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NINE REASONS FOR REJECTING THE MORMON'S "FIRST VISION"
Vern Cavin
First: Did Joseph Smith have a "first vision" with God? It might be accepted that he had a vision, or visit, from an angel. Perhaps the visitor was no less than the angel mentioned in Galatians 1:6-8!
Second: This "official" account of the first vision differs substantially from an original written in Joseph's own handwriting, which the Mormon Church has suppressed for over 130 years. (MSR pp. 148-162 1972 edition by Modern Microfilm).
Third: Joseph Smith asked the wrong question! The first question he should have asked is: Lord! How may I be made right with you? Not "which sect was right?" I believe then that the Lord would have lead Joseph to the right church family where he could receive proper teaching. There is evidence that the Lord may have attempted to guide Joseph in spite of his priority of questions. He attended a local Methodist Church for some six months, and was on the membership roll, after the so-called "first vision," and after he was forbidden to join with them.
Fourth: There is ample evidence that this account of the "first vision" in the PGP is highly inaccurate. Some comments by early Mormon leaders lead us to believe that Joseph did not see God at all; but was visited by an angel!
How was it, and which 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. What, none of them? No. We will not stop to argue that question; the angel merely told him to join none of them that none of them were right. Journal of Discourses JOD 20:167 J. Taylor.
...he 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.... JOD 12:334 G.A. Smith.
The Lord did not come with the armies of heaven, in power and great glory, nor send His messengers panoplied with aught else than the truth of heaven, to communicate to the meek, the lowly, the youth of humble origin, the sincere enquirer after the knowledge of God. 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; that they were following the precepts of men instead of the Lord Jesus.... JOD 2:171 B. Young.
That 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.... The angel taught Joseph Smith those principles which are necessary for the salvation of the world.... Joseph was strengthened by the Spirit and power of God, and was enabled to listen to the teachings of the angel. JOD 2:196-197 W. Woodruff.
Do you suppose that God in person called upon Joseph Smith, our Prophet? God called upon him; but God did not come himself and call, but he sent Peter to do it. Do you not see? He sent Peter and sent Moroni to Joseph, and told him that he had got the plates. Did God come himself? NO: he sent Moroni.... Why did not God come? He sent Peter, do you not see? Why did he not come along? Because he has agents to attend to his business, and he sits upon his throne and is established at head- quarters, and tells this man, "Go and do this;" and it is behind the veil just as it is here. You have got to learn that. JOD 6:29 H.C. Kimball.
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...? Yes, this is all correct. Did Joseph receive these revelations? He did. JOD 18:239 B. Young.
Not only do we have these sterling witnesses against the modern version of the "first vision," but the DC itself puts a stipulation on seeing God that Joseph couldn't possibly have met:
And without the ordinances thereof, and the authority of the priesthood, the power of godliness is not manifest unto men in the flesh; For without this no man can see the face of God, even the Father, and live. DC 84:21-22.
Joseph did not have the LDS priesthood at this time. According to the DC he could not have seen God! LDS apologists have an answer handy:
...permit me to emphasize this fact: There is no law or commandment which declares that the Father could not appear to a man in person when the Holy Priesthood was not among men on the earth. Answers To Gospel Questions—Joseph Fielding ATGQ 5:85.
It is amazing how reasonable the Mormon leaders are when it comes to solving problems that could prove fatal to their theological position. The question at this point is: Why could not this same God appear to any "worthy" mortal before Joseph Smith? Surely through the ages there must have been several persons who were far better material for God to work with than Joseph Smith.
The Bible itself shows us that Joseph's "1st vision" cannot be true. Although LDS apologists quote one Bible reference after another to show man has actually seen God in the flesh, they do not understand that the Bible does not talk about seeing God the Father in the flesh. Rather, it says:
No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love has been brought to full expression through us. 1 John 4:12.
No one has ever seen God. But his only Son, who is himself God, is near to the Father’s heart; he has told us about him. John 1:18.
(God appearing in Ex. 24:9-11 and elsewhere would be the pre-incarnate Christ.)
