We did not fully understand the Church’s involvement with native Americans until recently.
All the information we discovered was found, surprisingly, right on the Church’s website.
And it is horrifying, to say the least.
Of course, to start, there’s the infamous “mountain meadows massacre.”
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/mountain-meadows-massacre?lang=eng
And while many stories, circumstances, and justifications circulate regarding the incident;
This phrase pulled straight from the church’s own website horrified us –
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/mountain-meadows-massacre?lang=eng
To think that a “loving religion” ‘s members would even think to blame murder and massacres on native Americans.
To think that people can JUSTIFY this, and state horrible things such as “it was different back then;” “it wasn’t the prophet who ordered it;” “it was individual members of the church who did that, not the church itself!”
To think that one would justify such horrific actions by immediately DEFENDING their religion and the people in it – rather than seeing the horrors it caused on innocent people of a “minority” race.
Yet another instance in which native Americans were murdered, killed and blamed due to the spread of Christianity; of yet another mainly-white religion.
But many people already know about this instance.
One we didn’t know about?
The enslavement of Native American children by Mormons.
It sounds like a drastically WILD claim to make.
FAKE.
It has to be!
…right???
No. It’s not fake.
And it’s a shameful history –
Another Christian religion overtaking native Americans.
Well, the LDS church does claim to be Christian now;
Does it not?
The church definitely had its fair share of mistreatment against native peoples.
Of native children.
We have heard people make up reasons and justifications for this –
Believe it or not!
Claiming that “native Americans needed the help so we helped care for the children.” “We got the kids out of a bad situation…”
Yeah.
And into another bad situation.
Into 20 years of indentured servitude.
Paid or not…
These children were TRAFFICKED.
And the church continues to justify its actions and involvements in it.
“Purchased.”
“Servitude.”
“The acquisition of native children.”
The “white savior” complex is widely evident in the church.
Prioritizing a “white” education.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/indian-student-placement-program?lang=eng
Assimilating Native American children into white, religious households.
Removing familial ties and connections.
Cutting out culture, and tradition.
The church trying to save its own ass by stating that the individual member’s beliefs and actions were “separate” from the church.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/lamanite-identity?lang=eng
And yet, how many times have we heard preached that the members are all a part of the body of God?
That the members ARE the church?
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/lamanite-identity?lang=eng
“Ideas of European superiority.”
Aka
“White supremacy.”
A phrase the church carefully had to articulate when publishing this information on their website.
Careful journaling and propaganda for it’s active members.
Re-branding a horrific involvement into a “good thing.” Or just merely justifications, if anything.
Separate the negative actions from the church itself.
Blame the MEMBERS; not the church.
And yet the members believe the church is on their side?
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/lamanite-identity?lang=eng
And let’s not ignore that the Lamanites in the Book of Mormon were depicted as the “wicked.”
That because of their wickedness, their “skin darkened.”
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/bofm/1-ne/12?lang=eng
And of course, when racism was no longer socially acceptable;
The church attempted to re-brand.
To claim the darkness was a “spiritual darkness;” not physical!
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/scriptures/triple-index/darkness-physical?lang=eng
And sadly, some members believed that.
Overlooked the aspect of racism that is SO imbedded into not just religion, but history.
Thinking that their religion was the exception from racism.
People tend to turn a blind eye to things they don’t want to believe.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/lamanite-identity?lang=eng
And the white savior complex of “bringing the gospel” via missionary around the world to “minorities,” …
…sounds a lot like Christianity bulldozing over native Americans.
Erasing culture, beliefs, values and traditions.
Something the church today is not exempt from doing.
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/lamanite-identity?lang=eng
“Convert the wicked.”
“The dark skinned.”
“The Lamanites.”
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/lamanite-identity?lang=eng
“Embrace your dark skin!”
“Understand and embrace where you came from – wickedness!”
“Convert and come to Christ!”
“We Europeans may come from the righteous; we descend from God’s people.”
“But you too, can convert!”
https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/history/topics/lamanite-identity?lang=eng
I personally heard it many times while I was on my mission –
“I’m going to go home from my mission and marry a Latina/Native American girl!”
And, believe me or don’t,
“I’ll flirt to convert!”
“I’ll convert a Lamanite wife to the church!”
White superiority at its finest.
Evident in the minds of 18-20 year old missionaries.
In the years of 2018-2020.
The white superiority that the church fosters;
Is STILL very prominent.
–
So if you’re sitting here, thinking;
“But that’s the past! We don’t believe in racism anymore!”
“We don’t believe in the superiority of a white education!”
“We don’t believe Lamanites or darker-skinned races of people need to be saved by white people!”
Then tell me.
• Today, does the church still build massive, pure WHITE temples in countries of minorities?
• Today, does the Church still have everyone who comes into the temple wear white; the color of purity, cleanness, and salvation?
• Today, are white missionaries still sent into foreign “minority” countries to convert the people there to “white Christianity?” (Mormons claim to be Christian’s now, do they not?)
• Today, do people still believe that native Americans, Latinos, etc. are descended from the Lamanites? A group of people who were seen as the “wicked” in the Book of Mormon?”
• Today, do young white missionaries fetishized the thought of marrying a “foreign girl” from the country in which they served their missions? The place they spent years trying to convert the people there to a white Christian religion?
So while you may not personally believe in the modern-day racism that exists;
The effects of what the church has taught regarding the Lamanites, and their history with the native Americans, and their current-day attempts to convert everyone to a white Christian religion…
Remains in place.
It’s just hidden better.
–
Imagine shaming someone for leaving the church –
Because they don’t find the “white savior” missionary complex that the church has appealing, and want all people to be treated equally regardless of skin.
