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it seems that since "morality" comes from God, it would be an error to claim that His commands are criminal. To claim that He would have you commit a despicable crime would be putting your self, or rather natural man's law, before God's Law. If this were the case, then surely you would be hardly convinced that you were visited by an angel at all.
Surely Abraham and Isaac provide the simple answer to this simple question. If you "know" it is a commandment from God, you would be compelled to obey that command, especially in the light of the "struggle" it would present to your well-established habit of monogamy.
I am curious as to why one would "hope for the courage" to contradict God, seems like an altogether selfish and hopeless position to desire.
No, morality
does not come from God. Morality is simply a system of principals concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad among individuals. Morality differs slightly from culture to culture and, indeed, from person to person. Many, if not most, persons in Joseph’s day considered his sexual promiscuity to be immoral; “plural marriage” was Joseph’s attempt to legitimize his sexual promiscuity. In other words, when he couldn’t play by the rules he tried to change them…much like the Cochranites before him and the Oneida Perfectionists after him.
For what it’s worth, the sexual behavior of two (or three, or four) consenting adults doesn’t bother me. What
does bother me are Joseph’s lies and manipulation: “An angel with a drawn sword told me to do it.” Yeah, right. Equally objectionable are certain Mormon apologists who misuse the term “civil disobedience” in an attempt to legitimize Joseph’s obfuscation and sneaking around.
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Yes, but it was not the "law of the land" per se, which was the inference made by the poster. Additionally, polygamy is still legal in many countries today, thus one is able to not be a "criminal" in the global sense.
Point being, no "fishy"
It was against the law of the land of Illinois. Therefore it was against the law of the land.
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No, if it was voice in my head, then likely i would not have another voice which could override such a command. However, if God commanded it, then the voice in my head would have decide the course of action......and if it was in accordance with Moroni 7, then likely the child would die. Are you proposing that the supreme law is bio-genetically based? Are you proposing that no action can supersede biological impulses?
Interesting.
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Ultimately if God has commanded action…
According to whom did the God command the action? Joseph? An untrustworthy individual with a history of deception for the purpose of personal gain and enrichment? (This assumes of course that this strange creature known as "God" (a) exists, and (b) behaves in a consistent and predictable manner.)
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2. People have only shown that it was the law of the land of Lincoln.
Interesting.
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3. As for Joseph's sincerity about the angel of polygamy - i do not see the relevance or application to life today. The facts seem to be arguable, historically obscure, ambiguous, and contrary. However, i would suggest that one look to Moroni 7 and allow the Spirit to clarify the issue.
Right, enquire of the Lord as per Moroni. Is this how J. Reuben Clack determined the truthfulness of
The Protocols of the Elders of Zion? (Yeah, I know I talk about JRC an awful lot, but I can’t resist. He’s the gift that keeps on giving.)
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It may well be that he lied, that he succumbed to the frailties of being human, that he was "less than perfect". It would not surprise me to find flaws in any man or woman, both tragic and endearing. But i do not agree that it is an issue of condemnation, nor do i assume that it has any influence on the opening post's question of "what would i do".
You don’t agree that Joseph’s alleged sexual battery is an crime worthy of condemnation? Interesting.