Mormonism and Wikipedia/Joseph Smith, Jr./1827 to 1830


Early years
A FairMormon Analysis of Wikipedia: Mormonism and Wikipedia/Joseph Smith, Jr.
 A work by a collaboration of authors (Link to Wikipedia article here) 		1831 to 1838
The name Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. Wikipedia content is copied and made available under the GNU Free Documentation License.

An analysis of Wikipedia article "Joseph Smith, Jr."

Every witness to Joseph Smith's translation of the Book of Mormon said that he looked at a stone in his hat. Arguing that Smith never said how he translated is arguing from silence. There is no evidence for anything else but the hat and just Mormon embarrassment at how silly this method must seem to most prospective converts today.....The burden of proof is on you. There are no accounts of Smith translating that indicate he used any other method but the hat. You can't argue from silence. Where are the references to any other method? Even the father of lies himself didn't spell one out.....Baloney. No other eyewitness said there was any other method. No scholarship argues for any other method. You're just pushing this POV because there's no reason to preserve golden plates for generations if Smith made no use of them. But according to all eyewitnesses that's exactly what happened. Embarrassing, isn't it?
—Hi540 insisting that the stone-in-hat was the only Book of Mormon translation method ever documented, 23 October 2009 off-site
∗       ∗       ∗

Reviews of previous revisions of this section

19 May 2009

Founding a new religion (1827–30)  Updated 1/14/2010

Main article: Life of Joseph Smith, Jr. from 1827 to 1830
- Wikipedia Main Article: Joseph Smith, Jr.– Wikipedia Footnotes: Joseph Smith, Jr.–Notes A FAIR Opinion

In October 1827, Smith and his now-pregnant

  • Remini (2002) , p. 55.
  •  Correct, per cited sources

wife moved from Palmyra to Harmony (now Oakland),Pennsylvania,

  • Newell (Tippetts) , p. 2.
  •  Correct, per cited sources

aided by money from their well-to-do neighbor Martin Harris.

  • Bushman (2005) , p. 62–63; Walker (1986) , p. 35; Remini (2002) , p. 55 (Harris' money allowed Smith to pay his debts and thus allowed him to move without being arrested for evading his creditors); Smith (1853) , p. 113; Howe (1834) .

Living near his disapproving in-laws,

  • Remini (2002) , p. 56.

Smith transcribed some of the strange "reformed Egyptian" characters he said were engraved on the plates and dictated their translations to his wife.

  • Bushman (2005) , p. 63; Remini (2002) , p. 56; Roberts (1902) , p. 19;Howe (1834) , pp. 270–71 (Smith sat behind a curtain and passed transcriptions to his wife or her brother).
  •  Correct, per cited sources

Smith said that he used the "Urim and Thummim" for this early translation,

  • Smith (1838) , p. 9; Remini (2002) , p. 57 (noting that Emma Smith said that Smith started translating with the Urim and Thummim and then eventually used his dark seer stone exclusively); Bushman (2005) , p. 66.
  •  Correct, per cited sources
  • Bushman states,

For two months, form about April 12 to June 14, 1828, Joseph and Harris were hard at work. Joseph translated using the interpreters (also called the Urim and Thummim, crystals mounted on a breast plate), and Harris wrote down the text as it was dictated. A curtain divided the men to prevent Harris from seeing the plates.

a term he used to refer to the silver spectacles found with the golden plates,

  • Smith (1838) , p. 4.

but no witnesses said they saw Smith using such spectacles.

  • Smith may have initiated the Mormon practice of using the term Urim and Thummim to refer to one of several seer stones he used had previously used for treasure digging, "to mainstream an instrument and practice of folk magic" Quinn (1998) , pp. 175.

Many witnesses did observe Smith translating using the same or similar method that he had previously used to find buried treasure: he would gaze at a seer stone in the bottom of his hat, excluding all light so that he could reportedly see the translation reflecting off the stone.

