Questioning Joseph Smith (Part Nine)

If this is the first time you’ve come upon this series about Joseph Smith and Mormonism, I recommend you read Parts 1-8 before reading Part 9. The history and background will help you understand what I’m about to write.

True or False

I believe in objective truth – it corresponds with reality and facts. If you don’t believe in objective truth, then you hold to the idea of subjective truth – it doesn’t have to correspond with reality or facts. I wanted you to know that so you’ll understand this statement.

Mormonism is either true or it’s not. That’s an objective statement. That’s thinking that corresponds with reality and facts. A subjective statement would be that Mormonism may be true for you but not for me. That’s thinking that does not correspond with reality or facts.

I can say the same thing about theism and Christianity. God exists or He doesn’t. Christianity is true or it isn’t. That’s objective thinking. It corresponds with reality and facts. To say that God may exist for you but not for me is illogical. To say that Christianity is true for me but not true for you is also illogical. Truth is truth – all the time.

So, what about the question of whether the teachings of Joseph Smith are true or false? I have some theories about that.

Three Theories About Joseph Smith

Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God and all that he taught was true.
Joseph Smith is not a true prophet of God. He made up the translations to deceive and control people. What he taught was not true.
Joseph Smith is not a true prophet of God. He was deceived by angels. What he taught was not true.

You may have some other theories, but those are the three that are prominent in my thinking after years of research and talking with Mormons.

#1 — Joseph Smith is a true prophet of God and all that he taught was true.

A lot of people today and in the past have claimed to be prophets of God. Should we believe them because they claim(ed) to be prophet of God or is there a way of testing them to see if they are of God?

We can test them! In fact, God wants us to test people who claim to speak for Him.

If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul. You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear Him, and keep His commandments and obey His voice; you shall serve Him and hold fast to Him. But that prophet or that dreamer of dreams shall be put to death, because he has spoken in order to turn you away from the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt and redeemed you from the house of bondage, to entice you from the way in which the Lord your God commanded you to walk. So you shall put away the evil from your midst. Deuteronomy 13:1-6

But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’— when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lordhas not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him. Deuteronomy 18:20-22

Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. Matthew 7:15-20

But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted—you may well put up with it! .. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. 2 Corinthians 11:3-4, 13-15

Being a true prophet of God is difficult to maintain if God is not really speaking through you. If you are mistaken in one area of your prophecies, you are not a true prophet. Read the prophets in the Old Testament and see how easily prophets become false prophets. Here’s just one example —

Then I said, ‘Ah, Lord God! Behold, the prophets say to them, ‘You shall not see the sword, nor shall you have famine, but I will give you assured peace in this place.’ And the Lord said to me, ‘The prophets prophesy lies in My name. I have not sent them, commanded them, nor spoken to them; they prophesy to you a false vision, divination, a worthless thing, and the deceit of their heart. Therefore thus says the Lord concerning the prophets who prophesy in My name, whom I did not send, and who say, ‘Sword and famine shall not be in this land’—’By sword and famine those prophets shall be consumed! Jeremiah 14:13-15

Did Joseph Smith make any errors in his prophecies? He did – many – as we’ve mentioned in earlier parts of this series. That means he was not a true prophet of God, which makes him a false prophet. That means all who follow Smith’s prophetic teachings and writings are following a false prophet. Not a good place to be if you want to follow God.

#2 — Joseph Smith is not a true prophet of God. He made up the translations to deceive and control people. What he taught was not true.

Most everything Smith would have needed to make up the translations for the purpose of deceiving and controlling people was available to him in the early 19th century. The King James Bible was available. The Apocrypha was available. The theory about American Indians being part of the lost tribes of Israel already existed in the teaching of many churches of that time. Maps of North, Central, and South America were available to use to make up stories about locations for the Book of Mormon.

So, the question is whether Smith could do that. Many Mormons speak about Smith’s lack of education, but he did have some education and could do basic reading, writing, and math. Some of Smith’s family members were quoted as saying Smith had only basic proficiency in areas of education. Those family members included his wife, mother, and siblings. Some of his friends said the same.

If we take these people at their word, then it would seem unlikely that Smith could have written the amount of material he did in his short lifetime, in addition to all the preaching and teaching.

That leaves us with one more theory.

#3 — Joseph Smith is not a true prophet of God. He was deceived by angels. What he taught was not true.

Joseph Smith is not the only person to claim that angels spoke to him and gave him special prophetic knowledge from God. I’ve already covered that in an earlier series about When Angels Speak. You can look there for more details about the angels Smith said visited him.

Muhammad also claimed that an angel gave him prophetic knowledge from God, as did leaders more recently in the NewApostolic Reformation and Progressive Christian movements.

We know that angels are involved in helping God’s people (Hebrews 1:14), but we also know that some angels are evil and enemies of God and His people (2 Corinthians 11:14; 1 Timothy 4:1; James 2:19; Revelation 16:14; 18:2). How can we know the difference?

The answer is simple. What do religious teachers teach and preach? If what they teach and preach is the same as what the Apostle Paul preached, then they’re good. If not, they’re not.

I marvel that you are turning away so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed … But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. Galatians 1:6-9, 11-12

Joseph Smith claimed that he received the “restored gospel of Jesus Christ.” The LDS church explains it this way —

In many ways the gospel of Jesus Christ is like a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle. When Joseph Smith came on the scene, perhaps 100 pieces were in place. Then Joseph Smith came along and put many of the other 900 pieces in place so that people could say, ‘Oh, now I understand where I came from, why I am here, and where I am going.’ As for Joseph Smith’s role in the Restoration, the Lord defined it clearly: ‘This generation shall have my word through you’ (D&C 5:10). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints

In Conclusion

I can’t be sure that Joseph Smith didn’t invent Mormonism from his own thoughts and ideas. However, I think it’s more likely that angels deceived him. That would be consistent with other religions that claim their beginnings from angelic visits. Christianity, the true kind that has its foundations in the prophets and apostles (Ephesians 2:19), does not look to angels for more truth. Jesus Christ is the Truth. As the Apostle John wrote, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” The focus of the Bible is Jesus Christ, not angels.

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence. Colossians 1:15-18

There is no question that Mormonism is a false religion. If you doubt that, I invite you to read through the entire study in the free eBook listed below. Look again closely at what Moses said about how to know a false prophet. Look at what Jesus said about false prophets. Look at what the apostles said and wrote about false prophets. Don’t be deceived. Question the teachings of Joseph Smith.

But evil men and impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them. 2 Timothy 3:13-14

We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error. 1 John 4:6

[Podcast version of this study.]

Resources on Mormonism

This study about Questioning Joseph Smith is a basic course in Mormonism. There is much more I could share with you, but I thought these nine parts might help answer any questions you have about Smith’s religion. Please look through some of these resources if you’d like to learn more.

Leaving Mormonism: Why Four Scholars Changed their Minds

Book Review: Leaving Mormonism – Why Four Scholars Changed their Minds

Testimony of former BYU Professor Lynn Wilder

The Truth About Mormonism

The Six Big Problems of Mormonism – Part One

The Six Big Problems of Mormonism – Part Two

Defending Christmas In An Unbelieving World – The Mormons (Part 1)

Defending Christmas In An Unbelieving World – The Mormons (Part 2)

Defending Christmas In An Unbelieving World – The Mormons (Part 3)

Hidden Doctrines of Mormonism

When Angels Speak

Ten Lies I Told as a Mormon Missionary