Strange as it may seem to others, I consider this letter to Nancy Rigdon to be an important component of my religious belief. Of course, I’m not alone. Parts of this letter have been quoted from the general conference pulpit for many, many years.
Sure. This part:
“Happiness is the object and design of our existence; and will be the end thereof, if we pursue the path that leads to it; and this path is virtue, uprightness, faithfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God.
I used to think it was a profound insight...and I had even read more the remarks. But when I learned that this was a letter designed to convince a young woman to marry Joseph it took a whole new and unfortunate spin. Of course, it could be true. But how does one know when God is commanding something or another? The answer is he tells his prophet. That leads me to conclude that if God can command and revoke so liberally one better be very sure that the person that is claiming God is telling them to command and revoke is really getting it from God and not from themselves.
But there is the glitch. This theory espoused just sets up an opportunity for the person who is allegedly speaking with God to create all sorts of abuse. I am highly doubtful God would place such power with any person.
And, it cannot be denied, the concepts articulated in this letter certainly support the conclusion that “morality” is absolutely relative – at least in the view of the God whom Joseph Smith has attempted to reveal to the world.
Pretty interesting for the God that scripture, even Mormon scripture, says is unchangeable.
The trick, of course, is to be able to discern correctly, throughout one’s life, what it really is that God is telling us. I don’t believe anyone always “gets it right” when it comes to that challenge
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I believe most rarely get it right and that it is much to subjective of a proposition for anyone to trust someone else to lead them in such things as Joseph Smith was doing with Nancy Rigdon.