Losing face and pride

[_deacon blues]

I'm reading about the Saints being expelled from Jackson county. Joseph Smith told them that God did not want them to sell their land in 'Zion' because that's where he (Jesus) would soon be returning. These people were destitute, but they were forbidden to access any capital they could through their real estate. The question might be asked- "Why?" In retrospect we can see that the worst thing that it might have resulted in was for Joseph to lose face. I'm convinced "losing face" is a big concern for current church leaders as well. For example: when they talk about how the church doesn't repent, or when they avoid discussions of past mistakes.

[_grindael]

It was very early in his career as a prophet. And he thought he could get an army up and go back. He tried that and failed. Then he claimed that the redemption of "zion" would be on Sept. 11, 1836. Came and went. Then he got them all to go to adjoining counties and they had the Mormon War and they failed yet again. Then he got shrewd and claimed "zion" was all of North and South America. Couldn't fail with that one.

[_grindael]

I mean, talk about losing face, at the Fishing River where "Zion's Camp" stalled out, many got cholera and Jo tried to heal people and got cholera himself. Talk about a slap in the face. But he then blamed it all on everyone else - God would not heal them because they were murmurers... and so no face loss.... it was always someone else's fault. And that defeat was somehow turned into the "miracle" at the Fishing River. I kid you not. http://scottwoodward.org/churchhistory_ ... River.html