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Tuesday, August 16, 2011

We are the Gentiles


I had an interesting question asked about the "remnant" I thought worth addressing here.

There should be no confusion about the identity of the "remnant" spoken of in the Book of Mormon. It refers to the descendants of Lehi (at times further divided into those descended from Nephi, Jacob and Joseph-- all Lehi's sons). The European stock who migrated to North America and dispossessed the indigenous people are invariably referred to as "gentiles" in the Book of Mormon. Throughout it is the case that the European descendants are "gentiles" and never anything else.

You can start in 1st Nephi and go through the end. The "gentiles" are us-- the Latter-day Saints (to the extent we are primarily European-descended and not Native American).

Joseph Smith received the dedicatory prayer for the Kirtland Temple by revelation. In the prayer he refers to the church as being "identified with the gentiles." (D&C 109: 60)

It does not matter if we descend from Israel. Nor if we have actual genetic markers which would make us Ephraimites, or Levites, or of the tribe of Judah, or any of the other tribes of Israel. Unless we are Native American, we are not the "remnant" discussed in the Book of Mormon.

There are many references to early church leaders being descended from Israelite bloodlines. Even if that is the case, however, the Book of Mormon usage refers to us as "gentiles" unless descended from Lehi.