Racism and the scriptures - Revision history

SpencerMarsh at 17:33, 26 February 2026

2026-02-26T17:33:42Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 17:33, 26 February 2026
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	* David M. Belnap has outlined other possibilities for interpreting and understanding these passages from the Book of Mormon in a long, beautiful paper in ''Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship'' on the inclusive, anti-discriminatory message of the Book of Mormon.<ref>{{Interpreter:Belnap:The Inclusive Anti-discrimination Message Of The Book Of:2021}</ref>		* David M. Belnap has outlined other possibilities for interpreting and understanding these passages from the Book of Mormon in a long, beautiful paper in ''Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship'' on the inclusive, anti-discriminatory message of the Book of Mormon.<ref>{{Interpreter:Belnap:The Inclusive Anti-discrimination Message Of The Book Of:2021}</ref>

	* Jan J. Martin argues "that all four of the Lamanite descriptors in {{s\|2\|Nephi\|5\|}}—''cut off'', ''cursed'', ''skin of blackness'', and ''loathsome''—are best understood from within a covenant perspective, specifically from within the ancient Near Eastern suzerain-vassal covenant relationship that God made with Lehi's family."<ref>Jan J. Martin, "The Prophet Nephi and the Covenantal Nature of ''Cut Off'', ''Cursed'', ''Skin of Blackness'', and ''Loathsome''," in ''They Shall Grow Together: The Bible in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Charles Swift and Nicholas J. Frederick (~~Provo, UT:~~ Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2022), 108 (107–41).</ref>		* Jan J. Martin argues "that all four of the Lamanite descriptors in {{s\|2\|Nephi\|5\|}}—''cut off'', ''cursed'', ''skin of blackness'', and ''loathsome''—are best understood from within a covenant perspective, specifically from within the ancient Near Eastern suzerain-vassal covenant relationship that God made with Lehi's family."<ref>Jan J. Martin, "[https://rsc.byu.edu/they-shall-grow-together/prophet-nephi-covenantal-nature-cut-off-cursed-skin-blackness-loathsome The Prophet Nephi and the Covenantal Nature of ''Cut Off'', ''Cursed'', ''Skin of Blackness'', and ''Loathsome'']," in ''They Shall Grow Together: The Bible in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Charles Swift and Nicholas J. Frederick (Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2022), 108 (107–41).</ref>

	* Clifford P. Jones argues that the dark mark was "a sacrilegious, permanent mark made by incision (an ancient tattoo) which, under the law of Moses, represented rebellion against God and his laws."<ref>{{Interpreter:Jones:Understanding The Lamanite Mark:2023}}</ref>		* Clifford P. Jones argues that the dark mark was "a sacrilegious, permanent mark made by incision (an ancient tattoo) which, under the law of Moses, represented rebellion against God and his laws."<ref>{{Interpreter:Jones:Understanding The Lamanite Mark:2023}}</ref>

GregSmith at 07:53, 26 May 2024

2024-05-26T07:53:16Z

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:53, 26 May 2024
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	</blockquote>		</blockquote>

	Author Adam Stokes has also proposed alternative, informed, non-racist readings of the Book of Moses' passages at length.<ref>~~Adam~~ Stokes~~, "[https~~:~~//journal.interpreterfoundation.org/the-people-of-canaan-a-new-reading-of-moses-7/~~ The People of Canaan: A New Reading ~~of {{s\|\|Moses\|7\|~~}}~~]," ''Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship'' 47 (2021): 159–80~~.</ref>		Author Adam Stokes has also proposed alternative, informed, non-racist readings of the Book of Moses' passages at length.<ref>{{Interpreter:Stokes:The People Of Canaan A New Reading Of:2021}}.</ref>

	=== That race that was cursed according to the Priesthood ({{s\|\|Abraham\|1\|24-27}}) ===		=== That race that was cursed according to the Priesthood ({{s\|\|Abraham\|1\|24-27}}) ===

GregSmith: /* "Skin of blackness" on Lamanites and the racist perception of the Nephites? */

2024-05-26T07:52:00Z

"Skin of blackness" on Lamanites and the racist perception of the Nephites?

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:52, 26 May 2024
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	* Clifford P. Jones argues that the dark mark was "a sacrilegious, permanent mark made by incision (an ancient tattoo) which, under the law of Moses, represented rebellion against God and his laws."<ref>{{Interpreter:Jones:Understanding The Lamanite Mark:2023}}</ref>		* Clifford P. Jones argues that the dark mark was "a sacrilegious, permanent mark made by incision (an ancient tattoo) which, under the law of Moses, represented rebellion against God and his laws."<ref>{{Interpreter:Jones:Understanding The Lamanite Mark:2023}}</ref>

	Another way to look at this might be to look at how Egyptians labeled their enemies. The ''Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt'' notes that, in their murals and other iconography, Egyptians used to colorize foreigners and their enemies as black even when they were not black since "[w]ithin the scheme of Egyptian/non-Egyptian skin color, black was not desirable for ordinary humans[.]" The color black "marked out figures as foreign, as enemies of Egypt, and ultimately as representatives of chaos; black thereby contrasted with its positive meaning elsewhere."<ref>Gay Robins, "Color Symbolism," in ''Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt'', ed. Donald B. Redford (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001), 1:293.</ref> Something similar may very well be going on in the Book of Mormon.		* Another way to look at this might be to look at how Egyptians labeled their enemies. The ''Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt'' notes that, in their murals and other iconography, Egyptians used to colorize foreigners and their enemies as black even when they were not black since "[w]ithin the scheme of Egyptian/non-Egyptian skin color, black was not desirable for ordinary humans[.]" The color black "marked out figures as foreign, as enemies of Egypt, and ultimately as representatives of chaos; black thereby contrasted with its positive meaning elsewhere."<ref>Gay Robins, "Color Symbolism," in ''Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt'', ed. Donald B. Redford (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001), 1:293.</ref> Something similar may very well be going on in the Book of Mormon.

	Even if we are speaking about a literal skin change, the Book of Mormon does not argue that the Nephites are inherently superior because of their white skin as racism entails. {{s\|2\|Nephi\|26\|33}} immediately refutes such a reading. The skin was applied to the Lamanites because the Lord did not want the Lamanites to be sexually appealing to the Nephites, thus preventing the Nephites' children from being drawn into Lamanite beliefs and cultural practices. If any Lamanites repent, the curse was removed from them. The "curse" is thus about moral responsibility, not stratifying people as different races and assigning them less or more inherent moral worth.		=== No racial superiority ===
			Even if we are speaking about a literal skin change, the Book of Mormon does not argue that the Nephites are inherently superior because of their white skin as racism entails. {{s\|2\|Nephi\|26\|33}} immediately refutes such a reading. The skin was applied to the Lamanites because the Lord did not want the Lamanites to be sexually appealing to the Nephites, thus preventing the Nephites' children from being drawn into Lamanite beliefs and cultural practices. If any Lamanites repent, the curse was removed from them. The "curse" is thus about moral responsibility, not stratifying people as different races and assigning them less or more inherent moral worth. (In fact, the Lamanites are at times described as more righteous than the Nephites, not withstanding their apostasy and wicked ways—{{s\|\|Jacob\|3\|5-9}}.

