The First Vision - The Joseph Smith Story

By Jim Whitefield

The Mormon Church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) admits that it stands or falls on the validity or otherwise of Joseph Smith's claimed First Vision. This booklet examines each aspect of Smith's official account and compares it with historical evidence, including his own earlier versions of events, along with all his other writings – to arrive at the only possible conclusion. Was the vision a first time, first hand, divine experience or was it made up as Smith went along and just part of an elaborate hoax? This work is made available in the interest of truth and integrity for those who want to know or share the truth which is supported by hard evidence. The ePub version may be copied and shared (see copyright conditions). This booklet is also available to read free as an article at: themormondelusion.com web site. Click on ‘The First Vision’ tab on the home page.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lulu.com
• Release date: Aug 8, 2016
• ISBN: 9781326758066

Book preview

The First Vision - The Joseph Smith Story

THE FIRST VISION:

The Joseph Smith Story

A booklet by Jim Whitefield

First published in Paperback and PDF eBook

In August 2011 by

Lulu Press Inc. Raleigh, North Carolina, USA.

First Edition – August 2011

Expanded Second Edition – October 2011

ePUB Edition – August 2016

Copyright © Jim Whitefield 2011

ISBN: 978-1-326-75806-6

British Library Catalogue System Reference: 15886664

Lulu ID: 19189397

All rights reserved.

No part of the hard copy publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the author.

This ePub download may be reproduced and distributed by individuals or organisations only as a complete document and must include this statement:

Copyright © Jim Whitefield 2011. All rights reserved. The text of the article may not be altered or added to. Copies distributed must be given and may not be sold.

Note: Since the first publication of this booklet, the Mormon Church has published a series of essays regarding difficult historical problems they face.

In late 2013, they published one finally accepting and acknowledging the fact that there were multiple (and conflicting) first vision accounts recorded by Joseph Smith over a number of years. The vision is claimed to have occurred in 1820. However, the only accounts Smith ever wrote or dictated were during 1832, 1835 and 1838 - and they are all very different. Church essay on First Vision Accounts.

The ‘God and Jesus, appearing as two separate beings’ account first appeared in 1838. Backdated by eighteen years, it later became the official version that the Church promotes today.

The carefully worded essay deliberately manipulates and even omits some vital facts - such as in the second version, by saying: "This account also notes the appearance of angels in the vision" leading people to assume that this is in addition to God and Jesus appearing, as members are so familiar with the later backdated story. They neglect to say that it ONLY notes angels, and that no forms of deity are mentioned as appearing at all. Smith didn't invent the 'God and Jesus appearing together' idea until much later – in 1838.

It is this kind of continuing manipulation of the truth that the Church relies on to keep members in the dark whilst pretending to finally come clean about lies and deceptions of the past. Make of the essay what you will, the conspiracy to deceive continues unabated.

Joseph Smith’s First Vision

Mormonism, as it is called, must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of God, divinely called, properly appointed and commissioned, or he was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. There is no middle ground. …the doctrines of an impostor cannot be made to harmonize in all particulars with divine truth. If his claims and declarations were built upon fraud and deceit, there would appear many errors and contradictions, which would be easy to detect.

Joseph Fielding Smith, President of the Quorum of Twelve Apostles; later Mormon Church President. (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints).(Doctrines of Salvation, 1954, vol. 1, p. 188).

The following account