  • Bushman (2005) , pp. 71–72; Marquardt (Walters) , pp. 103–04; Van Wagoner (Walker) , p. 52–53 (citing numerous witnesses of the translation process).
  •  Correct, per cited sources
  • Bushman notes:

[A]s work on the Book of Mormon proceeded, a seerstone took the place of the Urim and Thummin as an aid in the work, blending magic with inspired translation." (Bushman, p. 131) "There is evidence that the translation stone was given him after he lost the Urim and Thummim when the 116 pages disappeared. (Bushman, p. 590, note 24 citing Van Wagoner and Walker, "'The Gift of Seeing,'" 54)

The plates themselves were not directly consulted.

  • Van Wagoner (Walker) , p. 52; Howe (1834) , p. 264 (The box containing the plates was kept in the nearby woods when Smith translated); Remini (2002) , p. 56 (box was first hidden in the nearby woods, then moved under the bed in the Smith house; Emma also said she saw the plates under a cloth on the table).

Smith usually translated in full view of witnesses, but sometimes concealed the process by raising a curtain or dictating from another room.

  • Cole (1831) ; Howe (1834) , p. 14.

Smith considered giving up the translation because of opposition from his in-laws,

  • Booth (1831) (Smith "had given [the translation] up, on account of the opposition of his wife and others".); Howe (1834) , p. 266 (Smith confided to Emma's uncle, a Methodist deacon, that despite the commandment from God, "he was afraid of the people"); Phelps (1833) , p. 7 (July 1828 revelation rebuking Smith because he had often "gone on in the persuasions of men...behold, you should not have feared man more than God").

but in February 1828, Martin Harris arrived to spur him on

  • Bushman (2005) , p. 63 (Harris had a vision that he was to assist with a "marvelous work"); Roberts (1902) , p. 19 (Harris arrived in Harmony in February 1828); Booth (1831) (Harris had to convince Smith to continue translating, saying, "I have not come down here for nothing, and we will go on with it").

by taking the characters and their translations to a few prominent scholars.

  • Bushman (2005) , p. 63–64 (the plan to use a scholar to authenticate the characters was part of a vision received by Harris; author notes that Smith's mother said the plan to authenticate the characters was arranged between Smith and Harris before Harris left Palmyra); Remini (2002) , p. 57–58 (noting that the plan arose from a vision of Martin Harris). According to Bushman (2005) , p. 64, these scholars probably included at least Luther Bradish in Albany, New York Lapham (1870) , Samuel L. Mitchill of New York City (Hadley (1829) ; Jessee (1976) , p. 3), and Charles Anthon of New York City Howe (1834) , pp. 269–272.
  •  Correct, per cited sources

Harris claimed that one of the scholars he visited, Charles Anthon, initially authenticated the characters and their translation, then recanted upon hearing that Smith had received the plates from an angel.

  • Bushman (2005) , p. 64–65; Remini (2002) , p. 58–59.
  •  Correct, per cited sources

Although Anthon denied this,

  • Howe (1834) , pp. 269–72 (Anthon's description of his meeting with Harris, claiming he tried to convince Harris that he was a victim of a fraud). But see Vogel (2004) , p. 115 (arguing that Anthon's initial assessment was likely more positive than he would later admit).
  •  Correct, per cited sources
  • Anthon's two letters actually contradicted one another. According to the cited source (Bushman, p. 65),

In the first letter Anthon said he refused to give Harris a written opinion; according to the second, the opinion was written "without any hesitation," in an attempt to expose the fraud.

  • Bushman, p. 577 note 16 states that the 1834 Anthon letter first appeared in MoU, 269-72, and the 1841 letter in Clark, Gleanings by the Way, 233-38. Both are reprinted in Early Mormon Documents, 4:377-86.

Harris returned to Harmony in April 1828 motivated to act as Smith's scribe.

  • Roberts (1902) , p. 20.
  •  Correct, per cited sources

Translation continued until mid-June 1828, until Harris began having doubts about the existence of the golden plates.

  • These doubts were induced by his wife's deep skepticism. Bushman , p. 66.
  •  Correct, per cited sources

Harris importuned Smith to let him take the existing 116 pages of manuscript to Palmyra to show a few family members.

