So while young Joseph Smith is growing up in the middle of the largest protestant revival movement in the US in 1820
" The Second Awakening " ....here we find whole towns erupting in rapture freshly returning from baptisms down by the river in upstate New York, people are seeing Angels behind every tree & imbued with the "spirit of the Holy Ghost" everywhere you look . For who would want to be left out of this kind of impending Holy return of the Christ and we're all going to see God ?
Would this be any different than what was happening over by the river Jordan some 2000yrs ago ?
I think not ...
It's quite a powerful idea & promise this idea of being "reborn" and who wouldn't be drawn to the concept of rebirth & second chances ?? Just add eternal life in heaven & you could even sell that to the fish eaters in the arctic or the aborigines in Australia , or so was the beautiful plan . But more to do with couching the hidden secrets around ideas that have universal appeal , like abundance , security , fellowship & fruits of labors , longevity , freedom from sickness and reward of appearing saintly in the eyes of others .
Its not a new idea of course always will be another Joseph Smith , John the Baptist or Jesus , they await the latest one in Iran the Jews , one only guesses are still waiting . Seems there is a competition between the Israeli rapturists & the Iranian rapturists for who's messiah will come first now .
The Indians just don't care
 oly |
