Quote:
Originally Posted by ceeboo
Hi Ram,
You have offered this comparison many times " If you consider JS to not be a prophet because of his lifestly choices " then you must also dismiss all other " prophets " for their
choices as well.
Please forgive me as I try and gain your LDS perspective. IT IS NOT A LIFESTLYLE CHOICE BY JS THAT WE ARE DISCUSSING, IT IS A CLAIM OF PROPHESY BY THE PROPHET ( JS ) HIMSELF THAT HE WAS COMMANDED TO IMPLEMENT THIS POLYGAMY.
A very different thing from my perspective and I am asking for your perspective.
Thanks for your consideration
God bless,
Carl
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And that's where this comes in: if God okayed polygamy by Abraham and others in the Bible, then it was potentially okay for Joseph to also live it.
The issue then comes down to: was Joseph a prophet? We cannot use polygamy as a claim against him, as that would create a circular argument:
1. We condemn polygamy as false and wrong in our day
2. Joseph Smith practiced polygamy
3. Therefore, Joseph Smith was a false prophet for practicing polygamy, which we condemn.
Instead, we need to view his overall work as a prophet. Looking not just at one small piece of his effort, but all of the pieces, and see how they fit together. Does this tapestry fit in with the Bible's teachings and history, or are they diametrically opposed? Does his teachings seem to actually restore ancient teachings, or are they newly made up things?