BRETO - MY HUSBAND AND I ARE A MIXED COUPLE. I AM BLACK AND HE IS WHITE. MY QUESTION TO YOU IS WHAT DOES THE MORMON RELIGION SAY ABOUT MY SITUATION. DO YOU HAVE CONVERTS WITH DIFFICULT SITUATIONS? THIS IS A BIG SET BACK FOR ME. I HAVE THE BOOK OF MORMON. BUT WILL WE BE ACCEPTED WITHOUT PREJUDICE?

JOEL - We have a couple in my own ward where the husband is white and the wife is black, they have black children, and no one that I know of has any problem with it. Sometimes an LDS missionary who serves in a foreign land will marry a person of a different race from the country he served in (after he is through with his mission of course).
While most members are loving and accepting of such situations, I'm sure that somewhere in the Church there are still a few who may display feelings of racial prejudice. I suppose it depends a lot on where you live.
Despite some cultural miscommunications that remain, black Latter-day Saints enjoy opportunities in all phases of Church activity, including missionary work, quorum leadership, bishoprics, and stake presidencies, along with other members.
Historically, General authorities of the LDS Church have recommended against inter-racial marriage, but have never condemned it. They have taught that successful marriage is most likely to occur when the participants are of the same racial background generally, and of somewhat the same economic and social and educational background.
Here is what LDS Church President, Spencer W. Kimball taught:

"Now, the brethren feel that it is not the wisest thing to cross racial lines in dating and marrying. There is no condemnation. We have had some of our fine young people who have crossed the lines. We hope they will be very happy, but experience of the brethren through a hundred years has proved to us that marriage is a very difficult thing under any circumstances and the difficulty increases in interrace marriages. A couple has not committed sin if an Indian boy and a white girl are married, or vice versa. It isn't a transgression like the transgressions of which many are guilty. But it is not expedient. Marriage statistics and our general experience convince us that marriage is not easy. It is difficult when all factors are favorable. The divorces increase constantly, even where the spouses have the same general background of race, religion, finances, education, and otherwise. We are unanimous, all of the Brethren, in feeling and recommending that Indians marry Indians, and Mexicans marry Mexicans; the Chinese marry Chinese and the Japanese marry Japanese; that the Caucasians marry the Caucasians, and the Arabs marry Arabs."

As you can see, the Church does not condemn inter-race marriage, they just want to make sure that a marriage is successful and is not jeopardized by differences in cultural backgrounds. However, since you have been together for five years now, I assume that any cultural differences have not been a problem for you and that you are happy with each other.
The big question is, how will you be treated by the other LDS members? In my experience, I don't think it will be much of a problem. LDS members are always encouraged to fellowship and support any new converts that come into the church, no matter what their race. Most of them will do this. You may occasionally come across someone who feels differently, but that is their problem, not yours. Some may completely accept you but still feel a little uncomfortable until they get to know you better. Something to consider is, instead of worying about how others will treat you, try to think more about how you treat the others. If you are friendly and show your excitement and faith in the gospel, it will be much easier for them and you. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is for everyone. No one should be denied the chance for eternal life with God. And no one should stand in another's way of obtaining it.

Return to top

Return to Questions

HOME