73 Salt Lake City Messenger: Excommunication

Salt Lake City Messenger UTAH LIGHTHOUSE MINISTRY Issue No. 73 PO BOX 1884, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH 84110 October 1989 EXCOMMUNICATION Mormon Leader Expelled After Charging Church With Racism On September 2, 1989, the Salt Lake Tribune made this startling announcement: The only American Indian general authority in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was excommunicated Friday after claiming church leaders are perpetrating a “silent, subtle scriptural and spiritual slaughter” of his race. George P. Lee, a member of the First Quorum of the Seventy since 1975, was stripped of his membership by the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles for “apostasy” and “other conduct unbecoming a member of the church.” He is the first Mormon general authority excommunicated in 46 years. His excommunication is significant because Dr. Lee, a Navajo, was considered a church “success story,” himself George P. Lee a product of the LDS program that places impoverished and disadvantaged Indian children with Mormon families. Church leaders have set themselves up as interpreters of He claimed church leaders have “turned their backs” the gospel, rather than its followers, he said. It has resulted on Native Americans and, in pride and arrogance, are in pride, Dr. Lee claims. discriminating against the very people Mormon scriptures “I have heard a few of you declare that you are greater say they must rely on for salvation. than ancient apostles such as Moses, Abraham, Noah, “There is a racist attitude I could just no longer stand,” Isaiah, Isaac, Jacob. This reflects the attitude of all of Dr. Lee, 46, said in an interview . “It is aimed at the poor, you,” Dr. Lee said in the letter. “I have heard one or more at the Indians . of you declare that you can change anything Jesus had said “They have washed their hands of their responsibilities or taught. This also reflects the attitude of all of you.”. to the Lamanites,” he said. “My conscience would not allow me to go on.”. On September 10, 1989, the Salt Lake Tribune reported the Dr. Lee was called to the church leadership by President following concerning how the church authorities reacted to his Spencer W. Kimball, who felt he had a “special assignment” letter to them: from God to help Native Americans. He said Friday he believes the current church administration has betrayed the After reading in person a 23-page letter detailing his dead prophet’s trust. concerns, Lee said he was astounded at the speed with which he was ousted. Within minutes, two officials came to his office and told him to turn over all church property, BOOK CONTAINING LEE’S CHARGES including a credit card and a signed pass with which faithful Mormons gain entry to their temples. “I was stripped of Prior to his excommunication, George P. Lee made some everything,” said Lee, 46, a father of seven who is without very serious charges against the Mormon leaders in two letters. pension or immediate job prospect. “It was just absolutely We have obtained copies of both letters written by Lee to the cold.” LDS First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles (38 pages in all) and have printed them under the title, Excommunication of a In a letter that he read to the church hierarchy (photographically Mormon Church Leader. In addition, we have included a 16- repinted in our booklet, Excommunication of a Mormon Church oage introduction reviewing the LDS Church’s attitude toward Leader), Dr. Lee charged church leaders with materialism, pride Indians and other races. This booklet sells for only $1.00 — and having “an attitude of superior race, white supremacy, racist 5 for $4.00 — 10 for $6.00 (Minimum mailing charge $1.00) attitude, pride, arrogance, an[d] love of power, and no sense [of] Extra Newsletters Free at the Bookstore – By Mail: 5 for $1.00 - 25 for $3.00 2 Salt Lake City Messenger Issue 73 obligation to the poor, needy and afflicted. You are loving skin was inferior, the Negro was considered to be at the bottom the Indians and other Lamanites at a distance . you are telling of the scale and therefore could not hold the priesthood. To really the Lamanites that you are No. 1 and they are second class. understand the anti-black doctrine, however, a person must know 6. Love of Money. The rich seem to get richer and the poor get something about the Mormon doctrine of pre-existence. One of the poorer . In fact you told me to not talk about [the] poor nor basic teachings of the church is that the spirit of man existed before pray for them. A lot of our Priesthood leaders depend on being the world was created. From this doctrine of the