Public Protest

Friday, June 8th, 2001

11 a.m. and 3p.m.,

in front of the Church Administrative Building (directly across from the mall foodcourt) at 47 East South Temple Street

Salt Lake City, Utah

calling for VOLUNTEERS who wish to join me in this protest!

eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Subj: PRESS RELEASE: June 8th 2001 Protest
Date: 2/26/01 9:00:57 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: darrickevenson@yahoo.com (Darrick Evenson)

TO: Ministries to Mormons, Utah Press, etc.
FROM: Darrick T. Evenson
DATE: 26 February 2001
SUBJECT: Notification of Public Protest in front of LDS Church Offices on Friday, June 8th 2001, in response to the Church's current 'Campaign of Denial' regarding the Curse of Cain doctrine and legacy. Call for volunteers and media investigation.

Dear Friends,

This is to anounce a public protest on Friday, June 8th, 2001, in front of the Church Administrative Building at 47 East South Temple Street. The gathering will be to protest the continuing campaign of denial that the LDS Church has continued for years in DENYING that it ever taught that black people were cursed by God, nor they were the descendants of Cain. We are asking for volunteers to join us at this public protest. We are inviting the newsmedia of Salt Lake City to cover this public protest.

CURSE OF CAIN BACKGROUND

Most of you know that for 150 years the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints taught--as official Church doctrine--that people of black African descent could not hold the Priesthood nor receive the Higher Ordinances in Mormon Temples because they were of the "lineage of Cain"; Cain being "cursed as pertaining to the Priesthood" because he slew Abel. In 1978, President Spencer W. Kimball _reversed_ the Priesthood-ban; alowing black Mormon men to receive the Priesthood and black Mormon families to receive the higher ordinances in Mormon Temples.

CHURCH NOW DENYING ITS PAST

We are not protesting the Priesthood-ban nor President Kimball's 'revelation' that reversed it. We shall be protesting the FACT that _The Office of the First Presidency_ (which speaks for The First Presidency--the governing council of the Church) has been DENYING THAT THE CHURCH EVER TAUGHT the black people were EVER cursed or that they were EVER the descendants of Cain!!!

I know, this might be hard for many of you to believe.
1. Non-Mormon callers and inquirers.
2. Black Mormon callers and inquirers.

You can confirm this by contacting the Church Offices at 1-800-453-3860. Once you hear the recording dail "O", and then once an operator come on ask for "The Office of the First Presidency". Once you've gotten that Office, ask:

"I'm not a Mormon, but I understand that the Mormon Church used to teach that black people were cursed and that they were the descendants of Cain. Is this true?"
For the last several years I've had a number of people call and ask this question, and the response has always been:

"No! Where did you hear that! The Church has NEVER taught that black people were cursed or that they are the descendants of Cain!"

I thought for some time that this was all a
misunderstanding, and that perhaps one of two spokemen in that Office simply were misinformed. However, after 3 years of trying, sending information, and investigation, I've discovered that ALL LDS Church spokesman are now saying this.

CHURCH SHELL-GAMES

Also, I discovered that when an active Mormon calls they are told "See your bishop", and then the bishop is instructed to ask _them_ questions, and not respond. If the person is a black Member they are told to "see your bishop", and the bishop is then sent a letter, from the Office of the First Presidency, which DENIES that the Curse of Cain was ever taught by the Church! Bishops are instructed to NOT let the Member see or hold the letter, but to keep it firmly in both hands, then send the letter back to the Office of the First Presidency (i.e. so no 'copies' of the letter can get out). David Jackson (a black Mormon living in Orange County, California) had this happen to him. I know of other inc idents. Jackson protested, and threatened to go to the media unless he got to read the letter himself. Finally, the Church agreed...ONLY after they had Jackson promise (on his word) NOT to let anyone else see the letter.

