Category: Joseph Smith, Jr.
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April General Conference Reaffirms Mormonism’s Love/Hate Relationship with Christianity
Throughout its history, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has had a sort of love/hate relationship with historic Christianity. That this attitude continues today was reaffirmed during the church’s General Conference earlier this month. Mormonism’s negative stance toward Christianity began, as did Mormonism itself (it is claimed), with Joseph Smith’s 1820 First Vision.…
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Crash Course Mormonism: First Vision
The First Vision is a crucial event that must be historical if Mormonism should be considered a true religion. According to LDS Church teaching, founder Joseph Smith, Jr. was 14 years old in the spring of 1820 when a Christian revival took place in the area of upstate New York where he lived during the…
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10 Reasons to Reject the First Vision of Joseph Smith
The historical First Vision is for Mormonism’s case. If the First Vision did not occur, then Mormonism is nothing more than fiction, as attested to by these important leaders. However, there are problems with the First Vision account, as summarized in the following 10 reasons. 1. It is impossible for anyone to see God the…
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“#Hear Him.” Mormon Prophet Invites Members to Listen to the Lord.
16 March 2020 Russel M. Nelson, the president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, recently released a video invitation to his friends. Leading up to Easter and in accordance with the church’s 2020 focus on Joseph Smith’s First Vision, President Nelson said, “My dear friends, today I wish to share with you…
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Following the Prophet’s “First Vision” Example
The February 2020 issue of Ensign magazine, an official publication of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, includes an article written by Henry B. Eyring of the church’s First Presidency. In keeping with the church’s 2020 emphasis on Joseph Smith’s First Vision (due to the traditionally-accepted 200th anniversary of the event), President Eyring…
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8 Questions Every Latter-day Saint Needs to Answer about the First Vision
Do you believe in the official “First Vision” account of God the Father and Jesus appearing to Joseph Smith, Jr. in the spring of 1820? Do you believe it was a historical event? Most Latter-day Saints can answer “yes” to both questions. It’s important, they say. The account is emphasized in the church from Primary…
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Crash Course Mormonism: Joseph Smith
Joseph Smith (1805-1844) is the founder and first president/prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While he is not worshiped by followers of the church, he is certainly the most highly esteemed leader this religion has ever had. First Vision According to the official account told by the church, Joseph Smith saw…
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Of Martyrs and Lambs
In June 1844 Joseph Smith, the founder and first Prophet of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, was shot dead by a mob of vigilantes. He was incarcerated in Carthage Jail at the time, awaiting action on a charge of treason sworn against him.1 This is what happened: Carthage, June 27th, 1844. A shower…
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Crash Course Mormonism: God the Father
God the Father has several different names in Mormonism, including Heavenly Father or Elohim. A good picture of this version of God can be seen in founder Joseph Smith’s statement from what is known as the King Follett Discourse: I will go back to the beginning before the world was, to show what kind of…
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The Season for Safeguarding Joseph Smith’s Honor
19 December 2018 In approaching Christmas, Christians focus on Jesus Christ as we commemorate His birth. We celebrate God’s merciful Gift: “Today a Savior, who is Messiah the Lord, was born for you in the city of David” (Luke 2:11). As summarized at GotQuestions.org, “We celebrate Christmas because… Jesus is the Savior who delivers us from sin…
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Citations on Joseph Smith
The following are sections out of Bill McKeever’s book In their Own Words: A Collection of Mormon Quotations. Standard Works “Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it” (Doctrine and Covenants…
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Citations on First Vision
The following are sections out of Bill McKeever’s book In their Own Words: A Collection of Mormon Quotations. Standard Works “And he said unto Moses, Thou canst not see my face at this time, lest mine anger is kindled against thee also; and I destroy thee, and thy people; for there shall no man among…
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The Boast of Joseph
By Eric Johnson Joseph Smith, the founder of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, made this boast a month before he was shot to death in a gun battle at the Carthage Jail: “Come on! ye prosecutors! Ye false swearers! All hell, boil over! Ye burning mountains, roll down your lava! For I will…
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Paying Allegiance to Joseph Smith
The dictionary defines “allegiance” as “loyalty or commitment of a subordinate to a superior or of an individual to a group or cause.” Mormons are often quick to deny that members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints worship their founder, Joseph Smith. Technically, this is true if the definition of worship is…
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Examining Mormonism’s Founder: The What-Did-Joseph-Smith-Lie-About Approach
By Rob Sivulka Summary A question I am often asked while holding up my “JosephLied.com” website sign [1] is, “What did Joseph lie about?” The question is like having a fish bite on the bait. When that happens, it’s time to set the hook and reel it in! While many issues may be brought up, I…
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Joseph Smith’s Remarks on Happiness
The Mormon Church talks a lot about happiness. For example, the Church calls its restored gospel “The Plan of Happiness.” LDS leaders have taught that “the very purpose of our lives can be defined in terms of happiness,” and “the things of the earth were created for our happiness.” In the October 2008 General Conference,…
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Joseph Smith and the Seer Stone: The Art of the Book of Mormon Translation Process
This article was revised on 9/25/24 Art can be very powerful. It tells a story. For instance, what is your idea when you see this photograph from June 1989 regarding the issue of China and democracy? This image had a powerful effect on many who knew little about the details of the June 1989 student…
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Whatever Happened to Emily and Eliza Partridge?
Note: The following was originally printed in the September/October 2017 edition of Mormonism Researched. To request a free subscription, please visit here. In early Mormonism, you might say some of the women who became plural wives were kept as a set. Several Mormon leaders, including Joseph Smith and Brigham Young, married sisters. When Edward Partridge, Mormonism’s first bishop, died…
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Joseph Smith Is Needed if the Atonement To Be “Fully Efficacious”
Note: The following was originally printed in the May/June 2017 edition of Mormonism Researched. To request a free subscription, please visit here. In the first volume of Doctrines of Salvation, tenth Mormon President Joseph Fielding Smith made it very clear that there is “no salvation without accepting Joseph Smith” (1:188). While some might think that Mormonism has matured…
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The First Vision: Key to Truth? A Review of Seventy Richard J. Maynes’ June 2017 Ensign article
There are two cornerstone events in the history of the Mormon religion that are as important as the literal resurrection of Jesus is to Christianity. Remember how the apostle Paul testified to the historicity of the raising of Jesus from the dead? He claimed in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8: 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance…
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