Please help with a current FB conversation. My friend posted the following link on his FB and the following conversation recently took place. I want to counter him by giving facts from church sources (JoD, lds.org, policy letter) about the fact that blacks were not to be taught pre-1978 in some missions. I've read experiences on here that prove it. I'm still in the closet about my disbelief, so a RFM link won't help. This friend of mine is in the Bishopric, white, and was the missionary who taught me the discussions in 1997.



http://edition.cnn.com/video/?/video/living/2011/06/24/eitm.mormonism.cnn

FB Friend: CNN explains Mormonism. Not 100% correct, but decent.

exMollymo: I watched it, and seemed correct to me. What wasn't correct?

FB friend: That the Church is focusing its missionary efforts on diversity. The Church isn't being selective on who it proselytes to. It is encouraging all people to learn and find out for themselves. There was another element in the video that I thought was incorrect as well, but don't remember.

exMollymo: True that the church isn't selective about those they proselyte to, but I do find it interesting that the church is focusing their PR campaign on diversity. I can count on one hand how many black Mormons I know. If feel the "I'm a Mormon" passalong cards are a little deceptive in the racial make-up of the church, as well as the commercials in general. I have been taught in church that a woman's place is in the home and that the man needs to be a clean cut shining example to everyone (what does a Bishopric look like?) but those Mormon ads are not anything like real world wards. (at least not the ones I've attended)

FB friend: I think more importantly the Church is trying to change the image people have that we are a non-diverse church, and that is why you see the focus on diversity. I don't believe we are trying to convert more ethnically different people. If anything our doctrine proves that. All our experiences are different. For me, all you need to do is go to my ward to see just how diverse our church is.

Friend of FB friend: Agreed. The earliest missionaries of the church taught anyone who would listen and that's the same today. The focus has always been to welcome any follower from any cultural background.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/23/2011 01:16PM by exmollymo.