Ladies and gentleman: this is NOT right! The Church had the opportunity on June 8th, 1998 (the 20 year anniversary of the Church's granting the Priesthood to blacks) to repudiate the Curse of Cain legacy. They did not do so. Now, the Church is denying it EVER taught the Curse of Cain.

AVOIDING BAD PRESS

The Church has invented an absolutely INGENIOUS way to avoid bad press over this issue. When Larry Stammer (L.A. Times religion editor) was doing a story on this in 1998, he asked the Church for a response. They said, "We'll get back to you!" He's still waiting for a response. Any newsagency which investigates this is eternally 'put-off' by the Church. The Church knows that if they 'put-off' long enough, the media will stop asking questions, and if the media doesn't get a response from the Church it often feels that it can't do a 'fair' story.

PUBLIC PROTEST (FRIDAY, JUNE 8TH, 2001)

This is why I am sponsoring a public protest on Friday, June 8th, 2001, between the hours of 11 a.m. and 3p.m., in front of the Church Administrative Building (directly across from the mall foodcourt) at 47 East South Temple Street. I am calling for VOLUNTEERS who wish to join me in this protest. If we have enough protesters, then we will invite the newsmedia of Salt Lake City to cover it. If we have at least 25 protesters, will also invite TIME, NEWSWEEK, 60 MINUTES, and other national newsmedia.

Picket-signs for the protest will be provided. The protest will not be about the Curse of Cain nor the end of the Priesthood-ban in 1978. The protest will be about the current 'campaign of denial' and cover-up concerning its past regarding the Curse of Cain doctrine and legacy.

We ask that you contact as many people as you can via your e-mail lists, newsletters, etc., to see if we can get the volunteers we need for this day of public protest.

CONTACTING THE NEWSMEDIA

We also feel that it is important that the national newsmedia be contacted in order to expose this LDS Church cover-up. The Church is trying to rewrite history, and by it's use of denial, equivocation, and 'putting-off' the media eternally, it is violating it's own stand on morality and truth. It's JUST NOT RIGHT.

We are asking that you inform your readers (via email and newsletters) of what is going on, and ask them to contact the following individuals and tell them that the Mormon Church is now privately denying it EVER taught the Curse of Cain doctrine. Here are several contacts:

Don Hewitt
Executive Producer
60 Minutes
524 West 57th St.
New York, NY 10019
(212)975-3247

Jeffrey Fager
Executive Producer
60 Minutes II
(212) 975-6200
60II@cbsnews.com

Mr. Shelledy
Editor
Salt Lake Tribune
(801) 237-2011
dwelch@sltrib.com

If these gentlemen receive enough letters, emails, and telephone calls, then they _probably_ will assign reporters to the story. And it is a MAJOR story! But, in order for that to happen, you need to write an article in yourown newsletter, and include those contact numbers and addresses, and ask your people to write, call, and email.

Would you like to see all this exposed on "60 Minutes" or "60 Minutes II"? Would you like to see the Salt Lake Tribune do some investigative reports on this? Then act. You _must_ act.

VOLUNTEERS WANTED

I am requesting volunteers to join me and others on the June 8th public protest. It will (of course) be non-violent. We do intent to peacefully confront any LDS general authorities we see (a number of them walk to lunch via this area) and ask them. We also need someone to video tape. We need at least 20 volunteers. Please inform your readership. People who would like to volunteer during their lunch hour are encouraged to do so. All volunteers can contact me at: darrickevenson@yahoo.com

NEWSMEDIA

Any newsmedia reading this is encouraged to contact me for more on the story; if they would like to pursue it. I will sent you documentation, and get you in touch with David Jackson and Larry Stammer.
The Church did NOT repudiate the Curse of Cain doctrine in 1978. The Church is now DENYING that it _ever_ taught the black people were:
1. cursed by God

2. the descendants of Cain

This is a LIE my friends. It is a BIG LIE, and it needs to be exposed in a BIG way. I hope you can help.
Sincerely,
Darrick Evenson

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