Joseph Smith — "I am a man of peace, and I will seek peace with all men."
I am a man of peace, and I will seek peace with all men.
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Understanding this quote
What it means
The speaker declares a fundamental commitment to peaceful relations with everyone, regardless of circumstances. This isn't passive resignation but an active, intentional pursuit of harmony. It signals a refusal to let conflict define interactions, choosing instead to seek common ground and resolution. The statement positions the speaker as someone who values coexistence over confrontation, making reconciliation a personal mission rather than a situational choice.
Relevance to Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith founded a controversial new religious movement that faced intense persecution, mob violence, and legal battles throughout his life. Despite leading a community that was forcibly expelled from Missouri and Illinois, Smith consistently negotiated with governors and sought federal protection. His declaration of peaceful intent reflects both genuine aspiration and political necessity as a minority religious leader defending his followers against violent opposition.
The era
In early 19th-century America, religious sectarianism and frontier vigilante justice created volatile social conditions. The 1830s-1840s saw anti-Mormon violence escalate from harassment to state-sanctioned expulsion under Missouri's Extermination Order (1838). Smith operated amid intense nativist tensions, economic rivalries, and fears about theocratic governance, making public declarations of peaceful intent both a theological statement and a survival strategy for his growing, embattled community.
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