Category Archives: Joseph Smith

The Book of Mormon in Context

Posted on July 25, 2008 by Sharon Lindbloom

“The possibility of finding buried treasure fascinated many in late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century America. Reports of searching for such riches were widespread in the Palmyra [New York] area, and extant accounts show that treasure was generally sought through supernatural … Continue reading →

Posted in Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith, Mormon History | 142 Comments

Joseph Smith’s 1832 Handwritten History

Posted on July 21, 2008 by Sharon Lindbloom

One hundred and seventy-six years ago yesterday (that is, on July 20, 1832) Joseph Smith began writing a history of his life. This was his first attempt at recording his history. He worked on it for several months while living … Continue reading →

Posted in Joseph Smith | Tagged | 15 Comments

Self-Righteousness Boasting

Posted on March 19, 2008 by Sharon Lindbloom

Kris Frederickson, a MormonTimes.com columnist, recently wrote about Learning from others outside Mormonism. She wrote, “My understanding of the gospel of Jesus Christ has been greatly improved by the teachings of religious men and women over the ages, many of … Continue reading →

Posted in Joseph Smith | 60 Comments

Expounding the Prophets

Posted on March 5, 2008 by Sharon Lindbloom

On March 4th 1843 the LDS Prophet Joseph Smith told the Nauvoo City Council: “I was opposed to hanging, even if a man kill another, I will shoot him, or cut off his head, spill his blood on the ground, … Continue reading →

Posted in Brigham Young, Joseph Smith, Mormon History | 66 Comments

Sludge from a Dark Well

Posted on January 30, 2008 by Sharon Lindbloom

The Salt Lake Tribune ran an interesting opinion piece last week (22 January 2008) written by Eric Dursteler, an associate professor at BYU. Describing himself as “a Mormon and a historian,” in “Attacks on Islam, Mormonism spring from the same … Continue reading →

Posted in Joseph Smith | 6 Comments

“Smith was so full of charm, enthusiasm and imagination that ‘he could sell a muzzle to a dog'”

Posted on December 10, 2007 by Aaron Shafovaloff

Maureen Dowd rips into Joseph Smith in the New York Times: The founder of Mormonism, Joseph Smith, who ran for president the year before he died, was a lusty, charismatic Prospero. In “Under the Banner of Heaven,” a best seller … Continue reading →

Posted in Joseph Smith | 38 Comments

Inconsistency in Joseph Smith’s Canonized History?

Posted on October 10, 2007 by Sharon Lindbloom

I have often pondered the Joseph Smith History found in the Pearl of Great Price. As he told his story of what led him to seek divine guidance (resulting in the First Vision), Joseph described the spiritual atmosphere in his … Continue reading →

Posted in Joseph Smith, Mormon Scripture | 28 Comments

James 1:5 — An Appeal to Scripture

Posted on July 13, 2007 by Sharon Lindbloom

I was recently reading in The Pearl of Great Price, Joseph Smith — History regarding the events leading up to Joseph Smith’s First Vision. As Joseph told the story, he talked about his confusion over which church was correct in … Continue reading →

Posted in Bible, Joseph Smith, Mormon History | 47 Comments

“Mormonism’s king was dead.”

Posted on June 27, 2007 by Sharon Lindbloom

On 27 June 1844 Mormonism’s founding prophet, Joseph Smith, was killed. Much has been written about the death of Joseph Smith, accounts written from every perspective imaginable. In 1994 historian D. Michael Quinn, a former BYU professor and former Mormon, … Continue reading →

Posted in Joseph Smith, Mormon History | 42 Comments

Joseph Smith on Humility, Innocence and Truth

Posted on June 6, 2007 by Sharon Lindbloom

One hundred and sixty-three years ago tomorrow (June 7, 1844) the one and only issue of The Nauvoo Expositor was published in Nauvoo, Illinois. The newspaper was intended to be the voice of the Reformed Mormon Church, a dissident religious … Continue reading →

Posted in Joseph Smith, Mormon History | 5 Comments