• Embed Doc
  • Copy Link
  • Readcast
  • Collections
  • CommentGo Back
Download
 
JOSEPH SMITH’S CLAIMS EXAMINED
 No 1820 Revival;1st Vision Unreliable
 Joseph Smith alleged that because of a revival in1820 in the vicinity of Palmyra, NY, he went to the woods to pray for guidance as to which church heshould join. He claimed that two glowing personagesappeared to him and told him to join none of them, asthey were all wrong, their creeds an abomination andtheir professors corrupt.There is no evidence from the churches of Palmyrathat there was a revival in 1820. Baptismal recordsshow that there was a revival 4 years later in 1824, butthis destroys the chronology established by Smith asrecorded in official church history.There are also problems with his first vision story:
•
 
The official version was not recorded until 18 yearsafter the event supposedly occurred.
•
 
There is no mention of it in Oliver Cowdery’shistory of the Latter Day Saint movement written in1834 under Smith’s supervision.
•
 
In 1828, Smith attempted to join the Methodistchurch, a direct violation of the command heallegedly received from God 8 years earlier.But most troubling of all, is the fact that early churchpublications and records document at least 6 distinctly different versions of his first vision. The differing versions contradict each other in regard to Smith’s age,the reason he went to the woods to pray, the numberand identity of the personages who appeared to him,and most notably, the message he received.
BOM not Translation
 Joseph Smith claimed that he translated the text of the
Book of Mormon
from gold plates through the Urimand Thummin by the power of the Holy Spirit. Thetitle page of the
Book
 
of Mormon
published today contains the words “Translated by Joseph Smith.” Thisis a core belief of his followers. You will be shocked to learn that the above accountdid not happen. According to the witnesses present inthe room when Joseph Smith was dictating the text of the
Book of Mormon
,“Joseph Smith would putthe seer stone into a hat,and put his face in the hat,drawing it closely aroundhis face to exclude thelight.” (quote David Whitmer)The gold plates wereunder a cloth or hidden inthe woods and were notused directly in the creationprocess. Other witnessesincluded Emma Smith,Martin Harris, OliverCowdery, Isaac Hale and Michael Morse (JosephSmith’s brother in law).These details do not contradict the statements by the11 witnesses. The unavoidable conclusion is, the
Bookof Mormon
is not a “translation” within the commonly held meaning of that word.
 No BOM Archeology 
No person mentioned in the
Book of Mormon
hasever been identified in the ancient archeology of the Americas. No place mentioned in that book has everbeen located geographically.The language referenced in the Book of Mormon isReformed Egyptian and no evidence for that languagehas been found anywhere on the earth. No eventmentioned in the Book of Mormon has beenconfirmed from any objective source.Many objects mentioned in the
Book of Mormon
(e.g.steel, coins, wheels, swords, horses, Christian orHebrew artifacts) have not been confirmed witharcheology. Many objects and customs that archeology confirms did exist during that time period (e.g.obsidian, human sacrifice, dogs as food, adobe brick,terrace farming, hieroglyphics, cotton, tobacco) are notmentioned in the
Book of Mormon
. In contrast,hundreds of archeological findings support theaccuracy of the Bible. Archeologists and researchers who have examined
Book of Mormon
claims have rejected its validity.Thomas Stuart Ferguson, Dan Vogel, Dee Green,Michael Coe and the Smithsonian Institute have allissued statements denying the historicity of the
Book of Mormon
.
DNA Refutes BOM
In 1830, Joseph Smith presented the Book of Mormon to the world, declaring it to be the mostcorrect of any book on earth. It has been promoted forthe past 174 years by his followers, not only as ascriptural supplement to the Bible, but also as a literalhistory of the ancestors of the American Indians. Joseph Smith taught that Native Americans wereactually descendants of Jews who had traveled to the Americas in three migrations; the first at the time of the Tower of Babel, the last two, approximately 600 BCHowever, recent DNA analysis of American Indiansfrom more than 150 tribes, both ancient and present-day, reveals that Joseph Smith’s claims have no basis infact. Of the thousands of Native Americans tested,99.4% were of North East Asian descent, while theremaining 0.6% were of African and European descent.No DNA evidence supports Joseph Smith’s assertionthat American Indians are of Jewish or Hebrew descent.
BOM Text Impossible
The Book of Mormon text contains logicalimpossibilities. The Book of Mormon’s Old Testamentportion (BMOT) quotes heavily from the New Testament of the Bible. There are at least185quotations and 2,500 unique vocabulary words fromthe New Testament in the BMOT such as: “Bible,”“Jesus,” “Christ,” “Christian” and “baptism”.These New Testament words do not appear in theOld Testament of the Bible but they do appear in theBMOT. It is impossible to quote a text 600 years beforeit came into existence.Similarly, circa 550 BC, Nephi quoted four versesfrom the Book of Malachi over 100 years before they  were written, circa 425 BC. Since these verses were not
The goldplates wereunder a clothor hidden inthe woods andwere not useddirectly in thecreationprocess.
 
