“There was considerable antipathy between the Jews and the Samaritans at the time of Christ. Under normal circumstances, these two groups avoided association with each other.” This is a lot like what I see in the news between black and white people even though it has been over a century since emancipation and decades since segregation... Surely good neighbors should put forth every effort to understand each other and to be kind to one another regardless of religion, nationality, race, or culture. Occasionally I hear of members offending those of other faiths by overlooking them and leaving them out. This can occur especially in communities where our members are the majority. I have heard about narrow-minded parents who tell children that they cannot play with a particular child in the…
“...the Church disavows the theories advanced in the past that black skin is a sign of divine disfavor or curse, or that it reflects unrighteous actions in a pre-mortal life; that mixed race marriages are a sin; or that blacks or people of any other race or ethnicity are inferior in any way to anyone else. Church leaders today unequivocally condemn all racism, past and present, in any form.”
“Favor or disfavor with God is dependent upon your devotion to God and His commandments and not the color of your skin.”
“One simple way we get to know someone is by learning their name. It has been said that “a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.” Have you ever had the experience of calling someone by the wrong name or forgetting their name? My wife, Alexis, and I have, on occasion, called one of our children “Lola.” Unfortunately, as you may have guessed, Lola is our dog! For better or worse, forgetting someone’s name communicates to that person that you probably don’t know them very well. Jesus knew and called people by name. To ancient Israel, the Lord said, “Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine.” On Easter morning, Mary’s witness of…
“Think of the protection provided by the skin. Could you make, or even conjure in your mind how to create a cloak that would protect you and yet, at the same time, perceive and warn against injuries that excessive heat or cold might cause? That is what the skin does. It even gives signals indicating when another part of the body is ailing. The skin can flush and sweat with fever. When one is frightened or ill, the skin pales. When one is embarrassed, the skin blushes. And it is replete with nerve fibers that communicate and often limit possible harm through perception of pain...The concept of self-renewal is remarkable. Each cell in the body is created and then regenerated from elements of the earth according to the recipe or…
Examples of racism in bold lettering: "As we endeavor to heal the wounds of racism, here are four steps each of us needs to take so that we can all move forward together in our efforts to reach our divine potential. 1. Acknowledge the Problem:The first step toward healing is the realization that the problem exists. We cannot fix that which we overlook or deny. Our attitudes toward others of a different race or of a different culture should not be considered a minor matter. Viewing them as such only affirms a willingness to stay unchanged .2. Recognize It in Ourselves:Some people acknowledge the problem but may not recognize it in themselves. Sometimes racism is so subtle, we may not realize we’re expressing it. How are we to judge when our thoughts and comments might be out…
“I think there is a lack of understanding, but we look to God with hope and that's the greatest thing of all. So, while there are those who have challenges with racism or other concerns, we are here to love them and help them look inside a person without judging.”
“We call upon all people everywhere to recommit themselves to the time-honored ideals of tolerance and mutual respect. We sincerely believe that as we acknowledge one another with consideration and compassion we will discover that we can all peacefully coexist despite our deepest differences.”
“We join with many throughout this nation and around the world who are deeply saddened at recent evidences of racism and a blatant disregard for human life. We abhor the reality that some would deny others respect and the most basic freedoms because of the color of his or her skin. . . .The Creator of us all calls on each of us to abandon attitudes of prejudice against any group of God’s children. Any of us who has prejudice toward another race needs to repent! President Nelson joined with three top leaders of the NAACP—Derrick Johnson, Leon Russell, and the Rev. Amos C. Brown—in a powerful joint statement that declared, “Solutions will come as we open our hearts . . . , as we work to build bonds of…
Here are 25 questions to help you personally decide how you think you’re doing with helping anti-racism succeed. If you haven’t had much of a chance yet these can also give you an idea of where you might feel comfortable starting and what you would like to work towards. These are things that Christ did: Have you ended your affiliation with and support for organizations that promote hate and racism? How do you feel about the amount of time and resources you put into rooting out racism? If you know you should be doing more, what are ways that you can make more time for the cause? Have you thoroughly studied past actions of political candidates to educate yourself before voting and do you vote and advocate for candidates who…
