What is Reddit's opinion of Mormonism and White Supremacy: American Religion and The Problem of Racial Innocence?

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

What an amazing story. I had no idea. Thank you for sharing!

Since it has kind of become my thing, here's a plug for Joanna Brooks' new book, Mormonism and White Supremacy: American Religion and The Problem of Racial Innocence, which is an in-depth, academically-researched look at the origins and persistence of white supremacy in the Mormon institution and culture. I have no affiliation - just a reader that was blown away.

If you read this story about Biddy Mason and thought to yourself "I wonder what else about the history of slavery and white supremacy in the church I don't know?", Joanna's book will leave you speechless. I had researched. I thought I knew how deep the rabbit hole went. I was wrong.

And read her new book, Mormonism and White Supremacy: American Religion and The Problem of Racial Innocence. It's thoroughly researched, and lays out the history and origins of it all, with original documentation.

I'm actually really surprised the Tribune ran this article, and interviewed Joanna Brooks, but didn't mention this new (and VERY relevant) book. They talk about her Twitter feed, and the work she's doing in this space, but never say boo about the book. I wonder if they were nervous to even print the title?

I sound like a broken record talking about this, but I believe it's because white supremacy is so deeply entrenched in the policies and culture of the church. Mormon historian Joanna Brooks has an AMAZING new book that lays it all out. I thought I knew how deep the rabbit hole went on this one. I've researched it. There's SO MUCH MORE I wasn't aware of.

Highly, highly recommend this book to anyone with Mormons in their life (or past) in terms of understanding where TSCC stands in terms of the civil unrest in the U.S. right now.

Mormonism and White Supremacy: American Religion and The Problem of Racial Innocence

Their silent agreement with white America to institutionalize and preserve white supremacy.

They struck a bargain. White America gave Mormonism something it desperately craved - acceptance in the mainstream - and in exchange, Mormonism gave white America something it desperately craved - the ability to blame God for making other races inferior, and the ability to say "It's not our fault! God said! We're innocent!"

To me, this is one of the most insidious and dishonest acts the organization has ever undertaken, and it was systemic, coordinated, and spread over practically the entire history of the church. Worse, it continues full force today.

Read Joanna Brooks' EXCELLENT new book "Mormonism and White Supremacy" for all the details, original source material, and citations (she's an academic, the book is exquisitely researched).

There is no rush to getting baptized ASAP, they will want you to get baptized quickly for a variety of reasons. Don’t let your questions or doubts be diminished, and investigate thoroughly before making any decision.

And scrutinize your experience of a heightened emotional response when reading the magical texts, and especially when the missionaries control the conversation. This statement may be debatable to some here, but I’m just giving some advice I wish I had available.

Remember, to join the Mormon club, they are only asking for a meager 10% of your income…. for life. Not to mention your hours of expected service to the church and members.

As far as racial issues are concerned, I hadn’t seen this book posted here yet, might be a good intro on Mormonism’s doctrinal and historical roots steeped in white supremacy.

Mormonism and White Supremacy

Best of luck with your exploration of Mormonism.

Did you know Kwaku was the name of one of the first black men to get ordained (pre Brigham)? Kwaku Walker. I’m listening to this book, and I think I got that fact right. Thought that was super interesting and that he might be named after him, but isn’t Kwaku a convert?

I feel like I post this in every related thread, but I can't recommend Joanna Brook's book Mormonism and White Supremacy highly enough. She's a scholar and a researcher, and the book is a thorough, well-documented, and complete look at just how deeply, integrally entrenched white supremacy is in Mormonism.

I thought I knew how deep the rabbit hole on the racist shit went, but then I read that book, and it just... keeps... getting... worse.

Mormonism is inextricably linked to white supremacy. That was the bargain they struck with Protestant America in the 20th century: Mormons were accepted as squeaky clean, red-blooded Americans (think: the Osmonds) in exchange for the fact that their doctrine reinforces the white supremacy that Protestant America clings to (think: 1950s “family values”). They count on the fact that Mormon God hates dark skinned people just as much as their Protestant God does, because it makes them both look more legitimate.

If the Mormon church jettisons and separates itself entirely from white supremacy (never happening), they would find themselves in direct opposition to the only group that lends them legitimacy - Conservative America. Even if they had the will to go through with it (they don’t), the result would be disastrous for them, with absolutely no upside except being on the correct side of history, but when has that ever mattered to them?

I predict they will continue to try to use PR spin to make it seem like they are condemning racism and white supremacy, but make no changes of any substance. This is their MO.

Look at what they did with child sexual interviews: make a tiny, insignificant change to the policy (kids can ask to have an adult present), put out a press release about the important changes, and “aren’t we just so wonderful for protecting the children? We are the gold standard for preventing child abuse!” And the membership hears the sound bite, which confirms what they want to believe (the church is the greatest thing in the world and aren’t we just so blessed to have it?), critics who point out the fact that they haven’t done anything are brushed off as angry anti-Mormons, and they keep doing things the way they have always done them. This is how it always plays out, and this is how it’s playing out now.

