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.
Joseph Smith
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This page is a summary or index page. More detailed information on this topic is available on the sub-pages below.
Character
- Character—Critics claim that Joseph Smith was a disreputable person.
- The Hurlbut affidavits—Many critics cite a collection of affidavits from Joseph Smith’s neighbors which claim that the Smith family possessed a number of character flaws. Many of Joseph Smith’s friends and neighbors signed affidavits that accused him and his family of being lazy, indolent, undependable treasure-seekers.
- "Amusing recitals" and "Tall Tales?"—Joseph Smith's mother reported that he told "amusing recitals" about the ancient inhabitants of the American continent well before he translated the Book of Mormon. Does this indicate that Joseph was simply a teller of "tall tales?"
- Land speculation in Nauvoo—Did Joseph Smith engage in "land speculation" in Nauvoo?
- Personality and temperament—Critics point to what they perceive as personal failings of Joseph Smith, such as his allegedly short temper, as evidence that he was not a true prophet of God.
- Boastful about the Church?—Why did Joseph Smith say that he had "more to boast of than ever any man had" and that he was the only man who had been "able to keep a whole church together since the days of Adam?"
- Joseph taught Porter Rockwell 'it was right to steal'? —Did Joseph really teach Orrin Porter Rockwell that "it was right to steal?"
- Psychobiographical analysis—Is it possible to deduce Joseph Smith's thoughts and dreams years after his death? Some critics think so.
Treasure seeking and money digging
- Treasure seeking—Was Joseph Smith's engagement in "money digging" or looking for buried treasure a blot on his character?
- Practitioner of occultism and magic?—Critics claim that Joseph Smith's spiritual experiences began as products of "magic," the "occult," or "treasure seeking," and that only later did Joseph describe his experiences in Christian, religious terms: speaking of God, angels, and prophethood.
First Vision
Occultism and magic
- Jupiter talisman—Critics claim 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.
- The magician Walters as a mentor to Joseph Smith?—Did a "vagabond fortune-teller" named Walters who became popular in the Palmyra area pass his "mantle" to Joseph Smith?
Translator
- Joseph as a translator—Critics claim that Joseph Smith claimed to translate other texts or items, which can be checked against modern academic translations. They claim that this "cross-checking" proves that Joseph could not have translated the Book of Mormon or other ancient texts.
- Joseph's use of seer stones—What do we know 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?
- Joseph and the Greek psalter—Did Joseph Smith misidentify an ancient text of Greek psalms (a "psalter") as containing "reformed" Egyptian hieroglyphics?
- Book of Abraham
- The Joseph Smith "translation" of the Bible and its relationship to the Book of Mormon
Miracles
- Healings and miracles—Do we have any record of Joseph Smith performing healings or other miracles by the power of Christ's priesthood?
Priesthood holder
Prophet
- No more prophets after Christ?—Most of Christianity today claim that there are not supposed to be any more prophets after Christ's day.
- Prophecies—Critics claim that Joseph Smith was not a true prophet, and that he made "false prophecies."
- Personages who appeared to Joseph Smith
Legal
- Legal trials—What can you tell me about Joseph Smith's problems with the law?
- 1826 glasslooking trial—Joseph Smith was brought to trial in 1826 for "glasslooking." Didn't Hugh Nibley claim that if this trial record existed that it would be "the most damning evidence in existence against Joseph Smith?"
Finance
- Kirtland Safety Society—Joseph established the Kirtland Safety Society, which later failed. Many left the Church because they thought that Joseph's involvement and his calling as a prophet would guarantee its success. When the bank failed, many thought that Joseph was a fallen prophet.
Politics and Government
- Politics—Critics charge that Joseph Smith's decision to run for President of the United States in 1844 shows him to be either a megalomaniac bent on amassing ever more power, or a fanatic with delusions of grandeur.
- Nauvoo city charter
- Nauvoo Expositor
- The Council of Fifty
Death
- Martyrdom
- Joseph fired a gun—Was Joseph Smith actually not a martyr because, while in jail, he had a gun and he had the temerity to defend himself? Did Joseph kill two men by firing at the mob?
- Hiding Joseph's gun?—Critics claim that the Church has tried to hide the fact that Joseph fired a pepperbox pistol at the mob which murdered Hyrum and was soon to kill him, despite the fact that the gun is on display at the Church History museum.
- Nauvoo Legion to rescue Joseph?—Did Joseph panic at Carthage Jail, and write an order to Jonathan Dunham (head of the Nauvoo legion), telling him to have the Legion attack the jail and "save him at all costs?"
- Masonic distress cry—Just before he died, did Joseph Smith begin to give the Masonic cry of distress?
- Removed garments prior to leaving for Carthage—Critics have claimed that Joseph and others with him removed their garments prior for leaving for Carthage in order to avoid identification as polygamists. What was the real reason for this?
Other critical claims
- Joseph Smith and the "office of the Holy Ghost"—Did certain Church leaders say that Joseph Smith was the Holy Ghost or that he "held the office of Holy Ghost?"
- What is Joseph Smith's role in LDS belief?—Did Church leaders claim that Joseph had the right to "approve whether or not someone gets into heaven," rather than Jesus Christ? Do Latter-day Saints worship Joseph Smith, as critics claim?
- Joseph Smith and inhabitants of the moon—Did Joseph claim that the moon was inhabited?