THE TRUTH IS THERE FOR YOU TO FIND - LDS Hymn Parody #22

167 years ago today, on June 27, 1844, Joseph Smith was killed by a mob while he was incarcerated in Carthage Jail in Illinois.  Of course, Joseph Smith was the founder and first President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (aka the Mormon Church).  While I was growing up, and during my entire time as a member of the Mormon Church, I was always told that Joseph Smith was a religious martyr, that he was killed because of religious persecution.  That story is the Mormon Party Line - but that simply is not true.  Joseph Smith was arrested and placed in Carthage Jail because he ordered the destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor (and the burning of the building which it was housed) after a story was published exposing Joseph Smith's practice of polygamy and polyandry.  That is why he was in Carthage Jail, and that is why he was killed by a mob while he was incarcerated there.  That does not make him a religious martyr, but rather a criminal (especially when you take into account that Joseph Smith was arrested at least 6 other times, and escaped from jail on at least two occasions).  Of course, it has been pointed out to me by a TBM with whom I have exchanged some messages that since he was never convicted of any crime, he was therefore innocent of all charges - but to me, that is simply rationalizing out the situation, sticking your head in the sand, pretending that reality isn't real, and that everything was completely above board (which it most definitely was not).

Naturally, I had believed the "religious martyr" story about Joseph Smith my entire life - until I began to do some research into Mormon Church history in preparation for going on a Mormon Church History Tour in the Summer of 2001.  Since I had never really studied much about church history as I was growing up, and basically relied wholly on what I was told and taught, I did not know a lot of details about the subject - so before going on this trip, I decided to do some reading and research so I would know more when we visited the key places.  But the more I read, studied and researched, the more I began to realize that what I had been taught and told about the history of the Mormon Church was simply not true.  All of this was quite a revelation, and was the beginning of the end for me.  Another big revelation for me was the fact that Joseph Smith had a gun when he was attacked in Carthage Jail, and shot it at his attackers.  So although he claimed to be "going like a lamb to the slaughter," that was not an accurate depiction of the situation either.

On a Facebook group of which I am a member, I heard about a Facebook page named "Sharing the Gospel through Social Media" - and I have gone on there several times in the past few days. This page is dedicated to honoring Joseph Smith on the anniversary of the date of his death.  In reading what is being posted there by TBMs, I can't help but feel incredibly sad for these members of the Mormon Church. They are following the Mormon Party Line completely, without doing any independent research or any critical thinking - just like I did for so many years. In my opinion, taking the stances that they are without looking outside the "authorized reading areas" is simply unwise.  Some of these people are obviously very intelligent, but that intelligence is being shut down when it comes to Mormonism. 

I have posted some comments on that Facebook page, as have some other people, trying to say something that will help to open these people's minds to the point where they will feel the need to research and study on their own, independent from strictly Mormon viewpoints.  IMO, no one should take anyone's word for anything, but rather they should read, research and study on their own in order to discover the actual truth about everything in life.  Last time I went there, though, I discovered that all of my posts and comments have been deleted.  Censorship, anyone?  It amazes me that so many TBMs can say whatever they want about the "truthfulness" of the gospel, and bear their testimonies all day long, but the minute anyone voices an opposing view, they become enraged.  Deleting comments on a page like this is, in my opinion, very childish and immature - and when I made a post to that effect, that one was deleted as well.  I figure it's just a matter of time before my last one is deleted (commenting, again, on the deletions and the lack of tolerance for opposing views).  Oh, well...

I am grateful every day of my life that I finally opened my eyes to the real truth, and it is my hope that many of these people will come to see the light through what others may say and cause some cognitive dissonance so they will research on their own.  It is my feeling that if everyone who discovers the truth and disassociates themselves from Mormonism simply keeps quiet about their discoveries, then what we have gone through and discovered will be of no help to those still caught in the web of lies perpetuated by the Mormon Church.

Truly, the truth is out there if they would just read... or Google it... or do something other than just blindly follow the Mormon Party Line.

THE TRUTH IS THERE FOR YOU TO FIND

Sung to the tune of Abide with Me, Tis Eventide, #165

The truth is there for you to find,
The lies can’t be ignored.

Deception and dishonesty,
It just might strike a chord.
Why don’t you research on your own?
The facts you soon will find.

(Chorus)

Just open up your mind and think,
To lies don’t be confined.
Just open up your mind and think,
The truth you just might find.

The truth is there for you to find,
Been closed off for too long.
Believing things that are not true
Is damaging and wrong.
If you don’t read the evidence,
You might as well be blind.

(Chorus)

Just open up your mind and think,
To lies don’t be confined.
Just open up your mind and think,
The truth you just might find.

The truth is there for you to find,
Employ your common sense.
It doesn’t hurt to use your brain,
It is your best defense.
Don’t simply buy what you are told,
Within the web entwined.

(Chorus)

Just open up your mind and think,
To lies don’t be confined.
Just open up your mind and think,
The truth you just might find.

The truth is there for you to find
In Mormonism’s fraud.
It’s clear if you just study it,
It’s not the Word of God.
So don’t stay with it out of fear,
To misery resigned.

(Chorus)

Just open up your mind and think,
To lies don’t be confined.
Just open up your mind and think,
The truth you just might find.

The truth is there for you to find,
And Google is your friend.
Just research independently
And all your doubts will end.
To “just believe” as Mormons do,
Insanity defined.

(Chorus)

Just open up your mind and think,
To lies don’t be confined.
Just open up your mind and think,
The truth you just might find.

© Diane Tingen, 6/27/2011

IMO, Mormons need to put on their thinking caps, and use
their critical thinking skills in order to determine for themselves
whether the LDS Church is true.  Relying on what they are told
to believe by their Church leaders and Prophet without doing
any independent research on their own is simply not wise.