Joseph Smith — "I am tired of the traditions of men, and the doctrines of devils."
I am tired of the traditions of men, and the doctrines of devils.
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Understanding this quote
What it means
The speaker rejects inherited religious customs and corrupt teachings, declaring independence from centuries of human-made doctrine that obscures divine truth. It captures a conviction that mainstream religion has drifted far from its origins, layered with institutional rules and false teachings. The call is for a return to something purer, unfiltered by church tradition or human authority—direct access to truth rather than mediated, accumulated religious error.
Relevance to Joseph Smith
Smith's entire prophetic mission rested on this premise. His First Vision narrative describes God telling a teenage Smith that existing churches had all gone astray. He claimed to restore original Christianity, not reform it. Rejecting 'traditions of men' justified founding an entirely new movement, producing new scripture, and claiming fresh revelation. Every controversial doctrine—plural marriage, new priesthood authority, continuing prophecy—was framed as replacing corrupted human tradition with restored divine truth.
The era
The Second Great Awakening (1790s–1840s) flooded upstate New York—Smith's home territory, called the 'burnt-over district'—with competing revivals, new denominations, and intense theological disputes. Methodists, Baptists, and Presbyterians openly attacked each other's doctrines. Many Americans felt overwhelmed and disillusioned by contradictory claims. This religious chaos made Smith's message of a clean break from all existing traditions deeply resonant to seekers who wanted spiritual certainty over denominational argument.
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