(That’s a great story as well) And that is a MAJOR ISSUE of contention the church tries to minimize by gaslighting. Heck the church fired him as president of the Maxwell Institute while he was in Europe. If Dan Peterson has anything to do with it anymore… that should be one’s first clue to run. By JS himself, he gives the reason why there was NO NEED for the question to begin with… FairMormon is truly embarrassing itself!! As nothing more then a NewsMax and each argument is less and less credible. Thus, any argument made otherwise proves the argument is either by someone who never took the time to actually read what they are trying to defend… or again, to deceive.
Not by, some mythical experience (whoever he supposedly saw) but through us own critical thinking based off of the sources he had and using his his own mind. It show clearly shows that Joseph ALREADY KNEW there was NO TRUE CHURCH. Now the actual account by his own hand (not a mythical story created by another person(s) interpretation- that’s why the 1st account is so valuable). LDS church is unarguably guilty of that from JS to today. 100% deceptive and 100% untrue! We learn in scripture that deceit is more evil than anything else because it’s premeditated, thought out and planned to do just that, deceive. That is a holy grail of archaeology! The evil of how the church planned narrative and the apologists is that that point is 100% downplayed to this day. Is that it represents, a first person account of an event! That was literally written by Joe’s own hand. There is nothing that can argue for the fair, just and charitable offers and the overall church’s management of “the widow’s mite.” Now to what I really wanted to say, is that the 1st account, which any credible historian would jump up and down if found if excitement. WALMART gives 6x that amount, and it’s a big box retail store. Further more now knowing, vaguely some of the total worth and income, the church gives many 1% to the poor and need. So anyone who would even question asked for a donation who give to the LDS church, SHAME ON YOU for supporting an organization who gives NOTHING of that $130+ BILLION surplus to a single person but only two withdrawals 1) to build a mall 2) bail out the church owned insurance company beneficial life. No active member can even begin to argue that point! Seriously? The very thing Jesus COMMANDED NOT TO DO, is exactly what the Mormon church does. Pay no attention to the naysayers especially about money. Until then, they can take their gas-lighting bullshit and pound sand. Any time Fair Mormon wants to have a discussion with me about the historical first vision account, where they honestly recognize the points of impression that historical criticism brings to the table, I'm willing to sit down with them. To disregard the historical problem (the problem of actual historical process and impression, therefore, becomes only another morph of gas-lighting. Fair Mormon is disingenuous (even dishonest) for not being willing to acknowledge that there is IN FACT a problem of perception and impression. and THAT IS a problem for the mormon church. As an historian, I simply cannot accept that. The first vision account(s) do NOT convince me that the meeting ever happened AT ALL. The entire first vision impression (to me) is that its all bullshit. In other words, its a problem of whether anyone of reasonable mind and body would believe the account (from their impressions). In other words, its a problem of belief from impression. The entire first vision historical problem is one primarily of "impression". The "explanations" of Fair Mormon are nothing more than another morph of "gas-lighting". Smith, Journal of Discourses, Vol.12, pp.333-334, Vol. Kimball, Journal of Discourses, vol.6, p.29 John Taylor, Journal of Discourses, Vol. Numerous church leaders described Joseph’s first vision as a visit from an angel(s), not God and Jesus: Orson Hyde, General Conference Address, Journal of Discourses, Vol. Let's take a look at the controversy surrounding the varied accounts of Joseph Smith's first vision! SUPPORT OUR CHANNEL Patreon: PayPal: Amazon book wishlist: BUY A SHIRT SOURCES Joseph tried to join the Methodist church in 1828: The Amboy Journal, Amboy, IL, details Smith's 1828 activity in the Methodist Church.