  • Smith (1853) , p. 117–18; Roberts (1902) , p. 20.
  •  Correct, per cited sources

Harris then lost the manuscript—of which there was no copy—at about the same time as Smith's wife Emma gave birth to a stillborn son.

  • He had had great hopes for his first-born child, reportedly telling people that the child would see the plates Howe (1834) , p. 264 and assist in the translation Howe (1834) , p. 267. During this dark period, Smith briefly attended his in-laws' Methodist church, but one of Emma's cousins "objected to the inclusion of a 'practicing necromancer' on the Methodist roll", and Smith voluntarily withdrew rather than face a disciplinary hearing. Bushman (2005) , pp. 69–70.
  •  Violates Wikipedia: Synthesis off-site: Do not put together information from multiple sources to reach a conclusion that is not stated explicitly by any of the sources.
    Violated by John "Foxe" —Diff: off-site
    The sources say nothing about Joseph having "great hopes" for his child—this is that addition of the wiki editor. The wiki editor has also used two dubious, hostile third-hand sources to synthesize the conclusion that Joseph's first-born child would see and translate the plates. These are the only two sources that make such a claim.
  • According to the source, Hale said,

I inquired of Joseph Smith Jr., who was to be the first who would be allowed to see the Book of Plates? He said it was a young child. After this, I became dissatisfied, and informed him that if there was any thing in my house of that description, which I could not be allowed to see, he must take it away; if he did not, I was determined to see it. After that, the Plates were said to be hid in the woods. (Howe, 1834, p. 264)

  • According the the source, McKune said,

"Joseph Smith, Jr. told him that (Smith's) first-born child was to translate the characters, and hieroglyphics, upon the Plates into our language at the age of three years; but this child was not permitted to live to verify the prediction." (Howe, 1834, p. 267-8)

Smith said the angel had taken away the plates and he had lost his ability to translate

  • Phelps (1833) (revelation dictated by Smith stating that his gift to translate was temporarily revoked); Smith (1832) , p. 5 (stating that the angel had taken away the plates and the Urim and Thummim).
  •  Correct, per cited sources

until September 22, 1828, when they were restored.

  • Smith (1853) , p. 126.
  •  Correct, per cited sources

Smith did not begin translating again in earnest until April 1829, when he met Oliver Cowdery, a teacher and dowser,

  • Bushman (2005) , p. 73 ("Cowdery was open to belief in Joseph's powers because he had come to Harmony the possessor of a supernatural gift," and his family had apparently engaged in treasure seeking and other magical practices.).
  •  Violates Wikipedia: Citing sources off-site— There is either no citation to support the statement or the citation given is incorrect.
    Violated by COgden —Diff: off-site
    Bushman said that Oliver's "family may have engaged in treasure-seeking." (emphasis added). The wiki editor has converted Bushman's speculation to a statement that Oliver's family apparently engaged in treasure seeking.
  • Oliver himself may have used a divining rod, although there is no evidence that it was used for treasure-seeking. According to the cited source, "Most likely, Cowdery used a rod to discover water and minerals." (Bushman, p. 73).
  • For a detailed response, see: Doctrine and Covenants/Oliver Cowdery and the "rod of nature"

who now became Smith's scribe.

  • Bushman (2005) , p. 74 (Smith and Cowdery began translating where the narrative left off after the lost 116 pages, now representing the Book of Mosiah. A revelation would later direct them not to re-translate the lost text, to ensure that the lost pages could not later be found and compared to the re-translation.).
  •  Correct, per cited sources

The two of them translated full time between April and early June 1829,

  • Bushman (2005) , p. 70-74.
  •  Correct, per cited sources

and then moved to Fayette, New York where they continued to work at the home of Cowdery's friend Peter Whitmer. When the translation spoke of an institutional church and a requirement for baptism, Smith and Cowdery had baptized each other,

  • Quinn (1994) , p. 5–6, 38 (contrasting the 1829 view with the churchless Mormonism of 1828); Bushman (2005) , p. 74–75.
  •  Correct, per cited sources

Smith and Cowdery had baptized each other, both of them later claiming that John the Baptist had appeared and given them the necessary authority. Knowing that potential converts might find Smith's story of the plates incredible,

