- 01) PLURAL MARRIAGE: Was plural marriage revealed by the Lord? Was Joseph Smith ensnared by many convoluted activities and expediencies because of his involvement in plural marriage? Was the Prophet involved in adulterous practices or live a dual life?
- 02) JOSEPH SR.: Was Joseph Smith Senior a failure as a father? Was he a poor provider, oft defeated and unmoored? Did he have a problem with alcohol and other vices?
- 03) MAGIC: Did Joseph Smith mix Christianity with Nineteenth Century tradition and magical powers? Did he attempt to employ dark arts to discover hidden treasure?
- 04) CHARACTER: Was Joseph Smith weak in character while gifted in revelation? How did he “influence” people?
- 05) DISCERNMENT: Did Joseph Smith lack the ability to judge the character of individuals around him? Was he often deceived because of his over-trusting personality?
- 06) COMMUNISM: Did Joseph Smith experiment with communal practices through his institution of the law of consecration and the united order? Were the failures to institute the united order due to lack of vision and incorrect principles?
- 07) CULTURE: Did Joseph Smith gain many of his doctrinal ideas in the Church from 19th cultural movements or other philosophy? Did he introduce into the Church many false principles and practices because of his tradition and world interpretation?
- 08) WOMEN: Did Joseph Smith’s view of the role of women and their place in the Church evolve over time? Was he incorrect in many of his assumptions?
- 09) TEMPER: Did the Prophet Joseph Smith have an uncontrolled temper? Was he at times vengeful?
- 10) MONEY: Did Joseph Smith have a weakness in handling money? Was the Prophet often in debt because of this deficiency? Are the accusations that the Prophet was a poor business man accurate?
- 11) LUCY MACK SMITH: Was the Prophet’s mother, Lucy Mack Smith, given to vanity and extravagance? What was the character of Mother Smith?
- 12) ANCESTRY: Did Joseph Smith have a noble and righteous heritage? Was the Prophets ancestral line prepared and watched over through the ages?
- 13) EVOLVING: Is LDS Church doctrine evolving, or was it revealed in purity to Joseph Smith? Could Joseph Smith teach us all that he knew, or was much of his knowledge withheld from the world because of the general lack of faith?
- 14) TEMPLE: Were portions of the temple ceremony “borrowed” from Masonic rites?
- 15) WITNESSES: Can the words of Joseph Smith be trusted? What witnesses are there of his prophetic calling?
- 16) ENEMIES: Why did the Prophet Joseph Smith have so many enemies? What was his response to antagonism and criticism?
- 17) MIRACLES: Did Joseph Smith do many miracles in the name of Jesus? Are there eye witnesses of these miracles?
- 18) BIBLE: What did Joseph Smith teach concerning the Bible? Are his teachings antagonistic to the Old and New Testaments?
- 19) Does Joseph Smith stand next to Jesus Christ in righteousness and station?
- 20) Who was responsible for the Prophet Joseph Smith’s death?
- 21) CIVIL WAR: Was the Civil War in part a result of the murders of Joseph and Hyrum Smith, and the rejection of the latter-day Saints from the United States?
- 22) What status of trust did Joseph Smith reach before the Lord?
- 23) ARROGANCE: Was the Prophet Joseph arrogant?
Raising the Bar
Raising the Bar Events
Raising the Bar events (both live-streaming and in person) will be coming in the near future. At present, our community is found on our Facebook and Telegram groups. Contact raisingthebarlds@gmail.com
Raising the Bar
November 1, 2018
