POMPANO BEACH — South Florida pastor the Rev. O’Neal Dozier called on Gov. Mitt Romney, Republican presidential candidate, to renounce the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and “openly denounce his racist Mormon religion.”
The call was made during a March 12 press conference at The Worldwide Christian Center church, 450 N. Powerline Road in Pompano Beach, where Dozier is pastor.
Dozier stated that the purpose of his request is to foster and maintain good race relations in America. “The Mormon religion is prejudiced against blacks, Jews and Native Americans. These allegations are substantiated and validated by the writings of the former prophets and seers of the Mormon Church,” he said.
“We believe that a Romney presidential nomination for the Republican Party would widen the racial divide to no return because the Republican Party would be viewed as a racist political party. Romney will become the face and the leader.”
According to Dozier, The Book of Mormon “accuses God of cursing African people and causing them to have black skin. Furthermore, these verses accuse God of being against interracial marriages between black and white people.”
He added that Mormon prophet Brigham Young, in the Mormons’ Journal of Discourses, further degrades black people by saying that they are uncultured, unattractive, unpleasant, lower life, wild and unintelligent.
Dozier, a self-described conservative Republican, has been named an honorary chairman for GOP presidential hopeful Rick Santorum‘s campaign in Florida. Dozier previously served on the official campaign committees of former President George W. Bush and former Florida Govs. Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist.
Dozier said he invited at least 32 clergy members to the news conference. Only four attended.
“This is an issue that a lot of pastors don’t want to get involved in, they have a reputation to protect,” Dozier said. “But I don’t have a reputation. I will stand on and tell the truth.”
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