			=== Not the 19th century view ===
	A related criticism argues that the supposed racism stems from Joseph Smith's racist 19th century worldview, and that he was injecting it into the Book of Mormon. Unsurprisingly, there are problems with this reading.		A related criticism argues that the supposed racism stems from Joseph Smith's racist 19th century worldview, and that he was injecting it into the Book of Mormon. Unsurprisingly, there are problems with this reading.

	The first is that the Book of Mormon does not exhibit 19th century attitudes toward Native Americans. Author Jeremy Talmage has astutely observed that if the Book of Mormon were to assign any racial categorization to Native Americans, they would have been described as "red" and not "black".<ref>Jeremy Talmage, "[https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1633&context=jbms Black, White, and Red All Over: Skin Color in the Book of Mormon]," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 28, no. 1 (2019): 49–50, 52–54, 67.</ref>		The first is that the Book of Mormon does not exhibit 19th century attitudes toward Native Americans. Author Jeremy Talmage has astutely observed that if the Book of Mormon were to assign any racial categorization to Native Americans, they would have been described as "red" and not "black".<ref>Jeremy Talmage, "[https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1633&context=jbms Black, White, and Red All Over: Skin Color in the Book of Mormon]," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 28, no. 1 (2019): 49–50, 52–54, 67.</ref>

			=== No fixed, immutable "races" ===
	The second problem is that, as non Latter-day Saint historian Max Perry Mueller observes, the Book of Mormon overturns many then-popular conceptions regarding race. Chief among these is the fact that the Book of Mormon does not see race as immutable.		The second problem is that, as non Latter-day Saint historian Max Perry Mueller observes, the Book of Mormon overturns many then-popular conceptions regarding race. Chief among these is the fact that the Book of Mormon does not see race as immutable.

GregSmith: /* "Skin of blackness" on Lamanites and the racist perception of the Nephites? */

2024-05-26T07:14:08Z

"Skin of blackness" on Lamanites and the racist perception of the Nephites?

← Older revision		Revision as of 07:14, 26 May 2024
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	Some have claimed that the "skin of blackness" on the Lamanites ({{s\|2\|Nephi\|5\|21}}) is the result of a type of racism that the Nephites practiced against blacks.		Some have claimed that the "skin of blackness" on the Lamanites ({{s\|2\|Nephi\|5\|21}}) is the result of a type of racism that the Nephites practiced against blacks.

	According to this reading of the Book of Mormon, Nephi says that the Lamanites were cursed by God with a literal skin of blackness and that their skins literally changed in their melanin content from lighter to darker. Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles specifically disavowed this interpretation of {{s\|2\|Nephi\|5\|}} on behalf of the Church in January 2020.<ref>Gary E. Stevenson, "[https://www.ldsliving.com/at-naacp-luncheon-elder-stevenson-reiterates-all-are-alike-unto-god-addresses-printing-error-in-come-follow-me-regarding-race/s/92253 At NAACP Luncheon, Elder Stevenson Reiterates ‘All Are Alike Unto God’]; Addresses Printing Error in ‘Come, Follow Me’ Regarding Race," ''LDS Living'', 21 January 2020.</ref> Additionally, this is not the only possible interpretation of the verses. It does not hold the distinction of being even the most likely correct interpretation of these verses. Brant Gardner has marshaled a lot of evidence to suggest that these verses and others that refer to skin in the Book of Mormon refer to moral/spiritual purity that led to a change in countenance.<ref>Brant Gardner, " What Does the Book of Mormon Mean by ‘Skin of Blackness’?" ''FAIR Publications'', accessed March 20, 2022, https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/archive/publications/what-does-the-book-of-mormon-mean-by-skin-of-blackness.</ref> Ethan Sproat argues that references to skin color are in fact references to "a kind of authoritative garment. The relevant texts further lend themselves to associating such garment-skins with both the Nephite temple and competing Lamanite claims to kingship."<ref>Ethan Sproat, "[https://archive.bookofmormoncentral.org/content/skins-garments-book-mormon-textual-exegesis Skins as Garments in the Book of Mormon: A Textual Exegesis]," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 24 (2015): 138–165.</ref> Author Adam Stokes has provided Semitic background as potentially helpful interpretive aid to the Book of Mormon's passages on darkness/blackness.<ref>Adam Oliver Stokes, "[https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1626&context=jbms ’Skin’ or ‘Scales’ of Blackness? Semitic Context as Interpretive Aid for {{s\|2\|Nephi\|4\|35}} (LDS 5:21)]," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 27 (2018): 278–89. A helpful literature review was done around the time Stokes published. See Russell W. Stevenson, "[https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1623&context=jbms Reckoning With Race in the Book of Mormon]," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 27, no. 1 (2018): 210–25.</ref> Gerrit M. Steenblik argues that references to skin in the Book of Mormon refer to "an ancient Maya body paint tradition, chiefly for warfare, hunting, and nocturnal raiding. This discovery shifts possible explanations from the Old World to the New and suggests that any ‘mark’ upon Book of Mormon people may have been self-applied."<ref>Gerrit M. Steenblik, "[https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/demythicizing-the-lamanites-skin-of-blackness/ Demythicizing the Lamanites’ ‘Skin of Blackness’]," ''Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship'' 49 (2021): 167–258.</ref> Steenblik’s explanation enjoys a lot of popularity among scholars of the Book of Mormon. David M. Belnap has outlined other possibilities for interpreting and understanding these passages from the Book of Mormon in a long, beautiful paper in ''Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship'' on the inclusive, anti-discriminatory message of the Book of Mormon.<ref>David M. Belnap, "[https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/the-inclusive-anti-discrimination-message-of-the-book-of-mormon/ The Inclusive, Anti-Discrimination Message of the Book of Mormon]," ''Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship'' 42 (2021): 195–370.</ref> Jan J. Martin argues "that all four of the Lamanite descriptors in {{s\|2\|Nephi\|5\|}}—''cut off'', ''cursed'', ''skin of blackness'', and ''loathsome''—are best understood from within a covenant perspective, specifically from within the ancient Near Eastern suzerain-vassal covenant relationship that God made with Lehi's family."<ref>Jan J. Martin, "The Prophet Nephi and the Covenantal Nature of ''Cut Off'', ''Cursed'', ''Skin of Blackness'', and ''Loathsome''," in ''They Shall Grow Together: The Bible in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Charles Swift and Nicholas J. Frederick (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2022), 108 (107–41).</ref> Clifford P. Jones argues that the dark mark was "a sacrilegious, permanent mark made by incision (an ancient tattoo) which, under the law of Moses, represented rebellion against God and his laws."<ref>Clifford P. Jones, "[https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/understanding-the-lamanite-mark/ Understanding the Lamanite Mark]," ''Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship'' 56 (2023): 172.</ref>		According to this reading of the Book of Mormon, Nephi says that the Lamanites were cursed by God with a literal skin of blackness and that their skins literally changed in their melanin content from lighter to darker. Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles specifically disavowed this interpretation of {{s\|2\|Nephi\|5\|}} on behalf of the Church in January 2020.<ref>Gary E. Stevenson, "[https://www.ldsliving.com/at-naacp-luncheon-elder-stevenson-reiterates-all-are-alike-unto-god-addresses-printing-error-in-come-follow-me-regarding-race/s/92253 At NAACP Luncheon, Elder Stevenson Reiterates ‘All Are Alike Unto God’]; Addresses Printing Error in ‘Come, Follow Me’ Regarding Race," ''LDS Living'', 21 January 2020.</ref>

