More likely than not, Joseph Smith was either a con-artist or insane, not a prophet of god.

Commentary "This, in accordance with the resolution, results in your forfeit." Not as a rebuttal but I was acting in good faith in accordance with the resolution: The debate rules for the 1st round seemingly were exclusive only of posting an argument/rebuttal. Your implication notwithstanding, I would also note that pointing out grammatical errors is not intended as an "attack" or as “argument” in the context of any debate and is widely considered to be a fallacy (https://yourlogicalfallacyis.com...), however, I will however defer to the voters for this metric. "That being said, I have only to provide better and more numerous reputable citations to support that accusation than you provide against it." Brevity is the soul of wit and the sister of talent. The assumption that providing more numerous falsehoods, misconceptions, and poorly concluded speculations would merit a victory is interesting but also amusing as a strategy of quantity over quality. Argument Joseph Smith was neither a con-artist nor insane, and was a prophet of god. Some people may prefer anecdotes and hearsay, but, I will prefer that my argument be founded upon reliable information, common sense, and reason. 1. A con-artist relies on several stages when executing a con. This according to Edward H. Smith, in his book, Confessions of a Confidence Man - " [the] con game has its introduction, development, climax, dénouement and close, just like any good play." Smith goes on to elaborate that subsequent to a con-man's preparation there is the "Approach" which is the manner of getting in touch with the victim. Conversely Joseph Smith did not approach any alleged victims, but rather people came to him for help. 2. The idea that a teenage boy without a high school education could "make up" the Book of Mormon in only two months, express such astute biblical knowledge, and construct a significant religious movement with many conspirators simply as a "con" is absurd and improbable - likely impossible. This sort of accomplishment would not be the work of a "con-man" but of a genius and prodigy that has never been documented before or since. The more reasonable conclusion is that these events were divinely inspired, divinely orchestrated, and the preponderance of evidence confirms the presence of prophecy. 3. David Whitmer was one of the three witnesses for the Book of Mormon. He writes the following opening chapter IV (http://www.utlm.org...): "In June 1829, the translation of the Book of Mormon was finished. God gave it to us as his Holy Word, and left us as men to work out our own salvation and set in order the Church of Christ according to the written word. He left us as men to receive of His Spirit as we walked worthy to receive it; and His Spirit guides men into all truth; but the spirit of man guides man into error. When God had given us the Book of Mormon, and a few revelations in 1829 by the same means that the Book was translated, commanding us to rely upon the written word in establishing the church, He did His part; and it left us to do our part and to be guided by the Holy Ghost as we walked worthy to receive. God works with men according to their faith and obedience. He has unchangeable spiritual laws which He cannot break; and He could not be so merciful as to give more of His Spirit to any man, than that man was worthy to receive by his faith and obedience." "If you believe my testimony to the Book of Mormon; if you believe that God spake to us three witnesses by his own voice, then I tell you that in June, 1838, God spake to me again by his own voice from the heavens, and told me to "separate myself from among the Latter Day Saints, for as they sought to do unto me, should it be done unto them." Whtimer never claims fraud, nor shouts "con", cries “insanity”, or recants his witness. Whitmer maintained the truthfulness of the BoM’s emergence unto death (Richard L. Bushman, Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling (NY: Knopf, 2005)). It is absurd that an "insane" person would also accomplish a similar situation for any length of time without any notice or mention. An "outsider", one Truman Coe, a Presbyterian Minister, in 1836, writes: “I cheerfully certify that I was familiar with the manner of Joseph Smith’s translating the book of Mormon. He translated the most of it at my Father’s house. And I often sat by and saw and heard them translate and write for hours together. Joseph never had a curtain drawn between him and his scribe while he was translating. He would place the director in his hat, and then place his [face in his] hat, so as to exclude the light, and then [read] to his scribe the words as they appeared before him." A minister from another religion would immediately expose Joseph Smith as insane or as con-man if it were merited...but he does not, he writes of the account as if it were a normal. Sally Chase, William Stafford, Joshua Stafford, Chauncy Hart, and an unnamed man in Susquehanna County were known to use seer stones in a reputable fashion in the same area as Joseph Smith. (Joseph Smith and the Beginnings of Mormonism - Bushman) (“Lorenzo Saunders Interview, 12 November 1884") 4. These "seer stones", referred to as the Urim and Thummin, are found in the Bible. Exodus 28:30, 1 Samuel 28:6, and Ezra 2:63 all confirm the notion of various forms of divination that God allows. “Seer stones" were not uncommon forms of revelation/divination in Christianity. (http://en.wikipedia.org...) While our modern day tastes and perceptions may consider supernatural methods as being strange or nefarious it was not that way in the context of Joseph Smith's life. This time was during America's "Second Great Awakening" - known for religious fervor, not con-arts and insanity. Here we see the emergence of conformist and non-conformist religion. (http://www.pbs.org...) (http://www.let.rug.nl...) 5. The complexity by which the Book of Mormon was received and translated, and how the church was founded - all accounted for by multiple witnesses with a likeness beyond reasonable coincidence illustrates that an uneducated teenager would find such an elaboration well beyond his grasp and ability, especially as it required an extremely well-coordinated conspiracy. Furthermore, were this the devised plan of an insane person, multiple witnesses of that circumstance would have revealed this fact. To claim insanity in this circumstance is the stuff only batman villains are made of...and that stuff is found only in fantasy comics. 6. Here is a brief description of how "Prophet" is defined by Mormons and as such how it used when declaring that Joseph Smith was a Prophet: The word "prophet" comes from the Greek prophetes, which means "inspired teacher." Although neither the Greek term nor its Hebrew equivalent, nabi, initially required the function of foretelling, all prophecy looks to the future. Since the Lord has chosen some of his servants to be foretellers--to disclose, sometimes in specific terms, momentous events that are to occur--the predictive element often overshadows other implications of the word in the minds of some. But the gift of prophecy is not restricted to those whose words have been recorded in scripture. By scriptural definition, a prophet is anyone who has a testimony of Jesus Christ and is moved by the Holy Ghost (Rev. 19:10; cf. TPJS, pp. 119, 160). Moses, voicing his approval of two men who had prophesied, exclaimed, "Would God that all the Lord's people were prophets, and that the Lord would put his spirit upon them!" (Num. 11:26-29). Schools of prophets and "sons" (followers) of prophets, some false and some true, existed in large numbers in Old Testament times. In modern times, speaking of Brigham Young, Elder Wilford Woodruff said, "He is a prophet, I am a prophet, you are, and anybody is a prophet who has the testimony of Jesus Christ, for that is the spirit of prophecy" (Journal of Discourses 13:165). It follows that this spirit does not operate in every utterance of its possessor. The Prophet Joseph Smith explained that "a prophet [is] a prophet only when he [is] acting as such" (History of the Church 5:265). One can simply read the text of Doctrine and Covenants (https://www.lds.org...) and discern quite easily that these writings are inspired of God and the Spirit of God will make an impression that the writings contain prophetic truths which are successfully applied in the lives of people. This will lead to the inevitable conclusion that Joseph Smith was, in fact, a prophet - neither insane nor nefarious. For as stated above a prophet is merely an inspired teacher and one who is moved by the Holy Spirit and has a belief in Jesus Christ - and to this end Joseph Smith qualifies. "Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city..." -Matthew 23:34