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Difference between revisions of "Joseph Smith/Character"
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=Joseph Smith's character= | =Joseph Smith's character= | ||
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Critics claim that Joseph Smith was a disreputable person. | Critics claim that Joseph Smith was a disreputable person. | ||
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{{SeeAlso|Joseph Smith/Personality and temperament|l1=Joseph Smith: personality and temperament|Joseph Smith/Character|l2=Joseph Smith: character|Early_Smith_family_history/Lazy_Smiths|l3=Lazy Smiths?|Early Smith family history/No positive witnesses|l4=No positive witnesses of Smiths?}} | {{SeeAlso|Joseph Smith/Personality and temperament|l1=Joseph Smith: personality and temperament|Joseph Smith/Character|l2=Joseph Smith: character|Early_Smith_family_history/Lazy_Smiths|l3=Lazy Smiths?|Early Smith family history/No positive witnesses|l4=No positive witnesses of Smiths?}} | ||
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Ultimately, however, attacks, on Joseph's character are classic ''[[Logical_fallacies/Page_1#Ad_hominem|ad hominem]]''—the man is attacked instead of the message. | Ultimately, however, attacks, on Joseph's character are classic ''[[Logical_fallacies/Page_1#Ad_hominem|ad hominem]]''—the man is attacked instead of the message. | ||
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#{{note|fn.17}} {{JDfairwiki | author=Brigham Young|vol=3|start=366|disc=51}} | #{{note|fn.17}} {{JDfairwiki | author=Brigham Young|vol=3|start=366|disc=51}} | ||
#{{note|fn.18}} "Mormonism," ''Boston Bee'' (24 March 1843); cited in {{Periodical:Times and Seasons|vol=4|date=15 May 1843|num=13|article=From the Boston Bee|pages=119–120}} | #{{note|fn.18}} "Mormonism," ''Boston Bee'' (24 March 1843); cited in {{Periodical:Times and Seasons|vol=4|date=15 May 1843|num=13|article=From the Boston Bee|pages=119–120}} | ||
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#{{note|fn.23}} {{b||Acts|8|1-3}} | #{{note|fn.23}} {{b||Acts|8|1-3}} | ||
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{{FallacyBegin}} | {{FallacyBegin}} | ||
*[[Logical_fallacies#ad_hominem_abusive | Logical fallacies: ad hominem abusive]] | *[[Logical_fallacies#ad_hominem_abusive | Logical fallacies: ad hominem abusive]] | ||
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*{{1min|url=http://www.lightplanet.com/response/answers/weaknesses.htm|article=Did Church Leaders Have Weaknesses?}} | *{{1min|url=http://www.lightplanet.com/response/answers/weaknesses.htm|article=Did Church Leaders Have Weaknesses?}} | ||
*{{FR-16-1-1}}<!--Mitton Editor's intro--> | *{{FR-16-1-1}}<!--Mitton Editor's intro--> | ||
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{{JosephSmithPrint}} | {{JosephSmithPrint}} | ||
[[fr:Joseph Smith/Character]] | [[fr:Joseph Smith/Character]] | ||
Revision as of 03:36, 4 May 2010
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Contents
Joseph Smith's character
==Questions
== Critics claim that Joseph Smith was a disreputable person.
To see citations to the critical sources for these claims, click here
==Detailed Analysis
==
Brigham Young once said:
- The history of Joseph and Mary is given to us by their best friends, and precisely as we will give the history of the Prophet Joseph. We know him to have been a good man, we know that he performed his mission, we know that he was an honorable man and dealt justly, we know his true character. But let his enemies give his character, and they will make him out one of the basest men that ever lived. Let the enemies of Joseph and Mary give their characters to us, and you would be strongly tempted to believe as the Jews believe. Let the enemies of Jesus give his character to us, and, in the absence of the testimony of his friends, I do not know but that the present Christian world would all be Jews, so far as their belief that Jesus Christ was an impostor and one of the most degraded men that ever lived.[1]
In many—if not most—critical treatments of the Church, Joseph is made out to be "one of the basest men that ever lived." A Boston Bee reporter wrote after interviewing Joseph:
- I could not help noticing that he dressed, talked and acted like other men, and in every respect appeared exactly the opposite of what I had conjured up in my imagination a prophet [to be].[2]
Clearly, Joseph is not what the critics imagine a prophet to be either. Was Joseph perfect? No; he never said he was. What he did say of himself was, "Although I do wrong, I do not the wrongs that I am charged with doing; the wrong that I do is through the frailty of human nature, like other men. No man lives without fault."[3] Confirming this statement, B.H. Roberts said that Joseph Smith:
- ...claimed for himself no special sanctity, no faultless life, no perfection of character, no inerrancy for every word spoken by him. And as he did not claim these things for himself, so can they not be claimed for him by others; for to claim perfection for him, or even unusual sanctity, would be to repudiate the revelations themselves which supply the evidence of his imperfections, whereof, in them, he is frequently reproved.
