"We take the Curse of Cain and slide it over to that little trash can, and that's that!"
From lifeafter.org/curse_of_cain.asp:
“To whom it may concern: You should be aware that Don Jesse, official spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is telling journalists and non-mormon inquirers that the Church "has never taught that black people were cursed nor the descendants of Cain. Some members of the church may have held that view in the past, but it was never sanctioned by church leaders." When asked why black men could not hold the Priesthood before 1978, Mr. Jesse responded: "Now that's a good question! We really don't know the answer. Many people have speculated or tried to provide answers, but we really don't know the reason."
Don Jessie is a straight up LIAR.
From the Mormon Book of Abraham:
1:21 Now this king of Egypt was a descendant from the loins of Ham, and was a partaker of the blood of the Canaanites by birth.
1:22 From this descent sprang all the Egyptians, and thus the blood of the Canaanites was preserved in the land.
1:23 The land of Egypt being first discovered by a woman, who was the daughter of Ham, and the daughter of Egyptus, which in the Chaldean signifies Egypt, which signifies that which is forbidden;
1:24 When this woman discovered the land it was under water, who afterward settled her sons in it; and thus, from Ham, sprang that race which preserved the curse in the land.
1:25 Now the first government of Egypt was established by Pharaoh, the eldest son of Egyptus, the daughter of Ham, and it was after the manner of the government of Ham, which was patriarchal.
1:26 Pharaoh, being a righteous man, established his kingdom and judged his people wisely and justly all his days, seeking earnestly to imitate that order established by the fathers in the first generations, in the days of the first patriarchal reign, even in the reign of Adam, and also of Noah, his father, who blessed him with the blessings of the earth, and with the blessings of wisdom, but cursed him as pertaining to the Priesthood.
1:27 Now, Pharaoh being of that lineage by which he could not have the right of Priesthood, notwithstanding the Pharaohs would fain claim it from Noah, through Ham, therefore my father was led away by their idolatry;
In addition to these passages of "scripture," Joseph Smith expounded very clearly on the "curse of Cain" doctrine:
"The power, glory and blessings of the Priesthood could not continue with those
who received ordination only as their righteousness continued; for Cain also
being authorized to offer sacrifice, but not offering it in righteousness, was
cursed." ("Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith," p. 169.)
"I referred to the curse of Ham for laughing at Noah, while in his wine, but
doing no harm. Noah was a righteous man, and yet he drank wine and became
intoxicated; the Lord did not forsake him in consequence thereof, for he
retained all the power of his Priesthood, and when he was accused by Canaan, he
cursed him by the Priesthood which he held,...and the curse remains upon the
posterity of Canaan until the present day." (ibid, pp. 193-194.)
So when church spokesman Don Jesse says:
the Church "has never taught that black people were cursed nor the descendants of Cain. Some members of the church may have held that view in the past, but it was never sanctioned by church leaders."
...he's a bald-faced liar. Not only is the curse of Cain doctrine expressed in "modern scripture," the doctrine was "sanctioned" and very clearly taught by Joseph Smith Jr. The book "Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith," from whence these quotes come, has been published by the LDS Church's own book company and sold in its own bookstores for decades, therefore the teaching is sanctioned by church leaders.
When asked why black men could not hold the Priesthood before 1978, Mr. Jesse responded: "Now that's a good uestion! We really don't know the answer. Many people have speculated or tried to provide answers, but we really don't know the reason."
That's another lie. The specific, detailed reasons for the priesthood ban are given in the passages quoted above. They have been widely published for many decades.
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