  • Bushman (2005) , p. 77 (Smith "began to seek converts the question of credibility had to be addressed again. Joseph knew his story was unbelievable.").
  •  Correct, per cited sources
  • From the cited source,

As he began to seek converts, the question of credibility had to be addressed again. Joseph knew his story was unbelievable. Outside of his immediate family and close associates, he faced a wall of skepticism. Martin Harris...had doubts about the plates from the start...The March revelation, while stalling Harris, hinted at the possibility that others might see the plates. (Bushman, p. 77)

years later claiming that John the Baptist had appeared and ordained them to a priesthood.

  • Quinn (1994) , p. 15–20 (noting that Mormon records and publications contain no mention of any angelic conferral of authority until 1834); Bushman (2005) , p. 75 (posing Mormon apologetic theories for the five-year delay in mentioning the vision of John the Baptist).
  •  Violates Wikipedia: Neutral Point-of-View off-site— All Wikipedia articles and other encyclopedic content must be written from a neutral point of view, representing fairly, and as far as possible without bias, all significant views that have been published by reliable sources.
    Violated by COgden —Diff: off-site
    The phrase "Mormon apologetic theories" is misunderstood by most lay members as "apologizing." Its use here is not necessary.

Translation was completed around July 1, 1829.

  • Bushman (2005) , p. 78.
  •  Correct, per cited sources

Knowing that potential converts to the planned church might find Smith's story of the plates incredible,

  • Bushman (2005) , p. 77 (Smith "began to seek converts the question of credibility had to be addressed again. Joseph knew his story was unbelievable.").
  •  Correct, per cited sources

Smith asked a group of eleven witnesses, including Martin Harris and male members of the Whitmer and Smith families, to sign a statement testifying that they had seen the golden plates.

  • Bushman (2005) , pp. 77–79. There were two statements, one by a set of Three Witnesses and another by a set of Eight Witnesses. The two testimonies are undated, and the exact dates on which the Witnesses are said to have seen the plates is unknown.
  •  Correct, per cited sources

Secular scholars argue that the witnesses thought they saw the plates with their "spiritual eyes", or that Smith showed them something physical like fabricated tin plates, or that they signed the statement out of loyalty or under pressure from Smith.

  • Vogel (2004) , pp. 466–69; Bushman (2005) , p. 79.

According to Smith, the angel Moroni took back the plates after Smith was finished using them.

  • Smith (1838) , p. 8.
  •  Correct, per cited sources

The translation, known as the Book of Mormon, was published in Palmyra on March 26, 1830 by printer E. B. Grandin.

  • Bushman (2005) , p. 82.
  •  Correct, per cited sources

Martin Harris financed the publication by mortgaging his farm.

  • Bushman (2005) , p. 80 (noting that Harris' marriage dissolved in part because his wife refused to be a party, and he eventually sold his farm to pay the bill.
  •  Correct, per cited sources

Soon thereafter on April 6, 1830, Smith and his followers formally organized the Church of Christ,

  • Scholars and eye-witnesses disagree whether the church was organized in Manchester, New York at the Smith log home, or in Fayette at the the home of Peter Whitmer. Bushman (2005) , p. 109; Marquardt (2005) , pp. 223–23 (arguing that organization in Manchester is most consistent with eye-witness statements).
  •  References not included in the Wikipedia article
    Several Fayette references are missing.
  • The recently revealed Book of Commandments and Revelations, which had been kept in the First Presidency's vault until its publication in the Joseph Smith Papers series, supports the Fayette location. According to R. Scott Lloyd,:

"The manuscript may have the effect, [Steven C. Harper] said, of resolving a controversy that has arisen over whether the Church was organized at Fayette, N.Y., as has traditionally been understood, or at Manchester, N.Y. It does so by affirming that a revelation given on April 6, 1830, was given at Fayette, not at Manchester. 'The 1833 Book of Commandments, heretofore the earliest source available, located this revelation in Manchester,' he explained. Some authors thus argued that the traditional story of the Church's founding in Fayette lacked foundation in the historical record, 'but we can now see that in this case, tradition and the historical record match up,' he said."
(R. Scott Lloyd, "'Major Discovery' Discussed at Mormon History Association Conference," Church News, 22 May 2009.)

