Fact or Fantasy: Was Joseph Smith a convicted felon? Also, did he really only start M

What was his felony about that he got convicted for? Did he really only start it for his love of money, power, and women?

Also, was he really a Freemason? Do Freemasons really teach that Jesus was not God, on the same level as Buddha and Muhammad? What do they believe? Is this not Christian?

The thing is, he was a cheat, but not a convicted felon. He had numerous cases of swindling and cheating brought against him, but somehow he was never convicted for them. In his final days, he was once again in jail, this time for organizing a large illegal militia to defend his church. He was finally going to be convicted, but a mob killed him before it could occur, thus never a convicted felon.

As for why he started the church, one can't say for sure, but it did bring him money, it did bring him power, and he did get multiple wives out of it, so your conclusion is certainly a reasonable one. It's what I've always assumed anyway.

As for being a Freemason, no. He tried to join and was rejected.

And we can say for fact he was a false prophet. He claimed to translate golden tablets, which were later 'taken back to heaven'. But before this occurred he did send a sample of this 'writing' to a professional at the time. The man flat out said in many writings following the encounter that it was nothing but a collection of different languages thrown together by someone with no concept of language what so ever. Smith had just copied different characters, including some Egyptian, Hebrew, Chinese and so on in the hopes of passing it off as ancient writing.

"Felony" isn't applicable. Local law then wasn't clearly divided into felonies and misdemeanors as it is now.
He was found guilty of "being a disorderly person and an impost er," which the judge considered fraud. The judgment was entered and a fine specified, but apparently after paying a fine the judge allowed him "leg bail" (basically, just letting him go without serving any further jail time and not going after him).
http://www.ils.unc.edu/~unsworth/mormon/jsconviction.html

Yes, he was a Freemason, having been initiated sometime before 1840, and becoming a "master mason" in 1842. Shortly after, he claimed to get a "revelation" about the Mormon temple ordinances, which are very much an adaptation of masonic rituals.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freemasonry_and_the_Latter_Day_Saint_movement

(for any LDS who might claim I don't know what I'm talking about, I'm an ex-Mormon and have been through the temple 100's of times. I do know.)

Peace.

We was accused but never convicted.

There are records of 3 court appearances before he started the church up, but they didn't entail convictions, just 'get out of town and don't do it again'.

He had a lot of civil convictions for his various financial scams later. He started up an illegal bank without any resources and bilked many of his own followers as well as outsiders for example.

He spent most of last years hiding out from the law for one thing or another, including hiding from angry Mormons who found him messing with their daughters.

No one knows why he started it. He might have had good intentions and then just started to believe his own hype too much. Or might have known exactly what he wanted - power, a steady income of other people's tithing, and women. That is certainly what he got.

No. He was accused but never convicted because he never committed a crime. He did not start the church, Christ started it when He was on the earth and it was taken from the earth then restored through Joseph Smith. The Bible teaches that Christ and God are two separate beings. Saying they're one person is showing disbelief in the Bible. Polygamy was commanded from God at that time for a short time but when it was not needed God commanded it to be abolished. Same thing that happened with Abraham. I can go on about the reasons the church is true and why all others are false.

If Jesus is God then why is he saying "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
Matthew 27:46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama Sebastiano? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?

Christ saw the spirit of God.
Matthew 3:16-17
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

One God the Father and one Lord and savior Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 8
6 But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

Christ states His father is greater than him.
John 14:28
28 Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you. If ye loved me, ye would rejoice, because I said, I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I.

John 5
19 Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seethe the Father do: for what things soever he doth, these also doth the Son likewise.
20 For the Father lover the Son, and sheath him all things that himself doth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel.
21 For as the Father raiser up the dead, and quickened them; even so the Son quickened whom he will.
22 For the Father judge no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
23 That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.

Christ talks of himself following God's commandments.
John 15:10
10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father?s commandments, and abide in his love.

He prays to His father.
John 11:41
41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.

Christ says he's doing the will of His Father.
John 6
37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father?s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up cat the last day.

Luke 22
41 And he was withdrawn from them about a stone?s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done.
43 And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him.

He was charge many times, but NEVER convicted. But then again, he would be in good company. Many individuals supporting a grand cause have been brought to court by those in opposition to the cause.

Did not Jesus Christ himself be brought before the Jewish courts?

Joseph Smith went through so much persecution, hatred, strive, and ridicule, even being murdered for his beliefs, that he would not have done it "just for himself."

In fact, he once said that even though he "himself would find it hard to believe in his message, if he had not experienced it himself."

Kerry and Marvel have given you good answers. Joseph was wrongfully accused many times of crimes he did not commit. Enemies of the truth lied about many things because they were jealous or felt threatened by the truths Joseph taught. What Joseph did, he did as a servant of Christ. It was not for money, power or women. He did it to fulfill God's commands. Yes, he was a mason, as were some of the other brethren. They were always seeking for further knowledge and the Masons seemed to have something of interest. When they prayed about what they were learning, God told them the truth concerning those rituals, restoring them as they were supposed to be. In other words, there are similarities because of common origin. The Masonic rituals are degraded from their origins and the LDS temple ordinances are restored pure from the original.
It is a true principle that where the truth is found, there will also be found many lies trying to divert people away from the truth.
Joseph was a humble prophet and died for his cause, which was the cause of Christ.