Did J. Smith express contrition for past behavior?

[zaffiroborant]

Smith portrayed himself as being persecuted, not as a sinner who’s sins brought consequences to himself and others. Mormons believe this about Smith to this day and their stories of Smith are all about his “persecutions”, but never the sins that led to his troubles.

This.

 

[twopekinguys]

Yep, the Mormons will lie* about what they believe in order to “soften” it for your consumption. They want you to think that they believe what you expect them to believe, so that they can lure you into baptism, then the LDS culture and Sunday school and testimony meetings and bishop’s interviews and temple “worthiness” that try to shape your thinking and eventually control your thinking.

I know. Been there, done that.

Paul (formerly LDS, now happily Catholic)

• Even if it is a lie of omission, it is still a lie.

A perfect example of that is the speech that Boyd Packer (I think) gave at general conference a couple of years ago that used some very unpleasant rhetoric, but, the church changed the “official” transcript after the speech was given. The good thing is, there is video and audio of what was originally said.

Talk about changing history on the fly.

 

[TexanKnight]

How can anyone believe that a man whose last acts included: violating the constitution, trying to run away and leave his people, possess an illegal weapon while in jail, fire blindly at people, try to escape the building leaving his friends to die in his place…

be contrite?

 

[PaulDupre1]

How can anyone believe that a man whose last acts included: violating the constitution, trying to run away and leave his people, possess an illegal weapon while in jail, fire blindly at people, try to escape the building leaving his friends to die in his place…

be contrite?

Oh, but:

“Death cannot conquer the hero again.”

• From the LDS hymn Praise To The Man, about Joseph Smith.

I guess their definition of hero is different from mine.

Paul (formerly LDS, now happily LDS)

Edit: For those unaware of this hymn, allow me to quote some of it.

"Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah!
Jesus anointed that prophet and seer,
Blessed to open the last dispensation.
Kings shall extoll him and nations revere!

Praise to the prophet, ascended to heaven!
Traitors and tyrants now fight him in vain.
Mingling with gods, he can plan for his brethren.
Death cannot conquer the hero again."

 

[MJE]

Oh, but:

“Death cannot conquer the hero again.”

• From the LDS hymn Praise To The Man, about Joseph Smith.

I guess their definition of hero is different from mine.

Paul (formerly LDS, now happily LDS)

Edit: For those unaware of this hymn, allow me to quote some of it.

**"Praise to the man who communed with Jehovah!
Jesus anointed that prophet and seer,
Blessed to open the last dispensation.
Kings shall extoll him and nations revere!

Praise to the prophet, ascended to heaven!
Traitors and tyrants now fight him in vain.
Mingling with gods, he can plan for his brethren.
Death cannot conquer the hero again."**

Do Mormon parents hope/pray their children, particularly their little boys, grow up to be like Joseph Smith?