 written until after Lehi left Jerusalem, Nephi could nothave had access to them. In short, this is a doubleimpossibility of both time and space.The Book of Mormon also contains 18 chapters of the book of Isaiah from the 1611 King James Versionof the Bible, including most of the italicized words.Nephi quotes from that version 2,000 years before itcame into existence.
Smith Convicted
In 1826 at Bainbridge, New York, Joseph Smith wasarrested, tried and convicted of the crime of “glasslooking,” an occult practice similar to crystal ballgazing. This trial was the direct result of Smith’sattempt to find buried treasure for Josiah Stowell, for afee, with the use of a seer stone.For many years, followers of Joseph Smith deniedthe reports of those present at the trial and accusedthem of being Smith’s enemies. Court documentsincluding a bill of costs from Justice Albert Neely havenow been found that confirm that the trial occurredand that Joseph was convicted of the crime of “glasslooking.”The significance of this conviction is more than thefact that Joseph Smith was convicted of a crime. Thedescribed use of the seer stone is eerily similar to themethod Joseph Smith actually used in creating the
Bookof Mormon
as described herein.
Smith and Polygamy 
On July 12, 1843, in Nauvoo, Illinois, Joseph Smithallegedly received a revelation commanding the practiceof polygamy, which he labeled celestial marriage. Hisdiary contains the following entry, “I received thefollowing revelation in the presence of my brotherHyram and Elder William Clayton.”Excerpts from the revelation read, “…I [the Lord]reveal unto you a new and everlasting covenant and if  ye abide not in that covenant, then are ye damned; forno one can reject this covenant and be permitted toenter into my glory…If ye abide in my covenant…thenshall…[ye] be Gods.” William Clayton, Smith’s personal secretary,recorded the following, “I did write the revelation oncelestial marriage given through the prophet JosephSmith, on 12th of July, 1843.” Many sworn testimoniesgiven by those living in Nauvoo at the time therevelation was made public, verify the fact that JosephSmith not only gave this revelation but also practicedpolygamy himself.
Two Invalid Priesthoods
The Bible speaks of three priesthoods: the Aaronic,the Melchizedek and the Royal Priesthood of AllBelievers.The Aaronic priesthood consisted of priests and asingle high priest. It was instituted by God in the OldTestament to be a mediator between God and man, with the high priest offering sacrifices for the sins of thepeople. This priesthood was made obsolete with thedeath of Christ on the cross, since he was the lastsacrifice for sin and the new mediator between Godand man. Neither the Bible nor church history recordsthe existence of the Aaronic priesthood in the New Testament Christian church. Any attempt to “restore”this priesthood shows contempt for Christ’s sacrifice.The Melchizedek priesthood was unique. The Biblerecords it being held by only two people, Melchizedek in the Old Testament and Jesus Christ in the New Testament. No evidence exists of any other personholding this priesthood. “Every reference in the Bibleto a Melchizedek priesthood is in reference to thespecific and uniqueministry which JesusChrist alone fulfills asGod’s chosen means of salvation for his people.”(Paul Trask)The Royal priesthoodconsists of all born-againbelievers who make up thebody of Christ, with Jesusas their great high priest.He is the only high priestfor the Christian church.Because he will never die,his high priest status cannever be transferred to another. Any attempt toappropriate Christ’s high priest title or ministry tooneself usurps His unique title and function andconstitutes blasphemy. Consequently, Joseph Smith’spriesthood system, which includes multiple highpriests, is heretical.Of the three biblical priesthoods, Joseph Smithincluded in his church the two that are unavailable toChristians – The Aaronic and the Melchizedek.Tragically, he ignored the only priesthood that isavailable to Christians, the Royal Priesthood.
Salvation By Works
In over 30 LDS scripture passages Smith altered therequirements for salvation. He said, “ye are justified by faith and works through grace” (Rom. 4:16 Insp. Ver.)and “if ye keep the commandments of God ye shall besaved.” (Mosiah 7:94 BOM)The Bible says, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us.”Titus 3:5. The Bible doctrine of salvation may besummarized as: we are saved from sin and deaththrough faith in the grace of Jesus by his sacrifice for uson the cross -- and that alone.Churches that remain connected to Joseph Smith donot teach the essentials of the Christian faith. Salvationby works is neither Biblical nor effective. If a churchdoes not teach the Christian doctrine of salvation itsmembers will be confused. They might perceive wrongfully that God has abandoned them. We arenever good enough to merit God’s love and can only obtain God’s acceptance through Jesus’ atonement forour sins, which is the basis for our salvation.
Of the threebiblicalpriesthoods,Joseph Smithincluded in hischurch the twothat areunavailable toChristians
of 00

Leave a Comment

You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...
You must be to leave a comment.
Submit
Characters: ...