Joseph Smith — "I am a bold, fearless, and independent man."
I am a bold, fearless, and independent man.
Get This Quote & Author's Image Illustrated On:
Click any product to generate a realistic preview. Up to 3 at a time.
* Initial load can take up to 90 seconds — revising the preview in another color is nearly instant.
Kitchen
Apparel
Other
More from Joseph Smith
"I have seen many things that no eye has seen, and heard many things that no ear has heard."
"God made Aaron to be the mouth piece for the children of Israel, and He will make me be god to you in His stead, and the Elders to be mouth for me; and if you don't like it, you must lump it."
"I am going to bring about the redemption of Zion, and build up the kingdom of God."
"God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens! That is the great secret. If the vail was rent today, and the great God who holds this world in its orb…"
"They have souls, and are subjects of salvation. Go into Cincinnati or any city, and find an educated negro, who rides in his carriage, and you will see a man who has risen by the powers of his own min…"
Verification
Unverifiable
Found in 1 providers: grok
1 source checked
Understanding this quote
What it means
A declaration of personal courage, self-determination, and refusal to bend to outside pressure or authority. The speaker asserts they act on inner conviction rather than fear or popular approval. In modern terms: I don't back down, I don't answer to others, I stand on my own ground. It's a statement of identity — someone who faces opposition directly and makes decisions independent of what others demand or expect.
Relevance to Joseph Smith
Smith faced relentless persecution founding a new faith — mob violence, imprisonment, forced exile from Ohio, Missouri, and Illinois, and assassination in 1844. Tarred and feathered in 1832, driven out under Missouri's extermination order, he still built Nauvoo into a city of 12,000, ran for U.S. president, and publicly taught plural marriage. His willingness to defy Protestant orthodoxy, claim direct divine revelation, and establish new scripture demanded exactly the boldness and fearlessness he proclaimed.
The era
The 1830s–1840s saw intense religious revivalism under the Second Great Awakening, with Protestant orthodoxy dominating American social norms. New religious movements faced violent suspicion — mob justice was common, and state governments rarely protected minority faiths. Illinois Governor Ford failed to stop the Carthage Jail mob that killed Smith in 1844. In this climate where religious nonconformity was physically dangerous, Smith's declaration of fearless independence was not mere rhetoric but a daily, life-threatening stance.
AI-generated insights based on extensive research and information for context. Factual errors? Email [email protected].