It seems to me that the audacity of Joseph Smith's claims were bounded only by one consideration: What can I get away with?

I believe that is why every version of the first vision became more embellished as he went along: no one objected.

His grandiose schemes, his bizarre dogmas, his political ambitions, his sexual adventures and perversions, everything he did in his whole manipulative, parasitical, vampiric life was limited only by the boundaries he felt pressured to maintain from the outside.

I am sure that even he was pleasantly surprised by how little dignity, reserve, and decency people had.

They just didn't care about his evil. They wanted breasd and they wanted the circus.

The same pattern repeats itself in his life again and again. I'll claim this and see what happens. If people acept it, I'll push it farther. If they accept that, I'll push it farther.

Only in religion could a narcissist like him have essentially NO checks and balances. Stupid sheep. The only bright lights in the whole early church were the Laws and their crew. Everyone else in the know was an evil, cynical, amoral, gainsaying, lickspittle bastard.

And frankly, Emma was as creepy as all of them. She was as big a succubus as her husband.

Sorry for the rant. Seems to be the case, though.

First vision.
Translations of plates.
Joseph's claims about his own role and standing.
Political ambitions.
Military leader.
Designer of cities.
Seduction of one then many single girls followed by married women.

In all these cases he kept pushing, and only his own death saved him from becoming a megalomaniacal caricature of a man--although to me he was already that by his death.

General Smith the Grand Mason High Priest Jesus Christ soon to be God Lover and Sexer of Women and Children Prophet Priest King Astronomer Master of Languages Communer with God Seer Revelator Presidential Candidate WTF??

What idiot in history has arrogated to himself anything close to all this shit?

The guy is a joke. I'm sorry to those of you who take him seriously. I'm sorry FOR those of you who take him seriously.

I've started reading this free Kindle book, the 19th wife, and I think you are quite right! JS was a very bad person. I am so ashamed of my families past and that they allowed him and his successors to control and manipulate them...

Wife No. 19: The Story of a Life in Bondage, Being a Complete Exposé of Mormonism, and Revealing the Sorrows, Sacrifices and Sufferings of Women in Polygamy (Illustrated) [Kindle Edition]
Ann Eliza Young (Author)

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ILV8XV8/ref=oh_aui_d_detailpage_o00_?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I think the death of Joseph was the only thing that saved the church. Otherwise it would have been a Waco or Heavens Gate cult. He was running off the rails.

Maybe his death is evidence of the hand of god in the church haha.

I wish he hadn't been killed. I would love to watch him turn in to Caligula.

That is the whole thing I wonder...did he have all these schemes in his own mind for years and then just unload them a little at a time? Was domination of the world his ultimate goal? I don't know if he was a sociopath but was he a narcissist?? Fuck yes!!

He just kept on pulling a bigger and bigger rabbit out of his hat to impress his followers. I am sure the church would have imploded over his ever growing lies, but he was killed and a more qualified boss took over. Had Joe lived, the church would have failed, imho.

I am half way through Wife 19, Brigham is every bit the lazy thief Joe was, only more clever, ruthless and greedy.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/03/2014 08:13PM by danboyle.

Whenever someone starts on the first vision scam I have only two words to say

1st word Prove

2nd word it

I have often thought just exactly what you are saying. What would he have done next? I have no behavioral sciences in my degrees, but I bet a good behavioral expert could make mincemeat of his behaviour.