Joseph Smith "A Rough Rolling Stone" Biography.

[_Imwashingmypirate]

How, where and regarding what issues did Bushman put a spin job on those? Can you be more specific?

The one where he described Joseph tricking people out of their money by "glass looking" as a training exercise for future prophethood.

don't people do that in bars for a free pint? Lol. Except the prophet bit.

[_Imwashingmypirate]

Why are you crying? Jagger rocks! But we knew that.


.

I always seem to make stupid mistakes.

[_Imwashingmypirate]

The subtitle is actually Rough Stone Rolling.

I know now.

[_Jersey Girl]

Why are you crying? Jagger rocks! But we knew that.


.

I always seem to make stupid mistakes.

Uh...I called it the same thing for a long time and I own the book! Lighten up!

[_Imwashingmypirate]

I know the truth and I still have a testimony.

What "truth" do you know?

You know what? I might not discuss much on here in seriousness and I do come across pretty darn stupid and perhaps in some areas I am, but I have read extensively about Joseph Smith and his family and I have read about the temple and everything I could find because I really desperately wanted to know the truth. I wanted to know everything about the church. I prayed for years for God to tell me and I hadn't felt an answer so when I became more able I began seeking answers for myself. I read whatever I could find that was free and I went from there, the more Id read the broader I'd go I went into Freemasonry as far as I could sanely go. I went around in circles and in the meantime I lost my faith in God I became greatly confused and miserable. It wasn't at the best time in my life either but you don't know until you can look back. I managed to pull myself out. It completely screwed with my brain along with some other stuff that was going on and I got so low I just made a decision and I prayed no even sure God was there, I prayed and I decided that enough was enough. And only when I stopped was when I had begun to recieve my answers. So don't hit me with that crap.

[_Imwashingmypirate]

So the thing people look for in Biographies and "new" and "startling" information?

Only if they've read many biographies of that same person, including many journal articles, and personal diaries of the person. I've been reading them since 1975, so after a while it gets tedious reading much of the same information, albeit with different biographer slants.
Then why keep reading them? Write your own, or seek primary sources rather than trust what others say.

What are the "important aspects" of his life?

That's something you can decide.
I was rather mean what to you are the important facts?

I have an issue with Fawn Brodie's biography. I refuse to go there. Are these biographies Mormon Apologetics or Anti Mormon literature?

Well look at it this way. Not much has been written about Abraham Lincoln's racism, and many people don't realise how well he fit in with the common prejudices of the time. I wouldn't call the writers who revealed this "anti-Abraham Lincoln", just writers trying to present a more honest picture of Lincoln. But I'm quite sure some might be offended at those portrayals, and maybe even prefer not to read them.
With intent to destroy others beliefs is what I beliefve to be anti Mormon. A biography on Lincoln is unlikely intended to destroy the beliefs of a Lincoln follower.
So in other words, you can choose to:

1) Keep your pure and pristine view of Joseph Smith.

2) Keep your pure and pristine view of Abraham Lincoln.

3) Or read "warts and all" biographies and get a better understanding of the people concerned.

If you are refering to me personally I don't have a pure and pristine view of Joseph Smith, I don't even have a pure and pristine view of Christ. I have no view of Lincoln and I don't mind warts and all just not on a future husband, warts aren't all that nice. But if you are refering to the general public then fair do's.

[_Imwashingmypirate]

Jason Bourne:
... The one area I found rather strained was baout the money digging and magic issues preparing him to be a prophet.

Pirate:
Are you sure these issues were preparing him to be a prophet?

You misunderstand, what Jason is saying there, Pirate. He's saying he thought Bushman's assertion that the money digging/magic issues preparing Joseph Smith to be a prophet was "strained"...that means he doesn't agree with the assertion. He doesn't think there is a connection between the two.

Bushman dousn't see the connection or Jason doesn't see the connection? I personally don't see the connection either and I think it foolish to try to make such a connection, infact almost blasphemous. No one knows if such were God's intentions.

[_Imwashingmypirate]

Uh...I called it the same thing for a long time and I own the book! Lighten up!

It makes more sense to say rolling stone than stone rolling because of the rough in front. in my opinion

P.s. Im ok. :D I wasn't really crying lol.

[_Jersey Girl]

Jason Bourne:
... The one area I found rather strained was baout the money digging and magic issues preparing him to be a prophet.

Pirate:
Are you sure these issues were preparing him to be a prophet?

You misunderstand, what Jason is saying there, Pirate. He's saying he thought Bushman's assertion that the money digging/magic issues preparing Joseph Smith to be a prophet was "strained"...that means he doesn't agree with the assertion. He doesn't think there is a connection between the two.

Bushman dousn't see the connection or Jason doesn't see the connection? I personally don't see the connection either and I think it foolish to try to make such a connection, infact almost blasphemous. No one knows if such were God's intentions.

Bushman tries to make the connection. Jason doesn't agree that the connection exists.

[_Ray A]

Then why keep reading them?

I don't.

Write your own, or seek primary sources rather than trust what others say.

I don't have time nor interest for hagiography. Good biographies use primary sources, but historians have to be selective. I'm not interested in writing biography, and certainly not one on Joseph Smith, because it has been done to death.

I was rather mean what to you are the important facts?

Maybe when I have more time, and am more awake, I'll go into more detail. When my eyes start closing, I'll disappear from the board for about 24 hours.

If you are refering to me personally I don't have a pure and pristine view of Joseph Smith, I don't even have a pure and pristine view of Christ. I have no view of Lincoln and I don't mind warts and all just not on a future husband, warts aren't all that nice. But if you are refering to the general public then fair do's.

Then from what I understand, RSR should be no problem for you.