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"Magic" in Mormon history
Topics
"Magic" in Mormon history
Summary: Citing Joseph Smith's experiences with folk magic, treasure seeking and seer stones, it is claimed that Joseph Smith's spiritual experiences were originally products of magic and the occult. Some charge that only much later did Joseph retrofit his experiences in Christian, religious terms: speaking of God, angels, and prophethood rather than in terms of magic, treasure guardians and scrying. It is also claimed that a "vagabond fortune-teller" named Walters became popular in the Palmyra area, and that when Walters left the area, "his mantle fell upon" Joseph Smith.
Summary: It is claimed that early members of the Church believed in witchcraft. They use this to imply or argue that this supports their view of Joseph Smith as involved in "the occult."
Summary: It is claimed that Joseph Smith's preoccupation with "magick" is supported by the fact that meetings with Moroni and the recovery of the Book of Mormon occurred on the autumnal equinox, a date with astrological and magical significance.
Summary: It is claimed that Joseph Smith's religious ideas derived in part from Kabbalah, a type of (usually Jewish) mysticism.
Summary: It is claimed that Lucy Mack Smith's discussion of the "faculty of Abrac" and "magic circles" is evidence for the strong role which "magick" played in the Smith family's early life.
Summary: It is claimed that Joseph Smith had a Jupiter Talisman on his person when he was martyred and cite this as proof of his fascination with the occult.
Summary: It is claimed that a "vagabond fortune-teller" named Walters became popular in the Palmyra area, and that when Walters left the area, "his mantle fell upon" Joseph Smith.
Summary: It is claimed that the Smith family owned "magic parchments," suggesting their involvement in the "occult."
Summary: It is claimed that the Smith's owned a magic dagger that was among Hyrum Smith's heirlooms. They cite this as proof of the Smith family's deep involvement in ritual magick.
Summary: What can you tell me about Joseph's seer stone? What is its relation to the "Urim and Thummim"? Did Joseph place his seer stone in his hat while he was translating the Book of Mormon?
Summary: It is claimed that Elder David B. Haight "reinvoked the astrological principle that people should 'do nothing without the assistance of the moon'" in a talk that he gave during General Conference in 1998. One critic takes this a step further by claiming that the phrase "do nothing without the assistance of the moon" was deleted from the transcribed version of Elder Haight's talk. This claim has evolved over time due to successive misinterpretation of the original sources.
