What do you mean by "religious" Bond?
That the family believed in God and were pursuing a judeo Christian tradition as part of their life.
Do you think J. Smith believed in an interfering sort of God?
Yes.
The reason I think he didn't is because he knew darn well, it was all a hoax, just like his treasure seeking hoaxes. He appreciated the credulity of people
.
Your conclusion lack evidence and is mere supposition on your part. The historical record demonstrates the Smith's were actively religious and seeking God. You THINK Smith was knew it was all a hoax but there is also the pious fraud theory for non believers and of course believers think he was authentic.
His institution of polygamy was another tip off, being so convenient following his being caught by his wife with Fanny.
Again simple supposition on your part. By the way, polygamy was not instituted till a number of years after Fanny Alger and it seems to be prospectively applied to that situation as an after thought.
If his father was a deist, what gives you the impression he wasn't?
The evidence does not suggest it. Joseph Smith Snr by the way dropped his deist views after the restoration.
This I read today on the Spalding thread written by Dale:
IN 1830 the Rev. David Marks was traveling through western New York and there he heard of the recent publication of a very strange book. When Marks heard the claims being made for this book -- that it told the hitherto unpublished story of the ancient inhabitants of the Americas -- it occurred to him that the book, if true, might help answer some questions he had been pondering about the origin of the ancient earthworks of the Ohio Valley. In his 1831 account of his encounter with that strange book, Rev Marks says:
"When I was in Ohio, I had quite a curiosity to know the origin of the numerous mounds and remains of ancient fortifications that abound in that section of the country; but could not find that any thing satisfactory was known on the subject. Having been told that the 'Book of Mormon' gave a history of them, and of their authors, some desire was created in my mind to see the book, that I might learn the above particulars. I wished to read it, but could not, in good conscience, purchase a copy, lest I should support a deception; so they lent me one, and I read two hundred and fifty pages; but was greatly disappointed in the style and interest of the work... I thought it probably had been written originally by an infidel, to see how much he could impose on the credulity of men, and to get money. Yet, I expected they would make converts; for there are many people who are fond of new things; and there is scarcely any system so absurd as to obtain no advocates. "
Rev. Mark had a good point. There are ideas so absurd in the Book of Mormon that one would think as he suggests "it probably had been written originally by an infidel, to see how much he could impose on the credulity of men, and to get money."
What ideas are so absurd to you? Have you read the Book of Mormon?
As far as Lucy Smith attending church being an indication of being very religious, many women do attend for social and family reasons irrespective of religious beliefs. I believe she had a brother who was a Seeker who started up a communal sect in Canada. So not only was she aware of the notion of opposing all current religious groups and starting up one's own, but Seekers seem to me to be a unique sort. A leader of one would be the sort to be skeptical of all religious claims, similar to a deist. So she has that background in her family
This is rather non sensical. Read her history. She did not attend for social reason only and you have nothing to indicate that at all. If, as I have pointed out before, you were even familiar or read in some of the history if the Smith's and the founding of the LDS Church you would not make such unsubstantial remark. Lucy was quiet religious, believed in miracles and even claims to have experienced on regarding the healing of a child.