How old were you when you first learned JS practiced polyandry?

[Taq Man]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

So Orson Pratt did not know for a fact what the truth was regarding this matter, at least based on the above quote given.

Orson did decide Indy. He believed his wife who had absolutly no reason in the world to make up a story like this. What would she gain by coming out against Joseph in Nauvoo? He believed his wife and came out openly against Joseph. He was ex-communicated for it too. He later came back into the church but he never went back on who he believed (his wife). It took about a year but he came to accept polygamy and he forgave Joseph. But he never retracted his public accusations that Joseph tried to seduce his wife while he was away on a mission.

A well sourced book written by an active LDS scholar on this subject is "Conflict in the Quorum"

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Sleeping in EQ

As to Joseph Smith tempering the scriptures, the fact is that he changed them at different times. He deleted sentences, added words, and so on. Compare BC (that is, Book of Commandments) 4:2 with D&C 5:4, BC 9:1 with D&C 10:1, BC 28:6-7 with D&C 27:5, and BC 44:26 with D&C 42:29-30.

Red herring. The criticism is not about whether the scriptures have undergone some textual modification, but whether Joseph "tempered" them to either put himself in a more favorable light, or obfuscate divine displeasure with his behavior, or both.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by Tex

Red herring. The criticism is not about whether the scriptures have undergone some textual modification, but whether Joseph "tempered" them to either put himself in a more favorable light, or obfuscate divine displeasure with his behavior, or both.

We have Joseph Smith's account where God punished/threatened him when he

1. Lost the 116 pages
2. Was reluctant to practice polygamy

Are there any other incidents like these?

[Archaea]

Originally Posted by Tex

Red herring. The criticism is not about whether the scriptures have undergone some textual modification, but whether Joseph "tempered" them to either put himself in a more favorable light, or obfuscate divine displeasure with his behavior, or both.

If he tempered them and we never received them, how could we know?

[Jeff Lebowski]

Originally Posted by Indy Coug

We have Joseph Smith's account where God punished/threatened him when he

1. Lost the 116 pages
2. Was reluctant to practice polygamy

Are there any other incidents like these?

By the way, Indy. Nice job bashing CG over on CB lately. You make yourself out to be a bulwark of reason, common sense, and faith holding back a horde of apostates and apostate-wannabes. Bravo.

[Indy Coug]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

By the way, Indy. Nice job bashing CG over on CB lately. You make yourself out to be a bulwark of reason, common sense, and faith holding back a horde of apostates and apostate-wannabes. Bravo.

Congratulations on another appearance from the peanut gallery.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

By the way, Indy. Nice job bashing CG over on CB lately. You make yourself out to be a bulwark of reason, common sense, and faith holding back a horde of apostates and apostate-wannabes. Bravo.

Hey, don't knock it. Every time CG gets a mention on CB your traffic doubles, and maybe you pick up a signup or two. Maybe you'll even hit double-digits this week!

Good job indeed, Indy.

PS. I LOL'ed at this quote: "Archy's just pissed because their dogmatic interpretation of events based on sketchy historical evidence is somehow more valid than my dogmatic Mormon apologism."

Can't think of a better way to describe this thread.

[Tex]

Originally Posted by Archaea

If he tempered them and we never received them, how could we know?

Exactly my question to you.

[Sleeping in EQ]

Originally Posted by Tex

Red herring. The criticism is not about whether the scriptures have undergone some textual modification, but whether Joseph "tempered" them to either put himself in a more favorable light, or obfuscate divine displeasure with his behavior, or both.

Your whole notion of expecting to find detailed descriptions of Joseph Smith's folleys in the scriptures (and to heck with other sources) is itself a red herring. Your criteria for your standard? Above I listed many scriptures that indicated that JS was repeatedly sinful (a behavior I expect from prophets as from any other people).

And you've ignored (no surprise) the Brigham Young quote I posted about an adulterer being inspired by the Spirit.

[All-American]

Originally Posted by Jeff Lebowski

Amen to that. The nitpicking and the denial over the sexual part of it seems a little odd to me.

I think it has everything to do with the nature of those relationships and Joseph's motives for introducing the practice. I just don't see the "orgiastic revelry" others do.