	~~Another meaningful way to look at~~ this might be to look at how Egyptians labeled their enemies. The ''Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt'' notes that, in their murals and other iconography, Egyptians used to colorize foreigners and their enemies as black even when they were not ~~black since "[w]ithin~~ the ~~scheme~~ of ~~Egyptian/non-Egyptian skin color, black was~~ not ~~desirable for ordinary humans[.]" Black "marked out figures as foreign, as enemies~~ of ~~Egypt, and ultimately as representatives of chaos; black thereby contrasted with its positive meaning elsewhere."<ref>Gay Robins, "Color Symbolism," in ''Oxford Encyclopedia~~ of ~~Ancient Egypt'', ed. Donald B. Redford (New York~~: ~~Oxford University Press, 2001), 1:293.</ref> Something similar may very well be going on in the Book of Mormon.~~		Additionally, this is not the only possible interpretation of the verses. It does not even hold the distinction of being even the most likely interpretation of these verses:

	~~Even if we are speaking about a literal~~ skin ~~change,~~ the Book of Mormon does ~~not argue that~~ the ~~Nephites are inherently superior because~~ of ~~their white~~ skin ~~as racism entails. {{s\|2\|Nephi\|26\|33}} immediately refuted that. The skin was applied to~~ the Lamanites because the Lord did not want the Lamanites to be sexually appealing to the Nephites and thus so that the Nephites would not have unbelieving posterity with the Lamanites. As anyone from the Lamanites repented, ~~the curse was removed from them. This is about moral responsibility; not stratifying people according to different races and assigning them less or more inherent moral worth~~.		* Brant Gardner has marshalled evidence to suggest that these verses and others that refer to skin in the Book of Mormon refer to moral/spiritual purity that led to a change in countenance.<ref>Brant Gardner, "[https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/archive/publications/what-does-the-book-of-mormon-mean-by-skin-of-blackness What Does the Book of Mormon Mean by ‘Skin of Blackness’?]" ''FAIR Publications'', accessed 20 March 2022.</ref>

	~~Obviously, there's not one way~~ to ~~interpret these~~ texts ~~and~~ further ~~revelation will be needed~~ to ~~clarify them; but this should be sufficient~~ to ~~demonstrate~~, ~~against critics, that immediately going for a literal skin change interpretation and charging~~ the Book of Mormon of ~~racism has serious issues~~.		* Ethan Sproat argues that references to skin color are in fact references to "a kind of authoritative garment. The relevant texts further lend themselves to associating such garment-skins with both the Nephite temple and competing Lamanite claims to kingship."<ref>Ethan Sproat, "[https://archive.bookofmormoncentral.org/content/skins-garments-book-mormon-textual-exegesis Skins as Garments in the Book of Mormon: A Textual Exegesis]," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 24 (2015): 138–165.</ref>

	Another ~~related criticism~~ to this is that the ~~supposed~~ racism ~~stems from Joseph Smith's rac~~{{s\|\|~~ist~~\|9\|}}th century worldview and that he was injecting it into the Book of Mormon. ~~Though~~ there are problems with this reading. The first is that the Book of Mormon does not ~~imbibe in the~~ 19th century ~~conceptions of~~ Native Americans. Author Jeremy Talmage has astutely observed that if the Book of Mormon were to assign any racial categorization to Native Americans, they would have been described as "red" and not "black".<ref>Jeremy Talmage, "[https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1633&context=jbms Black, White, and Red All Over: Skin Color in the Book of Mormon]," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 28, no. 1 (2019): 49–50, 52–54, 67.</ref> The second is that, as non Latter-day Saint historian Max Perry Mueller observes, the Book of Mormon overturns many then-popular conceptions of race. ~~To wit,~~ the Book of Mormon does not see race as immutable. In Mueller's view, "the Book of Mormon taught its earliest believers that race was not real, that is, race was not a permanent part of God's vision for humanity."<ref>Max Perry Mueller, ''Race and the Making of the Mormon People'' (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2017), 33~~. Cited~~ in Talmage, "Skin Color," 49.</ref> The Book of Mormon says that if the Lamanites repented, they would be changed (under the literal interpretation) from their darker skin to their lighter skin ({{s\|2\|Nephi\|5\|22}}). This was a ''mark'' placed on the Lamanites and not a permanent ''race'' (and especially not ~~like that~~ conceived in antebellum America).		* Community of Christ author Adam Stokes has provided Semitic background as a potentially helpful interpretive aid to the Book of Mormon's passages on darkness/blackness.<ref>Adam Oliver Stokes, "[https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1626&context=jbms ’Skin’ or ‘Scales’ of Blackness? Semitic Context as Interpretive Aid for {{s\|2\|Nephi\|4\|35}} (LDS 5:21)]," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 27 (2018): 278–89.

			* A helpful literature review was done around the time Stokes published. See Russell W. Stevenson, "[https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1623&context=jbms Reckoning With Race in the Book of Mormon]," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 27, no. 1 (2018): 210–25.</ref>

			* Gerrit M. Steenblik argues that references to skin in the Book of Mormon refer to "an ancient Maya body paint tradition, chiefly for warfare, hunting, and nocturnal raiding. This discovery shifts possible explanations from the Old World to the New and suggests that any ‘mark’ upon Book of Mormon people may have been self-applied."<ref>{{Interpreter:Steenblik:Demythicizing The Lamanites Skin Of Blackness:2021}}</ref> Steenblik’s explanation enjoys a lot of popularity among scholars of the Book of Mormon.

			* David M. Belnap has outlined other possibilities for interpreting and understanding these passages from the Book of Mormon in a long, beautiful paper in ''Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship'' on the inclusive, anti-discriminatory message of the Book of Mormon.<ref>{{Interpreter:Belnap:The Inclusive Anti-discrimination Message Of The Book Of:2021}</ref>

			* Jan J. Martin argues "that all four of the Lamanite descriptors in {{s\|2\|Nephi\|5\|}}—''cut off'', ''cursed'', ''skin of blackness'', and ''loathsome''—are best understood from within a covenant perspective, specifically from within the ancient Near Eastern suzerain-vassal covenant relationship that God made with Lehi's family."<ref>Jan J. Martin, "The Prophet Nephi and the Covenantal Nature of ''Cut Off'', ''Cursed'', ''Skin of Blackness'', and ''Loathsome''," in ''They Shall Grow Together: The Bible in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Charles Swift and Nicholas J. Frederick (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2022), 108 (107–41).</ref>

			* Clifford P. Jones argues that the dark mark was "a sacrilegious, permanent mark made by incision (an ancient tattoo) which, under the law of Moses, represented rebellion against God and his laws."<ref>{{Interpreter:Jones:Understanding The Lamanite Mark:2023}}</ref>

			Another way to look at this might be to look at how Egyptians labeled their enemies. The ''Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt'' notes that, in their murals and other iconography, Egyptians used to colorize foreigners and their enemies as black even when they were not black since "[w]ithin the scheme of Egyptian/non-Egyptian skin color, black was not desirable for ordinary humans[.]" The color black "marked out figures as foreign, as enemies of Egypt, and ultimately as representatives of chaos; black thereby contrasted with its positive meaning elsewhere."<ref>Gay Robins, "Color Symbolism," in ''Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt'', ed. Donald B. Redford (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001), 1:293.</ref> Something similar may very well be going on in the Book of Mormon.

