Belief in Joseph Smith's first vision is second in importance to believing in the divinity of Jesus Christ in the Mormon church.
Curiously, there are at least 3 accounts of the first vision.
What we will call the first here, notes Christ appeared to Joseph Smith
The second notes many angels appeared to him.
The third records God and Jesus appearing to him.
The church currently is enforcing belief in #3. Startling to imagine, the church endorsed a version of number one, only it was an angel and not Jesus. Also, while 1, 2, and 3 occurred in the forest, that version happened in Joseph's bedroom. That version was penned by Oliver Cowdery, and he had Joseph's approval to publish.
Account #1, however, is entirely written in Joseph's own hand. Church releases of the text of that account are altered to show God and Jesus appeared, not Jesus alone.
Further confusing the situation is the various versions, and their various variations, are cited to have occurred in different years; from 1820 on.
Another problem that arises, is in 1816 a minister wrote an account of his visitation, and it is broadly similar to all 3 of Joseph's versions. Worse, the Wayne Sentinel (a paper subscribed to by Joseph's parents) has another visitation story and it was published in 1823.
A further difficulty with the 'approved' version #3 is that Joseph received a revelation in 1832 that is impossible for a man, not in the Mormon priesthood, to see God without perishing. Joseph Smith, of course, was not a member of the priesthood at the time of the first vision of course, since the revelation establishing it hadn't been received yet either.
So, I am not just being snarky when I post the Mormon's don't know what their fundamental tenets are, they in fact, do NOT know what they are, and there are so many lies and so much confusion on this subject, that it is impossible to take seriously any account of Joseph's first vision.
Curiously, there are at least 3 accounts of the first vision.
What we will call the first here, notes Christ appeared to Joseph Smith
The second notes many angels appeared to him.
The third records God and Jesus appearing to him.
The church currently is enforcing belief in #3. Startling to imagine, the church endorsed a version of number one, only it was an angel and not Jesus. Also, while 1, 2, and 3 occurred in the forest, that version happened in Joseph's bedroom. That version was penned by Oliver Cowdery, and he had Joseph's approval to publish.
Account #1, however, is entirely written in Joseph's own hand. Church releases of the text of that account are altered to show God and Jesus appeared, not Jesus alone.
Further confusing the situation is the various versions, and their various variations, are cited to have occurred in different years; from 1820 on.
Another problem that arises, is in 1816 a minister wrote an account of his visitation, and it is broadly similar to all 3 of Joseph's versions. Worse, the Wayne Sentinel (a paper subscribed to by Joseph's parents) has another visitation story and it was published in 1823.
A further difficulty with the 'approved' version #3 is that Joseph received a revelation in 1832 that is impossible for a man, not in the Mormon priesthood, to see God without perishing. Joseph Smith, of course, was not a member of the priesthood at the time of the first vision of course, since the revelation establishing it hadn't been received yet either.
So, I am not just being snarky when I post the Mormon's don't know what their fundamental tenets are, they in fact, do NOT know what they are, and there are so many lies and so much confusion on this subject, that it is impossible to take seriously any account of Joseph's first vision.
The granting of a pardon is an imputation of guilt, and the acceptance a confession of it.
