Changing Mormon Stories is a special edition of this blog where we will examine a current LDS teaching, scripture, or doctrine, and then we will compare it with the original teaching, scripture, or doctrine. According to the Mormon church, if any church changes it's beliefs over time, then it has apostatized. Let's point the finger of blame right back at them!
Today's Changing Mormon Story involves the First Vision which, according to President Hinckley, the validity of the entire church depends upon. Either is it totally true, or it is totally false.
Let's look at the current LDS views of the First Vision...
"I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me. It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!" (Joseph Smith History 1:16-17, Pearl of Great Price)
The LDS today believe that Joseph Smith was literally visited by God and Jesus Christ personally. If it can be shown that this event really did not occur, then the church is in serious trouble. Ironcially, the First Vision was a concept entirely unknown to the early church members. As you will see in a moment, even very prominent church members and leaders had no idea that Joseph Smith had claimed to see god. At most, they believed he had seen an angel. Check out these damning quotes that come DIRECTLY from approved church sources:
"The Lord did not come with the armies of heaven ... but He did send his angel to this same obscure person, Joseph Smith jun., who afterwards became a Prophet, Seer, and Revelator, and informed him that he should not join any of the religious sects of the day, for they were all wrong..." Brigham Young - Journal of Discourses, vol. 2, p. 171 (1855)
"The same organization and Gospel that Christ died for ... is again established in this generation. How did it come? By the ministering of an holy angel from God, out of heaven, who held converse with man, and revealed unto him the darkness that enveloped the world ... He told him the Gospel was not among men, and that there was not a true organization of His kingdom in the world" Wilford Woodruff - Journal of Discourses, vol. 2, p. 196 (1855)
"Some one may say, 'If this work of the last days be true, why did not the Saviour come himself to communicate this intelligence to the world?' Because to the angels was committed the power of reaping the earth, and it was committed to none else." Orson Hyde - Journal of Discourses, vol. 6, p. 335 (1854)
"...he [Joseph Smith] went humbly before the Lord and inquired of Him, and the Lord answered his prayer, and revealed to Joseph, by the ministration of angels , the true condition of the religious world. When the holy angel appeared , Joseph inquired which of all these denominations was right and which he should join, and was told they were all wrong" George A. Smith - Journal of Discourses, vol. 12, p. 334 (1863)
"[Joseph] was enlightened by the vision of an holy angel. When this personage appeared to him, one of the first inquiries was 'Which of the denominations of Christians in the vicinity was right?' " George A. Smith - Journal of Discourses, vol. 13, p. 78 (1869)
"None of them was right, just as it was when the Prophet Joseph asked the angel which of the sects was right that he might join it. The answer was that none of them are right." John Taylor - Journal of Discourses, vol. 20, p. 167 (1879)
"But suppose that the statement that Joseph Smith says the angel made to him should be true-that there was no church upon the face of the earth whom God recognized as His, and whose acts He acknowledged-suppose this were true..." George Q. Cannon - Journal of Discourses, vol. 24, pg. 135 (1889)
"He accordingly went out into the woods and falling upon his knees called for a long time upon the Lord for wisdom and knowledge. While engaged in prayer a light appeared in the heavens, and descended until it rested upon the trees where he was. It appeared like fire. But to his great astonishment, did not burn the trees. An angel then appeared to him and conversed with him upon many things. He told him that none of the sects were right..." William Smith On Mormonism , By William Smith, Joseph Smith's brother. pg. 5 (1883)
"The angel again forbade Joseph to join any of these churches, and he promised that the true and everlasting Gospel should be revealed to him at some future time. Joseph continues: 'Many other things did he (the angel) say unto me which I cannot write at this time' " Church Historical Record, Vol. 7, January, 1888 (It should be noted here that in this quote the first reference to "the angel" was later changed to "the Holy Being" and the second reference to "the angel" was changed to "the Christ")
"...I received the first visitation of Angels when I was about 14 years old..." Joseph Smith, Nov. 1835 - Personal writings of Joseph Smith, pg. 84 (It should be noted that this entry has been changed in the History of the Church, Vol. 2, pg. 312. It now reads "my first vision" instead of "visitation of Angels")
"Do we believe that the Lord sent his messengers to Joseph Smith, and commanded him to refrain from joining any Christian church, and to refrain from the wickedness he saw in the churches, and finally delivered to him a message informing him that the Lord was about to establish his kingdom on the earth..." Brigham Young - Journal of Discourses, Vol. 18, pg. 239
Isn't it odd that over 40 years after Joseph's alleged "first vision", Church leaders like Brigham Young, John Taylor, Wilford Woodruff, George A. Smith, George Q. Cannon, and William Smith were all unaware of Joseph Smith's claim of seeing God the Father and Jesus Christ?
The bottom line is that the First Vision, as the LDS believe it today, never took place. And the most amazing thing is that the proof is sitting right there, right in plain view for anyone to see. If you want to read a testimony buster, then read the Journals of Discourses, which are available at the Main Public Library in downtown Salt Lake City.
Enjoy your freedom from the LDS lies!
Just another evil apostate...
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