			Even if we are speaking about a literal skin change, the Book of Mormon does not argue that the Nephites are inherently superior because of their white skin as racism entails. {{s\|2\|Nephi\|26\|33}} immediately refutes such a reading. The skin was applied to the Lamanites because the Lord did not want the Lamanites to be sexually appealing to the Nephites, thus preventing the Nephites' children from being drawn into Lamanite beliefs and cultural practices. If any Lamanites repent, the curse was removed from them. The "curse" is thus about moral responsibility, not stratifying people as different races and assigning them less or more inherent moral worth.

			A related criticism argues that the supposed racism stems from Joseph Smith's racist 19th century worldview, and that he was injecting it into the Book of Mormon. Unsurprisingly, there are problems with this reading.

			The first is that the Book of Mormon does not exhibit 19th century attitudes toward Native Americans. Author Jeremy Talmage has astutely observed that if the Book of Mormon were to assign any racial categorization to Native Americans, they would have been described as "red" and not "black".<ref>Jeremy Talmage, "[https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1633&context=jbms Black, White, and Red All Over: Skin Color in the Book of Mormon]," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 28, no. 1 (2019): 49–50, 52–54, 67.</ref>

			The second problem is that, as non Latter-day Saint historian Max Perry Mueller observes, the Book of Mormon overturns many then-popular conceptions regarding race. Chief among these is the fact that the Book of Mormon does not see race as immutable.

			In Mueller's view, "the Book of Mormon taught its earliest believers that race was not real, that is, race was not a permanent part of God's vision for humanity."<ref>Max Perry Mueller, ''Race and the Making of the Mormon People'' (Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2017), 33; cited in Talmage, "Skin Color," 49.</ref> The Book of Mormon says that if the Lamanites repented, they would be changed (under the literal interpretation) from their darker skin to their lighter skin ({{s\|2\|Nephi\|5\|22}}). This was a ''mark'' placed on the Lamanites due to their own actions (compare {{s\|\|Alma\|3\|13-19}}) and not a permanent ''race'' (and especially not race as conceived in antebellum America).

	=== Darkness on the Canaanites ({{s\|\|Moses\|7\|}}) ===		=== Darkness on the Canaanites ({{s\|\|Moses\|7\|}}) ===

GregSmith: /* "Dark mark" on Lamanites and the racist perception of the Nephites? */

2024-05-26T06:58:34Z

"Dark mark" on Lamanites and the racist perception of the Nephites?

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:58, 26 May 2024
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	Clearly, any antisemitism is forbidden any believer in the Book of Mormon. This may, in fact, be the most explicit prohibition on antisemitism in any scriptural text in the world's religions.		Clearly, any antisemitism is forbidden any believer in the Book of Mormon. This may, in fact, be the most explicit prohibition on antisemitism in any scriptural text in the world's religions.

	=== "~~Dark mark~~" on Lamanites and the racist perception of the Nephites? ===		=== "Skin of blackness" on Lamanites and the racist perception of the Nephites? ===
	{{BMCentral\|title=What Does it Mean to be a White and Delightsome People?\|url=https://knowhy.bookofmormoncentral.org/knowhy/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-white-and-delightsome-people\|number=57}}		{{BMCentral\|title=What Does it Mean to be a White and Delightsome People?\|url=https://knowhy.bookofmormoncentral.org/knowhy/what-does-it-mean-to-be-a-white-and-delightsome-people\|number=57}}
	Some have claimed that the "~~Dark mark~~" on the Lamanites ({{s\|2\|Nephi\|5\|21}}) is the result of a type of racism that the Nephites practiced against blacks. According to this reading of the Book of Mormon, Nephi says that the Lamanites were cursed by God with a literal skin of blackness and that their skins literally changed in their melanin content from lighter to darker. Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles specifically disavowed this interpretation of {{s\|2\|Nephi\|5\|}} on behalf of the Church in January 2020.<ref>Gary E. Stevenson, "~~At NAACP Luncheon, Elder Stevenson Reiterates ‘All Are Alike Unto God’; Addresses Printing Error in ‘Come, Follow Me’ Regarding Race," ''LDS Living'', January 21, 2020,~~ https://www.ldsliving.com/at-naacp-luncheon-elder-stevenson-reiterates-all-are-alike-unto-god-addresses-printing-error-in-come-follow-me-regarding-race/s/92253.</ref> Additionally, this is not the only possible interpretation of the verses. It does not hold the distinction of being even the most likely correct interpretation of these verses. Brant Gardner has marshaled a lot of evidence to suggest that these verses and others that refer to skin in the Book of Mormon refer to moral/spiritual purity that led to a change in countenance.<ref>Brant Gardner, " What Does the Book of Mormon Mean by ‘Skin of Blackness’?" ''FAIR Publications'', accessed March 20, 2022, https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/archive/publications/what-does-the-book-of-mormon-mean-by-skin-of-blackness.</ref> Ethan Sproat argues that references to skin color are in fact references to "a kind of authoritative garment. The relevant texts further lend themselves to associating such garment-skins with both the Nephite temple and competing Lamanite claims to kingship."<ref>Ethan Sproat, "[https://archive.bookofmormoncentral.org/content/skins-garments-book-mormon-textual-exegesis Skins as Garments in the Book of Mormon: A Textual Exegesis]," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 24 (2015): 138–165.</ref> Author Adam Stokes has provided Semitic background as potentially helpful interpretive aid to the Book of Mormon's passages on darkness/blackness.<ref>Adam Oliver Stokes, "[https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1626&context=jbms ’Skin’ or ‘Scales’ of Blackness? Semitic Context as Interpretive Aid for {{s\|2\|Nephi\|4\|35}} (LDS 5:21)]," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 27 (2018): 278–89. A helpful literature review was done around the time Stokes published. See Russell W. Stevenson, "[https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1623&context=jbms Reckoning With Race in the Book of Mormon]," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 27, no. 1 (2018): 210–25.</ref> Gerrit M. Steenblik argues that references to skin in the Book of Mormon refer to "an ancient Maya body paint tradition, chiefly for warfare, hunting, and nocturnal raiding. This discovery shifts possible explanations from the Old World to the New and suggests that any ‘mark’ upon Book of Mormon people may have been self-applied."<ref>Gerrit M. Steenblik, "[https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/demythicizing-the-lamanites-skin-of-blackness/ Demythicizing the Lamanites’ ‘Skin of Blackness’]," ''Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship'' 49 (2021): 167–258.</ref> Steenblik’s explanation enjoys a lot of popularity among scholars of the Book of Mormon. David M. Belnap has outlined other possibilities for interpreting and understanding these passages from the Book of Mormon in a long, beautiful paper in ''Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship'' on the inclusive, anti-discriminatory message of the Book of Mormon.<ref>David M. Belnap, "[https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/the-inclusive-anti-discrimination-message-of-the-book-of-mormon/ The Inclusive, Anti-Discrimination Message of the Book of Mormon]," ''Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship'' 42 (2021): 195–370.</ref> Jan J. Martin argues "that all four of the Lamanite descriptors in {{s\|2\|Nephi\|5\|}}—''cut off'', ''cursed'', ''skin of blackness'', and ''loathsome''—are best understood from within a covenant perspective, specifically from within the ancient Near Eastern suzerain-vassal covenant relationship that God made with Lehi's family."<ref>Jan J. Martin, "The Prophet Nephi and the Covenantal Nature of ''Cut Off'', ''Cursed'', ''Skin of Blackness'', and ''Loathsome''," in ''They Shall Grow Together: The Bible in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Charles Swift and Nicholas J. Frederick (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2022), 108 (107–41).</ref> Clifford P. Jones argues that the dark mark was "a sacrilegious, permanent mark made by incision (an ancient tattoo) which, under the law of Moses, represented rebellion against God and his laws."<ref>Clifford P. Jones, "[https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/understanding-the-lamanite-mark/ Understanding the Lamanite Mark]," ''Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship'' 56 (2023): 172.</ref>		Some have claimed that the "skin of blackness" on the Lamanites ({{s\|2\|Nephi\|5\|21}}) is the result of a type of racism that the Nephites practiced against blacks.

