Disliking Joseph Smith

[_Runtu]

Sunday I realized that, despite what I tell myself, I still have kind of a residual negative reaction to Joseph Smith. I find myself thinking of him like an unpleasant acquaintance from my past, like the kid up the street who used to throw rocks at me when I was a little boy.

I went to a missionary homecoming Sunday, and the boy was talking about service. He said, "Of all the people who have lived on this earth, there is one man who stands out as the greatest example of selfless service: Joseph Smith." I had a kind of viscerally negative response, thinking that there were a lot of people I would put ahead of Joseph Smith on the service scale.

When I came home from church, I was watching the news, and they were talking to Kody Brown, the "Sister Wives" guy. He seems pretty sincere in his beliefs, but he comes across to me as rather self-absorbed, a bit self-righteous, and sort of creepy. I thought, self-absorbed, self-righteous, creepy polygamist with big hair. Sounds like Joseph Smith.

Mind you, had I lived in Joseph Smith's time, I would not have advocated his death or imprisonment. He did a lot of manipulative, selfish, and just plain wrong things, but nothing that I can see worthy of imprisonment or death. To the degree that he was responsible for creating the culture and worldview I grew up with, I've forgiven him, which I think was an important part of my "recovery," if that's what you want to call it.

But it struck me that I don't really like him very much. He's not someone who would be my friend, and I certainly wouldn't let my daughters babysit for him.

[_Lucretia MacEvil]

I didn't realize how much I don't care for Joseph Smith until I learned that my niece was wearing a Joseph Smith ring, a silver band with his name inside. She was wearing it like a wedding ring. Ugh on so many levels. Now she's gotten herself married with a new ring, thank goodness.

I agree, Kody Brown is a tad creepy.

[_Runtu]

I didn't realize how much I don't care for Joseph Smith until I learned that my niece was wearing a Joseph Smith ring, a silver band with his name inside. She was wearing it like a wedding ring. Ugh on so many levels. Now she's gotten herself married with a new ring, thank goodness.

I agree, Kody Brown is a tad creepy.

I guess I'm just turned off by the hyperbole about Joseph Smith, as if he were Superman, Jesus, and Einstein rolled into one. I've always thought it interesting that members of the church are much more likely to get weepy when discussing Carthage than they are about Golgotha.

[_3sheets2thewind]

"Kody Brown, the "Sister Wives" guy. He seems pretty sincere in his beliefs, but he comes across to me as rather self-absorbed, a bit self-righteous, and sort of creepy. I thought, self-absorbed, self-righteous, creepy polygamist with big hair."

when I first saw that guy I thought "what a shining example of what a Capital D-bag is". he is not just kinda creepy, he is creepy.

[_Runtu]

when I first saw that guy I thought "what a shining example of what a Capital D-bag is". he is not just kinda creepy, he is creepy.

Well, I was trying to be nice. :-)

[_daheshism]

The "real" Joseph Smith is NOT a very likeable guy...

*He lied often

*He screwed his own foster daughters.

*He screwed the wives of men he sent on missions to England

*He stole lots of money from Members

*He lied about seeing God

Was he worthy of "death"? Well, according to the Law of Moses, if a man marry a woman and her mother (i.e. have sex with both) he was worthy of death. Joseph Smith married two sets of girls and their own mothers. So, he was worthy of being put to death....twice.


Regarding Kody Brown:

Women would never marry any man who was creepy or self-absorbed. Women only marry men who are morally pure and humble (at least that is why Mormon bishops told me). They told me also Mormon women "can never be deceived" because they have the Spirit of Discernment, which still does not explain HOW some Mormon women marry polygamist men, if in fact they can't be decieved!

Or....maybe...just MAYBE....Mormon bishops are a bunch of self-righteous simpleton DUPED FOOLS who are FAR FROM GOD and it is humanly possible to be.

"Kody Brown, the "Sister Wives" guy. He seems pretty sincere in his beliefs, but he comes across to me as rather self-absorbed, a bit self-righteous, and sort of creepy. I thought, self-absorbed, self-righteous, creepy polygamist with big hair."

when I first saw that guy I thought "what a shining example of what a Capital D-bag is". he is not just kinda creepy, he is creepy.

[_Simon Belmont]

Darrick,

I'm married to a Mormon woman, and I'm nothing special.

Also, I'm going to have to CFR you on a few things

*He lied often

*He f****d his own foster daughters.

*He stole lots of money from Members

*He lied about seeing God

By the way, do you still get royalties from The Gainsayers?

[_Joseph]

Who could not like a guy who opened his home to young girls who needed care, and when they were old enough and after a few years of grooming... 'married' them?

SEXUAL PREDATOR

[_consiglieri]

By the way, do you still get royalties from The Gainsayers?

Good grief.

Here come the stories about Duane Crowther . . .

[_Themis]

But it struck me that I don't really like him very much.

I realize that he did some very bad things, but I don't hate or like him at this point.

He's not someone who would be my friend,

I understand he was very likeable person and could see being friends. Now finding out some of the things he was up to would make it impossible to stay friends. It would be hard to stay friends with someone who is hitting on your wife after he sent you on a mission.

and I certainly wouldn't let my daughters babysit for him.

Whats interesting is that many would today, and do with people similar to Joesph. Is it really that hard to see why so many people joined the church because of him, and left the church because of him. And they are supposed to be the bad guys. :)