Without Disclosing My True Identity
The “Evil” Institutions and Professions of Joseph’s Day
Because of what Joseph knew and attempted to teach the people, he was tried in the
American courts of justice for treason and sedition.^28 A state governor (Lilburn Boggs,
Missouri) issued an order to exterminate him and those who followed him.^29 The President
of the United States (Martin Van Buren) turned a blind eye to obvious violations of the U.S.
Constitution^30 —a legal document that Joseph knew all along was something the people
accepted as “good,” but which was really very “evil.”
The U.S. Constitution banned the majority of the people from voting for their
leaders—including the poor, indentured, women, blacks, Native Americans, non-land
owners, and those incarcerated. How could a document that allowed for this obvious
prejudicial bias, and which justified and legalized other ways the wealthy could maintain
their power over people, be good?^31 Joseph subtly fought almost every American institution
and principle that everyone else believed was honorable and good.
Joseph secretly despised doctors and lawyers. Although Joseph knew his beloved
brother, Alvin, had to die, it was by the hand of a foolish doctor that it happened. Joseph
never forgot this and later referred to doctors’ practice as the “hand of an enemy.”^32 While
all others (saints and non-members alike) were depending on doctors to save them or their
family members, Joseph did not. In fact, he lost five (5) of his nine (9) natural children
because he didn’t want them administered to by the “hand of an enemy.” Why would death
have affected Joseph negatively? It didn’t. What was death to a man who had learned the
real truth about what happens before and after death?^33 But who could he tell? Who would
have understood or accepted what he knew?
Judges and lawyers^34 were always a thorn in Joseph’s side. (Moreover, the Book of
Mormon does not present one good thing about the judges and lawyers who administered
the law among the people.^35 ) Joseph was indicted, arrested, and dragged into court on
numerous occasions. How could he find any level of comfort with the laws invented by
mortals, when he knew that every single one of them diametrically opposed the laws
administered in the advanced human societies found throughout the Universe?^36
Calling Good as Evil and Evil as Good
Although Joseph was never allowed to disclose his true identity, sometimes he could
not help it. Because a few of Joseph’s true feelings leaked out in private conversations at
times, many of his close friends became offended and abandoned him. And to those who
remained faithful to him, he often proclaimed that they would kill him if they knew the
truth. No one knew the real Joseph Smith, Jr. They never realized that it was not easy for
him to remain silent as to things of real truth while perpetuating the philosophies of men
mingled with scripture. They never understood the turmoil he felt as he continually
witnessed the countless times that those around him judged that which was truly evil to be
something good and of God.
The United States of America developed from people misjudging good as evil
and evil as good. It was not good that the only purpose for world exploration before the
discovery of the New World was to gain wealth for the explorers’ own nation. But to the
Europeans, who benefited from the “gold, and silver, and silks, and scarlets, and fine-