From: psyrobtw@ubvmsb.cc.buffalo.edu (Robert Weiss)
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc
Subject: Re: Joseph Smith becomes a Methodist, despite God's command.
Date: 12 Nov 92 02:19:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <1992Nov5.113758.9357@cbnews.cb.att.com>, wcsa@cbnews.cb.att.com (Willard C. Smith) writes...
>In article <f75B02ly29Vd01@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com> agr00@JUTS.ccc.amdahl.com (Anthony G Rose) writes:
> 
>|I don't think you read _all_ of my post Willard.  My point was that
>|Joseph made an attempt to join, and started the process of becoming a
>|member.  If he had not been asked to leave because of his moral and
>|career ethics, he would have probably continued the process.
>|
>|This point of my letter was to point out that _after_ God appeared to him
>|and told him not join any of the churches that they were an abomination in
>|His sight, Joseph began the process to joining the Methodist.
>|
>|The Historical facts are there and the evidence is unrefutable.  The
>|question is, how you are going to deal with it.
> 
>Tony, Joseph Smith was attempting to enroll in a probationary class.
>You can interpret it either as Joseph Smith was attempting to become a
>Methodist OR Joseph Smith was trying to pacify his wife's family. In
>1828, Joseph Smith was already actively involving in translating the
>Book of Mormon. That's WHY he was in Harmony in the first place! That is
>WHY Emma's cousin objected to his enrollment in the probationary class.
> 
>Any attempt to ignore what Joseph Smith was doing in Harmony in 1828 and
>insist the interpretation MUST BE "Joseph Smith was attempting to become a
>Methodist" strains credibility. Don't sit there and try and say, "Well,
>that's your problem." It is not MY problem, it's YOUR interpretation, so
>YOU explain how the two things can be reconciled. Frankly if you have
>to resort to "Joseph Smith was a two faced so and so" to extract yourself
>from a problematic interpretation of YOUR OWN MAKING, then all I can say
>is that you probably wouldn't be a very good professional historian (on
>any topic).

	I find this kind o'confusing.
	
	The statement of facts includes:

	Joseph Smith joined a class that was designed for people who 
wished to join the Methodist church.

	His wife's cousins objected strongly to the fact that Joseph 
Smith would be aligned with the Methodist church.

	Joseph Smith left the class before becoming a member of the 
Methodist church.

	Now.

	Tony Rose has mentioned that he views that fact that Joseph 
Smith joined a class that was for people that were considering joining 
the Methodist church as evidence that Smith was making an attempt to 
join the Methodist church.

	Willard Smith states that Mr. Rose's interpretation of the 
facts strains credibility. Mr. Smith believes that a plausible 
interpretation is that Joseph joined the class to pacify his wife's family.

	However.

	Mr. Smith's interpretation posits an ulterior motive. Before 
we read in an ulterior motive, we should see some indication for doing 
so. So far, none has been presented. The sole justification being that 
going to this class was to pacify Smith's wife's family. However, a 
portion of Smith's wife's family (her cousins) were rankled by his
joining this class and were responsible for Joseph Smith leaving 
the class.

	Therefore, the justification for an ulterior motive for 
joining the probationary class (that of seeking to pacify Smith's 
wife's family) must be reconciled with the statement of facts 
(Smith's wife's family were responsible for Smith leaving the 
probationary class) before we can extend any credibility to this 
interpretation.


=============================
Robert Weiss
psyrobtw@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu
Newsgroups: talk.religion.misc,sci.skeptic,alt.censorship,alt.sex