I've seen the church version of history, that Joseph was meekly awaiting his martyrdom, avoided attempts to get him to eat human meat and was eventually gunned down.

The "anti"-mormon view says that Joseph got into a shoot-out with the mob that descended on the jail.

Why the heck would he have a gun in jail? Wouldn't he have been searched? Why would he wait for a mob to show up to try and fight his way out?

The church has openly told he war armed.

You can see the pistol he had in the church museum.

Two pistols were smuggled in. Joseph himself did not bring the pistols.

Remember this was the 1840s. One pistol.was a single shot muzzle loader, the other was a pepperbox multi barrel design.

7 shots vs a mob of hundreds wouldn't really be a "shoot out".

Joseph also sent a message requesting the Nauvoo militia to come bust him out. That message was not delivered.

He did not wear his garments that day, which in theory would have magically protected him from the hail of bullets when they aired out his cell.

From Here:
http://utlm.org/onlineresources/josephsmithsdeath.htm

Most Mormons believe that Joseph Smith died without putting up a struggle, but the actual truth is that he died in a gun fight. In the History of the Church the following is recorded concerning Joseph Smith's death:

"Immediately there was a little rustling at the outer door of the jail, and a cry of surrender, and also a discharge of three or four firearms followed instantly....JOSEPH sprang to his coat for his SIX-SHOOTER, Hyrum for his single barrel,...

"When Hyrum fell, Joseph exclaimed; 'Oh dear, brother Hyrum!' and opening the door a few inches HE DISCHARGED HIS SIX SHOOTER IN THE STAIRWAY (as stated before), two or three barrels of which missed fire.

"Joseph, seeing there was no safety in the room, and no doubt thinking that it would save the lives of his brethren in the room if he could get out, turned calmly from the door, dropped his PISTOL on the floor, and sprang into the window when two balls pierced him from the door, and one entered his right breast from without, and he fell outward into the hands of his murderers, exclaiming, 'O Lord, my God.'" (History of the Church, Vol. 6, pp. 617-618)

He had booze too btw.

Ah yes, back when "not by commandment or constraint" meant "not by commandment or constraint."

Mormon life is so much easier now that all uncertainty has been eliminated.

It's literally **on the church's website.**

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/church/news/timeline-of-96-hours-surrounding-the-martyrdom-of-joseph-smith-and-hyrum-smith?lang=eng


Wednesday, June 26, 1844

Sometime during the day, Church member John Fullmer gives Joseph Smith a single-barrel pistol, which he keeps with him at Carthage Jail.


Thursday, June 27, 1844

Sometime in the morning, Cyrus Wheelock visits Carthage Jail and gives Joseph Smith a six-shooter revolver. Joseph gives the previous pistol he received from John Fullmer to Hyrum.

1:30 p.m. Stephen Markham leaves Carthage Jail to get a pipe and tobacco for Willard Richards, who had a sour stomach. The Carthage Greys (local militia guarding the prison), however, do not allow Markham to return to the jail.

5:00-6:00 p.m. Wine is brought in for the prisoners in the upper room of the jail, and Joseph Smith, Taylor, and Richards "tasted" of the wine to lift their spirits.

The prisoners hear guns discharging, and Richards looks outside to see around 100 armed men at the jail door. Joseph and Hyrum Smith grab their guns, and Taylor and Richards grab canes to defend themselves.

Responding to shots and noise, Hyrum Smith fires his gun and is then shot in the face by a bullet coming through the door.

Joseph Smith discharges his weapon. It misfires two or three times—reportedly wounding three people.

Yes he was armed. He also had both hands.

He may have even exercised his right to bare arms. But I'm not sure if he wanted to take his shirt off.

Pew-Pew, from BYU: https://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/digital/collection/RelEd/id/1439/

Thats amazing.

I feel like I've been hit on the side of the head.

It was the prelude to Joseph's best ....and only ...... revelation ever. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQrgLz0tpVA