White Heart, Pure Skin
Colleen Ralson
Shortly after the LDS Church was pressured into giving the Blacks the priesthood
in 1978, a very noticeable and controversial change occurred in their next edition
of the Book of Mormon. In 2 Nephi 30:6, the word "white" was
quietly changed to read "pure" without explanation or notation. LDS
leaders staunchly denied, however, that this change had anything to do with
their latest mandate allowing Blacks to hold the priesthood.
Mormons have been told and many of them parrot that the change was made because
"pure" means the same thing as "white." If "pure"
and "white" mean the same thing, why was the change necessary? Why
were other verses not changed where the word "white" appeared? Why
are there verses that say "white" and "pure?"
For consistency "white" could have been changed in 1 Nephi 8:11
to read "pure fruit," or 2 Nephi 5:21, to "pure skin." Or
3 Nephi 12:36 to "pure hair," or Ether 3:1 to "pure stones."
Or instead of using the word "pure" in 1 Nephi 13:25 they could have
substituted "white gospel," or in 1 Nephi 14:26 to "white writings."
The wording in 2 Nephi 9:47 could be "white minds," and 2 Nephi 25:16
would be "white hearts." Alma 14:19 could have been switched to "white
testimony" and Mormon 7:47, to "white love."
If pure and white were indeed synonymous there is yet another strange aspect
of the Mormon's questionable explanation. For in Alma 5:21, these folks have
garments that are "pure and white," and Alma 32:42, tells of
fruit that is "pure and white." That is like saying it was
"white and white" or "pure and pure." Not only that, in
Alma 32:42 it also states some fruit was, "white above all white,"
and "pure above all that is pure." Is not this rather repetitious
if they both mean the same thing?
But perhaps the most unbelievable and offensive parts in the Book of Mormon
that need changing are verses like 2 Nephi 5:21. In this account Nephi's brothers
will not accept him as their ruler and teacher. Because of their iniquity and
hard hearts, their once white and exceeding fair and delightsome skin is turned
black. And in Nephi 30:6, the Lamanites, whose skin was turned black,
are told that in not many more years they will again become white (pre-1978)
or just pure (post-1978) and delight some.
In Jacob 3:9 it is reported that the white Nephites have become filthy and
not pure in heart, so God threatens to "lead away their righteousness from
among them." The white Nephites hated their brethren, the once bad and
black Lamanites. But the black Lamanites, have now become more righteous than
the once good but now wicked white Nephites. God tells the Nephites that the
Lamanites' skin would be whiter than theirs if they, the Nephites, did not repent.
God, however, does not seem very just. He does not even hint that he might curse
them and change their skin black. But, by 3 Nephi 3:14, the now righteous, but
still black Lamanites, "united with the Nephites.... and their curse was
taken from them and their skins became white."
From these passages one could deduct that black skin equates with evil and
wickedness, and God's disfavor. And white skin must show righteousness, and
God's approval. How sad and totally preposterous. Despite all these amazing
stories of chameleon-like skin changes in the Book of Mormon, 2 Nephi
26:30 teaches that the Lord did not show favoritism as, "He denieth none
that come unto him, black and white... all are alike unto God." But he
did deny some - the blacks - until 1978, anyway.
To cut through this muddle in Mormonism, one need only turn to God's infallible
word, the Bible, and know the just, trustworthy, and loving God is not prejudiced.
"For the Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance,
but the Lord looketh on the heart," (1 Samuel 16:7).
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