http://www.uni-graz.at/~schulter/se04_religiosity.pdf

Interesting read (as someone who has epilepsy himself).

There is plenty of evidence to show he deliberately conned people, and had the intent to do so. He knew exactly what he was doing, and set out to deceive people to get money, women, power, etc. in return. The versions of the first vision read like a liar changing his story, and not like a "vision".

Religiosity in people with TLE just makes them more sincere in their belief, because they mistake their seizures for divine manifestations.

Also, I do not think he would have been functional enough to manage it all.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/27/2011 07:37PM by atheist&happy:-).

> The versions of the first vision
> read like a liar changing his story, and not like
> a "vision".

That's the key right there. :)

I remember that he had seizures, but I believe they were the result of high fever with an infected wound in his leg. This is no Julius Caesar.

ROTFLMAO at your pun. :-D

Thanks for posting this. I love reading stuff like this.

I agree it seems unlikely that Joseph Smith was anything other than a conman, but this penomenon could explain the fervor of quite a few early Mormons, don't you think?

No, I don't think so. Their fervor is explained by the religious culture of the time, when the Second Great Awakening was ravaging America.

Smith wasn't the only religious con-artist of the day.

Google "Burned Over District" for a fun read.

Also look into these fine folks:

Charles Grandison Finney

William Miller

Ellen White

The Fox Sisters

Smith had no illness other than pure laziness which he inherited from his dad. Joseph sifted through the ashes of the Burned Over District and concocted the first truly American religion. An All-American Prophet with an All-American Bible from an All-American God who favors this country above all others was an attraction for folks back in the day.

Stroke of genius were it not for the con factor.

Timothy

and it doesn't make you wonder if there weren't 'holy men' like that through time. Their fervor is amazing.

I have to agree that we know too much about JS, and he was too logical and premeditated about what he did to qualify.

How about Jesus?

I would guess there would have been less of this sort of hysterial hallucenating if TV had been invented or if the people would have just quit eating wild mushrooms.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/2011 07:10PM by steve benson.