The LDS answer for these verses is very revealing:
“No Man Hath Seen God at Any Time”—A Mistranslation
There are too many passages which declare very definitely that God did appear, "face to face," with his ancient servants. Therefore, passages which declare that no man has seen him, must be in error. ...the passage in John 1:18...is likely due to the fact that a translator in more recent years did not believe that God was a Personage and therefore could not be seen.
The Prophet Joseph Smith has given us a correction of this passage as follows: And no man hath seen God at any time, except he hath borne record of the Son; for except it is through him no man can be saved. (John 1:19, [LDS] Inspired Version.) Again in 1 John 4:12, the Lord revealed to Joseph Smith the following correction: No man hath seen God at any time, except them who believe. If we love one and other (sic), God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfect in us. ATGQ 2:161-162.
The LDS formula for Bible verses that don't fit: change them!
Can angels appear to men like Joseph Smith? They can if they can appear to Soviet Cosmonauts:
Six Soviet cosmonauts said they witnessed the most awe-inspiring spectacle ever encountered in space--a band of glowing angels with wings as big as jumbo jets. According to WEEKLY WORLD NEWS, cosmonauts Vladimir Solevev, Oleg Atkov and Leonid Kizim said they first saw the celestial beings last July, during their 155th day aboard the orbiting Salyut 7 space station. "What we saw," they said, "were seven giant figures in the form of humans, but with wings and mist like halos, as in the classic depiction of angels. Their faces were round with cherubic smiles. "Twelve days later, the figures returned and were seen by three other Soviet scientists, including woman cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya. "They were smiling," she said, "as though they shared in a glorious secret." Parade Magazine 1-86:4.
Fifth: The "official version" of the "first Vision" is not in accordance with their "divine law":
It is the divine law that in the mouths of two or more witnesses the Lord establishes his work, not through scientific research or study. Answers To Gospel Questions—Joseph Fielding ATGQ 2:197.
The divine law has always been that there should be at least two witnesses to every manifestation of vital importance. (Ref. Deut. 19:15). ATGQ 5:85.
(Fact: According to Mormons no other person witnessed this "1st vision," therefore their own accounts of this "event" does not fit their "divine law.")
Other offensive statements in this 1st vision, such as "our creeds being an abomination" and "Christians being corrupt" are not worth comment. The Mormon teachings that Christian creeds are an abomination and Christians being corrupt are not only in the "1st vision":
...anything that in its nature is untrue and is therefore designed to deceive is a lie. Those who believe in false doctrines are thus guilty of believing a lie, and those who propagate these untruths are guilty of lying. For instance: The creeds of apostate Christendom teach untruths about God, and the scriptures say that those who accept these creeds "have inherited lies." (Jer. 16:16-21.) Those who accept any of the doctrines of the apostate churches are said to "believe a lie." (2 Thess. 2:1-12.) ...False teachers are liars. ...In other words, to teach true doctrine is to tell the truth, and to teach false doctrine is to lie. Mormon Doctrine- Bruce R. McConkie MD 440-441 (Liars).
A man is saved no faster than he gets knowledge, for if he does not get knowledge, he will be brought into captivity by some evil power in the other world, as evil spirits will have more knowledge, and consequently more power than many men who are on the earth. Hence it needs revelation to assist us, and give us knowledge of the things of God. What is the reason that the Priests of the day do not get revelation? They ask only to consume it upon their lusts. Their hearts are corrupt, and they cloak their iniquity by saying there are no more revelations. But if any revelations are given of God, they are universally opposed by the priests and Christendom at large; for they reveal their wickedness and abominations. Teachings Of The Prophet Joseph Smith TPJS 217.
Since the LDS have brought up the word "lie" we should be aware of what they consider a "lie":
"A lie is any communication given to another with the intent to deceive." ...the dictionary which states. "A lie is an untrue statement made with the intent of deceiving".... A lie can be effectively communicated without words ever being spoken. Sometimes the nod of the head or silence can deceive. ...devious use of flattery, or failure to divulge all pertinent facts are a few other ways to communicate the lie. ...How serious is lying? We have a clue when we read all through the scriptures that Satan is the father of lies. His method of teaching this evil practice is illustrated in the...(DC 10:25-26): "Yea, he [Satan] saith unto them: Deceive and lie...behold, this is no harm. And thus he...telleth them that it is no sin to lie.... And thus he...causeth them to catch themselves in their own snare."
