There is no doctrine, teaching or scripture that bans people from heaven because of their race or skin color. The LDS doctrine is that God the Father loves all His children, and wants them all to return to Him. Unfortunately, people from all nations will not make the grade if they harden their hearts, do not follow the commandments and refuse to repent and follow the Savior Jesus Christ. If having a soul darkened by sin can be described as "black", it's the only kind of black that will keep a person from heaven. Certainly skin color doesn't come into the analysis, since all people are sons or daughters of the same Creator. This is a belief common across all Christians who have read the Bible, and is not unique to the LDS christian faith. As we approach the 30 year anniversary of the 1978 Declaration on the Priesthood where the Lord granted the priesthood to men of all races, it's high time this old chestnut about race was finally put to bed.

No, Mormons do not believe that Blacks and other non-Caucasian people will NOT attain the highest level of heaven. Baptism is the gate to the celestial kingdom. Never was a Black denied baptism into the church if he requested it. Blacks could do baptism for the dead. In order to get to the celestial glory, one needs to be baptized. To be glorified one must have priesthood, to be exalted, one must have the highest order of the priesthood, which is marriage according to LDS teaching. Blacks and other non-Whites were never denied the celestial world. God judges us based on the knowledge that we have, and rewards us for how well we lived the truths that were revealed to us. Baptists will be judge according to their beliefs. If a Baptist lived honourably by Baptist laws and tenants, he would do so if he was a brought up as an LDS also. Joseph saw in vision his brother Alvin in the celestial world and marveled at such a sight seeing that he died without proper baptism. The Lord then told Joseph, Smith that is, that all those who would have accepted the gospel had it been presented to them will receive that glory. Of course the ordinances for those people would eventually be done by a mortal, but the teaching is clear. God judges our hearts, minds, and actions, not the church we belong to. It is beneficial to belong to the LDS church in this life and accept it here, but if the opportunity never presents itself, then will the grace of God work in the favor of that man or woman. Black men and women who were not privileged to hold the high priesthood will therefore receive a judgement based on their character and life administration. God knows their hearts. He will judge them by how they would have responded if they had the priesthood, not based on some unprovable notion of pre-mortal infidelity, even if the infidelity was not enough to bar any from mortality. The false teaching of the fence sitting sons of God who gingerly attained a mortal existence is just that, false. Brigham Young taught that all who came here fought valiantly for that opportunity. One Orson Pratt postulated using logic that the Black race was abused and subjugated do to a less than valiant life in the pre-mortal realm. He assumed that since we attain levels here, we did so there. I agree with that, but I find no scriptural evidence that a Black person was any worse off than a Medieval Caucasian. During that time no priesthood was on the earth for mortals according to LDS teachings. So were all those people less valiant? Was Joseph Smith less valiant because he was born to a non-member father and mother who did not have the priesthood? Eventually the medieval ones received the priesthood and the Blacks and Joseph Smith and his father. Do I believe that a prophet can teach false doctrine, YES. Even a prophet of the LDS church. God does not reveal more to us that what we are willing to receive even if a prophet. Can some of the teachings by some in the church be false today? I believe so. All has not been revealed. I know the church, especially the modern church will not teach doctrine that is not thoroughly revealed to the public, but in the past, prophets such as Brigham Young and others taught truths that were partially revealed. The members then, whether general authorities or other prophets would use logic and reason to come to a conclusion. It the Lord did not dispel it by the spirit, the conclusion base in partial revelation and logic I say, then those people would believe and teach it, and advance it as good doctrine. Consider, if you will, the priesthood ban. I do not believe that it was inspired by God to ban all Black men from the priesthood and deny the temple to the same. I BELIEVE it became a policy after Brigham young misinterpreted some scripture to justify his racist belief. Yes, I said racist. He was a man of his time and circumstance. (Joseph Smith, however, was not a man of his time and circumstance when regarding race; but that is another subject.) I am a temple recommend holding, and faithful LDS. I know by my own revelations that the church is true and the Brigham Young was a prophet, my favorite historically in fact. I know that God winks at some of the notions of his servants. He did for Peter, who thought that only the Jews could receive the restored gospel during the time after Christ's resurrection. Peter received a vision and was corrected. This time, until 1978, the Lord winked at that false notion, and allowed it. I don't know the reason he did, but he does, and it may well be that some of his children, the chosen seed to take the authority, or a handful of Caucasian, were not righteous enough to include others and needed to progress spiritually before God allowed them to take it, the gospel in its fullness, to all of Adam's race. In order to justify it in the minds of the Saints, they said Blacks from Africa were cursed. God allowed it as I deduced, but I have not hard proof. Apparently, if my history serves me correctly, no one questioned President Young or subsequent prophets on the matter until the 1950's when the first mention of the possibility of the Blacks being ordained. The issue was discussed many time according to questionable sources, but the revelation was put forth at a time when all the brethren were of the same heart. One apostle in disagreement would cause the ban to remain. Though God reveals to his prophet, it is my understanding that a revelation is not binding on the church until it is presented before the church and voted on. Apparently, unless all the brethren are united a revelation will not be presented to be binding on the church. In 1978, the brethren were united and the revelation that the practice of banning the priesthood from some of the children of Adam no longer permissible. Again, in my OPINION, the winking of God at the foibles of his servants regarding the Blacks of Africa and of African decent was no longer to be tolerated. Again, it is my reason for not believing that Ban was inspired of God. I believe it was allowed, just as I allow my son to partake of the sacrament (communion) even though he is too young to be a member of the church. I wink at it, but eventually I will teach him before he is baptised the full purpose of that ordinance and will encourage him not to partake until after he has made the covenant to Christ through baptism. But reviewing what I have previously posted, I have since come to the conclusion that the ban, though not in my opinion a creation of the mind of God, it was the words of a prophet of that divine being. Whether it is by the mouth of my servants or my own, reveals the lord to Joseph Smith in the Doctrine and Covenants, it is the same. President Young spoke for the church, and the church obeyed because he spoke. The lord allowed it and made it binding by the very teaching of God that if his servant speaks it, it is binding. I believe that. I reconcile that it was then the will of God that a ban was place on Blacks, which group is my people. I do, however, continue to denounce the false teaching of fence sitting in a pre-earth life. It is absurd at the least. It is a matter of asking for the wounded.

