Stop Twisting the Prophet’s Words to Promote the False Ideology of Anti-Racism

Racism is not only incompatible with the Gospel of Jesus Christ it is illogical within the context of the Plan of Salvation as well. I could easily quote a dozen prophets and apostles who point out that racism is incompatible with the gospel of Jesus Christ as we are all children of the same God. But I think Nephi makes it perfectly clear in 2 Nephi 26:33 when he teaches that the Savior “inviteth them all to come unto him and partake of his goodness; and he denieth none that come unto him, black and white, bond and free, male and female; and he remembereth the heathen; and all are alike unto God, both Jew and Gentile.”

It is extremely clear. Racism is NOT of Christ. I think that is a point everyone can agree on. But my thesis is simple, just as racism is not of Christ, the Anti-Racism movement is not of Christ either. There are many members of the Church, including BYU professors, who advocate Anti-Racism as the only way to stop racism. They twist the words of the Prophets, ignore the ones they disagree with, and mingle the philosophies of men with scripture all under the banner of “THIS IS WHAT THE PROPHET ASKED US TO DO.”

Some within the Church have gone as far as to demand we follow Ibram X. Kendi (the father of the Anti-Racism movement). They say we must follow him and become Anti-Racist to keep our covenants and follow the prophet. This is false doctrine and must be rooted out. Anyone who says you need to follow the secular teachings of an ideology to follow the prophet is lying to you.

To debunk this notion, I want to go into 3 ways that Anti-Racism is a false ideology and incompatible with the gospel and the teachings of the prophets and apostles. Afterwhich, I want to highlight the true way to end racism, according to the prophets.

1st. Anti-Racism is based on force.

Anti-Racists verbally attack, shame, yell, cancel, call names, and fight against EVERYONE who disagrees with them. Their actions are not just targeted against the racists, but their hate is also directed against those not doing the work of an Anti-Racist, IE those that don’t constantly and actively engage “calling out racism” or what they deem as racist. Not being an Anti-Racist is as bad as being a racist. Simply put, they seek to use force via pressure to get people to act right.

Sound like a plan you’ve heard before? Satan always falls back to force. He always claims that the ends (ending racism) will justify the means (using force). But the ends do not justify the means. Force is a hallmark of counterfeit gospels. President Ezra Taft Benson in the April 1965 general conference taught: “We believe the gospel is the greatest thing in the world; why then do we not force people to join the Church if they are not smart enough to see it on their own? Because this is Satan’s way not the Lord’s plan. The Lord uses persuasion and love.”

2nd. Anti-Racism is mutually exclusive (incompatible) with building Zion.

Anti-Racism is built on the principles of being color bold (seeing color everywhere). Everything must be because of color, gender, or sexual orientation. Anti-racism divides and subdivides people and often segregates them. Anti-Racists in the Church claim this is compatible with the gospel, yet the Lord has commanded us to build up Zion and we are told if we are not one we are not His (D&C 38:27). Anti-Racism that seeks to divide is mutually exclusive with the goal of being one and building Zion.

The Apostle Paul taught, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28). Sister Chieko N. Okazaki explained this verse in her April 1996 General Conference address on unity, diversity, and inclusion. She taught: “Did the Jews and Greeks whom Paul addressed in his epistle to the Galatians stop being Jews and Greeks when they were baptized? Did the men stop being men and the women stop being women? No. But they had all ‘been baptized into Christ’ and had ‘put on Christ’ (Gal. 3:27).”

President Russell M. Nelson taught that when the Nephites obtained a Zionlike society “‘There were no … Lamanites, nor any manner of -ites; but they were in one, the children of Christ, and heirs to the kingdom of God.’ (4 Nephi 1:15-17) That lesson from history suggests that we also delete from our personal vocabularies names that segregate and hyphens that separate.” Reread that last part: “delete from our personal vocabularies names that segregate and hyphens that separate.” This teaching from the prophet is mutually exclusive to the tactics of Anti-Racism. (For more, see “Color Blind vs Color Brave: A Latter-day Saint Perspective“).