(This is important because when my wife was a young Mormon the existing practice among her LDS friends in trying to make converts was something to the effect that "It would be okay to 'hide the truth' or to outright lie 'if it brought the convert into the church.'" With many Mormons it's simply: "The end justifies the means." This is dishonest. If Christians use this method it is still, I believe, unacceptable to God. In the same sermon we are given some examples of using untruth that seem to be typical of Mormonism.)
...It is a sin to lie. It is a tragedy to be the victim of lies. ...Many are unwilling to pay the price to be free from the chains of lies. ...Sometimes we deceive and lie to avoid personal embarrassment. ...Consciously or unconsciously some people lie to destroy others. ...Have you watched an overly ambitious person turn on false flattery for his own gain? Lies are often excuses for lack of courage. Sometimes lies are nothing more than excuses for poor performance. Usually one lie or deception has to be covered by another. Lies cannot stand alone. Each one must continually be supported by more and more of its own kind. ...Use of important, well-recognized names or undue reference to special community or religious affiliations are often used to gain confidence and open the door to sales deceptions. Ensign 5-82:9-10 M.J. Ashton.
Do we understand the gravity of the sin of dishonesty? It is not only unchristian, it is anti- Christian—it is anti-Mormon—It is anti-Christ! Whether it be lying, or cheating, or robbery or deception...dishonesty is completely foreign to the teachings of Jesus. E 5-82:15 M.E. Peterson.
Mormons are told their leaders don't lie:
Now, as we've sat here in this conference we have been very fortunate to hear all the General Authorities who have borne testimony, who have referred to prophecies and blessings, and who have described the progress that this Church has made. I would like to say to each and every one of you that all these good men have testimonies of the gospel. They wouldn't lie to you. They are telling you the truth—and in a spirit we can't forget. E 5-82:75 N.E. Tanner.
Sixth: LDS claim Christianity says revelation from God ceased:
...the Gospel of modern Christendom shuts up the Lord, and stops all communication with Him. I want nothing to do with such a Gospel, I would rather prefer the Gospel of the dark ages, so called. JOD 2:196 W. Woodruff.
But that is exactly the Mormon message!
Unfortunately in the great apostasy which swept over the earth, the words of the Lord to the Pharisees were misinterpreted because the spirit of revelation had ceased. ATGQ 2:119.
The Holy Ghost is a revelator, and everyone who receives him receives revelation.... Unfortunately, however, and because of unbelief, they did cease, both in the old world and in the new. For more than fifteen centuries, so far as our records reveal, no mortal man enjoyed them. Then finally came that glorious event in 1820 when, by the appearance of the Father and the Son, this awful darkness was put to flight and the return of these gifts of the spirit heralded. Latter-Day Prophets And The Doctrine & Covenants LDP-DC 2:121 M.G. Romney.
Christians believe that God could and would give "revelation" anytime He wanted or felt it necessary. He would not give "revelation" that contradicts earlier "revelations" as often happens with LDS "revelations."
Seventh: The LDS position on the validity of the "1st vision" is supposedly predicated on the belief that the Christian church, and thus Christians, ceased existence after the death of the last apostle of Jesus Christ (about 90A.D.). But LDS theology teaches about three mystic people (prophets, priesthood holders-whatever) known to LDS as the "three Nephites" have survived the ages (never died) and have continued the work of Christ today along with John (The Revelator) who, according to Mormon doctrine, never saw death and all are still alive today!:
"Holy men that ye know not of," who were without sin, and reserved unto the Lord, are translated persons such as John the Revelator [Sec. 7]...and the Three Nephites [3 Nephi 28], who do not belong to this generation and yet are in the flesh in the earth performing a special ministry until the coming of Jesus Christ. LDP-DC 2:142 J.F. Smith.
For LDS who are not aware of the significance of the "3 Nephites" this:
...I think many members of the Church will be condemned for their failure to search for knowledge which is given in clearness in our standard works. ...It has always been an astonishment to me that so many members of the Church fail to prepare themselves by study and by faith to know the truth. ATGQ 5:46.
