Mormons (LDS), what do you think of Joseph Smith when he said...?

Question

"Come on! ye prosecutors! ye false swearers! All hell, boil over! Ye burning mountains, roll down your lava! for I will come out on top at last. I have more to boast of than ever any man had. I am the only man that has ever been able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam. A large majority of the whole have stood by me. Neither Paul, John, Peter, nor JESUS ever did it. I boast that no man ever did such a work as I. The followers of Jesus ran away from Him; but the Latter-day Saints never ran away from me yet...When they can get rid of me, the devil will also go." (History of the Church, Vol. 6, p. 408, 409)

- Joseph Smith: founder, prophet, seer, and revelator of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

sounds like he's making himself out to be better and greater then Jesus.

Answer 1

Well, you asked what I think and I am Mormon so here's what I think:

Miracles do not convert. Signs do not convert. Even being in the presence of Christ himself does not necessarily convert people to the gospel or everyone living when he lived would have been righteous...and of course we know that was not the case. Christ's own disciple, Judas, sold him for silver.
I believe what Joseph was pointing towards is that he was truly a prophet of God and truly this is the Lord's restored gospel. The Holy Ghost is the one who converts us, through study, prayer, experience and answers... the members had faith in Joseph and in the Lord and that is what kept them together. Even as powerful as Christ is, he could not perform miracles without the faith of the receiver of the blessing...as with us, those who use Christ's priesthood cannot heal or bless without first having faith in Christ, having faith to perform the blessing, and of course the receiver having faith in the power of the priesthood...
I do not think he was putting himself above Christ in any way, shape or form. He was merely pointing out that faith is what converts and keeps members, not miracles.

Answer 2

Well Jesus and the early apostles were never supposed to hold the church together - the apostacy was supposed to happen (and Jesus and the early apostles knew that). Joseph Smith knew through the power of God they were plenty capable of it, but they were not supposed to - it wasn't the time for that yet.

But this last dispensation, begining with Joseph Smith is the time for that, for the Church of Christ to continue, and never fall. He knew his calling to be a Prophet of this dispensation, that this time the church would not fall away, Joseph Smith knew what his calling meant - that God had and would continue to give him these abilities because God was not a liar - and he was able to state it bodly.

I would love to see the whole story of the quote. Many of his brashest quotes like this came when whole mobs were coming to kill him. He'd stand up and meet them, say something bold like this, and they'd just slink away. I love hearing those stories, and I always will.

Answer 3

I am a Latter-Day Saint and have never read this and I have read much chruch history and much on what was said by the prophet Joseph Smith. I suppose this was taken out of context as Joseph wore out his life dying for the cause of Christ. He lived poor, he died poor. He gained nothing from it but the satisfaction of doing what was required of him.

Answer 4

Before founding a new religion, Joe Smith was a well known Charlatan- who convinced people that if they paid him, he would tell them where to dig on their property to find buried treasure. Then he would high-tail it out of town. He was tried and convicted for these transgressions and thrown in jail.

It's interesting that the story he came up with to found the religion was based on his earlier career. i.e. he found buried treasure.

It's really funny stuff. But... some people just have a need to believe. I know a number of Mormons and they're all really nice folk.

Answer 5

Poor old Joseph Smith.

Poorer old followers of Joseph Smith.

Answer 6

when I were given unwell (Lyme disease) about a 12 months and a nil.5 in the past, i presumed about what a burden having a body it really is susceptible might want to be. i develop into in dissimilar soreness. imagine about the very shown reality that a lot of human beings's bodies are damaged, incapacitated, and diseased--yet their spirits are finished. it really is a relief to shed them and be rid of soreness and limitations to stream, speech, and theory. i don't think of it will be hell--i imagine it will be a relief and a refreshment to be performed with a less than perfect, susceptible body it really is subject to appetites. the first time i realized that the body and the spirit are literally not the same is the first time I ever suggested a useless body. in case you ever seem at a corpse, you may want to confirm not one of the existence essence there. besides the indisputable fact that, as promised contained in the Bible, we will be restored to a glorified body sometime--a body which will probable have each skill lets likely imagine. I dunno--imagine about it like Pinocchio--Pinocchio might want to operate as a puppet, like we do in imperfect bodies, yet he were given his dream of being "authentic" if he proved that he develop into worth to be. tacky, i comprehend, yet i believe it really is the way it will be.

Answer 7

No, he was not saying he was greater than Jesus Christ, he was saying that he did that one thing better than Jesus Christ.

Was he right to boast? Maybe, maybe not. Was he right? I think he was.

Answer 8

At least he didn't suffer from low self-esteem. LOL