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#15 The Facts On The Mormon Church
15. Is the "first vision" account forming
the foundation of the Mormon Church really credible?
Joseph Smith's "first vision" forms the essence of Mormonism's
claim to uniqueness: that God Himself had rejected all other churches as false
and was now restoring the "true" church through this 15-year-old boy. This is
why Mormons have agreed that the "first vision" account is absolutely crucial to
the credibility and authority of both Smith and the Church. Second in importance
only to Christ's "deity," the "first vision" is the foundation of the church";
the Mormon Church stands or falls on the authenticity of this event, and the
"truth and validity" of all of Joseph Smith's subsequent work rests upon its
genuineness. The following facts prove, by Mormonism's own assertions, that
their church is based on falsehood.
The official account of the event was written by Smith around 1838 and
published in Times and Seasons in 1842, two decades after "the event"
took place. What most Mormons have never been told is that at least five
earlier drafts of the "first vision" exist. These conflicting accounts have
been ignored or repressed by Mormon leaders because they disagree with what has
come to be the preferred or official version. Of all versions, the official
composition, Smith's final draft, is the least credible.
The earliest known account was written by Smith in 1832. It varies in
important details with the official version. There are discrepancies in Smith's
age, the presence of an evil power, Smith's reason for seeking the Lord, the
existence of a revival, and the number of divine personages in the vision.
For example, the revival Smith claimed happened in 1820 (he clearly give
his age as 15) actually took place in 1824-1825. There was no revival in 1820,
and therefore, Smith had no reason to seek in 1820, and therefore, Smith had no
reason to seek God's counsel over his own religious confusion.
Another account by Smith was written between 1835-1836. In this different and
contradictory version, there is no mention of God or Christ, but only of many
spirits and "angels" who testified of Jesus.
Leading authorities on Mormonism Jerald and Sandra Tanner concluded:
We have now examined three different
handwritten manuscripts of the first vision. They were all written by Joseph
Smith or his scribes and yet every one of them is different. The first account
says there was only one personage. The second account says there were many,
and the third says there were two. The church, of course, accepts the versions
which accepts two personages...At any rate...it becomes very difficult to
believe that Joseph Smith ever had a vision in the grove.
The crucial "first vision" account is simply
not credible. Mormons who accept it must ignore and deny strong evidence to the
contrary.
Taken from The Facts On The Mormon Church by,
John Ankerberg and John Weldon, published by Harvest House Publishers.
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