- Joseph Smith was a man of like passions with other men; struggling with the same weaknesses; subjected to the same temptations; under the same moral law, and humiliated at times, like others, by occasionally, in word and conduct, falling below the high ideals presented in the perfect life and faultless character of the Man of Nazareth.
- But though a man of like passions with other men, yet to Joseph Smith was given access to the mind of Deity, through the revelations of God to him; and likewise to him was given a divine authority to declare that mind of God to the world.[4]
Joseph was open and direct about his weaknesses, saying to his accusers:
- Being of very tender years, and persecuted by those who ought to have been my friends... I was left to all kinds of temptations; and mingling with all kinds of society, I frequently fell into many foolish errors, and displayed the weakness of youth, and the foibles of human nature; which, I am sorry to say, led me into divers temptations, offensive in the sight of God. In making this confession, no one need suppose me guilty of any great or malignant sins. A disposition to commit such was never in my nature. But I was guilty of levity, and sometimes associated with jovial company, etc., not consistent with that character which ought to be maintained by one who was called of God as I had been. But this will not seem very strange to any one who recollects my youth, and is acquainted with my native cheery temperament.[5]
Continuing this theme in a letter to Oliver Cowdery, the Prophet said,
- ...during this time, as is common to most, or all youths, I fell into many vices and follies; but as my accusers are, and have been forward to accuse me of being guilty of gross and outrageous violations of the peace and good order of the community, I take the occasion to remark that, though as I have said above, 'as is common to most, or all youths, I fell into many vices and follies,' I have not, neither can it be sustained, in truth, been guilty of wronging or injuring any man or society of men; and those imperfections to which I allude, and for which I have often had occasion to lament, were a light, and too often, vain mind, exhibiting a foolish and trifling conversation. This being all, and the worst, that my accusers can substantiate against my moral character, I wish to add that it is not without a deep feeling of regret that I am thus called upon in answer to my own conscience, to fulfil a duty I owe to myself, as well as to the cause of truth, in making this public confession of my former uncircumspect walk, and trifling conversation and more particularly, as I often acted in violation of those holy precepts which I knew came from God. But as the 'Articles and Covenants,' of this Church are plain upon this particular point, I do not deem it important to proceed further. I only add, that I do not, nor never have, pretended to be any other than a man 'subject to passion,' and liable, without the assisting grace of the Savior, to deviate from that perfect path in which all men are commanded to walk.[6]
Joseph was only seen as lacking character in the opinion of those that misunderstood him and opposed his efforts in restoring the Church. The recorded details and testimonies from firsthand accounts as to Joseph's good character cannot be ignored and certainly must be looked at by anyone serious in their study of Mormonism. The critics often avoid portraying the simple man who recognized the saving grace of Christ for his errors and sought to further the cause of righteousness.
Sectarian critics in particular ought to be careful, since the standard they apply to Joseph Smith might easily disqualify various biblical prophets. Paul for example, would not have been called to be an Apostle after his participation in the persecution of Christians and role in the martyrdom of Stephen.[7]
Ultimately, however, attacks, on Joseph's character are classic ad hominem—the man is attacked instead of the message.
== Notes ==
- [note] Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 3:366.
- [note] "Mormonism," Boston Bee (24 March 1843); cited in "From the Boston Bee," Times and Seasons 4 no. 13 (15 May 1843), 119–120. off-site GospeLink
- [note] Joseph Smith, History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 7 volumes, edited by Brigham H. Roberts, (Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1957), 5:140. Volume 5 link
- [note] Brigham H. Roberts, Comprehensive History of the Church (Provo, Utah: Brigham Young University Press, 1965), 2:360–361. GospeLink
- [note] Joseph Smith, History (1838), 3–4; cited in Dean C. Jessee, The Personal Writings of Joseph Smith, [original edition] (Salt Lake City, Utah: Deseret Book, 1984), 9–11. ISBN 0877479747. GL direct link
- [note] Letter to Oliver Cowdery [December 1834]; cited in Jessee, 336–337.
- [note] Acts 8:1-3
Further reading
FairMormon Answers articles
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FairMormon web site
External links
- Stephen R. Gibson, "Did Church Leaders Have Weaknesses?," in One-Minute Answers to Anti-Mormon Questions (Bountiful, Utah: Horizon Publishers, 2005) ISBN 0882907840. off-site
- George L. Mitton, "Editor's Introduction," FARMS Review 16/1 (2004): xi–xxxii. off-site
Oliver Cowdery to W. W. Phelps, "Letter VIII," Latter Day Saints' Messenger and Advocate 2 no. 1 (October 1835), 195–196. off-site Template:JosephSmithLinks