Church's message is one of concern for all men
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The promotion of the idea of superior and inferior races is "absolutely wrong," declared Elder J. Thomas Fyans of the First Quorum of the Seventy Jan. 13.
Those who "subjugate, punish or trod upon a targeted supposed inferior race" are "misrepresenting the truth," said Elder Fyans, president of the Utah Central Area.He participated in an anti-racism symposium at the Salt Lake County Complex in conjunction with the observance Jan. 16 of Human Rights Day. The symposium was sponsored by the bipartisan civic organization, Citizens Against Racism, and was designed to educate high school leaders and students about the fallacies and dangers of racism.
Elder Fyans said the Church, based upon ancient and modern scriptures, "gladly teaches and declares the Christian doctrine that all men and women are brothers and sisters.
"Our message," he said, "is one of special love and concern for the eternal welfare of all men and women, regardless of religious belief, race or nationality, knowing that we are truly brothers and sisters because we are sons and daughters of the same Eternal Father."
He quoted President Ezra Taft Benson, who, upon assuming the leadership of the Church in 1985, said:
"My heart has been filled with an overwhelming love and compassion for all members of the Church and our Heavenly Father's children everywhere. I love all our Father's children of every color, creed and political persuasion."
Quoting 2 Ne. 26:33, Elder Fyans said Jesus Christ "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. . . ."
The First Presidency, he said, "has repudiated efforts to deny to any person his or her inalienable dignity and rights on the abhorrent and tragic theory of the superiority of one race or color over another."
It is the Church's position, Elder Fyans said, "that it is a moral evil for any person or group of persons to deny any human being the rights to gainful employment, to full educational opportunity, or to every privilege of citizenship."
