![FairMormon Logo](https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/01/2021_fair_logo_primary.png)
FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
m (Bot: Automated text replacement (-{{FME-Source\n\|title(.*)\n}} +{{FairMormon}})) |
m (→top: Bot replace {{FairMormon}} with {{Main Page}} and remove extra lines around {{Header}}) |
||
(3 intermediate revisions by the same user not shown) | |||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
− | {{ | + | {{Main Page}} |
<onlyinclude> | <onlyinclude> | ||
==Question: Do Martin Harris's statements related to the "spiritual eye" or "eye of faith" contradict the reality of his witness?== | ==Question: Do Martin Harris's statements related to the "spiritual eye" or "eye of faith" contradict the reality of his witness?== | ||
Line 14: | Line 14: | ||
From these scriptural texts it is evident that: | From these scriptural texts it is evident that: | ||
− | * The Three Witnesses were required by God to exercise faith like “the prophets of old” in order to view the angel and the plates (cf. {{s||Moroni|7|37}}; {{s|| | + | * The Three Witnesses were required by God to exercise faith like “the prophets of old” in order to view the angel and the plates (cf. {{s||Moroni|7|37}}; {{s||D&C|20|6}}). |
* God would exercise His power to enable the Three Witnesses to see things that were not usually visible to mortal eyes. | * God would exercise His power to enable the Three Witnesses to see things that were not usually visible to mortal eyes. | ||
* Nevertheless, the Three Witnesses would see the angel and the plates “with [their] eyes” and “as they are” in objective reality. | * Nevertheless, the Three Witnesses would see the angel and the plates “with [their] eyes” and “as they are” in objective reality. | ||
===Contemporary witnesses=== | ===Contemporary witnesses=== | ||
− | Joseph Smith was an eyewitness to what Martin Harris said at the exact moment that the manifestation took place. He reported that Martin's words were: "Tis enough; '''mine eyes have beheld'''". <ref>{{TS1|author=NeedAuthor|vol=3|num=21|date=1 September 1842|start=898}}</ref> Another eyewitness, named Alma Jensen, saw Martin Harris point to his physical eyes while testifying that he had seen both the angel and the plates. <ref>''Autobiography of Alma L. Jensen'', 1932.</ref> | + | Joseph Smith was an eyewitness to what Martin Harris said at the exact moment that the manifestation took place. He reported that Martin's words were: "Tis enough; '''mine eyes have beheld'''".<ref>{{TS1|author=NeedAuthor|vol=3|num=21|date=1 September 1842|start=898}}</ref> Another eyewitness, named Alma Jensen, saw Martin Harris point to his physical eyes while testifying that he had seen both the angel and the plates.<ref>''Autobiography of Alma L. Jensen'', 1932.</ref> |
Oliver Cowdery wrote a letter to a skeptical author in November 1829, and spoke for both himself and Harris on the question of whether there was some trickery or "juggling" at work: | Oliver Cowdery wrote a letter to a skeptical author in November 1829, and spoke for both himself and Harris on the question of whether there was some trickery or "juggling" at work: | ||
Line 30: | Line 30: | ||
<!-- PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE --> | <!-- PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE --> | ||
+ | |||
+ | |||
[[Category:An Insider's View of Mormon Origins]] | [[Category:An Insider's View of Mormon Origins]] | ||
[[Category:Becoming Gods]] | [[Category:Becoming Gods]] | ||
Line 39: | Line 41: | ||
[[es:Pregunta: ¿Los comentarios de Martin Harris relacionados con el "ojo espiritual" o "ojo de la fe" en contradicción con la realidad de su testimonio?]] | [[es:Pregunta: ¿Los comentarios de Martin Harris relacionados con el "ojo espiritual" o "ojo de la fe" en contradicción con la realidad de su testimonio?]] | ||
[[pt:Pergunta: Você declarações de Martin Harris relacionadas com o "olho espiritual" ou "olhos da fé" em contradição com a realidade de sua testemunha?]] | [[pt:Pergunta: Você declarações de Martin Harris relacionadas com o "olho espiritual" ou "olhos da fé" em contradição com a realidade de sua testemunha?]] | ||
+ | [[Category:Questions]] |
Some wish to make it appear as though the statements made by Martin Harris about the Three Witnesses’ manifestation discount its reality. Doing so pulls Harris’ statements out of their proper context. This vital viewpoint can be regained by simply taking a look at several passages from the Book of Mormon and the Doctrine and Covenants—which all predate Martin’s public statements about the nature of his experience.
From these scriptural texts it is evident that:
Joseph Smith was an eyewitness to what Martin Harris said at the exact moment that the manifestation took place. He reported that Martin's words were: "Tis enough; mine eyes have beheld".[1] Another eyewitness, named Alma Jensen, saw Martin Harris point to his physical eyes while testifying that he had seen both the angel and the plates.[2]
Oliver Cowdery wrote a letter to a skeptical author in November 1829, and spoke for both himself and Harris on the question of whether there was some trickery or "juggling" at work:
Notes
FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
We are a volunteer organization. We invite you to give back.
Donate Now