Every Tragedy Leads to Redemption (Mormonism)

It is because Joseph Smith Jr threatened the status quo in American Christendom that he was martyred.

Because he invented his own doctrine his followers were persecuted.

Yet it is jealousy that led to his death in 1844. For American Christendom will never let an American form his own folk religion, and will lie about LDS theology and practices, emphasizing the negative while not even comparing the similarities between Mormonism and Christianity.

This is not the work of the devil; this is the work of men who are afraid of religious plurality. For religion relies on fear to keep its members in line, in order to maintain control over their followers.

I am truly thankful that things turned out as they did, because had Smith lived to an old age, Mormonism would have become less pluralistic and even more conservative than it is today.

That tragedy may have led to me becoming baptized, and I only regret that I didn't accept the sister missionaries' invitation two years ago. In my mind's eye, I feel the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saint is successful because all Mormon members pitched in to maintain the church as they saw fit.

Indeed, their hard work as redeemed both Mormonism and Joseph Smith.