Mormons (thread 11), Episode 1: When Cotton Mather Met Joseph Smith: Puritan Skeptic vs. New Revelation

Imagine sitting down for coffee with Cotton Mather and Joseph Smith; sounds wild, right? This episode plays out like that: Mather believes in angels and miracles, but he’s obsessive about testing claims — so Smith’s new scripture would get a ruthless, page‑by‑page interrogation.

It’s a strange mix of grudging respect and fierce skepticism — Mather would admire the Mormons’ seriousness but still insist that extraordinary claims need extraordinary evidence. Think of it as a 17th‑century mic drop on 19th‑century revivalism.