I thought I knew how deep the rabbit hole went on this topic, but then I read Joanna Brooks’s fantastic new book Mormonism and White Supremacy: American Religion and the Problem of Racial Innocence. Joanna is a scholar and a historian, and she has all the receipts (original sources from church history). Even though it’s presented in a way that feels aimed at preserving one’s belief in the church (“they can change!”), it’s an iron clad condemnation of the church, and lays bare how deeply the ties to white supremacy in the church really go.

Mormonism is inextricably linked to white supremacy. That was the bargain they struck with Protestant America in the 20th century: Mormons were accepted as squeaky clean, red-blooded Americans (think: the Osmonds) in exchange for the fact that their doctrine reinforces the white supremacy that Protestant America clings to (think: 1950s “family values”). They count on the fact that Mormon God hates dark skinned people just as much as their Protestant God does, because it makes them both look more legitimate.

If the Mormon church jettisons and separates itself entirely from white supremacy (never happening), they would find themselves in direct opposition to the only group that lends them legitimacy - Conservative America.

Even if they had the will to go through with it (they don’t), the result would be disastrous for them, with absolutely no upside except being on the correct side of history, but when has that ever mattered to them?

I predict they will continue to try to use PR spin to make it seem like they are condemning racism and white supremacy, but make no changes of any substance. This is their MO.

Look at what they did with child sexual interviews: make a tiny, insignificant change to the policy (kids can ask to have an adult present), put out a press release about the important changes, and “aren’t we just so wonderful for protecting the children? We are the gold standard for preventing child abuse!” And the membership hears the sound bite, which confirms what they want to believe (the church is the greatest thing in the world and aren’t we just so blessed to have it?), critics who point out the fact that they haven’t done anything are brushed off as angry anti-Mormons, and they keep doing things the way they have always done them.

This is how it always plays out, and this is how it’s playing out now.

I got all of this from Joanna Brooks’s fantastic book Mormonism and White Supremacy: American Religion and The Problem of Racial Innocence. Joanna is a scholar and a historian, and she has all the receipts (original sources from church history). Even though it’s presented in a way that feels aimed at preserving one’s belief in the church (“they can change!”), it’s an iron clad condemnation of the church, and lays bare how deeply the ties to white supremacy in the church really go.

> That's a far cry from what you said earlier.

It's directly related to what I said earlier. The Mormon refusal to meaningfully disavow and apologize for Brigham Young's racist teachings is compelling evidence of its continuing white supremacist nature.

> [C]urrent church members and leaders wouldn't support a great deal of what Brigham Young did and how he lived his life.

And yet somehow Mormons put aside these thoughts and revere Brigham Young as a cherished prophet.

> Scripture isn't something churches just 'disavow'.

The Community of Christ (formerly RLDS) didn't seem to have any problem disavowing the racist parts of the Book of Mormon.

> That "doctrine" was written by one man, Bruce R. McConkie.

That's not entirely true. Though McConkie succinctly restated the concept, it actually came from earlier Mormon systematizers such as B. H. Roberts. They basically stole the idea from southern apologists after the Civil War in an effort to justify Brigham Young's exclusion.

> Sounds pretty 'disavowed' to me.

Maybe McConkie disavowed it, but I doubt it hampered book sales. Furthermore, as I mentioned, the Church certainly didn't put any effort into disavowing it, at least not ex cathedra.

> You don't get to say that "Mormon Doctrine" . . . is "doctrine"

As I mentioned above, the historical record indicates that McConkie didn't create this doctrine. It existed for nearly a century before "Mormon Doctrine" was even written. So, "Mormon Doctrine" is doctrine to the extent that it accurately restates actual Mormon doctrine, which it does with respect to this issue.

> you still haven't demonstrated a shred of evidence

I believe I have. If you need more evidence of Mormon institutional white supremacy and its effect on Mormon culture, read "Mormonism and White Supremacy." Or, if you can stomach it, spend three minutes on #DezNat Twitter or one of various alt-right Mormon mommy blogs.

***

The huge problem here is that the Church never officially ended the idea that black skin is a curse from God and therefore a token of an individuals inferiority. Members and even leaders continue to discuss and teach the concept in homes and Sunday schools across the globe.

I admit that the church has made positive changes throughout the years. However, these changes are usually belated and only a response to mounting public pressure (hardly prophetic). Church members should recognize this and demand better.

This is a well-researched book on the history...

Mormonism and White Supremacy: American Religion and The Problem of Racial Innocence https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08761ZHCP/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_xodiFbSS857AG