Duh, old man...I said it was too bad Joseph Smith was murdered. I didn't say he deserved it.
Lynch mob is in YOUR history books - but not necessarily ALL history books. There are renditions of his murder that say Joseph Smith had a weapon (gun) inside the jail and fired at the mob. He was killed in the return fire.
In your history he was listening to Hyrum sing "A Poor Wayfaring Man"...when suddenly a frenzied mob opened fire on the jail. Jospeh Smith was struck with a ball during the attack - and fell from the second story of the jail.
Now tell me - why was a man sho was being fired upon standing at an open window??
Possible answer #1: To see the faces of the men that were going to kill him.
Possible and more probable answer #2: To return their fire.
"There are renditions of his murder that say Joseph Smith had a weapon (gun) inside the jail and fired at the mob. He was killed in the return fire."
I'm pretty sure this is what the mormon history says as well. I think most people call this self-defense. What do you think the mob was there for? Friendly conversation? They were singing when the mob arrived. The mob then opened fire on them. Joseph returned fire. He then ran to the window to draw fire away from his friends. He was then fatally shot.
Probable answer is that the mob was coming up the stairs. Hyrum was already dead.
Frankly, what difference would it make if Joseph had a weapon? The mob was not justified in essentially a multiple homicide.
I was wondering when you would show up on this thread and spread your sunshine. Like I told CaliforniaJones, this thread was started because a missionary was shot to death in Virginia. Too bad those who hate the LDS church can't give it a rest on a thread honoring a dead missionary.