Have the video's stated purpose been accomplished?
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The producers of the film began their film with a strong statement of purpose based, they asserted, out of love:
- "This video has been produced out of love for our Lord Jesus Christ and love for our Mormon and Christian friends. We pray that it will touch the hearts of all who watch through the grace and truth of Christ Jesus."
We will evaluate their results based upon that statement of purpose.
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From his fabrication of the First Vision to his reconstruction of the Christian faith and his desire for women it is clear that Joseph centered his life around lust, wealth and power. Joseph Smith joins a long list of those who have used the name of Christ to enrich themselves.
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As we have shown, the DVD's accusations are unfounded, and often relies on the twisting of historical events to create an illusion of Joseph that they are quick to condemn. An illusion not borne out by the actions of this humble prophet of God.
Joseph's actions in life demonstrated selflessness, humility, and a desire to serve God and his fellow man. No, he wasn't without sin, and he never claimed to be.
Joseph published numerous revelations calling him personally to repent.
Joseph was quick to aid the poor, and the early Church had many poor. As members came, leaving homes and family and most of their worldly possessions behind, they were welcomed, fed, and clothed by the Church and by the Prophet Joseph Smith.
Finally, he gave his life for his testimony of Jesus Christ, when he could have preserved it by recanting.
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It’s no coincidence that Joseph was murdered in the Carthage jail. Why was Joseph in jail? He destroyed a small paper press called the Nauvoo Expositor because he didn’t like what they had written about him in their one and only publication. – Patrick Powell
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Joseph Smith was in jail because he had voluntarily surrendered to a state official, who had guaranteed him and his brother Hyrum protection.
The destruction of the Nauvoo Expositor was not taken by "Joseph Smith," but by the Nauvoo city council, of which Joseph was a member. The council—which included non-members of the Church—voted to suppress the Expositor as a public nuisance.
The video will not tell you that the city council's action was legal in the 1840s! Nor will they tell you that the council's concern was that the paper was so inflammatory that it might stir up violence.
They also won't tell you that Joseph was released by the Nauvoo municipal court on 13 June 1844. Anti-Mormons claimed this court was biased, so Joseph and others again appeared before non-Mormon judge Daniel H. Wells on 17 June, who discharged them (he did not have power to acquit them, so this was deferred).
Governor Ford of Missouri then asked Joseph to appear before the Carthage judge to satisfy the anti-Mormons. Joseph did so, and was freed on bail. Joseph and Hyrum were then arrested again because of a writ issued by Robert F. Smith, a Methodist minister, justice of the peace, and captain of the Carthage Greys militia.
The DVD will not reveal that Joseph was twice released by legal courts. It will not reveal that he was our on bail awaiting trial in a third court when he was rearrested by a religious enemy. Governor Ford broke his promise to protect Joseph and Hyrum, and the Carthage Greys conspired to help murder Joseph.
It almost sounds as if the video is endorsing what happened to Joseph, or saying he "deserved it." Such an attitude shows contempt for the law and Christian ethics.
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But this was not the first time Joseph was arrested. He had been arrested many times throughout his adult life for things like defrauding people while he was using his glass-looking techniques and creating an illegal bank in Kirtland, Ohio, and fleeing with its monies. – Patrick Powell
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Joseph was arrested many times. John the Baptist was arrested. Peter and the apostles were arrested. The apostle Paul was arrested many times. Even Jesus was arrested. Does this mean that John, Peter, Paul, and Jesus are to be condemned? Did they "deserve" what happened to them?
The video is careful to point out that Joseph was not found guilty many times! But, for the DVD producers, Joseph Smith cannot be "innocent until proven guilty."
As previously discussed, Joseph was not found guilty in the matter of the "glass-looking," and the person he had supposedly "defrauded" testified in his behalf and joined the Church! (Review treatment of this issue here.)
The Kirtland Safety Society is not an example of Joseph "defrauding" people. Joseph put more of his own money into the bank than any other person, save one. He paid more for his stock than 85% of the other owners. The bank failed because of a nation-wide banking panic, as did hundreds of others.
Joseph did not "flee...with its monies"—he went further into debt trying to save the bank, and owed over $100,000. Joseph had enough goods and lands to meet that debt, but converting these into cash was difficult in the early 19th-century economy following the collapse.
Joseph continued to pay his creditors after fleeing for his life. In 1843 he was far away, safe in Nauvoo, and yet continued to settle his debts from the Kirtland period. These are not the actions of a man trying to "get rich quick" or swindle others.
Once again, the DVD has lied, distorted history, and not told the whole story.
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So why do so many people follow this man? Because they don’t know the truth about the character of Joseph Smith. – Pamela Robertson
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ANSWER
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As a Mormon, you cannot question the Church on issues such as these because you run the risk of excommunication. – Pamela Robertson
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ANSWER
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This video has been sent to Mormon leaders knowing that they will try to destroy and discredit its message but this will not change the fact that the content within is true. – Pamela Robertson
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In reference to this statement we note the following from the letter that accompanied the DVD:
- CAUTION: This video is to be viewed by CHRISTIANS ONLY until AFTER the nation-wide distribution which is scheduled for March 25, 2007. In-other-words, do not allow any Mormon people to view the video or learn of our intended evangelistic outreach until after March 25, 2007.
