Feeling the honesty about Joseph Smith

[_moksha]

Why does Joseph get a free pass for his sins and not following the rules of polygamy but Bennett doesn't get a pass?

Why did Microsoft succeed over WordPerfect? Because God was using the MSWindows Operating System.

[_Stormy Waters]

I'm sure this isn't the first time you've had this pointed out to you. I am also sure that you are aware that the LORD allows sinners plenty of opportunities to repent. Bennett was doing some good things for the Church and the City of Nauvoo and isn't it just possible that the LORD was referring to those things in this context. I don't think that means he gets a pass for his immoral behavior and in the end he was given the opportunity to change his ways and did not. Interestingly, he is an early example of an apostate who left the church but could leave the church alone.

So the Lord has a direct revelation for Bennet and says "I have seen the work which he hath done, which I accept if he continue, and will crown him with blessings and great glory" (D&C 124:17). This would be like if my boss said, "I have seen the work you've done, and if you continue, you will receive promotions and raises" while knowing I was committing a fireable offense. It doesn't make sense.

Keep in mind sexual sin is the third worst offense you can commit in Mormonism.

Corianton had been guilty of sexual sin, and his father spoke to him in love but plainly: “Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?” (Alma 39:5).
General Conference. April 2010. Elder D. Todd Christofferson

[_beefcalf]

So the Lord has a direct revelation for Bennet and says "I have seen the work which he hath done, which I accept if he continue, and will crown him with blessings and great glory" (D&C 124:17). This would be like if my boss said, "I have seen the work you've done, and if you continue, you will receive promotions and raises" while knowing I was committing a fireable offense. It doesn't make sense.

Keep in mind sexual sin is the third worst offense you can commit in Mormonism.

Corianton had been guilty of sexual sin, and his father spoke to him in love but plainly: “Know ye not, my son, that these things are an abomination in the sight of the Lord; yea, most abominable above all sins save it be the shedding of innocent blood or denying the Holy Ghost?” (Alma 39:5).
General Conference. April 2010. Elder D. Todd Christofferson

Dear Investigator:

We are pleased that you are interested in becoming a member of the church!

You may be feeling a bit overwhelmed at this point with all you've had to learn, but hang in there... it's worth it!

Just as a point of clarification, you may have read in the Book of Mormon (Alma 45) that the Lord cannot look upon sin with the least degree of allowance. Boy, oh boy, that sure has made a lot of us nervous! But don't worry! You see, you have to understand the big picture! Our Heavenly Father is a real 'get-the-job-done' kind of Deity, and he really appreciates it when his children put their shoulder to the wheel and push along! And if they happen to have a few problems here and there, no problem! That's what the atonement is for, right?

Way, waay, back when, when Joseph Smith was still kicking around, a man named John C. Bennett meandered into town and became close friends with our Prophet. Within eight or nine months, John was so very well admired by the Prophet Joseph Smith, that he was called by God to be the Assistant President of the Church. (As you may have heard, in the LDS church, although a priesthood authority will ask you to accept a calling, that calling is actually coming from God Himself, so think twice before you say no!) Heavenly Father loved and valued John so much, he revealed to Joseph Smith that great blessings were in store for him as long as he continued what he was doing! God sure loved John C. Bennett, and you can read those great promises in D&C 124, verses 16 and 17.

Later, it was discovered that Bennett had arrived in Nauvoo after abandoning his wife and child to a life of destitution in another state, and had been having illicit and adulterous sexual relationships with numerous women in and around Nauvoo. He was found to have been performing abortions and even conspired to murder the husband of one of the women with whom he was committing adultery. And he was doing this the entire time he was befriending the Prophet and being called and serving as the Assistant President of the Church! Wow!

What an amazing story! Isn't it weird that our Heavenly Father would call to be the Assistant President of the Church a man who was committing adultery, performing abortions and conspiring to commit murder? Whoa! Easy there! Not so fast!

Remember that whole 'shoulder to the wheel' thing I mentioned earlier? Well, even though John C. Bennett was doing all these terrible things, he was ALSO doing some really good stuff, like getting a super-important law passed to allow Nauvoo to be a city!!

I'm sure you're way ahead of me by now, but I'll make it clear:

You can commit adultery with numerous women, perform abortions on the women you and your friends have impregnated, and even conspire to kill the husband of a women you want for yourself, but as long as you are doing something useful for the Kingdom of God, you have nothing to worry about.

So, whaddya say? Let's get you baptized!

I'm sure this isn't the first time you've had this pointed out to you. I am also sure that you are aware that the LORD allows sinners plenty of opportunities to repent. Bennett was doing some good things for the Church and the City of Nauvoo and isn't it just possible that the LORD was referring to those things in this context. I don't think that means he gets a pass for his immoral behavior and in the end he was given the opportunity to change his ways and did not. Interestingly, he is an early example of an apostate who left the church but could leave the church alone.

GR33N... yes, I've seen this response on a number of occasions. I do believe it originated with Gregory L. Smith. And each time I've seen it used, my mind boggles all over again. Stormy is exactly correct. This is no defense.

[_GR33N]

GR33N... yes, I've seen this response on a number of occasions. I do believe it originated with Gregory L. Smith. And each time I've seen it used, my mind boggles all over again. Stormy is exactly correct. This is no defense.

Stormy comparing his boss to the mind and will of God? Mind boggling indeed.

[_Stormy Waters]

GR33N... yes, I've seen this response on a number of occasions. I do believe it originated with Gregory L. Smith. And each time I've seen it used, my mind boggles all over again. Stormy is exactly correct. This is no defense.

Stormy comparing his boss to the mind and will of God? Mind boggling indeed.

It's a comparison to illustrate a point.
Let's state this plainly. Bennet was using his leadership position to seduce women, and amidst all that God is telling him what a good job he is doing. Do I need to bring up all the references on how the Mormon God condems sexual sin?

[_just me]

ooOOOOoooh!

Hey, another question you might be able to answer. Why does Joseph get a free pass for his sins and not following the rules of polygamy but Bennett doesn't get a pass?

I didn't say Joseph gets a free pass for his sins. I don't think he did. I don't think you or I will either.

As for polygamy, each were engaged in different practices that people tend to place under the umbrella of polygamy.

D&C 132 seems to give Joseph a free pass.

I just need to clarify. You said you believe Joseph. Does that mean you believe he never had more than one wife? That he never participated in polygamy?

Also, could you tell me how what Bennett was doing and how what Joseph was doing were different?

[_Drifting]

Also, could you tell me how what Bennett was doing and how what Joseph was doing were different?

In addition, how did a person of Bennett's character manage to dupe both Joseph and the God with whom he was in contact with specifically about Bennett?

[_Tchild]

GR33N... yes, I've seen this response on a number of occasions. I do believe it originated with Gregory L. Smith. And each time I've seen it used, my mind boggles all over again. Stormy is exactly correct. This is no defense.

Stormy comparing his boss to the mind and will of God? Mind boggling indeed.

This illustrates that such "revelations" came from the mind of Joseph Smith, not from God.

How many individuals in Mormonism have "revelations" (and I use that word in the loosest sense) specific to them, that are part of LDS canonized scripture? A pretty rare occurance it seems.

Does God make mistakes or men pretending to speak for God? Would an all-knowing God not know the actions of Bennett, or would a man pretending to speak on God's behalf be thus unaware?

So, so simple. Any simpleton gets it.

[_Stormy Waters]

Hey Pahoran I made this thread as an obvious parody of one of yours.
Did you get it?
Care to respond to actual questions, or are you just going to continue to take slights at critics?

Regards,
Stormy Waters.