Why don't LDS ever have any of the 3 Nephites, or the Apostle John speak at their conferences? That certainly would make the most interesting conference the Mormons have ever had. I also wonder how many LDS today are the results of the efforts of the 3 Nephites? I have been told by Mormons that the reason we do not see much evidence of the 3 Nephites or the Apostle John is "Because they are on some other mission, or some other 'special ministry.'" But my question then becomes: What ministry is more important than the continual building of the church of Jesus? When pressed on many points the poor LDS believer's answers lack credibility. It is then that 'lying answers' come forth, deliberately or otherwise. If Christians use this method it is still wrong.
Eighth: A reason for the "first vision" was that each Christian denomination claimed to be right:
Now one denomination out of five or six hundred...might probably be correct; but it is quite certain that no two of them, differing in faith, and practice, could be; and under these circumstances the difficulty would be to determine which is right. It was in this position of perplexity and doubt that Joseph Smith was placed when he went and asked the Lord to tell him which was right; and the Lord revealed to him, through an holy angel, that they were all wrong.... JOD 13: 294 G.A. Smith.
The Bible allows for many members of the same body:
Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are all parts of his one body, and each of us has different work to do. And since we are all one body in Christ, we belong to each other, and each of us needs all the others. Romans 12:4-5
The Revelation of John (1:4) addresses seven churches.
LDS say that all the denominations are "calling each other names" and are always fighting among themselves, which proves they are not true. Do not lovers quarrel? Did not Paul and Barnabas argue?
LDS say the only time the "sects" of Christendom unite is to resist Mormonism:
Division and dissention, contention, confusion and discord—these are among the prevailing characteristics of the sects of Christendom. These various sects or denominations—all holding to their particular creeds and practices—will never unite, except on one point: all will join hands to fight the truth and stand in opposition to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. (Jos. Smith 2:20-25.) Existence of the sects of Christendom is proof positive of the universal apostasy. Truth is one; Christ is not divided.... But the apostate nature of the creeds and teachings of the sects in no sense means that all sectarians, as individuals, are living in gross unrighteousness without desiring to know and live the truth. MD 699.
"Which church does the Mormon Church agree with?" Asked a Christian of a Mormon complaining about Christians "fighting." The answer is none!
Ninth: The famous Salamander Letter written by one of the early LDS leaders, Martin Harris, was published in The Salt Lake Tribune Sunday, April 28, 1985. The "Controversial 1830 Letter" gives an entirely different account of Joseph Smith and the "Gold Plates" that are the Book of Mormon:
...the next day I take the older Smith by the arm & he says Joseph can see any thing he wishes by looking at a stone(.) Joseph often sees Spirits here with great kettles of coin money(.) ...In the fall of the year 1827 I hear Joseph found a gold bible(.) I take Joseph aside & he says it is true(.) I found it 4 years ago with my stone but only just got it because of the enchantments(.) the old spirit come to me 3 times...the spirit transfigured himself from a white salamander in the bottom of the hole and struck me 3 times & held the treasure & would not let me have it because I lay it down to cover over the hole when the spirit says do not lay it down(.) Joseph says when can I have it(?) the spirit says one year from today if you obay (sic) me(.) look to the stone(.) after a few days he looks(.) the spirit says bring your brother Alvin(.) Joseph says he is dead(.) shall I bring what remains(?) but the spirit is gone(.) Joseph goes to get the gold bible but the spirit says you did not bring your brother(-) you can not have it(-) look to the stone(.) Joseph looks but can not see who to bring(.) the spirit says I tricked you again(-)look to the stone(.) Joseph looks & sees his wife(.) on the 22d day of Sept. 1827 they get the gold bible....
In the "letter" a "spirit" is mentioned, but not God. This "letter" has resulted in two murders in Salt Lake City in 1985. All that can be said about it will be said in the papers as time reveals the truth of the Mormon Church in this matter. What really should take place is for the Mormon Church to add 4 new words to the Book of Mormon: Once upon a time! This would make the BOM more honest. Whether this "letter" is true or not (as later events proved it a forgery) is not important. The LDS Church believed it true and paid to obtain it. If it is a forgery, then the Mormon prophet, seer and revelator should have had a revelation to that effect.
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