- Why such extreme caution? If the leadership of the Mormon cult learns of our plans, they will publicly instruct their people not to watch the video and many Mormons will blindly obey.
The reality is that the makers of this DVD wanted it to be kept secret from LDS leadership as well as LDS members. Luckily for us, the message discredits itself rather well, and the only action required on our part is to continue what we've always done, share the truth.
And the only ones being asked to "blindly obey" are those who they ask to distribute the DVD on doorknobs across the country.
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Do not trust your eternity to a burning in the bosom which can be felt by simply watching a Hollywood movie. Even terrorists believe and are willing to die for something which is not of the Lord.– Patrick Powell
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How to teach a love for color to the blind?!! WHen they haven't experienced the testimony of the Spirit, they would have you ignore it. But what did Christ say?
- John 14:
- 16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
- ...
- 26 But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
So we are to heed the whisperings of the Holy Ghost, not ignore them. They would have us believe that God our Father would give us a stone when we ask for bread! (See: Matt 7:9)
And then we have the admonition of James:
- James 1:
- 5 If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.
Are we to believe then that God will not answer when we knock at the door? That he who asketh will not receive? LDS believe in these very Biblical admonitions to seek God, to commune with the Spirit, and to trust in Him.
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Jesus alone is without sin, as we read in 1 John 3:5, “And you know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him there is no sin.” Only Jesus could live a sinless life.
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The narrative wants you to believe that this description of Christ is different from LDS beliefs of Christ. This again is false—hardly an act of love! There is no people who worship Christ, preach of Christ, love Christ, and trust in Christ more than members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
To read more:
The Book of Mormon
- Click here for free copy of the Book of Mormon:Another Testament of Jesus Christ, with no obligation
- Click here to listen to or download Book of Mormon in audio format (no charge)
- Click here for an on-line searchable Book of Mormon (no charge)
Other resources
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Claim: "If someone today would model their life after Joseph Smith they would have to be an adulterer, a thief, a fraud and a liar...You must choose to follow Joseph or follow Jesus but you cannot follow both."
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More verbal tar and feathers for the prophet Joseph!
Of course, Latter-day Saints do not strive to "model their lives" on Joseph Smith, but on the sinless, perfect life of the Lord Jesus Christ. They imitate Joseph only to the extent that Joseph was a faithful disciple of Christ.
Throughout his life, Joseph had to endure the slurs and allegations of creedal religionists—things certainly haven't changed after more than 150 years!
Was Joseph dragged into jail many times on religiously-motivated charges? Yes, and so was Peter, so was Paul, and so even was Christ Himself.
Christ was murdered by those who hated Him, and Joseph Smith—like others persecuted for their beliefs about Christ—eventually followed the Master into violent death at the hands of those who hated his message.
Those who attack the faith of others, especially through dishonesty and misrepresentation, should remember Christ's denunciation of those who fought His message in His day:
- 28 Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.
- 29 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because ye build the tombs of the prophets, and garnish the sepulchres of the righteous,
- 30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
- 31 Wherefore ye be witnesses unto yourselves, that ye are the children of them which killed the prophets.
- 32 Fill ye up then the measure of your fathers.
- 33 Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
- 34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city.(Matthew 23꞉28-34)
If one wants to Search for the Truth about Joseph Smith, one will need to look much further than the superficial slogans, distortions, and untruths presented in this DVD.
As President Boyd K. Packer remarked:
- There has been no end to opposition. There are misinterpretations and misrepresentations of us and of our history, some of it mean-spirited and certainly contrary to the teachings of Jesus Christ and His gospel. Sometimes clergy, even ministerial organizations, oppose us. They do what we would never do. We do not attack or criticize or oppose others as they do us...Strangest of all, otherwise intelligent people claim we are not Christian. This shows that they know little or nothing about us. It is a true principle that you cannot lift yourself by putting others down.
- —Boyd K. Packer, "A Defense and a Refuge," Ensign (November 2006): 85. off-site
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Claim: "Jesus Christ...Joseph Smith...Choose!"
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It should be clear by now that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints do not have to choose between Jesus and Joseph. Members have simply chosen Biblical, revealed doctrines about Christ in preference to non-Biblical, post-Biblical creeds.
A better admonition might be:
- "This DVD about the evil Mormons...or the truth about Joseph and the Church of Jesus Christ...Choose!"
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"If you don’t believe the things stated in this program look them up for yourself." – Pamela Robertson
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At last, something with which we can agree! If you have questions, you should get the facts—all the facts. But, you won't get them from this DVD, or the ministries that have produced a slanderous piece of anti-Mormon propaganda.
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