Today my wife was asked to teach sunday school for a youth class, and I was going to join her for crowd control purposes. However, after she started reading the lesson, my wife asked me not to attend. Of course, I asked why, and my wife said she wasn't sure I'd be able to sit in there without making lots of comments to correct the lesson or rolling my eyes the whole time. My interest was piqued, so I read the lesson to see why she would be concerned about my behavior, and I have to admit she was right.

The lesson was about joseph's demise, and it was the same load of tripe I'd been fed when I was a kid. The lesson taught that men who were against joseph (didn't mention that one of them was a member of the first presidency whose wife was the recipient of joseph's attentions) printed a paper full of lies (by lies, the lesson meant things that were true but unfavorable about joseph), and that the nauvoo council decided to destroy the press (the lesson accidentally minimized joseph's role in this decision and made the destruction of the press sound like a legitimate activity instead an illegal affront to one of the fundamental rights granted in the Constitution). Joseph was then led away as a lamb to the slaughter (the lesson omitted an "armed" lamb) and he was killed in Carthage (no mention of the two men killed by joseph). There were a number of other inaccuracies, but you get the gist.

So my wife was right (pretty typical in our relationship, with the lone exception of religious matters), and I would not have been able to keep my mouth shut in that meeting. What's disappointing for me was that my son was in that class today and absolutely devoured that load of tripe.

Well, time for me to go attend a stake priesthood meeting (don't ask). I hope all of you enjoy your evening more than I will.

You'll feel better once you read how Sithlord handled that lesson in Utah today.

Yea, you should read it. It was freaking great...

I read it, and I agree - awesome. I take my hat off to sithlord. I wish I could make similar comments in church without further endangering my relationship with my wife.

had the same lesson. It's remarkable that tbms generally aren't curious about why exactly Joseph arrested? who were these random men who showed up to kill him? why did they want to kill him?

of course, they all were just unrighteous baddies. ;) 'nuff explanation, I guess.

He probably married their wives, that would explain A LOT.

But nope, just angry drunk hooligans that hated Bajeebus decided to randomly attack some guy in jail.

I told a friend of mine--Mormon all her life, married in the temple, but who had left years ago--why JS was arrested. She never knew the story at all. Just some people persecuted JS for his faith, had him arrested and then shot him. She was shocked at the details. Its was just one more example of how her trust in the sincerity of Church leaders was abused. But still, I asked her if she never wondered why, all of sudden, JS was persecuted. It never had occurred to her to wonder if there had been some cause for the arrest.

"Joseph was then led away as a lamb to the slaughter (the lesson omitted an "armed" lamb)"

I don't think that's quite accurate. I presume you are talking about the gun that Joseph Smith used in the shootout at the jail? That was smuggled into the jail (by Cyrus Wheelock) after they had been imprisoned.

a minor point, I know.

Fair enough, although I was referring more to the status of the lamb at the time of the slaughter than at the time he was led away.

I would have said "I don't tell you where to go to church, don't start telling me where to go."

This represents what really pisses me off about the church. The lies. They set themselves up as a bastion of morality then lie there collective asses off. Granted, most of those teachers have no idea, but the official publication lies by omission and commision.

Pretty amazing that your wife could teach it if she knows what you know. Sorry pal. You must be living in hell.

I agree with whoever said you should have a talk with your son about the true story. Or at the very least pass on some literature that he can read about it that is true.

The problem is, my wife doesn't know what I know. I think she knew I would struggle with the lesson topic because lately I've been pointing out inaccuracies with how church history is presented in the adult sunday school class. I agree I need to share the truth with my son, but I'm trying to do it strategically so I can share the truth with my wife too.

I hope it goes well for you.