For it shall come to pass in that day that the churches which are built up and not unto the Lord,

when one shall say unto the other,

Behold, I, I am the Lord's, and the other shall say,

I, I am the Lord's.

And they shall contend one with another,

and their priests shall contend one with another,

and they shall teach with their

learning, and deny the Holy Ghost which giveth utterance.

2. Nephi chapter 28, verses 3 through 4.

Hello, listeners, this is Nick from Book of Mormon Central, and today's podcast addresses

the question, why was it easy to join a church in Joseph Smith's day?

For a young Joseph Smith living on the frontier of Western New York in the early 1800s,

amidst a cacophony of religious fervor from various denominations established in the vicinity,

the burning question of the day was, which church should he join?

Which one was right? For many young Americans today who take for granted a strong and long-standing

tradition of religious liberty and the veritable religious marketplace it provides,

Joseph's question is beginning to sound quaint and old-fashioned. In 1820, however, it was a heady and cutting-edge

question for the rising generation of the still young American Republic. Never before in history

had joining a church of one's own choosing been such a ready and accessible option. Historical

commentary on Joseph Smith's first vision and earliest religious

inclinations has generally focused on the immediate moment and context of Joseph's question,

the burned over district of upstate New York, during the Second Great Awakening.

...