Co Worker Curious about all the hoopla re: Joe's birthday

[silverfox]

I just got an email from a non member co worker. She lives in Nebraska but we communicate daily by phone.

She said she had to travel through Nauvoo recently and was amazed about "how the Mormons have built everything up in anticipation of Joseph Smith's birthday."

She travels through the town quite often...several times a year, usually around holiday seasons. She noted that during Christmas there was nothing dedicated to Christ's birth but she sure knows now when Joseph Smith's birthday is!

How embarrassing. She knows I was a member at one time but I made her think it was a very very long time ago.

[peter_mary]

I just got an email from a non member co worker. She lives in Nebraska but we communicate daily by phone.

She said she had to travel through Nauvoo recently and was amazed about "how the Mormons have built everything up in anticipation of Joseph Smith's birthday."

She travels through the town quite often...several times a year, usually around holiday seasons. She noted that during Christmas there was nothing dedicated to Christ's birth but she sure knows now when Joseph Smith's birthday is!

How embarrassing. She knows I was a member at one time but I made her think it was a very very long time ago.

I have a former Bishop, whose Brother is a GA, whose family celebrates Joseph Smith's Birthday every year. Every gosh darn year! They have cake and ice cream, and it's a real celebration!

What's especially interesting about your friend's observation in Nauvoo is that JS was born on December 23, 1805 (see JS-History 1:3, Pearl of Great Price for those of you who have forgotten) so his Birthday events SHOULD be celebrated in December. (Well, really, why "should" they be celebrated at all, but if you must, then it "should" be in December.)

This makes me VERY curious. Perhaps we don't want to make Joseph compete with Jesus at Christmas time for Birthday celebrations...after all, one God at a time is probably a good policy to maintain (bada-bing! :D ) But my guess is, Nauvoo is getting ready to celebrate Joseph's birthday on April 6, right? The date on which Joseph organized the Church, and which he claimed by revelation to be the TRUE date of birth for Jesus Christ. So if Jesus is corrupting Joseph's birthday, then it makes perfect sense to celebrate Joseph's birthday on the date of Jesus' birthday, particularly since Joseph places himself a notch above Jesus, at least in terms of his earthly accomplishments.

Have I got this right? It's all so confusing... :rolleyes:

Peter_Mary

[silverfox]

I have a former Bishop, whose Brother is a GA, whose family celebrates Joseph Smith's Birthday every year. Every gosh darn year! They have cake and ice cream, and it's a real celebration!

What's especially interesting about your friend's observation in Nauvoo is that JS was born on December 23, 1805 (see JS-History 1:3, Pearl of Great Price for those of you who have forgotten) so his Birthday events SHOULD be celebrated in December. (Well, really, why "should" they be celebrated at all, but if you must, then it "should" be in December.)

This makes me VERY curious. Perhaps we don't want to make Joseph compete with Jesus at Christmas time for Birthday celebrations...after all, one God at a time is probably a good policy to maintain (bada-bing! :D ) But my guess is, Nauvoo is getting ready to celebrate Joseph's birthday on April 6, right? The date on which Joseph organized the Church, and which he claimed by revelation to be the TRUE date of birth for Jesus Christ. So if Jesus is corrupting Joseph's birthday, then it makes perfect sense to celebrate Joseph's birthday on the date of Jesus' birthday, particularly since Joseph places himself a notch above Jesus, at least in terms of his earthly accomplishments.

Have I got this right? It's all so confusing... :rolleyes:

Peter_Mary

Isn't that mind boggling! My co worker just returned from her trip so this was very recent - the celebration hasn't occurred yet. Now if she knew his birthday really was in December....yikes, how embarrassing. I'm not even gonna go there.

[Jeff_Ricks]

Isn't that mind boggling! My co worker just returned from her trip so this was very recent - the celebration hasn't occurred yet. Now if she knew his birthday really was in December....yikes, how embarrassing. I'm not even gonna go there.


Next thing you know, on the night of April 5th the priesthood holder of each household will dress up like Joseph wearing thick-lens urim and thumin goggles, a hat with peep stone tucked underneath and gold plates and a money digging shovel in a bag slung over his back. That night he’ll sneak in his ward members homes, grope around in the dark, acting like Joseph checking out the ladies for potential harem additions. Once he's made contact then out the window he goes to the next house.

Merry Smithmas Everyone!!

[dogzilla]

Merry Smithmas...

You people are KILLING me. . . :D

::wipes coffee off monitor AGAIN::


But my guess is, Nauvoo is getting ready to celebrate Joseph's birthday on April 6, right? The date on which Joseph organized the Church, and which he claimed by revelation to be the TRUE date of birth for Jesus Christ.

I don't know why mormons don't celebrate "Christmas" then, on April 6th.... Put up a tree, lights, buy gifts, light the Yule Log. Oh wait -- those are all pagan traditions. In Utah, at least, nobody would bat an eye at the Youth Groups caroling the neighborhoods in April. I think it would catch on.

I smell a Peep Stone story in the works...