DiscussMormonism.com

aussieguy55 wrote:http://mormonthink.com/grant11.htm

Excellent article. The last paragraph sums it up perfectly------- "Joseph Smith was skillful at using sources from one setting then applying the material to another place and time in clever and unique ways. For instance, it is evident that Smith drew many names, quotations, miracles, prophecy and stories from the King James Bible as plainly seen in the Book of Mormon. He used the Apocrypha, evangelical Protestant doctrines, Methodist camp meeting traditions and ways, American antiquities, anti-Masonic rhetoric and practices, and family dreams and biographical material—all clearly seen in the text of the Book of Mormon. Smith's pattern is further appreciated in the Book of Abraham in his appropriations from the works of Flavius Josephus, biblical quotations, and Newtonian astronomy—all from the early nineteenth-century.[xxxi]"

Not to mention his fabrication about the nature of his man-made god which conflicts with the Biblical description and nature of God.

True prophet-----oh ya-----only in the eyes of the deceived!

aussieguy55 wrote:http://mormonthink.com/grant11.htm

Interesting article. Seems pretty persuasive to me.

Thanks for linking to it.

The level of skill, cunning, and aptitude attributed to Joseph Smith by critics of the church far exceeds that given to him by the most fervent and faithful member of the LDS Church.
It is often the case that LDS church members do not revere the "power" of Joseph Smith nearly as much as the critics do....ironic.

subgenius wrote:It is often the case that LDS church members do not revere the "power" of Joseph Smith nearly as much as the critics do....ironic.

Of course, believing Mormons like to harp on the claim that Joseph Smith was nothing more than an ignorant farm boy who could only produce the Book of Mormon by the power of elohim (eventhough nobody actually knows the process)...Its funny to me that believers need to make Joseph Smith out to be some barely literate yokel in order to bolster their "faith"...Im sure it sucks when reality contradicts your need to believe.

schreech wrote:

subgenius wrote:It is often the case that LDS church members do not revere the "power" of Joseph Smith nearly as much as the critics do....ironic.

Of course, believing Mormons like to harp on the claim that Joseph Smith was nothing more than an ignorant farm boy who could only produce the Book of Mormon by the power of elohim (eventhough nobody actually knows the process)...Its funny to me that believers need to make Joseph Smith out to be some barely literate yokel in order to bolster their "faith"...Im sure it sucks when reality contradicts your need to believe.

not sure where you got the idea that i believed Joseph Smith to be "barely literate"....need more straw?
The conspiracy often described by the barely literate critics, usually present on this board, is quite challenging to accomplish even for a highly literate city dweller. The OP relies on the narrow minded, and ill-informed intellect, of non-believers - whom derive their own self worth only from their ability to demean and criticize others. With nothing to offer with regard to value, these types of critics rely on taking value from others in order to get everyone "down" to their level....the sort of lowest common denominator thinking that Obama supporters think is good economic and education policy....non-believers are often the epitome of such systems...they insist that everyone should be either as dumb as they are or as corrupt as they are.

The conspiracy often described by the barely literate critics, usually present on this board, is quite challenging to accomplish even for a highly literate city dweller. The OP relies on the narrow minded, and ill-informed intellect, of non-believers - whom derive their own self worth only from their ability to demean and criticize others.

I notice that there is no rebuttal of the evidence here which is typical of many Mormon posters. The rest of your rant is simply ignorant.

I'm just not sure how he did all that sourcing into one cohesive Book of Mormon when his face is buried in a hat. Which means he freaking dictated the whole thing. The historical record says that's exactly how the book was created. Miraculous.

iamse7en wrote:I'm just not sure how he did all that sourcing into one cohesive Book of Mormon when his face is buried in a hat. Which means he freaking dictated the whole thing. The historical record says that's exactly how the book was created. Miraculous.

You can call "automatic writing" miraculous too. It doesn't mean it's from God like Jo claimed.