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Their Skin Became White

I was recently asked this question, and I answered based on my logical thoughts, but I thought I would put it here for discussion:

In the Book of Mormon we understand that the Lamanites was given a curse of dark skin:

Now later we read that for some of the Lamanites this dark skin was removed. The question is... how did their skin become white again? Was it the same process in which it became dark?

White Skin Their

I assume it was the same process, or rather the reverse process to change their skin back to white. Whatever that process is. Or maybe it was not a change in the actual color of their skin at all. Maybe the curse of darkened skin is symbolic and not actual. Maybe it was a spiritual darkness, a change in their countenance from light and full of the spirit to a dark or unholy countenance. Take a look at a general authority, an apostle or Pres. Hinckley. You can see the light of Christ in their countenance. Now take a look at a drug addict living on the streets. He may be as white as the Prophet as far as skin color but his countenance is very dark.

Their Skin Became White Studies Doctrine Mormon

I disagree with this. I think we have reached the stage that we know we are talking about actual skin color and not symbolic in any way. I could quote lots and lots of talks given by past Prophets about it.

"And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity. For behold, they had hardened their hearts against him, that they had become like unto a flint; wherefore, as they were white, and exceedingly fair and delightsome, that they might not be enticting unto my people the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them. And thus saith the Lord God: I will cause that they shall be loathsome unto thy people, save they shall repent of their iniquities. And cursed shall be the seed of him that mixeth with their seed; for they shall be cursed even with the same cursing. And the Lord spake it and it was done." (2 Nephi 5:21-23)

I think the real curse was being cut off from the Lord's presence, not the darkness of the skin. The darkening of the skin wasn't mentioned until after the cursing was stated:

"Wherefore, the word of the Lord was fulfilled which he spake unto me, saying that: Inasmuch as they will not hearken unto thy words they shall be cut off from the presence of the Lord. And behold, they were cut off from his presence. And he had caused the cursing to come upon them, yea, even a sore cursing, because of their iniquity"¦" (2 Ne. 5:20-21)

Some interesting readings about it:

https://www.shields-research.org/42_Questions/ques03.htm

White Skin Their

Well, one thing is possible referring to how their children became exceedingly white. Once the Lamanites united with the Nephites and were counted among their number they would have intermarried. This would have caused each generation of children to become lighter in skin coloring. This doesn't explain how the first generation Lamanites may have had their skin lightened, but it might explain why the children were even lighter.

Edited: tenaheff on 13th Sep, 2004 - 9:00pm

White Skin Their

Now some members assume that Joseph Smith in the translation of the Book of Mormon did not mean to say 'white and delightsome' but 'Pure and delightsome', but in countless places in the Book of Mormon it clearly states the word 'white', so the question would be why in certain parts the word 'white' was removed and in other parts was not removed? any thoughts?.

Their Skin Became White

My question is-if it was removed, why do we still have people who are of different ethnicity today? Is it environmental? Where did these genes originate from? How did we get from Adam and Eve, who were obviously the same race because God made Eve from Adam's "rib" or "side", to now where we have people all over the world of several different skin types and races?

Message Edited! It is not necessary or desirable to quote someone's entire post. When you use the quote feature, there is a small window below the main edit window, where you can pick and choose what part of the message you wish to quote.

Edited: Nighthawk on 10th May, 2006 - 12:29am

Their Skin White

The key is in one of the quotes above about their seeds mixing. This mixing with natives caused the children of Laman to have darker skins.

Their Skin White Mormon Doctrine Studies

I think the reason why they had to have something physical changed is because it had to be obvious who was part of their people and who wasn't. If the nephites were to associate with the lamanites when they (lamanites) weren't living righteously, the nephites would begin to fall as well. It was basically just a way of marking them, not saying that dark skin is bad, but it seperated them from the nephites (though it was unnatural at the time).