Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling

[marc]

I bought this book last year, but have put it down too many times because I've started other books. So many books, so little time! I'm going to start it again and share my commentary here. This 700+ page book cannot be beat for the money. I've paid more for a fraction of the content.

From the preface, this has been permanently imprinted in my mind:

Smith is interesting for what he was as well as for what he did. He was the closest America has come to producing a biblical-style-prophet--one who spoke for God with the authority of Moses or Isaiah. He was not an eloquent preacher; he is not known to have preached a single sermon before organizing the church in 1830. But he spoke in God's voice in revelations he compiled and published. A revelation typically began with words like "Hearken O ye people which profess my name, saith the Lord your God." Many thought him presumptuous if not blasphemous, and he made no effort to prove them wrong.

Emphasis is mine. I love that about him! Bold. I think people can accept such boldness from messengers they read about in the scriptures, but not from a contemporary. And therefore, those who were contemporary to prophets past couldn't accept such boldness either. Ironic.

[NervousMom]

I love that about him! Bold. I think people can accept such boldness from messengers they read about in the scriptures, but not from a contemporary. And therefore, those who were contemporary to prophets past couldn't accept such boldness either. Ironic.

Great point. I often think to myself that if I lived in Jesus' time how would I react? I know how I HOPE I would react, but really it's probably not easy to accept some one as bold. Humility is a must.

I just started reading Rough Stone Rolling as well. I'm interested to follow along with your review. I'm pretty captivated by all of the seer stone info so far!

[ebenezerarise]

I'm curious about your take on the book. Personally, I didn't care for it because it felt in some places that Bushman was trying too hard to prove he wasn't objective.

The superlatives about Joseph Smith, in my view, cannot be overstated. There is much being made of his polygamous relationships and I am seeing many falter in their testimonies because of so-called history. There is much in this book that rivals that, in my opinion.

But if folks would put down the history books and just read the scriptures, the revelations, and pray for revelation of their own they would find a real miracle in Joseph and, indeed, in Brigham too. Two very human figures full of faults. But Prophets!

Although I defend Joseph I've kept this book in my library and I've gone back to it twice since I first purchased it. My 2nd time through it was much easier than my 1st.

You just have to see it for what it is.

[marc]

So far, I am soaking it up and thoroughly enjoying it. I'm still in chapter one. Sometimes I like to just take my time and completely absorb it. There are two other biographies that I'd like to read to compare "bias" between them. They are:

1. No Man Knows My History, The life of the prophet Joseph Smith by Dawn Brodie
2. Joseph Smith by Donna Hill

[A Random Phrase]

Brodie makes an awful lot of assumptions ("MUST have been") imo - similar to pretty much all anti-Mormon stuff I read in my twenties. They suck you in with emotion, with lies, half-truths, and truths colored to look evil and appalling.

[buffalo_girl]

But if folks would put down the history books and just read the scriptures, the revelations, and pray for revelation of their own they would find a real miracle in Joseph and, indeed, in Brigham too. Two very human figures full of faults. But Prophets!

I agree!

I did enjoy Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling, but the only way I know to get a testimony of his divinely appointed mission is to KNOW all scripture by searching them with a sincere willingness to learn Eternal LAW through the Holy Ghost. WHO recorded the LAW is secondary.