Examining Doctrine -- Discarding Dogma (Part 2)

Thank you for any who read the last post. I hope you continue.

Yesterday I saw an interview with Cecil "Chip" Murray of the First AME Church of Los Angeles, (The AME Church was founded by a former slave of Mormon pioneers), in the trailer for the DVD The Untold Story of Black Mormons.
He said that he was told by one of the leaders of the church when invited to meet in Salt Lake City with President Hinckley, "I have learned of the background/founding of your chuch and I want to apologize for whatever role the Mormon Church played, not only there, but has played in racism in America."

Today I read through the Book of Mormon index under "Lamanite" to try to find some verses that Marvin Perkins used to illustrate his hypothesis for skin color among Lamanites and Nephites.
I got sidetracked and read 3 Nephi 2:15: "And their curse was taken from them, and their skin became white like unto the Nephites."
I did not like how difficult it was for my mind to get off of thinking that this author was referring to the outside organ of people's bodies. I am thankful that in 1981, three years after the leaders of the church were "inspired...with a desire to extend to every worthy member of the Church all of the privileges and blessings which the gospel affords," the improved footnote edition of the scriptures were published.
The footnotes took me to 2 Nephi 5:21 where "skin" has a footnote to 2 Nephi 30:6 where Nephi describes the "scales of darkness" falling from their eyes making them a "pure and delightsome people." Thank you, Nephi.

Examining Doctrine/Scripture/My Father's Words -- Discarding Dogma

I attended a fireside presented by Marvin Perkins as part of the African-American outreach efforts of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I learned. He invited me to not take his word as truth but to find out for myself. Here is my search for truth. I invite you to search for yourself.

Search for "skin" in the scriptures.
Press CTRL+F to search on that page for modern descriptions of skin (ie. "white", "black")

The first references to white skin deal with leprosy.

The next reference to white: Jacob 3:8 O my brethren, I fear that unless ye shall repent of your sins that their skins will be whiter than yours, when ye shall be brought with them before the throne of God.


Will Heavenly Father judge us by the color of one of our organs, our skin?
How will Heavenly Father judge us? What is His doctrine?
3 Nephi 11:32-41

Then what is this verse and many others talking about when referring to "white" or "black" "skin"? (Job 30: 30, 2 Ne. 5: 21, 3 Ne. 2: 15...)

First, what color is your skin? Is it white like a white shirt? Is it black like the sky at night?
Second, when did people start referring to skin as black or white? According to Wikipedia, the 1600's. Way after the scriptures were written. (Compare the map from that last link to this one to see where differing skin colors may come from NASA Map of World Solar Energy Potential.)

So what were people talking about in the scriptures when they spoke of "skin" that was "white" or "black"?

Remember that the scriptures you read in English are a translation from an ancient language. I heard there are three different ways to say "you're welcome" in Spanish and none of them directly translate to "you-are-welcome". 1) "de nada" (of nothing) 2) "por nada" (for nothing) 3) i forgot. Applying that to "skin" of "whiteness" or "blackness" consider a Hebrew idiom referring to a countenance (skin) of righteousness (whiteness) or wickedness (blackness).

This scripture helps me see the analogy: 2 Ne. 30: 6 (skin is like these scales that cover eyes).

More to come - what about "curses of black skin", what happened with the priesthood in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

See http://www.blacksinthescriptures.com/ for more information.