			According to this reading of the Book of Mormon, Nephi says that the Lamanites were cursed by God with a literal skin of blackness and that their skins literally changed in their melanin content from lighter to darker. Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles specifically disavowed this interpretation of {{s\|2\|Nephi\|5\|}} on behalf of the Church in January 2020.<ref>Gary E. Stevenson, "[https://www.ldsliving.com/at-naacp-luncheon-elder-stevenson-reiterates-all-are-alike-unto-god-addresses-printing-error-in-come-follow-me-regarding-race/s/92253 At NAACP Luncheon, Elder Stevenson Reiterates ‘All Are Alike Unto God’]; Addresses Printing Error in ‘Come, Follow Me’ Regarding Race," ''LDS Living'', 21 January 2020.</ref> Additionally, this is not the only possible interpretation of the verses. It does not hold the distinction of being even the most likely correct interpretation of these verses. Brant Gardner has marshaled a lot of evidence to suggest that these verses and others that refer to skin in the Book of Mormon refer to moral/spiritual purity that led to a change in countenance.<ref>Brant Gardner, " What Does the Book of Mormon Mean by ‘Skin of Blackness’?" ''FAIR Publications'', accessed March 20, 2022, https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/archive/publications/what-does-the-book-of-mormon-mean-by-skin-of-blackness.</ref> Ethan Sproat argues that references to skin color are in fact references to "a kind of authoritative garment. The relevant texts further lend themselves to associating such garment-skins with both the Nephite temple and competing Lamanite claims to kingship."<ref>Ethan Sproat, "[https://archive.bookofmormoncentral.org/content/skins-garments-book-mormon-textual-exegesis Skins as Garments in the Book of Mormon: A Textual Exegesis]," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 24 (2015): 138–165.</ref> Author Adam Stokes has provided Semitic background as potentially helpful interpretive aid to the Book of Mormon's passages on darkness/blackness.<ref>Adam Oliver Stokes, "[https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1626&context=jbms ’Skin’ or ‘Scales’ of Blackness? Semitic Context as Interpretive Aid for {{s\|2\|Nephi\|4\|35}} (LDS 5:21)]," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 27 (2018): 278–89. A helpful literature review was done around the time Stokes published. See Russell W. Stevenson, "[https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1623&context=jbms Reckoning With Race in the Book of Mormon]," ''Journal of Book of Mormon Studies'' 27, no. 1 (2018): 210–25.</ref> Gerrit M. Steenblik argues that references to skin in the Book of Mormon refer to "an ancient Maya body paint tradition, chiefly for warfare, hunting, and nocturnal raiding. This discovery shifts possible explanations from the Old World to the New and suggests that any ‘mark’ upon Book of Mormon people may have been self-applied."<ref>Gerrit M. Steenblik, "[https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/demythicizing-the-lamanites-skin-of-blackness/ Demythicizing the Lamanites’ ‘Skin of Blackness’]," ''Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship'' 49 (2021): 167–258.</ref> Steenblik’s explanation enjoys a lot of popularity among scholars of the Book of Mormon. David M. Belnap has outlined other possibilities for interpreting and understanding these passages from the Book of Mormon in a long, beautiful paper in ''Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship'' on the inclusive, anti-discriminatory message of the Book of Mormon.<ref>David M. Belnap, "[https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/the-inclusive-anti-discrimination-message-of-the-book-of-mormon/ The Inclusive, Anti-Discrimination Message of the Book of Mormon]," ''Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship'' 42 (2021): 195–370.</ref> Jan J. Martin argues "that all four of the Lamanite descriptors in {{s\|2\|Nephi\|5\|}}—''cut off'', ''cursed'', ''skin of blackness'', and ''loathsome''—are best understood from within a covenant perspective, specifically from within the ancient Near Eastern suzerain-vassal covenant relationship that God made with Lehi's family."<ref>Jan J. Martin, "The Prophet Nephi and the Covenantal Nature of ''Cut Off'', ''Cursed'', ''Skin of Blackness'', and ''Loathsome''," in ''They Shall Grow Together: The Bible in the Book of Mormon'', ed. Charles Swift and Nicholas J. Frederick (Provo, UT: Religious Studies Center, Brigham Young University; Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2022), 108 (107–41).</ref> Clifford P. Jones argues that the dark mark was "a sacrilegious, permanent mark made by incision (an ancient tattoo) which, under the law of Moses, represented rebellion against God and his laws."<ref>Clifford P. Jones, "[https://journal.interpreterfoundation.org/understanding-the-lamanite-mark/ Understanding the Lamanite Mark]," ''Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship'' 56 (2023): 172.</ref>

	Another meaningful way to look at this might be to look at how Egyptians labeled their enemies. The ''Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt'' notes that, in their murals and other iconography, Egyptians used to colorize foreigners and their enemies as black even when they were not black since "[w]ithin the scheme of Egyptian/non-Egyptian skin color, black was not desirable for ordinary humans[.]" Black "marked out figures as foreign, as enemies of Egypt, and ultimately as representatives of chaos; black thereby contrasted with its positive meaning elsewhere."<ref>Gay Robins, "Color Symbolism," in ''Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt'', ed. Donald B. Redford (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001), 1:293.</ref> Something similar may very well be going on in the Book of Mormon.		Another meaningful way to look at this might be to look at how Egyptians labeled their enemies. The ''Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt'' notes that, in their murals and other iconography, Egyptians used to colorize foreigners and their enemies as black even when they were not black since "[w]ithin the scheme of Egyptian/non-Egyptian skin color, black was not desirable for ordinary humans[.]" Black "marked out figures as foreign, as enemies of Egypt, and ultimately as representatives of chaos; black thereby contrasted with its positive meaning elsewhere."<ref>Gay Robins, "Color Symbolism," in ''Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient Egypt'', ed. Donald B. Redford (New York: Oxford University Press, 2001), 1:293.</ref> Something similar may very well be going on in the Book of Mormon.

