So what if Joe Smith was arrested.
Jesus got arrested and cruxified--thus the similiarities suggest that J Smith was a holy man that was falsly accused and killed by evil doers.
Joseph Smith was murdered by a lynch mob when the local authorities fled the jail they illegally were holding him in. He was shot dead not hung because he acquired a pistol just before the mob arrived.
Further the golden plates that held the Book of Mormon were seen by witnesses who attested to that fact. Some of those witnesses later left the Church yet not one retracted their statement on the truth the golden tablets existed.
And yes Mormons and especially Joseph Smith were hounded completely out of the Country, Smith dying before he could leave.
Everywhere the Church went and legally bought property the sites prospered and in ever site jealous and ignorant NON Mormons formed lynch mobs and hate groups to attack, burn and destroy the Mormons that lived peacefully on their legal property.
Finally most Mormons moved to what is NOW Utah which was a part of MEXICO. They were given land grants to live there and form settlements.
After the US took Utah in the Mexican American war Brigham Young was made Territorial Governor for a while. In 1856 the Departing President secretly removed Young as Governor. Never told him and then claimed Young was leading an uprising. The New Governor ask to simply go and tell Young and the President refused. He ordered an Army expedition to put down the non existent uprising. Over the winter of 56 57 after being warned about the coming invasion Brigham Young waited patiently for the New Governor to come. Elements of the Mormon population mounted raids on supply depots and supply convoys of the Army that was wintering in Wyoming.
When Spring came Brigham Young ordered the population to bury their firearms and to bury the foundation of the Temple being constructed in Salt Lake city. And to peacefully greet the Hostile Army and the new Governor.
The Army came and could find no hostile forces. The New Governor was seated peacefully and after a time the Army went home.
And it continues today, false stories and claims. My simple question is if we are a false religion that harms no one and is no threat to anyone, why all the hostility, the lies, the fake stories, the animosity? How does us believing something you do not believe effect you?
As for the claim of secrecy? Funny how so much is known but we are accused of being secret.
You realize of course when Kennedy ran for President there was a vocal minority that insisted he would not be faithful to the US but rather to Rome. How did that play out again?