Prophet, Fraud, or Dupe?

There are many who vehemently deny and ardently endeavor to refute Joseph Smith's claim to prophet-hood. To all such individuals, I ask this question: if not a prophet, was Joseph a fraud or a dupe? Was he a deceiver or the deceived? The two are mutually exclusive-- if his goal was to make himself a celebrity, monarch, and puppeteer, then he was a liar, seducer, tyrant, and extortionist. If, on the other hand, he was merely a bumpkin, a fool easily swayed either by devils or his own imagination, he was at least an honest fool. He was open about everything he believed because, in his mind, he had nothing to hide.

I do not believe, nor do I think I ever could bring myself to believe, that Joseph Smith was anything other than what he claimed: a prophet of God, a man with human frailties and weaknesses just like everyone else but possessing an honest, humble heart. If the scriptures are to be believed at all, it shows us that it is through such men that God has always chosen to reveal his designs. Those who picture the prophets of old as overpowering caricatures of super-human strength or charisma possessing tempestuous voices that cause the earth to tremble and the sky to trumpet thunder can hardly be expected to recognize a real prophet when they see one because they are looking for something else entirely. Christ himself was rejected as the Messiah by the Jews because he did not fit their preconceived images of what the Messiah should be. Joseph Smith, as well as many prophets before his time, were rejected as such on the same basis. I believe Joseph Smith is a prophet on the sole basis of his teachings-- if he were a prophet of God, then those who followed his teachings would be blessed by God and be able to see those blessings. I have been blessed, and I continue to see those blessings day after day.

For those who wish to dismiss the prophet Joseph Smith as a fraud, I ask this question: what of the prophet's flight from Nauvoo in 1845 when he was summoned by the governor of Illinois to come to Carthage to answer to the allegation of treason charged against him? At the very moment that he was beyond the grasp of the law, at the moment when he could have broken the tethers that bound him to the persecution and turmoil which surrounded him his whole life, he returned at the request of his friends to stand trial despite his premonitions of impending death. I cannot believe he would do something so rash as endanger his life if were not out of love for those to whom he had spent his life preaching. I do not see such a charitable act coming from someone whose intent was to lead astray and to subjugate those around him. It just doesn't add up.

I also cite Elder Jeffrey R. Holland of the Quorum of the Twelve in a talk entitled “Safety For the Soul” on the matter of whether or not Joseph Smith was a fraud: “When Joseph Smith and his brother Hyrum started for Carthage to face what they knew would be an imminent martyrdom, Hyrum read […] in the Book of Mormon. Before closing the book, Hyrum turned down the corner of the page from which he had read, marking it as part of the everlasting testimony for which these two brothers were about to die. […] Later, when actually incarcerated in the jail, Joseph the Prophet turned to the guards who held him captive and bore a powerful testimony of the divine authenticity of the Book of Mormon. […] As one of a thousand elements of my own testimony of the divinity of the Book of Mormon, I submit this as yet one more evidence of its truthfulness. In this their greatest-- and last-- hour of need, I ask you: would these men blaspheme before God by continuing to fix their lives, their honor, and their own search for eternal salvation on a book (and by implication a church and a ministry) they had fictitiously created out of whole cloth? […] Tell me whether in this hour of death these two men would enter the presence of their Eternal Judge quoting from and finding solace in a book which, if not the very word of God, would brand them as imposters and charlatans until the end of time? They would not do that! They were willing to die rather than deny the divine origin and the eternal truthfulness of the Book of Mormon.” How many people do you know who would be willing to die for a lie?

And then there are those who say, “Well, Joseph Smith wasn't lying-- at least, he didn't think he was. He was deceived.” I caution those who take this position to consider the weight of the implications behind such a statement. If Joseph was deceived, then he had nothing to hide, and we can trust the sincerity-- not necessarily the accuracy-- in his writings. With that in mind, I cite his account given in the 11th, 18th, and 19th verses in his history found in the Pearl of Great Price: “I saw two personages, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name, and said, pointing to the other-- This is my Beloved Son. Hear him.” He saw, or believed he saw, God the Father and Jesus Christ. They appeared to him in answer to his prayer. He also says, “My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of the sects was right, that I may know which to join.”

Joseph didn't go into the woods that morning expecting to see visions. He just wanted to know the answer to a simple question. He read in the bible, “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God […] and it shall be given him.” He acted in faith, prompted by the promise given to him by James. If he was deceived, he was set up for it-- by the Bible! Why would God promise to let his children know the truth if they ask and then allow them to be led astray? If Joseph was deceived, then James lied. If James lied, then he is a false prophet and his epistle is not to be trusted. And if that is the case, how are we to trust any other book in the Bible? If we cannot trust God's word, then we cannot trust God, for if God's prophets lied then God himself lied. A God who lies cannot be a God of truth and therefore cannot be God. If Joseph was deceived, there is no God, and nobody professing to be a Christian would want to make that claim.

Was Joseph Smith a prophet, a deceiver, or a fraud? It has been a matter of study and argument for decades. But before anybody decides to pick a side they need to carefully weigh out the matter in their minds and test Joseph's teachings to see whether in fact he was a prophet or not. He ever encouraged the humble seeker of truth to ask of God, to prove him in all things. That is the course we must take if we are to truly know, beyond a doubt, whether he was a prophet or not, for evidence can only suggest and never prove, but through the Holy Ghost we “may know the truth of all things.” I have read his teachings and the book which he translated from ancient origin, the Book of Mormon, and have put them to the test. I've spent hours pondering the things I've read, and I have asked my Heavenly Father in prayer to know the truth. I bear my witness to you that I know that Joseph Smith is a prophet, in the name of Jesus Christ, amen.

Rules of Engagement

Each of us, consciously or not, has placed safeguards around our hearts-- often called “Rules of Engagement” or “Boundaries”-- to keep people out. The process of putting up these boundaries is not unlike the construction of a fort-- as perceived threats approach we retreat behind our walls and go on the defensive to protect the inner sanctum of our feelings. We throw up these walls in response to first-hand emotional trauma or when we observe others experience it. Our walls can protect us, but they can also box us in and prevent us from developing healthy relationships.

In each of our relationships it is essential to learn and then to honor the other person's rules of engagement if we want to develop intimacy. When relationships struggle it is usually because one or both individuals fail to do this. Many couples divorce as a result of poor communication, a problem that could be reversed if they understood the concept of boundary protection.

You have two homework assignments, to be completed within the next 48 hours:

1) Conduct a personal inventory. Figure out your rules of engagement and write them down in a place that will be easily accessible in the future.

2) With someone who you want to improve your relationship with, talk about each other's rules of engagement (first explain to them the concept if they don't understand already). Discuss each other's feelings and how you can both better respect each other's boundaries, and make an agreement to do so. Then write down a plan of action to carry it out. LDS Missionaries call this “Companionship Inventory.” It is powerful catalyst in speeding up the process of building trust, and if done so on a regular basis-- at least weekly, but also as soon as grievances arise-- will strengthen and advance relationships, even ones that are seemingly beyond repair (though admittedly these will take more time to heal).

Evaluation

What did you discover about yourself during your personal inventory? Do you feel like your self-awareness increased? Why?

What was the result of your companionship inventory? What did you learn about the other person? What did you plan to change to strengthen your relationship?

How effective was this exercise? Would you do it again? Why?

If you knew someone who was struggling in their relationships, would you share this with them? Why?

My own experience with companionship inventories has been remarkable. It saved at least three of my companionships from going kaput and gave me some very, very close friends.

Please let me know how your companionship inventory goes.