Hello hujo2,
I am a nevermo.
WARNING: this is going to be long.
You can read about Lucy Mack Smith. She is the mother of Joseph Smith.
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucy_Mack_SmithHer father is Soloman Mack.
Mother is Lydia Gates Mack.
Even though Solomon Mack was not committed to any religious belief system, he certainly appreciated the diligence of his wife in attending to the spiritual and educational needs of their children.
Lucy Mack Smith’s two older sisters each had a visionary confirmation that their sins were forgiven and that God called them to "witness" to others of the need for repentance. Such gestures of piety were expected in the highly charged revivalist climate of the day. As historians have noted, clergymen "encouraged people to induce 'visions'" (Buel, 11). Lucy Mack Smith's father (Solomon Mack), after a period of acute suffering in body and mind, underwent his own religious conversion in 1810.
^^^^^Having visions was a common thing in New York and probably other areas. This is the environment in which Joseph Smith’s family grew up.
In rural areas of northern New England, the proliferation of evangelical religious sects and the pre-Victorian emphasis on the family as a moral force were especially significant forces in Lucy Mack's life. Migrants to this area had taken with them the revolutionary spirit of political independence. They had also encouraged the breakdown of the old order of religious domination. "The grip of colonial religious culture was broken and a new American style of religious diversity came into being." Such a setting became fertile ground for religious experimentation and the birth of indigenous religious sects, some of which "undertook to redefine social and economic order through the model of the extended family." Without stable institutional structures, the family thus became the "crucible" for forming "primary identity, socialization, and cultural norms for rural life" (Marini, 7, 56, 31). Mack was a product of this environment.
Lucy Mack married Joseph Smith, Sr., in January 1796, bringing a wedding gift of $1,000 from her brother, Stephen, and his business partner, John Mudget. Lucy Smith assumed the responsibility for the moral and religious guidance of her children as well as for their secular education. As a result, she emerges as a major influence in preparing them for their involvement in the charismatic movement which early Mormonism represents.
^^^^^As we can see, the concept of having visions did not start with Joseph Smith. It was a common thing back then in New York and probably other areas. We have to keep in mind that ideas evolve stepwise, just like in Biological Evolution, evolution happens step wise and slowly and it is multigenerational.
It is no surprise that young Joseph Smith uses seer stones. He learned that concept from others. It is no surprise that he resorted to claiming to have visions of his owns. That concept came from his parents, grandparents and others.
The idea that native americans are jews did not start with him either. As soon as Christopher Columbus discovered Amerca in 1492, Europeans were wondering what this guy actually found. It became clear after a few years that it was not India. Some figured out that it was a new land with a new people. The big question was, who were they?
It was believed that caucasians came from one of Noah’s boys (Japheth?). I think blacks came from Ham. Asians came from Shem. But there was simply no fourth son to claim that these new people are the descendants of Noah. Some claimed that it was a second creation. Most did not like the idea of a second creation. Some claimed that native americans were one of the lost tribes of Isreal.
It looks like the idea of native americans being one of the lost tribes of Isreal spread around. The idea was still hanging around in the 18xxs.
I don’t know if Oliver Cowdry, Martin Harris and family members were in on the plan. That is difficult to say. I think Joseph Smith was a talented person and was able to spin tall tales or spin a good yarn. He probably knew the King James version of the Bible pretty well. He essentially duplicated the style.
About Tithing: That’s not unique to mormonism. All christian sects do it. They pass the collection plate in church but they don’t force you to give 10% of your earnings. The priest needs money for food and to fix up the church. It is his business but priests tend to be alright with living on minimum wage.
“At age 8, children are brainwashed,...”
==All religions do that. They brainwash as early as 5 y old.
“Most prophets discourage internet access...”
==Cults try to control information that the members receive. In fact, it is good that LDS commands you to not look. Some of the members grow up and become curious. They learn about the bizarre things, they learn how their believe does not match up with science and they quit mormonism.
Some quit and some don’t. Look at all the young earth creationists out there.
Some have the will and intelligence to study some science. Some get it. Some don’t. Some brains are turned on. Some are turned off.
“They also encourage self growth and education to make sure their future ATM machines are providing a steady cash flow.“
==Not necessarily. It could be that the church top members truly believe and they want mormonism to appear clean and polished. They want educated people, clean people, drug free, family oriented.
People who truly believe, we call these deluded.
As for education, it is a double edged sword. I think the more educated you are, the more curious you become. It is no wonder that 2/3 of mormons are quitting. What happened since the 1990s? Education increased.
“Because most mormons have never had sex their whole life, they're desperate for it to happen and get married early. They end up creating big mormon families and are steady ATM cash flow machines.”
==OK. Are you also told not to use condoms?
The old days of big families are over. Most people know what a condom is, and other contraceptive methods.
~~~~iceman9090