Comparison of Joseph Smith to King David

[_Moniker]

Here's where making excuses for men, when it deals with God, becomes problematic for me.

If God is all knowing then why in the world would he choose horny toads to be his prophets?

[_the road to hana]

If God is all knowing then why in the world would he choose horny toads to be his prophets?

Joseph Smith is only a prophet of God in his own mind. That's entirely a fabrication of his own creation.

Anyone can claim to be a prophet. Does that make them one? Does that make those who follow them somehow better? Or just more gullible?

[_Moniker]

If God is all knowing then why in the world would he choose horny toads to be his prophets?

Joseph Smith is only a prophet of God in his own mind. That's entirely a fabrication of his own creation.

Anyone can claim to be a prophet. Does that make them one? Does that make those who follow them somehow better? Or just more gullible?

Riiiiiight.

I'm just sayin' if I believed in God and the idea of prophets that's what I'd be asking him, "Hey God? What's up with choosing horny dudes to be prophets for you?" I mean, that probably would be something I'd have to ask about?

[_the road to hana]

I'm just sayin' if I believed in God and the idea of prophets that's what I'd be asking him, "Hey God? What's up with choosing horny dudes to be prophets for you?" I mean, that probably would be something I'd have to ask about?

It's not an all or nothing proposition. One can still believe in a supreme being and not believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet, any more than Ellen White, or L. Ron Hubbard, or Tom Cruise.

If we're just talking about King David, however, it's interesting to note that both Judaic and Islamic traditions hold David to be a prophet and completely minimize or even reject his involvement in adultery or murder. Christianity tends to see it more as a model for repentance.

I'd say the comparisons to Joseph Smith and Mormon views of him compare more to how the Jewish and Islamic populations view David, rather than how the Christian world does.

[_Moniker]

I'm just sayin' if I believed in God and the idea of prophets that's what I'd be asking him, "Hey God? What's up with choosing horny dudes to be prophets for you?" I mean, that probably would be something I'd have to ask about?

It's not an all or nothing proposition. One can still believe in a supreme being and not believe that Joseph Smith was a prophet, any more than Ellen White, or L. Ron Hubbard, or Tom Cruise.

If we're just talking about King David, however, it's interesting to note that both Judaic and Islamic traditions hold David to be a prophet and completely minimize or even reject his involvement in adultery or murder. Christianity tends to see it more as a model for repentance.

I'd say the comparisons to Joseph Smith and Mormon views of him compare more to how the Jewish and Islamic populations view David, rather than how the Christian world does.

Well I didn't suggest it was an all or nothing. I said "if I believed in God and the idea of prophets". Of course people can believe in God and not be a Christian, or read the Bible as a moral compass, or anything else that gets them through the day. Whatever works for them.

I wasn't suggesting that you had to take both. But, if I believed in prophets (I'm guessing here to believe in prophets I'd also have to believe in God;) it's just something that would irk me.

Do you understand that I'm not Christian? I have never been affiliated with any religion? I'm on the fence about God -- agnostic -- and merely piped up because I was bored? I don't care, really. K? ;)

[_the road to hana]

Do you understand that I'm not Christian? I have never been affiliated with any religion? I'm on the fence about God -- agnostic -- and merely piped up because I was bored? I don't care, really. K? ;)

Absolutely. But Joseph Smith proclaimed himself to be a king, too; it doesn't mean he was one--deity or no deity.

[_Moniker]

Do you understand that I'm not Christian? I have never been affiliated with any religion? I'm on the fence about God -- agnostic -- and merely piped up because I was bored? I don't care, really. K? ;)

Absolutely. But Joseph Smith proclaimed himself to be a king, too; it doesn't mean he was one--deity or no deity.

Right! We're in agreement hana. I promise you! I'm with ya! Eye to eye!

[_the road to hana]

Do you understand that I'm not Christian? I have never been affiliated with any religion? I'm on the fence about God -- agnostic -- and merely piped up because I was bored? I don't care, really. K? ;)

Absolutely. But Joseph Smith proclaimed himself to be a king, too; it doesn't mean he was one--deity or no deity.

Right! We're in agreement hana. I promise you! I'm with ya! Eye to eye!

Yes, I know.

My quandary is with liz, who initially proposed the comparison. Liz, do you really believe Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, just because he claimed to be? It seems like the ultimate personal Trump card to me in Joseph Smith's case to cover a variety of personal predilections.

[_Yoda]

My quandary is with liz, who initially proposed the comparison. Liz, do you really believe Joseph Smith is a prophet of God, just because he claimed to be?

No. I believe that Joseph Smith was inspired to bring forth the Book of Mormon. Having read the Book of Mormon, I believe it to be an inspired work.

However, I have never been able to justify anything godly when it comes to polygamy, and especially how Emma is threatened in section 132. It has never rang true to me.

I'm suggesting that when Joseph starting messing around with Fanny Alger, and the whole polygamy scam came into being, that his judgment was skewed, just like David's judgment was skewed after the issue with Bathsheba.

[_the road to hana]

No. I believe that Joseph Smith was inspired to bring forth the Book of Mormon. Having read the Book of Mormon, I believe it to be an inspired work.

An inspired work, or a plagiarism of an inspired work?