  • Orson Pratt: "I well recollect when I was but a boy of nineteen visiting the place where this Church was organized, and visiting the Prophet Joseph, who resided at that time in Fayette, Seneca County, New York, at the house where the Church was organized." (Orson Pratt, Journal of Discourses 13:356.)
  • French’s New York Gazetteer, published by R. Pearsall Smith, at Syracuse, New York, [since] 1800, also contained some data concerning Mormonism, and states that the first Mormon society was formed in the town of Fayette, Seneca County, in 1830” (Letter, Diedrich Villers, Jr. to Ellen E. Dickinson; published in Ellen E. Dickinson, New Light on Mormonism)
  • For a detailed response, see: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints/Location of the organization

and small branches were established in Palmyra, Fayette, and Colesville, New York (near where Smith had been tried in 1826 as a treasure seeker). The Book of Mormon brought Smith regional notoriety in the press even before it was published, and the church faced strong opposition, particularly in Colesville. Soon after Smith reportedly performed an exorcism in Colesville, he was again tried as a disorderly person but was acquitted.

  • Bushman (2005) , pp. 116–17.
  •  Violates Wikipedia: Neutral Point-of-View off-site— All Wikipedia articles and other encyclopedic content must be written from a neutral point of view, representing fairly, and as far as possible without bias, all significant views that have been published by reliable sources.

    It is utterly tangential to add "near where Smith had been tried in 1826 as a treasure seeker." A real encyclopedia would not do this.

Even so, Smith and Cowdery had to flee Colesville to escape a gathering mob. Probably referring to this period of flight, Smith told years later of hearing the voices of Peter, James, and John who he said gave Smith and Cowdery an apostolic authority.

  • Bushman (2005) , p. 118.
  •  Correct, per cited sources

After founding the church, Smith dictated and compiled revelations defining his role within the church. Smith was to to be supported by church funds,

  • Phelps (1833) , pp. 55–57, XXV:5, 10, 28.
  •  Violates Wikipedia: Synthesis off-site: Do not put together information from multiple sources to reach a conclusion that is not stated explicitly by any of the sources.
    Violated by COgden —Diff: off-site
    The wiki editor has interpreted a primary source, the Book of Commandments, and drawn a conclusion from it. The heading to section XXV states: "A revelation to Joseph, and also to Oliver given in Harmony, Pennsylvania, July 1830." The revelation then commands Joseph and Oliver to go to Colesville, Fayette and Manchester where "they shall support thee." (p.55-56.) The wiki editor concludes that "Smith was to be supported by church funds."
  • Note that the revelation was given to Joseph and Oliver, and that it pertains to their trip to visit Colesville, Fayette and Manchester, yet the wiki editor only applies his interpretation to Joseph and leads one to believe that Joseph was "supported by church funds" from that point forward.
  • Book of Commandments, p. 57 states,

And thou shalt take no purse, nor scrip, neither staves, neither two coats, for the church shall give unto thee in the very hour what thou needest for food, and for raiment, and for shoes, and for money, and for scrip.

and his wife Emma was to be similarly supported.

  • Phelps (1833) , p. 58, XXVI:8.
  • From the cited source,

A Revelation to Emma, given in Harmony, Pennsylvania, July, 1830.
5 And thou shalt go with him [Joseph] at the time of his going, and be unto him for a scribe, that I may send Oliver whithersoever I will.
...
8 And thou needest not fear, for thy husband shall support thee from the church:

After one of the Eight Witnesses began producing his own well-received revelations about the location of the American New Jerusalem prophesied in the Book of Mormon, Smith dictated a revelation indicating that he alone could receive binding revelations for the church.

  • Booth (1831) .

He also dictated a revelation about the "New Jerusalem": although its precise location was not yet known, it was to be somewhere in the Indian Territory, near Missouri.