GregSmith: /* The Book of Mormon condemns persecution of the Jews specifically */

2024-05-26T06:57:07Z

The Book of Mormon condemns persecution of the Jews specifically

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	===The Book of Mormon condemns persecution of the Jews specifically===		===The Book of Mormon condemns persecution of the Jews specifically===

	Even if we argue that Jacob is here indicting all~~/many~~ Jews for Jesus' death, the Book of Mormon still will not let us use that as an argument for any type of antisemitism.		Even if we argue that Jacob is here mistakenly indicting many/all Jews for Jesus' death, the Book of Mormon still will not let us use that as an argument for any type of antisemitism.

	Following the Savior's visit to the Americas, the reader is warned:		Following the Savior's visit to the Americas, the reader is warned:
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	Yea, and ye need not any longer hiss, nor spurn, nor make game of the Jews, nor any of the remnant of the house of Israel; for behold, the Lord remembereth his covenant unto them, and he will do unto them according to that which he hath sworn. Therefore ye need not suppose that ye can turn the right hand of the Lord unto the left, that he may not execute judgment unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the house of Israel ({[s\|3\|Nephi\|29\|8-9}}).</blockquote>		Yea, and ye need not any longer hiss, nor spurn, nor make game of the Jews, nor any of the remnant of the house of Israel; for behold, the Lord remembereth his covenant unto them, and he will do unto them according to that which he hath sworn. Therefore ye need not suppose that ye can turn the right hand of the Lord unto the left, that he may not execute judgment unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the house of Israel ({[s\|3\|Nephi\|29\|8-9}}).</blockquote>

	If one is not to "hiss, nor spurn, nor make game of the Jews," one can hardly be justified in persecuting them, disparaging them, or accusing them of being "Christ-killers."		If one is not to "hiss, nor spurn, nor make game of the Jews," one can hardly be justified in persecuting them, disparaging them, or accusing them of being "Christ-killers," much less in inflicting violence upon them.

	Nephi was even more explicit, quoting the Lord himself toward Christians:		Nephi was even more explicit, quoting the Lord himself toward Christians:
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	Here the Lord condemns those who have "cursed," "hated," and "not sought to recover" the Jews. He calls the Christians "fools," for their lack of gratitude to the Jews, and the Lord praises the Jews' "travails ... labors ... pains ... "diligence unto [God]", in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentile" Christians.		Here the Lord condemns those who have "cursed," "hated," and "not sought to recover" the Jews. He calls the Christians "fools," for their lack of gratitude to the Jews, and the Lord praises the Jews' "travails ... labors ... pains ... "diligence unto [God]", in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentile" Christians.

			Clearly, any antisemitism is forbidden any believer in the Book of Mormon. This may, in fact, be the most explicit prohibition on antisemitism in any scriptural text in the world's religions.

	=== "Dark mark" on Lamanites and the racist perception of the Nephites? ===		=== "Dark mark" on Lamanites and the racist perception of the Nephites? ===

GregSmith: /* Anti-Semitism */

2024-05-26T06:38:04Z

Anti-Semitism

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	All this said, Kramer's argument still works within the syntactical structure of the verses as a fully-viable interpretive possibility—demonstrating that some measured skepticism should be had towards those that seek togive these verses only one possible interpretation: the most negative possible.		All this said, Kramer's argument still works within the syntactical structure of the verses as a fully-viable interpretive possibility—demonstrating that some measured skepticism should be had towards those that seek togive these verses only one possible interpretation: the most negative possible.

			===The Book of Mormon condemns persecution of the Jews specifically===

			Even if we argue that Jacob is here indicting all/many Jews for Jesus' death, the Book of Mormon still will not let us use that as an argument for any type of antisemitism.

			Following the Savior's visit to the Americas, the reader is warned:

			<blockquote>
			Yea, and ye need not any longer hiss, nor spurn, nor make game of the Jews, nor any of the remnant of the house of Israel; for behold, the Lord remembereth his covenant unto them, and he will do unto them according to that which he hath sworn. Therefore ye need not suppose that ye can turn the right hand of the Lord unto the left, that he may not execute judgment unto the fulfilling of the covenant which he hath made unto the house of Israel ({[s\|3\|Nephi\|29\|8-9}}).</blockquote>

			If one is not to "hiss, nor spurn, nor make game of the Jews," one can hardly be justified in persecuting them, disparaging them, or accusing them of being "Christ-killers."

			Nephi was even more explicit, quoting the Lord himself toward Christians:

			<blockquote>
			But thus saith the Lord God: O fools, they shall have a Bible; and it shall proceed forth from the Jews, mine ancient covenant people. And what thank they the Jews for the Bible which they receive from them? Yea, what do the Gentiles mean? Do they remember the travails, and the labors, and the pains of the Jews, and their diligence unto me, in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentiles?

			O ye Gentiles, have ye remembered the Jews, mine ancient covenant people? Nay; but ye have cursed them, and have hated them, and have not sought to recover them. But behold, I will return all these things upon your own heads; for I the Lord have not forgotten my people ({{s\|2\|Nephi\|29\|4-5}}).</blockquote>

			Here the Lord condemns those who have "cursed," "hated," and "not sought to recover" the Jews. He calls the Christians "fools," for their lack of gratitude to the Jews, and the Lord praises the Jews' "travails ... labors ... pains ... "diligence unto [God]", in bringing forth salvation unto the Gentile" Christians.

	=== "Dark mark" on Lamanites and the racist perception of the Nephites? ===		=== "Dark mark" on Lamanites and the racist perception of the Nephites? ===

GregSmith: /* Anti-Semitism */

2024-05-26T06:30:45Z

Anti-Semitism

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:30, 26 May 2024
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	=== Anti-Semitism ===		=== Anti-Semitism ===
	Some have criticized certain passages of scripture that are claimed to promote anti-semitism. These passages include {{s\|\|Matthew\|23\|31-35}}; {{s\|1\|Thessalonians\|2\|14-16}}; {{s\|\|Acts\|2\|22-36}}; 3:15; 10:39; {{s\|\|John\|8\|44}}; {{s\|\|Titus\|1\|10-11}}; {{s\|\|Titus\|5\|16}}; and {{s\|2\|Nephi\|10\|3}}. These passages have been used by Christians in the past to justify prejudiced sentiments and ~~actions~~ towards Jews. That cannot be disputed. What can be disputed is that there's is the only way to understand ~~them~~. One way to interpret ~~these passages~~ is that they all relate specifically to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Readers have and should always ~~normally~~ separate the larger group of people from the people and ~~specific actions they take~~. The Book of Mormon is actually one of the best guides in this regard as has been demonstrated by author Bradley J. Kramer.<ref>Bradley J. Kramer, ''Gathered in One: How the Book of Mormon Counters Anti-Semitism in the New Testament'' (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2019).</ref>		Some have criticized certain passages of scripture that are claimed to promote anti-semitism. These passages include {{s\|\|Matthew\|23\|31-35}}; {{s\|1\|Thessalonians\|2\|14-16}}; {{s\|\|Acts\|2\|22-36}}; 3:15; 10:39; {{s\|\|John\|8\|44}}; {{s\|\|Titus\|1\|10-11}}; {{s\|\|Titus\|5\|16}}; and {{s\|2\|Nephi\|10\|3}}.

