For Good and Evil

I've always been impressed by the angel Moroni's prediction he made to Joseph Smith on the night of September 21, 1823.

He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds, and tongues, or that it should be both good and evil spoken of among all people (Joseph Smith History 1:33).

When in Liberty Jail in March 1839, Joseph Smith received further light and knowledge on this topic. Said the Lord,

The ends of the earth shall inquire after thy name, and fools shall have thee in derision, and hell shall rage against thee; while the pure in heart, and the wise, and the noble, and the virtuous, shall seek counsel, and authority, and blessings constantly from under thy hand (Doctrine and Covenants 122:1-2).

I have over the past few months visited a particular anti-Mormon message board. No matter how many times it occurs I am always shocked by the kind of foul names and language used by these "Christians" toward Joseph Smith. I stopped by for about 10 minutes today and read the following:

"Smith is a liar."

"joseph smith got the inspiration for his practice of polygamy from his loins."

"i would imagine it does save God some on his energy costs when those who are as full of gas, dung, and hot air as smithy was, finally arrive at their eternal destination. kindling."

"Joseph Smith is burning in hell."

Joseph Smith was a "sexual predator."

Mormons "revere a pedophile prophet."

Joseph Smith was "a dirty old man taking advantage of his authority position."

"Joseph Smith was a false prophet."

Joseph Smith committed "treason, bank fraud, adultery, bore false witness" and then was "shot to death by all these of peeved folks that he took advantage of."

I ask my viewers, in light of Ephesians 4:15, Matthew 5:43-47; 7:1-2 and 1 Corinthians 11:16 if such behavior and language is befitting of a Christian?

Of course, such behavior is nothing new. When Samuel the Lamanite was called upon by the Lord to preach to the wicked Nephites, he upbraided them saying:

And now when ye talk, ye say: If our days had been in the days of our fathers of old, we would not have slain the prophets; we would not have stoned them, and cast them out. Behold, ye are worse than they; for as the Lord liveth, if a prophet come among you and declareth unto you the word of the Lord, which testifieth of your sins and iniquities, ye are angry with him, and cast him out and seek all manner of ways to destroy him; yea, you will say that he is a false prophet, and that he is a sinner, and of the devil, because he testifieth that your deeds are evil (Helaman 13:25-26)

In short, they "choose darkness rather than light" (Hel. 13:29). Could there be anywhere on earth a better description of how Joseph Smith was treated during his life and how some speak of him still to this day?

How grateful I am for the absolute knowledge I have received by the power of the Holy Spirit that Joseph Smith was called of God to bring forth the fullness of the everlasting gospel in preparation for the judgment to come as predicted by John in Revelation 14:6-7!