With our goal to become a Zionlike people, to be one, does this mean that we want everyone to be the same? Does every sister need to drive a minivan, sell essential oils, and make green jello? NO! Oneness is not whitewashing, it is not discarding our uniqueness, it is not forsaking that which is compatible with the Celestial Gospel Culture. But it is forsaking that which is not compatible, Neal A. Maxwell taught, “the sincere seeker after celestial culture must be more concerned with the preparation for that culture than with the preservation of present culture.”

Zion is focusing on the unifying doctrines of our Father. I repeat: We do not need to forsake our heritage, history, and the traditions of our fathers unless they are incompatible with our Divine Heritage, our Eternal History, or the Doctrine of our Heavenly Father. Neal A. Maxwell sums this up perfectly when he said: Cultural differences, however, which are matters of preference and not principle can continue to provide color and variety. God seems to love variety, except in doctrine—because the latter is so crucial.

3rd. Anti-Racism is being a stone thrower.

In April 2021 General Conference Dale G. Renlund urged members of the Church that more than just noting doing bad (throwing stones) we as disciples need to do good and be stone catchers. This talk was weaponized by the Anti-Racist groups to justify catching the stones thrown by racists, and then throwing them right back at the racists. Using this talk they justified all sorts of anger and hate against not only those who were racist stone-throwers but also those who were standing idle and not throwing stones. Anti-Racists are on an inquisition to ‘cleanse’ the Church of anything and anyone that they deem as racist, or even simply not anti-racist enough.

But there is a MASSIVE problem: Elder Renlund never advocated these things. He never gave his blessing for us to hunt down and destroy those throwing stones. Nor did he say that because someone else threw a stone we have the right to throw it back at them. And absolutely he never gave us the right to attack bystanders. Rather, we are to follow the counsel of the Master who was very clear when it came to stone-throwing. When the woman was taken in adultery, Jesus Christ informed us that unless we were without sin, we have no right to throw stones.

Can you imagine what would’ve happened if after teaching this one of the men grabbed a stone and threw it at the women? Do you think Jesus would have just watched it? Do you think Jesus would have caught the stone and in a twist hurled it right back at the head of the man who threw it? Would he then bend over and grab more stones to throw at those who were idly watching? Or do you think Christ would catch the stone and then just drop it? If you are unsure how Christ would have acted, remember, in the very act of being crucified he was concerned for the crucifiers.

Our job is to catch the stones of the world, and then DROP THEM. And then following the example of Jesus forgive the stone thrower and minister to both the stone thrower and the targeted victim.

How to fight racism: according to the prophets.

So how are we to solve racial issues? Are we to simply ignore them? No! The brethren have also been EXTREMELY clear about how we root out racism. Racial issues with the silver bullet we’ve been given: The Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ. We solve racial issues by boldly declaring the gospel truth regarding the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. We must boldly declare that the labels of the world do not define us and that we all are the same at the core. Namely, we are all children of God. Dallin H. Oaks stressed this when he declared:  “Most important, each of us is a child of God with a potential destiny of eternal life. Every other label, even including occupation, race, physical characteristics, or honors, is temporary or trivial in eternal terms.”

The truth regarding who we truly are is to racism what light is to darkness. They are mutually exclusive. Dallin H. Oaks taught, “Knowing that we are all children of God gives us a divine vision of the worth of all others and the will and ability to rise above prejudice and racism.”

The truths of the restored gospel are not only a good way to solve racism. They are the only way. No amount of programs or theories, movements, or marches will solve the problems of the world. Ezra Taft Benson was clear when he taught, “The gospel is the only answer to the problems of the world, my brethren and sisters. Only the gospel will save the world from the calamity of its own self-destruction. Only the gospel will unite men of all races and nationalities in peace. Only the gospel will bring joy, happiness, and salvation to the human family.”

The ONLY solution to the problems of racism is the restored gospel truths that re-enthrone the Fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. Russell M. Nelson taught this when he declared: “Only the comprehension of the true Fatherhood of God can bring full appreciation of the true brotherhood of man. That understanding inspires desire to build bridges of cooperation instead of walls of segregation.”

Notice the verbiage of both Erza Taft Benson and Russell M. Nelson. They do not say “One way to solve this issue” or “A good way to solve this problem.” As the Lord’s mouthpieces on earth, prophets boldly declare that the ONLY way, the ONLY solution, the ONLY idea that will work is the gospel plan.