  • Booth (1831)

n anticipation, Smith dispatched missionaries, led by Oliver Cowdery, to the area. On their way, they converted a group of Disciples of Christ adherents in Kirtland, Ohio led by Sidney Rigdon. Then, to avoid growing opposition in New York, Smith moved the headquarters of the church to Kirtland.

References

Wikipedia references for "Joseph Smith, Jr."
  • Abanes, Richard, (2003), One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church Thunder's Mouth Press
  • Allen, James B., The Significance of Joseph Smith's "First Vision" in Mormon Thought off-site .
  • (1992), The Mormon Experience University of Illinois Press .
  • (1980), The Lion and the Lady: Brigham Young and Emma Smith off-site .
  • Bergera, Gary James (editor) (1989), Line Upon Line: Essays on Mormon Doctrine Signature Books .
  • Bloom, Harold, (1992), The American Religion: The Emergence of the Post-Christian Nation Simon & Schuster .
  • Booth, Ezra, Mormonism—Nos. VIII–IX (Letters to the editor) off-site .
  • Brodie, Fawn M., (1971), No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith Knopf .
  • Brooke, , (1994), The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644–1844 Cambridge University Press .
  • Bushman, Richard Lyman, (2005), Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling , New York: Knopf .
  • Clark, John A., (1842), Gleanings by the Way , Philadelphia: W.J. & J.K Simmon off-site .
  • Compton, Todd, (1997), In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith Signature Books .
  • Foster, Lawrence, (1981), Religion and Sexuality: The Shakers, the Mormons, and the Oneida Community , New York: Oxford University Press .
  • Harris, Martin, (1859), Mormonism—No. II off-site .
  • Hill, Donna, (1977), Joseph Smith: The first Mormon , Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Co. .
  • Hill, Marvin S., (1976), Joseph Smith and the 1826 Trial: New Evidence and New Difficulties off-site .
  • Hill, Marvin S., (1989), Quest for Refuge: The Mormon Flight from American Pluralism Signature Books off-site .
  • Howe, Eber Dudley, (1834), Mormonism Unvailed: Or, A Faithful Account of that Singular Imposition and Delusion, from its Rise to the Present Time , Painesville, Ohio: Telegraph Press off-site .
  • Hullinger, Robert N., (1992), Joseph Smith's Response to Skepticism Signature Books off-site .
  • Jessee, Dean, (1976), Joseph Knight's Recollection of Early Mormon History off-site .
  • Lapham, [La]Fayette, (1870), Interview with the Father of Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet, Forty Years Ago. His Account of the Finding of the Sacred Plates off-site .
  • Larson, Stan, (1978), The King Follett Discourse: A Newly Amalgamated Text off-site .
  • Mormon History off-site .
  • Mack, Solomon, (1811), A Narraitve [sic] of the Life of Solomon Mack Windsor: Solomon Mack off-site .
  • (1994), Inventing Mormonism Signature Books .
  • Marquardt, H. Michael, (1999), The Joseph Smith Revelations: Text and Commentary Signature Books .
  • Marquardt, H. Michael, (2005), The Rise of Mormonism: 1816–1844 Xulon Press .
  • Matzko, John, (2007), The Encounter of the Young Joseph Smith with Presbyterianism off-site .
  • Morgan, Dale, Walker, John Phillip (editor) (1986), Dale Morgan on Early Mormonism: Correspondence and a New History Signature Books off-site .
  • (2008), Joseph Smith Jr.: reappraisals after two centuries Oxford University Press .
  • Newell, Linda King, (1994), Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith University of Illinois Press .
  • (1999), Mormon America: The Power and the Promise HarperSanFrancisco .
  • Persuitte, David, (2000), Joseph Smith and the origins of the Book of Mormon McFarland & Co. .
  • Phelps, W.W. (editor) (1833), A Book of Commandments, for the Government of the Church of Christ , Zion: William Wines Phelps & Co. off-site .
  • Prince, Gregory A, (1995), Power From On High: The Development of Mormon Priesthood Signature Books .
  • Quinn, D. Michael, (1994), The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power Signature Books .
  • Quinn, D. Michael, (1998), Early Mormonism and the Magic World View Signature Books .
  • Remini, , (2002), Joseph Smith: A Penguin Life Penguin Group .
  • Roberts, B. H. (editor) (1902), History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , Salt Lake City: Deseret News off-site .
  • Roberts, B. H. (editor) (1904), History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , Salt Lake City: Deseret News off-site .
  • Roberts, B. H. (editor) (1905), History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , Salt Lake City: Deseret News off-site .
  • Roberts, B. H. (editor) (1909), History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , Salt Lake City: Deseret News off-site .
  • Shipps, Jan, (1985), Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition University of Illinois Press .
  • Smith, George D., (1994), Nauvoo Roots of Mormon Polygamy, 1841–46: A Preliminary Demographic Report off-site .
  • Smith, George D, (2008), Nauvoo Polygamy: "...but we called it celestial marriage" Signature Books .
  • Smith, Joseph, Jr., (1830), The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon, Upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi , Palmyra, New York: E. B. Grandin off-site . See Book of Mormon.
  • Smith, Joseph, Jr., Jessee, Dean C (editor) (1832), Personal Writings of Joseph Smith , Salt Lake City: Deseret Book .
  • Jessee, Dean C (editor) (1839–1843), Personal Writings of Joseph Smith Deseret Book .
  • (1835), Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of the Latter Day Saints: Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God , Kirtland, Ohio: F. G. Williams & Co off-site . See Doctrine and Covenants.
  • Smith, Joseph, Jr., Church History [Wentworth Letter] off-site . See Wentworth letter.
  • Smith, Lucy Mack, (1853), Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations , Liverpool: S.W. Richards off-site . See The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother
  • Tucker, Pomeroy, (1867), Origin, Rise and Progress of Mormonism , New York: D. Appleton off-site .
  • Turner, Orsamus, (1852), History of the Pioneer Settlement of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase, and Morris' Reserve , Rochester, New York: William Alling off-site .
  • Joseph Smith: The Gift of Seeing off-site .
  • Van Wagoner, Richard S., (1992), Mormon Polygamy: A History Signature Books .
  • Vogel, Dan, (1994), The Locations of Joseph Smith's Early Treasure Quests off-site .
  • Vogel, Dan, (2004), Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet Signature Books .
  • Widmer, Kurt, (2000), Mormonism and the Nature of God: A Theological Evolution, 1830–1915 McFarland .


