racism in any form.
For a time in the Church there was a restriction on the priesthood for male members of African descent. It is not known precisely why, how, or when this restriction began in the Church but what is clear is that it ended decades ago. Some have attempted to explain the reason for this restriction but these attempts should be viewed as speculation and opinion, not doctrine. The Church is not bound by speculation or opinions given with limited understanding.
We condemn racism, including any and all past racism by individuals both inside and outside the Church." (EMPHASIS MINE)
This response is believed to come from the church Communication Department and is deemed genuine. The author is likely a lay member and appears to be younger than the date of 1978. It is obvious that he [I presume] is a male priesthood holder unfamiliar with the doctrines and practices of the church before that date.
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