A Black Teenager Joins the Mormon Church - Channel Achenbach Pt. 1 | Ep. 1712

In this episode we learn about how black families and black culture differ substantially from Mormon white culture, what led Channel to seek God and how that led to her joining The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Channel tells us the good, bad & ugly of how she was treated as a black teenage convert, when she learned of the Church’s racism, and ways that she accepted, excused, and eventually internalized it to see herself as “less” than her white counterparts.

This became most apparent in dating and marriage. While white men in the church may find her exotic and are willing to date her, Channel finds that they are unwilling to marry her as “mixing seed” would pass her “curse” [black skin] to children that could otherwise have two white parents. As Channel loses herself and what makes her unique to the cultural expectations of the Church she marries another black member of the church at the counsel of her Bishop against her better judgment.

TikTok:   / bettenoir4  

Watch Channel's Full Story:    • A Black Teenager Joins the Mormon Chu...  

VIDEO CHAPTERS:
00:00:00 Introduction & intentions
00:03:10 Background
00:13:00 Black culture
00:20:45 Dealing with systemic racism in America
00:28:50 What led to her joining Mormonism
00:43:00 Past racist teachings she wasn’t aware of & warnings from family
00:46:00 Social conversion
00:49:15 Learning to accept Mormon racism
01:06:15 Getting baptized & reactions
01:12:18 Being molded by kindness in a white church
01:29:00 How converting to Mormonism affected her family relationships
01:31:20 Dating Mormons after baptism
01:37:40 Deciding to serve a mission as a “black voice for Mormonism.”
01:41:50 Going through the temple for the first time.
01:50:50 Experiencing racism on LDS mission in the South
01:55:45 White fragility and making them feel comfortable
02:05:15 Mission taught her to endure.
02:08:30 Finishing her mission, wanting to go to BYU, being told to marry a black Mormon
02:12:15 Being treated as an equal with genuine love from a Mormon woman
02:18:50 How Mormon teachings hurt.
02:20:15 00:24:00 Dating a Mormon man who wanted a white “Channel” to marry because “we can’t mix.”
02:23:30 Her Mormon Bishop agrees and angrily tells her, “Utah is not ready for this.”
02:27:45 What it’s like to experience bigotry and dating as a black Mormon woman.
02:45:45 Racism vs white supremacy. Mormons showing their true colors. What helped Channel be more accepted by Mormon peers.
02:56:45 Channel gets set up with and married to a black Mormon on advice from leadership over her own feelings and better judgment. “Any two black Mormons can make it.”
03:12:45 Channel’s experiences with white female friendships that were condescending and conditional.

Episode Show Notes: https://www.mormonstories.org/podcast...

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Mormon Stories Podcast is the longest-running and most successful podcast in Mormonism - hosted by Dr. John Dehlin. At Mormon Stories we explore, celebrate, and challenge Mormon culture through in-depth stories told by members and former members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. We also occasionally interview scholars, authors, LDS apologists, and other professionals. Our overall mission is to: 1) Facilitate informed consent amongst LDS Church members, investigators, and non-members regarding Mormon history, doctrine, and theology, 2) Support Mormons (and members of other high-demand religions) who are experiencing a religious faith crisis, and 3) Promote healing, growth and community for those who choose to leave the LDS Church or other high demand religions.

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