			These passages have been used by Christians in the past to justify prejudiced sentiments, overt mistreatment, and reprehensible violence towards Jews. That cannot be disputed.

			What can be disputed is that there is the only way to understand these passages. One way to interpret them is to remember that they all relate specifically to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

			Readers have and should always keep mentally separate the larger group of people from the specific people who act in evil ways. All races, nations, religions, and cultural groups contain contain some individuals who act in terrible, evil ways.

			The Book of Mormon is actually one of the best guides in this regard as has been demonstrated by author Bradley J. Kramer.<ref>Bradley J. Kramer, ''Gathered in One: How the Book of Mormon Counters Anti-Semitism in the New Testament'' (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2019).</ref>

			Regarding {{s\|2\|Nephi\|10\|3-5}} specifically, Kramer observes:

	~~Regarding {{s\|2\|Nephi\|10\|3-5}} specifically, Kramer insightfully observes:~~
	<blockquote>		<blockquote>
	[D]uring the rare times when the prophets in the Book of Mormon do attempt to identify Jesus' killers, they do so sing vague terms such as "the world" or "wicked men" ({{s\|1\|Nephi\|19\|7-10}}), or they employ phrases that while they may appear at first to indict all Jews everywhere actually absolve the vast majority of Jews of any involvement in Jesus's [sic] death. Jacob's "they at Jerusalem" ({{s\|2\|Nephi\|10\|5}}), for example, may seem to some readers unfamiliar with Jewish history to prophesy that the Jews in general will crucify Jesus. These readers link this phrase with "the Jews" in verse 3 and see it as both affirming and intensifying Jewish culpability. To them, the statement that "there is none other nation on earth that would crucify God" seems to damn all Jews everywhere. However, only a relatively small percentage of the world's Jews in the first century lived in Jerusalem and the area around it. During the time of Jesus, most Jews were still residing in Babylon or were scattered throughout the eastern Mediterranean, in cities such as Alexandria, Antioch, and Ephesus. These "diaspora" Jews were the descendants of the vast number of Jews who did not return to their ancient homeland after the Persians defeated the Babylonians and instead took advantage of the new opportunities afforded them by their conquerors to spread themselves throughout the region. Indeed, David Klinghoffer, a Jewish historian and essayist, estimates that during Jesus's time there were about a million Jews living in "Jewish Palestine" while five million Jews were dispersed around the Mediterranean and throughout the Middle East.~~[6]~~ Other scholars, such as Samuel Sandmel, think that ~~th{{s\|\|is\|~~5~~\|}} to~~ 1 ratio could have been even higher, possibly even 10 to 1.~~[7]~~ And Jerusalem was only one city in this "Jewish Palestine." As a result, "they at Jerusalem" instead of prophetically spreading the responsibility of Jesus's death to all Jews everywhere actually limits it to a ~~smalls~~ segment of the overall Jewish population...		[D]uring the rare times when the prophets in the Book of Mormon do attempt to identify Jesus' killers, they do so sing vague terms such as "the world" or "wicked men" ({{s\|1\|Nephi\|19\|7-10}}), or they employ phrases that while they may appear at first to indict all Jews everywhere actually absolve the vast majority of Jews of any involvement in Jesus's [sic] death. Jacob's "they at Jerusalem" ({{s\|2\|Nephi\|10\|5}}), for example, may seem to some readers unfamiliar with Jewish history to prophesy that the Jews in general will crucify Jesus. These readers link this phrase with "the Jews" in verse 3 and see it as both affirming and intensifying Jewish culpability. To them, the statement that "there is none other nation on earth that would crucify their God" seems to damn all Jews everywhere.
	~~<br>~~
	But were all Jews living in the 1st century Jerusalem responsible for Jesus's death? Not according to the Book of Mormon. Just as the subject of {{s\|2\|Nephi\|10\|5}} prophetically reduces the number of Jews who will be involved in Jesus's death to a small fraction of the Jews living during the first third of the first century CE, its predicate softens what that involvement will be. Here, "they shall crucify him" of verse 3 becomes "they...will stiffen their necks against him, that he be crucified." In other words, not only will a small number of Jews contribute to Jesus's death sometime in the future but their contribution will also be small—possibly consisting only of an unwillingness to speak up against it or a reluctance to challenge publicly those pushing it. Furthermore, as the introductory phrase of {{s\|2\|Nephi\|10\|5}} points out, whatever these people will (or will not) do will occur not because of an informed, deep-seated, conscious conviction but "because of priestcrafts and iniquities." In other words, many of these first-century Jerusalemites will be manipulated, psychologically or physically, by corrupt priests and leaders. Consequently, it is these Jewish priests and leaders who bear most of the non-Roman responsibility for Jesus's death, not the general Jewish populace.		However, only a relatively small percentage of the world's Jews in the first century lived in Jerusalem and the area around it. During the time of Jesus, most Jews were still residing in Babylon or were scattered throughout the eastern Mediterranean, in cities such as Alexandria, Antioch, and Ephesus. These "diaspora" Jews were the descendants of the vast number of Jews who did not return to their ancient homeland after the Persians defeated the Babylonians and instead took advantage of the new opportunities afforded them by their conquerors to spread themselves throughout the region.

			Indeed, David Klinghoffer, a Jewish historian and essayist, estimates that during Jesus's time there were about a million Jews living in "Jewish Palestine" while five million Jews were dispersed around the Mediterranean and throughout the Middle East. Other scholars, such as Samuel Sandmel, think that this 5:1 ratio could have been even higher, possibly even 10 to 1. And Jerusalem was only one city in this "Jewish Palestine." As a result, "they at Jerusalem" instead of prophetically spreading the responsibility of Jesus's death to all Jews everywhere actually limits it to a small segment of the overall Jewish population...

			But were all Jews living in the 1st century Jerusalem responsible for Jesus's death? Not according to the Book of Mormon. Just as the subject of {{s\|2\|Nephi\|10\|5}} prophetically reduces the number of Jews who will be involved in Jesus's death to a small fraction of the Jews living during the first third of the first century CE, its predicate softens what that involvement will be. Here, "they shall crucify him" of verse 3 becomes "they ... will stiffen their necks against him, that he be crucified." In other words, not only will a small number of Jews contribute to Jesus's death sometime in the future but their contribution will also be small—possibly consisting only of an unwillingness to speak up against it or a reluctance to challenge publicly those pushing it. Furthermore, as the introductory phrase of {{s\|2\|Nephi\|10\|5}} points out, whatever these people will (or will not) do will occur not because of an informed, deep-seated, conscious conviction but "because of priestcrafts and iniquities." In other words, many of these first-century Jerusalemites will be manipulated, psychologically or physically, by corrupt priests and leaders. Consequently, it is these Jewish priests and leaders who bear most of the non-Roman responsibility for Jesus's death, not the general Jewish populace.

