Sethbag wrote:Well, he'd already had himself annointed King of the earth. Only problem is, nobody else in the world would respect and honor his position. What better way to prepare the world for his Kingship than by first assuming some lesser offices, you know, like President of the United States?
I remember thinking, "If people only knew what being anointed a King and a Priest really meant, they would understand and wouldn't find this so bizarre." Makes me smile to think about it.
Jersey Girl wrote:If the Prophet Joseph Smith thought/believed that he was living in the latter days and that the return of Christ was imminent, why did he attempt to run for President of the United States?
Your thoughts?
Jersey Girl
Boredom?
Seriously, I think the Saints were fed up with the political systems they'd encountered in Missouri and it strikes me as a protest. Although he seemed serious about getting his views heard and making his run public I don't think he or those close to him actually expected him to win.
That's not the point she's making, Nehor. If Joseph really thought the return of Christ was imminent, there is no reason for him to get fed up with politics in the US at all. If he really thought that, he'd have not cared about politics at all because he would have known their situation was going to change in a heartbeat as soon as Christ showed up. His run for the presidency, abbreviated though it was, showed he didn't really believe what he was preaching. He knew he'd made it all up and nothing was going to change because unless he got really lucky, Christ wasn't going to return any time soon. No wonder the church has turned its back on that one.
I think we're living in the Latter Days and Christ's return is imminent but I'm still getting educated and am working on a few projects that will take me years to complete.
"Surely he knows that DCP, The Nehor, Lamanite, and other key apologists..." -Scratch clarifying my status in apologetics "I admit it; I'm a petty, petty man." -Some Schmo
Jersey Girl wrote:If the Prophet Joseph Smith thought/believed that he was living in the latter days and that the return of Christ was imminent, why did he attempt to run for President of the United States?
Your thoughts?
Jersey Girl
Boredom?
Seriously, I think the Saints were fed up with the political systems they'd encountered in Missouri and it strikes me as a protest. Although he seemed serious about getting his views heard and making his run public I don't think he or those close to him actually expected him to win.
That's not the point she's making, Nehor. If Joseph really thought the return of Christ was imminent, there is no reason for him to get fed up with politics in the US at all. If he really thought that, he'd have not cared about politics at all because he would have known their situation was going to change in a heartbeat as soon as Christ showed up. His run for the presidency, abbreviated though it was, showed he didn't really believe what he was preaching. He knew he'd made it all up and nothing was going to change because unless he got really lucky, Christ wasn't going to return any time soon. No wonder the church has turned its back on that one.
harm,
I looked at the first few comments here this morning and thought either I must have not made myself clear or the guys are just linear thinkers who thought I was talking politics. You got exactly what I was thinking about.
Great minds think alike.
Jersey Girl
;-)
Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.
Chinese Proverb
Jersey Girl wrote:If the Prophet Joseph Smith thought/believed that he was living in the latter days and that the return of Christ was imminent, why did he attempt to run for President of the United States?
Your thoughts?
Jersey Girl
First please demonsrate that he thought the return of Jesus wan imminent. I think you have a flase premise. He may have believed it could have been in his life and perhaps decades down the road. But imminent? I do not think so.
Well let's see. I recently finished watching a 240 minute documentary on PBS called "The Mormons" where the phrase "imminent" was used to describe the beliefs of the Saints and their Prophet, regarding the return of Christ to earth, made by LDS themselves. The idea being related to the gathering of the Saints to Zion.
Are you saying by your objection, that the gathering of the Saints to Zion wasn't directly related to Christ's return?
Jersey Girl
Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.
Chinese Proverb
I think we're living in the Latter Days and Christ's return is imminent but I'm still getting educated and am working on a few projects that will take me years to complete.
That reminds me of when I was a kid and I was terrified over the thought that I wasn't going to be able to grow up since the Second Coming was so imminent. I had a Primary teacher who harped on this and who also told us that before you die you always "know" you are going die---you get a "feeling" about it. Of course, every kid in here class instantly "knew" they were going to die!
I asked my Grandma about it and she told me, "Oh honey, they've been saying it was the last days since before I was born. They're always saying that and it never is."
From the Ernest L. Wilkinson Diaries: "ELW dreams he's spattered w/ grease. Hundreds steal his greasy pants."
Before the second coming two things need to happen. The temple in Jerusalem has to be restored (which means that the Dome of the Rock wil be torn down) and the New Jerusalem will be built.
Being President would allow the Saints to gain equal rights and stop being persecuted, and allow for further building projects to begin, also it would allow for futher testifying opportunities.
Christ is going to return, but there is a great deal of work to be done beforehand. The office of President would certainly assist in that area.
We can easily forgive a child who is afraid of the dark; the real tragedy of life is when men are afraid of the light. - Plato