Look, the secular response to the Christ story always goes like this: he was a great prophet, obviously a very interesting guy, had a lot to say along the lines of other great prophets, be they Elijah, Muhammad, Buddha, or Confucius. But actually Christ doesn’t allow you that. He doesn’t let you off that hook. Christ says: No. I’m not saying I’m a teacher, don’t call me teacher. I’m not saying I’m a prophet. I’m saying: “I’m the Messiah.” I’m saying: “I am God incarnate”… So what you’re left with is: either Christ was who He said He was —- the Messiah -— or a complete nutcase… The idea that the entire course of civilization for over half of the globe could have its fate changed and turned upside-down by a nutcase, for me, that’s farfetched…”
- Bono, lead singer for U2
source: http://www.sethbarnes.com/?filename=bono-jesus
The human mind derives all of its knowledge from experience; no experience can give us an insight into what preceded our existence, into what is to follow it, nor into what supports it at present. In what manner have we received life? What is the spring upon which it depends? How is our brain capable of ideas and memory? In what manner do our limbs obey every motion of the will? Of all this we are entirely ignorant… The most profound philosophers are no more able to solve these questions than the most ignorant of men. All these questions may be reduced to the vulgar proverb: Was the hen before the egg, or the egg before the hen? The proverb is rather low, but it confounds the utmost penetration of human wisdom, which is utterly at a loss with regard to first principles of things without supernatural assistance.
Tobias Smollet, footnote from Voltaire’s The Lisbon Earthquake as contained in The Portable Voltaire
click on image to enlarge
Mormonism, as it is called, must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of God, divinely called, properly appointed and commissioned, or he was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. There is no middle ground. If Joseph Smith was a deceiver, who wilfully attempted to mislead the people, then he should be exposed; his claims should be refuted, and his doctrines shown to be false…
- Joseph Fielding Smith, Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.1, pp.188,189 (1959)
The NoApologiesAllowed fictional response (were I around in 1959):
Dear 10th President of Mormonism:
Thank you for the open invitation to expose Joseph Smith. I accept.
Enclosed with this brief letter is my second attempt to show that he, indeed, “was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen” — and arrogant, too. (Of course, it’s much easier to be arrogant when you’ve got nearly 3,000 equally foolish people acting as your own personal militia, as he did. [reference: Nauvoo Legion])
Do expect more in the future.
Sincerely,
NoApologiesAllowed
PS – By the way, you said that there is “…no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith. If Joseph Smith was verily a prophet, and if he told the truth…. No man can reject that testimony without incurring the most dreadful consequences, for he cannot enter the kingdom of God” (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol.1, pp.189,190). Calling such a statement “ridiculous” would raise it to a level of dignity that it doesn’t deserve. Your obvious lack of careful reading of the truly inspired Scriptures (the Old and New Testaments) forces me to doubt your claims. That salvation depends on anything other than the work of God through the risen Lord Jesus Christ is one of the many deceptive things that your organization believes, teaches, and promotes.
I’ll do what I can to help you and all those like you to see that.
Enc.