pre-existence of paid to attend important priesthood meetings . Of course most the soul emerged the idea of some spirits being more noble than of these Brethren would go anywhere in the name of ‘The Lord’s others. The Mormon leaders teach that the “more noble” or choice Work’ as long as they are being paid and as long as all of their spirits are born as Mormons. expenses are being paid. Brethren this would include your board At the time George P. Lee was called to be a General Authority memberships and meetings, royalty from written books, and all in the Mormon Church, Mark E. Petersen was serving as one of donations and gifts from friends, speaking engagements and etc.” the Twelve Apostles. Apostle Petersen, who died in 1984, held Dr. Lee’s charge of racism is certainly not new. From its some very strong views concerning Indians and other dark-skinned earliest days, Mormonism has had some very unusual teachings races. In a speech given at the church’s Brigham Young University, with regard to race, skin color and blood. When George P. Lee was Apostle Petersen gave the following information concerning the called to be a member of the First Quorum of Seventy in 1975, the doctrine of pre-existence and how it affected the various races: Mormon leaders had a doctrine which denied blacks the priesthood and marriage in the church’s temples. Indians, on the other hand, We cannot escape the conclusion that because of performance in our pre-existence some of us are born as Chinese, some as were permitted to hold the priesthood, and this made it possible Japanese, some as Indians, some as Negroes, some as Americans, for President Spencer W. Kimball to elevate Lee to the position of some as Latter-day Saints. These are rewards and punishments . a General Authority in the Mormon Church. Is it not reasonable to believe that less worthy spirits would come In 1978 the Mormon Church leaders announced that their through less favored lineage? Does this not account in very large prophet, Spencer W. Kimball, had received a revelation which part for the various grades of color and degrees of intelligence we opened up the priesthood to blacks. The doctrine which the Mormon find in the earth? . Now let’s talk segregation again for a few moments. Was leaders formerly taught concerning blacks was clearly set forth in a segregation a wrong principle? When the Lord chose the nations letter written by the First Presidency in 1947: “From the days of the to which the spirits were to come, determining that some would Prophet Joseph even until now, it has been the doctrine of the Church, be Japanese and some would be Chinese and some Negroes and never questioned by any of the Church leaders, that the Negroes some Americans, He engaged in an act of segregation. In are not entitled to the full blessings of the Gospel” (Letter from the placing a curse on Laman and Lemuel [i.e., the ancestors of the First Presidency of the Mormon Church, July 17, 1947, as cited in Indians in Mormon theology], He engaged in segregation. When He forbade inter-marriages . He established segregation. Mormonism and the Negro, by John J. Stewart, 1960, pages 46-47). Who placed the Chinese in China? The Lord did. It was an act Bruce R. McConkie, who later served as an Apostle in the of segregation. in the cases of the Lamanites [Indians] and the church, made this statement in 1958: Negroes we have the definite word of the Lord Himself that He placed a dark skin upon them as a curse—as a punishment Negroes in this life are denied the priesthood; under no and as a sign to all others. He forbade intermarriage with circumstances can they hold this delegation of authority from them under threat of extension of the curse. (2 Nephi 5:21) . the Almighty. The gospel message of salvation is not carried Let us consider the great mercy of God for a moment. A affirmatively to them . Chinese, born in China with a dark skin, and with all the handicaps The negroes are not equal with other races where the of that race seems to have little opportunity. But think of the mercy receipt of certain spiritual blessings are concerned, particularly of God to Chinese people who are willing to accept the gospel. In the priesthood and the temple blessings that flow therefrom, but spite of whatever they might have done in the pre-existence to justify this inequality is not of man’s origin. It is the Lord’s doing, . being born over there as Chinamen, if they now, in this life, accept the gospel and live it the rest of their lives they can have the Priesthood, (Mormon Doctrine, 1958, page 477) go to the temple and receive endowments and sealings, and that means they can have exaltation.

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