Further reading

Mormonism and Wikipedia



<onlyinclude>


FairMormon's approach to Wikipedia articles

FairMormon regularly receives queries about specific LDS-themed Wikipedia articles with requests that we somehow "fix" them. Although some individual members of FAIR may choose to edit Wikipedia articles, FairMormon as an organization does not. Controversial Wikipedia articles require constant maintenance and a significant amount of time. We prefer instead to respond to claims in the FAIR Wiki rather than fight the ongoing battle that LDS Wikipedia articles sometimes invite. From FAIR’s perspective, assertions made in LDS-themed Wikipedia articles are therefore treated just like any other critical (or, if one prefers, "anti-Mormon") work. As those articles are revised and updated, we will periodically update our reviews to match.

Who can edit Wikipedia articles?

Editors who wish to participate in editing LDS-themed Wikipedia articles can access the project page here: Wikipedia:WikiProject Latter Day Saint movement. You are not required to be LDS in order to participate—there are a number of good non-LDS editors who have made valuable contributions to these articles.

Recommendations when editing Wikipedia articles

FAIR does not advocate removing any references from Wikipedia articles. The best approach to editing Wikipedia is to locate solid references to back up your position and add them rather than attempting to remove information. Individuals who intend to edit should be aware that posting information related to the real-world identities of Wikipedia editors will result in their being banned from editing Wikipedia. Attacking editors and attempting to "out" them on Wikipedia is considered very bad form. The best approach is to treat all Wikipedia editors, whether or not you agree or disagree with their approach, with respect and civility. An argumentative approach is not constructive to achieving a positive result, and will simply result in what is called an "edit war." Unfortunately, not all Wikipedia editors exhibit good faith toward other editors (see, for example, the comment above from "Duke53" or comments within these reviews made by John Foxe's sockpuppet "Hi540," both of whom repeatedly mocked LDS beliefs and LDS editors prior to their being banned.)

