Posted by:
MCR
(
)
Date: September 29, 2015 03:45PM
This article is such carefully crafted lying. I couldn't get all the way through it. If you're not convinced TSSC knows it's intentionally trying to fool people, this article will tell you it's crafted for fraud. Not only because of what it says, but how it's saying it. Each line, individually, is true, but the implications of the lines, collectively, are purposely obfuscated. An honest person should get sick reading it.
Early in, the article says "the villagers of Palymyra and Manchester, New York, where the Smiths lived, sought out Joseph to find lost objects before he moved to Pennsylvania in late 1827." The unspoken implication is that in the early 19th century, rocks really did have power. A man with a rock really could find a lost object. Apparently, today, rocks are just rocks--they no longer tell people where to find lost objects (so don't ask Monson where your keys are; he can't tell you).
Of course, it would have been far more accurate for the article to have said: "Joseph sought out marks among the villagers, the gullible among them he convinced to give him money by promising to find lost objects, like bars of gold, for which activity eventually he was tried and convicted of fraud."
I loved this careful wording too: "For those without an understanding of how 19th century people in Joseph's region, lived their religion, seer stones can be unfamiliar." Jesus. "19th century people?" C'mon, it wasn't that long ago. If you're unfamiliar with "19th century people" read a Dickens novel or watch Masterpiece Theatre," they'll bring you up to speed! Or "Joseph's region." Joseph's region was upstate New York. What's that, the moon? "How people 'lived' their religion?" Oh, please. Just say, "crystal ball." Everyone will get it. I promise.
Why did "the Age of Reason" reject seer stones? Because they were silly, superstitious nonsense that the unscrupulous used to confuse and defraud the public. Apparently, that's still true today.