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The similarities are uncanny, just updated a few centuries (thus the iPod joke). Did you know that the surgeon who operated on Joseph Smith as a boy was named Nathan Smith? I truly wonder if there's a connection (though the Smith name is quite common. :-)

It's amusing that you were upset at my post, as during the aftermath of the invasion of the FLDS ranch in Eldorado, Texas, and with defenses of Gov. Romney (though he wasn't my preferred candidate), I was accused by fellow FReepers of being "a Mormon apologist."

And what I said shouldn't be offensive...what I said was just straight factually true, acknowledged even by LDS apologists...

Joseph Smith was

a money-digger in New York, notably charismatic but unsuccessful despite claiming to have a magic stone to guide him,
was charged with fraud,
said he found golden plates, and
succssfully founded a religion.

Nathan Smith has only the first part, and doesn't seem to be doing too well at it. Founding a religion might be a bit more lucrative for him (though it was Joseph Smith's ultimate demise!).

My friend, make no mistake, we either stand together or we will hang separately.

I'm "offended" that you would misquote Benjamin Franklin, so...I'm not sure whether it's worse that you made his quote pedestrian or that you didn't credit him. At least you didn't do both. :-)

But in the end, your message is right on target. I admire the courage coming from the LDS corner, and I admire their drive and maintainance of many strong family values.

“I’m “offended” that you would misquote Benjamin Franklin, so...I’m not sure whether it’s worse that you made his quote pedestrian or that you didn’t credit him. At least you didn’t do both. :-)”

Quite so. And apparently I failed to even see the quote marks around what I said as if I were quoting Frfanklin’s exact words or merely paraphrasing them. But it would seem you saw the quotes so I suppose I owe you an apology. Yes, I suppose.

Well here’s another for you and, so I fulfill your high standards, this one is an exact quote. One you would do well to reflect on.

“But it does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.”
-Thomas Jefferson, Notes on Virginia, 1782