No, definitely not. In fact, back in the early 1800s, when most Protestant denominations were still debating whether or not the “Negro” even had a soul (and certainly wouldn’t let them worship in the same congregations), The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was welcoming people of every race and color with open arms. The misconception that “Mormons” are racist stems from the fact that, despite repeated promises from the Lord that this policy would not last forever, the Church restricted anyone of Canaanite descent from certain blessings in mortality. Since most Caucasians—Latter-day Saints included—believed that black Africans were of Canaanite descent, this restriction fell upon them. However, there were also many Caucasians, Asians, Hispanics, and Native Americans that fell into this category, just as there were many blacks (including those of African descent) that didn’t. Regardless, the aforementioned policy was ended when, in 1978, the Lord instructed the Prophet Spencer W. Kimball that the time had finally arrived to grant these blessings to all that were worthy, “ without regard for race or color” (Doctrine and Covenants, Official Declaration—2).

At one time that may have been true. There are many many quotes in the book "Origins of Power" from early Mormon prophets which explicitly state that no one with even a drop of "the blood of Cain" (that's considered to be black people BTW) can ever set foot in a temple, meaning no heaven. Furthermore, "Black Jane" Elizabeth Manning was sealed to Joseph Smith as his servant for time and all eternity, so this was a practice at some point. It is important to note though that Mormons believe that dark-skinned people like those of African descent, as well as Native Americans (also cursed) could become "white and delightsome" if they came to God through his son Jesus, and to Jesus through the Mormon church, so if they were then white, I suppose that would allow them a chance to get in. To the church's credit, this has been reversed, but I suspect it has more to do with societal pressures than anything else, for societal pressures have long shaped church policy. At one time part of the temple prayer was that Mormons would swear a blood oath to "avenge the blood of the prophet against this nation" but that was removed after a U.S. Senate house committee investigated the church for treason. Also there apparently used to be a lot of "erogenous touching" in temple ceremonies, but this stopped in 1991 due to complaints by members. Also the most famous example is polygamy, which was repealed in response to threats of invasion from the President of the United States..I believe it was Teddy Roosevelt...

I would hope not... because the race Jesus (Who is not the brother but, "The Creator" ... "Died for ... "The HUMAN RACE". Also ... The Bible ... has not changed, (other than into native languages of the people) in 6000 years, The Old and New Covenats ... New, (so I am not misunderstood) is not, "New" because "MAN didn't like some things written in it ... so He changed them ... (But, "Man" being used by, "The devil", made some "New" religion or belief system. Like everything "Man" , (tries to do) ... apart from or adding to "The Bible" ... somewhere along the way ... something is going to "Bite them in, the behind". "Why" because when man doesn't like what is written in the"Original" Word of God... they want to change it ... air goes Joseph Smith and His Prophetic Writings ... I don't see Paul's, John's or Jude's writings changed over time ... 2000 years, nor David's, Solomon's, or even Moses' ... 4000 years old changed. Why is it, a religion less than 180 years old, has had many doctrinal changes, like black folk "Not" entering into heaven? Then it's O.K.? Maybe the reason is it is ... IT WAS NOT THE LORD SPEAKING TO JOSEPH SMITH". The first book, "The Bible" states ...“Take heed that no one deceives you. For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. (This is Jesus saying this) Why should We believe a man? Paul later writes ... 2 Corithians 11:10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, I will never stop boasting about this all over Greece. [fn] 11 Why? Because I don't love you? God knows I do. 12 But I will continue doing this to cut the ground out from under the feet of those who boast that their work is just like ours. 13 These people are false apostles. They have fooled you by disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 But I am not surprised! Even Satan can disguise himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no wonder his servants can also do it by pretending to be godly ministers. In the end they will get every bit of punishment their wicked deeds deserve. I have a new Question : With a belief system with many court hearings and Book of Mormon changes ... "How does the reasonable Mormon not question but just realize: "The Bible had it right the first time" ... When Jesus said it was finished on the Cross ... It was finished! Within the the "First Century" what the men who eyed witnessed or knew of Jesus life "Wrote down His life... and Acts of their own... so why in 1830 did Jesus change things? Acts 10:37-40 (2000 years ago) We see Phillip baptized a man of Ethiopia, an eunuch of great authority under Candace queen of the Ethiopians. What changed in 2000 years... "Not the Bible"! The fulfillment of "false prophets" coming in these last days, as Jesus said would is what changed. (Even if you have a good choir) Singing won't get anyone to Heaven, As always The Bible has that answer. It s the BLOOD and your confession of the need for this Savior that gains your salvation. Yes, the African race has access into heaven just like the Asian, or European. He may have been cursed by Great Grand Pa Noah, but the saving power of Jesus free him from that curse.

We believe that anyone may attain the highest level of heaven by obedience to God's commandments.