NOM

In Joseph Smith's mind, he was always right; Hence there could be no error in the revelations he received.

I believe everything, or almost everything that Joseph Smith came up with can be found in his environment. He just had the "genius" to apply it in a religious setting to motivate his followers to do what he said. Those who say Joseph was a "religious genius" and those who say he was a "conman genius...

Just This Guy wrote:What is "Another Testament of Marriage"?

Yeah, what?

I'm reminded of when I was ordained a deacon. The person who ordained me, a close relative, took me out for lunch about a week before my ordination and ordered coffee. Well, as an 11 year old raised in Rexburg, Idaho, I wondered if my ordination would really "take full effect". It didn't take long t...

From Quinn's Early Mormonism and the Magic World View : A popular tradition in English folk magic was that Adam, Abraham and other Old Testament patriarchs also possessed "Angellical Stones." Writers insisted that modern people could also obtain such a stone that provides " Apparition of Angells, a...

.......and perhaps Joseph Smith learned a lesson. Giving people the idea of having a special super secret knowledge, is a flattering way of winning their their confidence.

I think Joseph Smith wanted God to do the same thing to the Missourians that he did to the people in 3rd Nephi.

Church broke is a phrase that points to my main problem with the LDS church, which is loyalty to an authoritarian organization. The emphasis on deemphasizing the gospel of Jesus Christ to promote piercings, Word of Wisdom, tithing, odd temple ordinances, odd temple interviews etc. etc. is so ticky t...

Great post empower. Honesty is certainly the key; and the key to honest conversation is listening without judging. It's still my biggest challenge.

I have become aware, in my friend's live's, and from reading posts on this and other forums, that it is not uncommon for those who have been to the temple, to break their vows of chastity. Do you think making such vows really helps where the rubber meets the.....road? (Sorry if that seems tasteless,...

I laughed when you said your Mom read "no Man Knows My History" while you were in her womb. I also have a hard time with the Joseph Smith idolization. When I read the "History of the Church" the guy comes of as arrogant in so many places. It unconsciously bugged me. BTW, great to have NOM back.

This is good. I'm so glad to be back on NOM. I missed you all............too many to mention.

Wonderful topic. My current working model of faith in this crazy world is to decide what seems the most reasonable, add in a little bias towards Jesus, and go with it. I fell in love with the Sermon on the Mount 50 years ago, and I still love about 90% of it.