Racism in the Book of Mormon

As far as the Lamanites being a dark and loathsome people, it is speculation that their skin was dark due to some genetic anomaly. We are told explicitly that the Nephites that joined the Lamanites dyed their skin. A person cannot change races by dying their skin. The idea is ludicrous. Nephite and Lamanite were political and culture designations but not racial. Lamanites who became Nephites also lost their skin color. That only happens when people stop dying their skin.

"Now we will return again to the Amlicites, for they also had a mark set upon them; yea, they set the mark upon themselves, yea, even a mark of red upon their foreheads." (Alma 3:13)

They painted themselves red, and unwittingly fulfilled the curse! No changes in DNA were necessary!

"Now the Amlicites knew not that they were fulfilling the words of God when they began to mark themselves in their foreheads; nevertheless they had come out in open rebellion against God; therefore it was expedient that the curse should fall upon them." (Alma 3:18)

The same is true of the armies of Giddianhi:

"And it came to pass that they did come up to battle; and it was in the sixth month; and behold, great and terrible was the day that they did come up to battle; and they were girded about after the manner of robbers; and they had a lamb-skin about their loins, and they were dyed in blood, and their heads were shorn, and they had head-plates upon them; and great and terrible was the appearance of the armies of Giddianhi, because of their armor, and because of their being dyed in blood." (3 Nephi 4:7)

The Lamanites who converted to the church became white in the same generation; this only happens when the coloration isn't genetic. They stopped dying their skin! Their children were even more fair, because they had never dyed their skin.

"And it came to pass that those Lamanites who had united with the Nephites were numbered among the Nephites; And their curse was taken from them, and their skin became white like unto the Nephites; And their young men and their daughters became exceedingly fair, and they were numbered among the Nephites, and were called Nephites." (3rd Nephi 2:14,15)

It was a common practice for the Maya to dye their skin. It was the Maya who practiced war to satisfy the demands of their religion for human sacrifice. This all makes sense from a Meso-american point of view.

"And they did also march forward against the city Teancum, and did drive the inhabitants forth out of her, and did take many prisoners both women and children, and did offer them up as sacrifices unto their idol gods." (Mormon 4:14)