The Problem Isn't Explaining How J.S. Wrote The Book of Mormon...

[Rivendale]

Blake Ostler has this covered. It is the expansion theory where Joseph added elements from his own life experience so it would communicate the message in a clearer way.

Sometimes they get so close. If you extend Ostler’s ideas and logic about Joseph shaping language and explanation to experience, would you get to roman-à-clef?

The landlord that evicted the Smiths was named Lemuel. So there is that.

[I Have Questions]

Sometimes they get so close. If you extend Ostler’s ideas and logic about Joseph shaping language and explanation to experience, would you get to roman-à-clef?

The landlord that evicted the Smiths was named Lemuel. So there is that.

Interesting, from the Church News

Despite the Smith's efforts to provide a comfortable living, ownership of the farm transferred to Lemuel Durfee on Dec. 20, 1825. It is not clear why the Smiths lost the farm, Brother Enders said.

According to Mother Smith 20 years after the fact, they had been cheated out of it by a "wicked" and "villainous" person.

The Book of Mormon, complete with wicked character Lemuel, was published in 1830.

I’m sure it’s just a coincidence…

[Rivendale]

The landlord that evicted the Smiths was named Lemuel. So there is that.

Interesting, from the Church News

Despite the Smith's efforts to provide a comfortable living, ownership of the farm transferred to Lemuel Durfee on Dec. 20, 1825. It is not clear why the Smiths lost the farm, Brother Enders said.

According to Mother Smith 20 years after the fact, they had been cheated out of it by a "wicked" and "villainous" person.

The Book of Mormon, complete with wicked character Lemuel, was published in 1830.

I’m sure it’s just a coincidence…

And his magic parchment were referred to lamens....

[Fence Sitter]

The landlord that evicted the Smiths was named Lemuel. So there is that.

Interesting, from the Church News

Despite the Smith's efforts to provide a comfortable living, ownership of the farm transferred to Lemuel Durfee on Dec. 20, 1825. It is not clear why the Smiths lost the farm, Brother Enders said.

According to Mother Smith 20 years after the fact, they had been cheated out of it by a "wicked" and "villainous" person.

The Book of Mormon, complete with wicked character Lemuel, was published in 1830.

I’m sure it’s just a coincidence…

Lemuel Durfee Sr. went from hero to villain in the Smith family story. The Smiths had purchased land under an agreement to pay in installments and had hired a builder to construct a frame house. Alvin, the eldest son, was primarily responsible for making those payments and had also pushed for building the frame house—probably prematurely.

When Alvin died in November 1823, the remaining male members of the Smith family were neither as interested in nor as capable of meeting those financial obligations. In 1825, the builder of the frame house successfully sued the Smiths for the money owed for its construction. At about the same time, the heirs of the man who had sold the land to the Smiths gave them until Christmas Day 1825 to pay what was still owed on the property.

All of this occurred while Joseph Smith Sr. and Joseph Smith Jr. were often away searching for buried treasure, leaving Lucy and Hyrum to deal with creditors and mounting debts.

To avoid eviction from the house and land, the Smiths sold the property to Lemuel Durfee Sr., who agreed to let them remain there for a year in exchange for six months of labor from 17-year-old Samuel Smith. In effect, Durfee saved the family from being evicted in the middle of winter and gave them time to stabilize their financial situation.

In the end, the Smiths remained for about three years before Durfee asked them to vacate the frame house so that his newly married daughter and her husband could move in. He did, however, allow the Smith family to continue living in their original cabin on the property.

Later, Lucy Smith blamed Durfee for “depriving her and her husband of their comfort.” Yet the underlying problem seems to have been that, after Alvin’s death, none of the remaining Smith men possessed much economic drive.

[dantana]

The landlord that evicted the Smiths was named Lemuel. So there is that.

The Book of Mormon, complete with wicked character Lemuel, was published in 1830.

I’m sure it’s just a coincidence…

Lemuel Durfee Sr. went from hero to villain in the Smith family story. The Smiths had purchased land under an agreement to pay in installments and had hired a builder to construct a frame house. Alvin, the eldest son, was primarily responsible for making those payments and had also pushed for building the frame house—probably prematurely.

When Alvin died in November 1823, the remaining male members of the Smith family were neither as interested in nor as capable of meeting those financial obligations. In 1825, the builder of the frame house successfully sued the Smiths for the money owed for its construction. At about the same time, the heirs of the man who had sold the land to the Smiths gave them until Christmas Day 1825 to pay what was still owed on the property.

All of this occurred while Joseph Smith Sr. and Joseph Smith Jr. were often away searching for buried treasure, leaving Lucy and Hyrum to deal with creditors and mounting debts.

To avoid eviction from the house and land, the Smiths sold the property to Lemuel Durfee Sr., who agreed to let them remain there for a year in exchange for six months of labor from 17-year-old Samuel Smith. In effect, Durfee saved the family from being evicted in the middle of winter and gave them time to stabilize their financial situation.

In the end, the Smiths remained for about three years before Durfee asked them to vacate the frame house so that his newly married daughter and her husband could move in. He did, however, allow the Smith family to continue living in their original cabin on the property.

Later, Lucy Smith blamed Durfee for “depriving her and her husband of their comfort.” Yet the underlying problem seems to have been that, after Alvin’s death, none of the remaining Smith men possessed much economic drive.

Information I was unaware of. I always just kinda thought it must be more difficult to be a free-loader back in the old days, as compared to now. I guess not. I also guess old Joe Sr. musta had a pretty aggressive lay-about gene he passed down.

[bill4long]

Blake Ostler has this covered. It is the expansion theory where Joseph added elements from his own life experience so it would communicate the message in a clearer way.

When supernatural explanations fail, just toss in some naturalistic explanations based on Joe's experience in the 1820s to close the gap.

Ostler just hasn't realized yet that the knob on the latter is cranked to 11.

[sock puppet]

Blake Ostler has this covered. It is the expansion theory where Joseph added elements from his own life experience so it would communicate the message in a clearer way.

When supernatural explanations fail, just toss in some naturalistic explanations based on Joe's experience in the 1820s to close the gap.

Ostler just hasn't realized yet that the knob on the latter is cranked to 11.

That was perhaps the most memorable scene from This is Spinal Tap with such terrific dialogue.

[Everybody Wang Chung]

Has anyone seen the sequel Spinal Tap II: The End Continues? I'm thinking of watching it this weekend.

[sock puppet]

Has anyone seen the sequel Spinal Tap II: The End Continues? I'm thinking of watching it this weekend.

I have, only because it turned out to be Reiner's last film. I was pleasantly surprised. A little slow at the beginning, but it finds its comedic stride and then is hilarious.