2007-03-25 00:17:40 · 9 answers · asked by John Galt 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Is this a trick question?
There's no what ifs about it.
2007-03-25 00:20:38 · answer #1 · answered by Teri 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
The Book of Mormon alone rules out the possibility that Joseph Smith had any mental issues. It's far too complex of a work to be created by a farmer with little education, or by someone who was either schizophrenic or epileptic (as has been suggested).
Was he a liar, a charlatan, or a con man? Someone who lies to get gain usually backs off after being shot at, being tarred and feathered, living in poverty, and spending months and months in cold damp prisons. If his motivation was to lie in order to have a major religion flourish LONG after his death, then sure, he was a liar.
There's no way for one person to convince another person that JS was a true prophet, it's up to the individual. Even JS himself said he wouldn't have believed his own story if it hadn't happened to him. Read the Book of Mormon, spend some time thinking about it, and ask God.
2007-03-25 13:26:30 · answer #2 · answered by cw35 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
He was human, so he probably did lie about some things. There's not indication that he was schizophrenic though, unless you consider anyone who channels the word of God schizophrenic. You have to include virtually every religious father into that group.
Here's one for you. What if every prophet was shchizophrenic?
Smith had a few "hits" with his prophecy, the civil war's opening in South Carolina for example. Some of his predictions weren't clear though, or haven't had time to be fulfilled, like the rest of what he said about South Carolina.
"And the time will come that war will be poured out upon all nations, beginning at this place."
That of course, hasn't happened yet. It's quite an interesting prophecy though. To understand it, you have to think about what kind of war would be "poured out upon ALL nations?" That is a reference to the one who would "judge nations," and his arrival. According to Smith, he would declare himself from South Carolina.
Time will tell.
But to answer your question, if he was schizo, then a lot of people will be in trouble. They're probably in trouble anyway, because they wouldn't recognize him if he walked up and introduced himself.
Regards,
Chris
2007-03-25 00:46:04 · answer #3 · answered by ChrisJ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually he was 51/50 i mean nobody stops in the middle of a salt lake and says ''This is it'' the promised land was Oregon so what did he do get lost or something.So here we have another group that believes in their own writings.
2007-03-25 00:57:47 · answer #4 · answered by L J 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
schizophrenic. ... Did Moses, Jesus, Elijah, Mohammed, Joan of Arc, and Joseph Smith etc
2007-03-25 00:21:10 · answer #5 · answered by Linda 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hey, I'm living with a guy who claims he was reincanated as Joseph Smith. What do you think of that? By the way, when I lived in Idaho, which is populated by Mormons, one of the requirements to get married in their church, was the so called head of the church got to have sex with the bride to be before she was allowed to get married. My neighbor was a morman and I also got to see what she had to wear under her clothes after she got married. How many men would like that idea?
2007-03-25 00:20:56 · answer #6 · answered by meganzopf 3 · 0⤊ 3⤋
listen to walter martin at sermon audio.com!
2007-03-25 13:42:59 · answer #7 · answered by godelectedme 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Then he was definitely a prophet!
2007-03-25 00:19:38 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
he did lie but i think he was bi-polar
2007-03-25 00:20:54 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