Eliminating Racism Among Latter-day Saints—From Speech to Action; Trump’s team stalls in LDS outreach

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The rot of racism

They have published pleadings for racial harmony on news sites. They have preached against prejudice from the pulpit. They have Partnerships with leading civil rights organizations.

But could and should the church’s top leaders, led by President Russell Nelson, do more to truly “eliminate racism,” in the words of his top adviser, Dallin Oaks?

Blogger Exponent II Mimi offers these steps—from top to bottom to bottom to top—to remove the sin of racism from the ranks of the faith:

• The church, as an institution, should apologizes for his former priesthood/temple ban against the Black Latter-day Saints. In addition to helping “black members feel heard/seen,” she writes, “it might also help white Sunday school elders recognize that the church wasn’t always perfect.”

• Leaders should appoint more members of color to high-level positions in the church.

• Local leaders should “shout and talk about” racism. “Subject”, Mimi argued“it might become less taboo and we might try to get to the root.”

• Latter-day Saints should put aside their fears of “backlash” and openly discuss this bigotry. “The backlash hurts because it’s hard to realize that people in your community are racist,” the blogger says, “but I think those little comments will eventually help create change.”

The latest “Mormon Land” podcast: The temple gambit

President Nelson is betting big that the temple building boom will cement more members into the faith. Historian Benjamin Park, author of “American Zion: A New History of Mormonism,” discusses the church’s temple blitz—how it compares to the past, what it means now, and what it may portend for the future.

Listen Podcast.

Trump’s team stalls in LDS outreach

Here are some words of wisdom for Donald Trump’s campaign as it courts members in vital states like Arizona and Nevada:

First, don’t sell “Latter-day Saints for Trump” coffee mugs or koozies. (They are not best suited for the java-shy and abstinent believers.)

Second, don’t hold a canvassing event on General Conference weekend. (You must be outmatched by guys named Nelson, Oaks, and Uchtdorf, and women named Freeman, Yee, and Browning.)

Third, don’t schedule a Mormon rally on a Sunday. (Rest as many godly Latter-day Saints do on their Sabbath.)

The Republican presidential camp has committed these and several other head-scratching missteps in dealing with Latter-day Saint voters — as documented this week by McKay Coppins of the Atlantic.

Sermon by the mountain

In the shadow of Rio de Janeiro’s famous Christ the Redeemer statue, Brazilian apostle Ulisses Soares encouraged young Latter-day Saints to be “beacons of hope and examples of Christlike love” in a broadcast worldwide Sunday.

“This magnificent work of art is a reminder to all of us that Jesus Christ and His gospel are not meant to be hidden under a bouquet,” Soares said of the 98-foot-tall hilltop landmark. “Rather, like the statue, Jesus Christ and His gospel are placed on a hill where they cannot be hidden.”

In addition, the website, album and poster are ready for the 2025 youth theme: Look to Christ.

From the Tribune

• Anti-LGBTQ rhetoric, warns the gay grandson of the apostle Dallin Oakscreates “an environment conducive to violence”.

• Church leaders have repeatedly encouraged members to be civilians. Does it work in this presidential election?

• President Nelson is scheduled to dedicate THE Deseret Peak Temple on November 10.

The 72,000-square-foot, three-story, single-spire building in Tooele will be the faith’s 200th temple worldwide and one of 31 existing or planned Utah temples.

• From Chicago to Memphis to Provo, Latter-day Saint congregations are strengthening ties with the surrounding communities.

• Tribune guest columnist Eli McCann he’s a brand new dad, and oh boy, it’s exhausting — and exhilarating.