Joseph Smith Rings
 

This could be a dillie...

http://deseretbook.com/store/product?sku=4478648

So let me get this straight: Church members are discouraged from wearing crosses, but are being encouraged to wear a ring that Joseph Smith "wore to his martyrdom?"

I am beside myself. The sweet former Methodist woman who Visit Teaches my wife still wears her tiny gold cross. Good for her. I think I might just get one for myself.

Concerning crosses, I understand that some church leaders have instructed that they would prefer our focus to be on the resurrection rather than the crucifixion, hence you do not see crosses in our buildings. But this is the first I've heard about the members being discouraged from wearing crosses personally. Is it a seminary answer that passed me by?

And of course in many senses this is problematic. Many protestants wear crosses but not crucifixes for the very reason that Jesus is not on it. He is resurrected and alive, as it were.

There has been counsel over the years about not wearing crosses, why we don't have them on buildings etc. Bruce R. McConkie teaches it in Mormon Doctrine and the passage has been readily adopted by most. Joseph Fielding Smith taught it in Answers to Gospel Questions. There's a discussion in the Encyclopedia of Mormonism that does not justify itself very well.

But the question still remains...wearing a Joseph Smith ring? Are you kidding me? This is exactly the sort of thing that convinces people that we worship Joseph Smith. We don't wear crosses but we do wear a JS ring? That's all they need to strengthen that argument. And the allusion to it as the ring JS wore to Carthage...this is beyond sick.

lol...is this a legit concern for you? lol...................that grounds for getting irritated at the church if I've ever seen it....

lol...........................

No evidence. No argument. Nothing but mockery.

I think you are overreacting here. Just because deseret book sells one doesn't mean Mormons are buying them. I also don't think it's "beyond sick". It's simply cheesy. This shouldn't shock anybody who has perused the catalogs of deseret books.

Follow up question: Do you think we'll ever see the Jupiter Talisman show up on the DB web page?

To quell any anti's concerns, we could just say that it's the LDS version of The Lion King ring - with the "Circle of Life" on it.

We disagree on this.

You're giving Deseret Book an easy pass because Mormons might not be buying them? Clearly DB wants them to.

And it's beyond cheesy. It really is. It's flat out distrurbing.

I think you're overstating the martyrdom aspect. Yes it's mentioned, but seems to be for historical background. I'd personally file that under cheesy and not disturbing.

I thought the description of the circle engraved on the ring as "an eternal circle" was humorous. I wonder if I can get a non-eternal circle engraved on mine? I also enjoyed the description of who wore the ring after Joseph. I was just waiting to find out who took it to Mordor and threw it into the fire.

Well deserved and earned mockery might I add......you have issues. lol................

Joseph Smith rings....lol.................


lol......................quick.....write the church and demand your membership be withdrawn right now.........quick!!!

lol.................go protest Deseret Book. With Signs even.....I mean if there were ever something to get in a snit over this would certainly be it...

lol...............