	[. . .]		[. . .]
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	</blockquote>		</blockquote>

	One may be able to hedge on Kramer's interpretation of {{s\|\|Jacob\|10\|3-5}}. For example:		One may be able to hedge on Kramer's interpretation of {{s\|\|Jacob\|1\|3-5}}. For example:

	*"Priestcrafts" could refer to Jewish leaders but it could also be referred to generally as those that set themselves up as a "'light unto the world,' in order to 'get gain and praise' without concern for the welfare of [God's people] ({{s\|2\|Nephi\|26\|29}}; cf. {{s\|\|Alma\|1\|16}}; {{s\|3\|Nephi\|18\|24}})."<ref>Terry B. Ball, "Priestcraft," ''Book of Mormon Reference Companion'', ed. Dennis Largey (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2003), 656.</ref>		*"Priestcrafts" could refer to Jewish leaders but it could also be referred to generally as those that set themselves up as a "'light unto the world,' in order to 'get gain and praise' without concern for the welfare of [God's people] ({{s\|2\|Nephi\|26\|29}}; cf. {{s\|\|Alma\|1\|16}}; {{s\|3\|Nephi\|18\|24}})."<ref>Terry B. Ball, "Priestcraft," ''Book of Mormon Reference Companion'', ed. Dennis Largey (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Company, 2003), 656.</ref>

	*"Iniquities" is ambiguous since it could refer to the priests, Roman leaders, the general populace, a small subsection of the general populace, or some other combination of them. Whose iniquities are we referring to? The question remains unanswerable.		*"Iniquities" is ambiguous since it could refer to the priests, Roman leaders, the general populace, a small subsection of the general populace, or some other combination of them. Whose iniquities are we referring to? The question remains unanswerable.
	*The references to "nation" and "they at Jerusalem" could refer to 1st century AD Jerusalem but could also refer to 7th century BC Jerusalem with no diaspora Jews—thus the entire race of Jews could be condemned. Under this line of logic, the Lehites would have felt prejudice towards those at Jerusalem who chased them out of their land and thus Jacob here would be issuing a polemic against them. The Jews are those most guilty for being complict, orchestrating, and/or facilitating in any other way the death of Jesus. If one adopts this interpretation, then the only possible apologetic response would be to suggest that this is a hyperbolic yet mistaken indictment. This wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility for Latter-day Saints since [[Does the Book of Mormon contain mistakes?\|The Book of Mormon states that some mistakes may be present in the record]]. Are we really to going to claim that ''no other nation'' would crucify Jesus?

	All this said, Kramer's argument still works within the syntactical structure of the verses as a fully-viable interpretive possibility—demonstrating that some measured skepticism should be had towards those that ~~would~~ seek ~~to make~~ these verses ~~have~~ only one possible interpretation: the most negative ~~one~~ possible.		*The references to "nation" and "they at Jerusalem" could refer to 1st century AD Jerusalem but could also refer to 7th century BC Jerusalem with no diaspora Jews—thus the entire race of Jews could be condemned. Under this line of logic, the Lehites would have felt prejudice towards those at Jerusalem who chased them out of their land and thus Jacob here would be issuing a polemic against them. The Jews are those most guilty for being complicit, orchestrating, and/or facilitating in any other way the death of Jesus. If one adopts this interpretation, then the only response would be to suggest that this is a hyperbolic yet mistaken indictment. This wouldn't be outside the realm of possibility for Latter-day Saints since the faults of men may affect the Book of Mormon record without affecting its over-all value and authenticity.

			All this said, Kramer's argument still works within the syntactical structure of the verses as a fully-viable interpretive possibility—demonstrating that some measured skepticism should be had towards those that seek togive these verses only one possible interpretation: the most negative possible.

	=== "Dark mark" on Lamanites and the racist perception of the Nephites? ===		=== "Dark mark" on Lamanites and the racist perception of the Nephites? ===

GregSmith: /* Anti-Semitism */

2024-05-26T06:20:28Z

Anti-Semitism

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	=== Anti-Semitism ===		=== Anti-Semitism ===
	Some have criticized certain passages of scripture that are claimed to promote anti-semitism. These passages include {{s\|\|Matthew\|23\|31-35}}; ~~1st~~ Thessalonians 2:14-16; {{s\|\|Acts\|2\|22-36}}; 3:15; 10:39; {{s\|\|John\|8\|44}}; {{s\|\|Titus\|1\|10-11}}; {{s\|\|Titus\|5\|16}}; and {{s\|2\|Nephi\|10\|3}}. These passages have been used by Christians in the past to justify prejudiced sentiments and actions towards Jews. That cannot be disputed. What can be disputed is that there's is the only way to understand them. One way to interpret these passages is that they all relate specifically to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Readers have and should always normally separate the larger group of people from the people and specific actions they take. The Book of Mormon is actually one of the best guides in this regard as has been demonstrated by author Bradley J. Kramer.<ref>Bradley J. Kramer, ''Gathered in One: How the Book of Mormon Counters Anti-Semitism in the New Testament'' (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2019).</ref>		Some have criticized certain passages of scripture that are claimed to promote anti-semitism. These passages include {{s\|\|Matthew\|23\|31-35}}; {{s\|1\|Thessalonians\|2\|14-16}}; {{s\|\|Acts\|2\|22-36}}; 3:15; 10:39; {{s\|\|John\|8\|44}}; {{s\|\|Titus\|1\|10-11}}; {{s\|\|Titus\|5\|16}}; and {{s\|2\|Nephi\|10\|3}}. These passages have been used by Christians in the past to justify prejudiced sentiments and actions towards Jews. That cannot be disputed. What can be disputed is that there's is the only way to understand them. One way to interpret these passages is that they all relate specifically to the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Readers have and should always normally separate the larger group of people from the people and specific actions they take. The Book of Mormon is actually one of the best guides in this regard as has been demonstrated by author Bradley J. Kramer.<ref>Bradley J. Kramer, ''Gathered in One: How the Book of Mormon Counters Anti-Semitism in the New Testament'' (Salt Lake City: Greg Kofford Books, 2019).</ref>

	Regarding {{s\|2\|Nephi\|10\|3-5}} specifically, Kramer insightfully observes:		Regarding {{s\|2\|Nephi\|10\|3-5}} specifically, Kramer insightfully observes:

GregSmith: /* The Canaanite/Syrophoenician woman */

2024-05-26T06:19:42Z

The Canaanite/Syrophoenician woman

← Older revision		Revision as of 06:19, 26 May 2024
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	Some have criticized the Savior for being a "racist" for the encounters with the Syrophoenician/Canaanite woman of {{s\|\|Matthew\|5\|}} and {{s\|\|Mark\|7\|}}. This has been addressed thoroughly by Evangelical apologist Tim Barnett.		Some have criticized the Savior for being a "racist" for the encounters with the Syrophoenician/Canaanite woman of {{s\|\|Matthew\|5\|}} and {{s\|\|Mark\|7\|}}. This has been addressed thoroughly by Evangelical apologist Tim Barnett.

	<embedvideo service="youtube">v=QXrXIIBRRX0</embedvideo>		<embedvideo service="youtube">v=QXrXIIBRRX0</embedvideo>{{blankline}}

	=== Anti-Semitism ===		=== Anti-Semitism ===