Quote:
Originally Posted by Tex
I read the whole thing, and I have my own personal copy of Words of Joseph Smith too. I don't read it the way you do either.
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I don't think I've really decided which way I read it.
I think it's an interesting "soft prophecy" - if I can call it that - one that is seized upon by anti-Mormons as a sign of false prophecy, and one that LDS often explain by claiming that when Joseph died, all bets were off.
Of course, this is no problem in LDS theology, since God's timetable is obviously flexible (e.g. D&C 102.1-13), depending on the actions of humans.
I think it's extremely interesting that Joseph Smith was part of this 19th century millenialist tendency to pin down the second coming of Christ, even if his was mainly a reactionary position indicating when he would
not come. His little hints about 56 years, and that some alive would see it betray, in my opinion, a personal belief, perhaps, of when he thought the event would come.
In many ways LDS seem to have deviated from their millenarian roots. I think this grayish, neither-black-nor-white semi-prophecy is an interesting glimpse into the time and place of the early LDS, and it also betrays a sense of urgency that has, in my opinion, somewhat dissipated.
I wasn't trying to troll by posting this; I'm well aware of the standard LDS explanation of D&C 130, but I think the issue is more nuanced than "if Joseph lives, it happens; if not, then who knows?" But that's just me.
PS - Tex, hold onto that book. It's worth hundreds. One of my biggest regrets is not buying two (at retail cost) when I had the chance:
http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Sear...&sts=t&x=0&y=0
Quote:
Originally Posted by Indy Coug
Insult? Are you talking about my comment aimed at fusnik because I certainly didn't insult you.
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And Indy, if you didn't mean "Have you heard of a conditional statement before?" as an insult, then I sincerely apologize for taking it as such.
But I didn't post this stuff as an excuse for me to wax poetic with my thoughts. I was interested in others' reactions, even if they're not identical to mine.