Joseph Smith — "I wish to do something to distinguish myself, and so I am going to get up a reli…"
I wish to do something to distinguish myself, and so I am going to get up a religion.
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More from Joseph Smith
"I am willing to lay down my life for the cause of truth."
"The earth was once a garden, and it will be again. And the Saints will inherit it."
"I have seen God, and I know that he lives."
"I am tired of the traditions of men, and the doctrines of devils."
"I am not a sectarian, but a lover of truth."
Details
Allegedly said to his family and friends, reported by various early critics. While widely cited, direct contemporary evidence is scarce, making confidence lower.
Date: Circa 1820s
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Unverifiable
Found in 1 providers: grok
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Understanding this quote
What it means
The speaker openly admits ambition as a motivation for founding a new religion—wanting to stand out, be remembered, and carve a distinct identity. It reframes religious founding not as divine mandate alone but as personal drive for significance. The candor is striking: instead of claiming pure revelation, the statement acknowledges the human desire to matter, to leave a mark that outlasts ordinary life.
Relevance to Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith founded the Church of Christ in 1830 in upstate New York, claiming divine visions from age fourteen onward. Born into poverty in rural Vermont, he grew up in a family of seekers during a period of intense religious revival. His ambition was undeniable: he led thousands, ran for U.S. president in 1844, and built an entire theological system including new scripture, priesthood hierarchy, and temple rituals before his death at thirty-eight.
The era
The early nineteenth century in America was the Second Great Awakening—a period of explosive religious fermentation across New York, Ohio, and the frontier. Dozens of new sects competed for converts. Social mobility was real but scarce, and founding a movement was one path from obscurity to influence. In this environment, religious entrepreneurship was both spiritually sincere and practically powerful, making Smith's alleged confession of ambition entirely plausible as cultural context.
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