Visions from God – Mormon Quotes

Milton Backman, Jr., Ensign, January 1985; On at least four different occasions, Joseph Smith either wrote or dictated to scribes accounts of his sacred experience of 1820… In an important way, the existence of these different accounts helps support the integrity of the Latter-day Saint Prophet. It indicates that Joseph did not deliberately create a memorized version which he related to everyone. In the legal profession, attorneys and judges recognize that if a witness repeats an incident by using precisely the same language, the court might challenge the validity of such a statement…Indeed, there are long-standing precedents for differing accounts of the same spiritual experience. For example, the four Gospels do not correspond exactly concerning the great events at the garden’s empty tomb. There are variations as to the number of women and angels who were present and whether the angels were sitting or standing. Although the Prophet Joseph Smith in his inspired translation clarified some of these details (and others cited below), minor disparities remain in the four descriptions of this event (compare Matt. 28 with Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20). The differences, however, are not important—they may have resulted from incorrect transmissions or translations, or may be the result of recording the event from different perspectives. The glorious fact remains that the tomb was empty because Jesus had risen as the first fruits of the Resurrection.

Jeremiah 14:14Then the LORD said unto me, The prophets prophesy lies in my name: I sent them not, neither have I commanded them, neither spake unto them: they prophesy unto you a false vision and divination, and a thing of nought, and the deceit of their heart.

Having a different perspective of the same event is only good if you’re using the testimonies of MORE THAN ONE person.  All nine different accounts came from ONE person – Joseph Smith.  When the same person gives nine different stories it’s called lying.

All 9 versions of the first vision can be found at http://www.lifeafter.org/jsmith

No comments yet.

Leave a Reply