Do LDS editors control Wikipedia?

Although there exist editors on Wikipedia who openly declare their affiliation with the Church, they do not control Wikipedia. Ironically, some critics of the Church periodically falsely accuse Wikipedia editors of being LDS simply because they do not accept the critics' desired spin on a particular article.

Do "anti-Mormons" control Wikipedia?

Again, the answer is no. The truth is that Wikipedia is generally self-policing. Highly contentious articles do tend to draw the most passionate supporters and critics.

Why do certain LDS articles seem to be so negative?

Although some LDS-related Wikipedia articles may appear to have a negative tone, they are in reality quite a bit more balanced than certain critical works such as One Nation Under Gods. Although many critical editors often accuse LDS-related Wikipedia articles of being "faith promoting" or claim that they are just an extension of the Sunday School manual, this is rarely the case. Few, if any, Latter-day Saints would find Wikipedia articles to be "faith promoting." Generally, the believers think that the articles are too negative and the critics believe that the articles are too positive. LDS Wikipedia articles should be informative without being overtly faith promoting. However, most of the primary sources, including the words of Joseph Smith himself, are "faith promoting." This presents a dilemma for Wikipedia editors who want to remain neutral. The unfortunate consequence is that Joseph's words are rewritten and intermixed with contradictory sources, resulting in boring and confusing prose.

FairMormon's analysis of LDS-related Wikipedia articles

We examine selected Wikipedia articles and examine them on a "claim-by-claim" basis, with links to responses in the FairMormon Answers Wiki. Wikipedia articles are constantly evolving. As a result, the analysis of each article will be updated periodically in order to bring it more into line with the current version of the article. The latest revision date may be viewed at the top of each individual section. The process by which Wikipedia articles are reviewed is the following:

  1. Update each Wikipedia passage and its associated footnotes.
  2. Examine the use of sources and determine whether or not the passage accurately represents the source used.
  3. Provide links to response articles within the FairMormon Answers Wiki.
  4. If violation of Wikipedia rules is discovered, identify which Wikipedia editor (by pseudonym) made the edit, provide a description of the rule violated and a link to the Wikipedia "diff" showing the actual edit.
  5. If a violated rule is later corrected in a subsequent revision, the violation is removed and a notation is added that the passage is correct per cited sources. This doesn't mean that FAIR necessarily agrees with the passage—only that it is correct based upon the source used.

Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, "Mormonism and Wikipedia: The Church History That “Anyone Can Edit”"

Roger Nicholson,  Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, (2012)
The ability to quickly and easily access literature critical of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been made significantly easier through the advent of the Internet. One of the primary sites that dominates search engine results is Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia that “anyone can edit.” Wikipedia contains a large number of articles related to Mormonism that are edited by believers, critics, and neutral parties. The reliability of information regarding the Church and its history is subject to the biases of the editors who choose to modify those articles. Even if a wiki article is thoroughly sourced, editors sometimes employ source material in a manner that supports their bias. This essay explores the dynamics behind the creation of Wikipedia articles about the Church, the role that believers and critics play in that process, and the reliability of the information produced in the resulting wiki articles.

Click here to view the complete article

Wikipedia and anti-Mormon literature
Key sources
  • Roger Nicholson, "Mormonism and Wikipedia: The Church History That 'Anyone Can Edit'," Interpreter: A Journal of Mormon Scripture 1/8 (14 September 2012). [151–190] link
Wiki links
Online
Navigators

</noinclude>


Copyright © 2005–2024 FAIR. This is not an official Web site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The content of this page may not be copied, published, or redistributed without the prior written consent of FAIR.
We welcome your suggestions for improving the content of this FAIR Wiki article.

Sites we recommend:


Retrieved from "https://www.fairlatterdaysaints.org/answers/index.php?title=Mormonism_and_Wikipedia/Joseph_Smith%2C_Jr./1827_to_1830&oldid=57712"