Mormon Founder's Fabricated “First Visions” (Joseph Smith: Part One)

The disagreement is not typically so much about the events as much as the interpretation of events.

*Did Joseph Smith make up the first vision? Did he hold it sacred for over a decade?
*Did the Lord prepare for the 116 lost pages of The Book of Mormon? Did Joseph Smith panic when the pages were lost because he knew he would not be able to reproduce them?
*Was Joseph Smith’s treasure digging an honest way to earn a wage, and evidence he was being prepared by the Lord to accept the angel Moroni? Was it an early sign he was good at spinning lies to convince people to give him money and power?

These are the questions I investigate here, but ultimately it is up for you to decide.

Many links below are Wikipedia links. Please keep in mind Wikipedia is a website that summarizes information and links to primary sources. I suggest clicking through to as many primary sources as possible after reading a cursory summary of these topics.

*Wikipedia page about Martin Harris

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[deanjones]

Girl it’s 2.10 am where I am. I did not need to see a 1hour 33 minute documentary on my current hyper fixation. I guess I’m only going to bed at 3.45 though

[brooklynjerde]

Thank you. I’m one of the “little Alyssa’s” you mentioned. I’m a sixteen year old who has been raised in the church, and my rose colored lenses are finally starting to crack. I feel so isolated because all of my friends are active Mormons, and I don’t now anyone in my personal life who has gone through this metamorphosis. I usually never comment, but the last message you gave was really touching. Thank you for sharing your story. You make me feel less alone.

[rachaelhoward]

We were raised in a lie. Surrounded by it. Crying is a healthy reaction when discovering the truth. You are doing so well and helping so many.

[christophertronier]

Alyssa, I left the "church" about 25 years ago. I still get upset about how much time I waisted on the belief. I remember how much I cried with a gut wrenching and heartbroken realization of spoon-fed lies. I feel sorry for my believing family, who are so naive they are prone to scammers. Seeing you cry, shows us how sincere you are. Your devotion to lovingly speak the truth of the Mormon church is admirable. I hope you touch the hearts of many members, so they can do their own research and find the truth underneath all the lies.

[UnhealthyHeartbeatObsession]

Never thought, in 1001 years, that learning about the Mormon church and its practices would become my new obsession, but low and behold, here we are.

[rebeccab]

I honestly dont know why there are not docuseries on Joseph Smith. It feels like just the truth would change how the public views this religion

[rainieday]

never mormon but was raised catholic w severe anxiety and please never apologize for crying. Grieving what you thought was true is so deeply relatable. Thank you for your channel

[solikesun]

I'm european, have never even met a single mormon person but I am captivated by your story telling! Thank you so much and please keep it on🔥

[artistjoh]

I was one of those who left the church in the 1970's over the racism issue.

The church tried to sweep it under the rug, and ignore the fact that there were congressmen threatening to have the IRS review the church's tax exempt status over the refusal to allow black people into the priesthood. It all came to a head after the civil rights movement in the 60's. Pressure was building, but nothing would budge the church. I remember it well. The church teaching at the time was that skin color was purely due to sin and that god only allowed those without sin (ie white) into the highest levels of the celestial kingdom. Black people were denied entry into temples and eternal marriage.

I never saw a single non-white person at chapel, or at any other church functions. They were simply not invited.

This was god's law, therefore eternal and unchanging.

Wouldn't you know it, as soon as god heard about the tax exemption problem he has a visit with the prophet and basically says "just kidding about the keeping them out of the priesthood stuff. I've changed my mind. Let them in." Thus the unchanging eternal law of god became the changed law. God had just been having a bit of a laugh it seems. He didn't mean it, and all those people who sinned so much that god made them non-white can be forgiven.

The church went to great lengths to blame it all on Brigham Young. He was an easy target because he had proclaimed that any white woman who had sex with a black man should be put to death. They totally whitewashed the fact that the racism started with Joseph Smith. Smith put into the Book of Mormon that god only liked white people, saying that white is "delightful" to god. They never used the racism word at all. No mention that the previous policy was wrong and immoral. It couldn't be, because they were just following god's commands, so that made them the good guys. No, letting in those with the mark of Cain was no more than a change of rules, with the new rule being no more good or bad than the old rule.

By not accepting that the racism was wrong, and the role of god and Joseph Smith in the racism, they made it all a rather sordid affair.

The racism continues. The Mormon Jesus is always depicted as Lilly white. No trace of Palestine in the Mormon Jesus. Christians usually depict Jesus as a North European white man, but no other church makes Jesus as pure white as the Mormon church does. I guess Smith would describe it as "delightfully white."

And the church, as far as I know, has never acknowledged the tax exemption threats, or its timing regarding god's change of mind. Instead they took it as a good thing that proved that the prophet still had a hotline from god's very busy office.

[kaitlyngriggs]

As a history teacher, I greatly appreciate seeing your skill in analyzing sources to corroborate evidence. The discipline of history is about getting to the truth of our past. I hope my students can apply what I've taught them to do this great work you're doing in their own lives.

Truly, you do a great job considering the purpose and source of these testimonies and primary sources. Great work!

[jka]

I'm glad you left in the part when you cried. I'm not Mormon, but I was in a Christian cult for 2 years and it was devastating when I left. Can't imagine having my whole life's worldview come undone. Bravo to you to have the courage to tell your story. I'll be honest, I watch your channel because I am amazed by all the crazy stuff Mormons believe. You made me see how hard this is for you. You are a bad ass.

[ConfusedBurger-fovq]

I befriended two Morman missionarys and loaned my Italian racing bike to one. He promptly loaded it onto an airplane and flew black to Salt Lake. Wow, what grace!

[blissinmycoffee]

Don’t be ashamed of crying at the end. It is a sad thing to realize you believed a lie for so long but now you know the truth and can live a more fulfilling life going forward! ❤

[Ceibhfhionn]

Your statement "You've been strong enough to have resilient belief in the religion of your family and that means you are strong enough to have resilient belief in yourself now" made me catch my breathe. You ended this video, which was incredibly educational, easy to watch, and entertaining, on such a powerful and poignant note. Thank you for what you do. I just asked my library to order your book.

[melissapowell]

As an archivist and historian I can attest that your approach to this is very sound. Noting inherent bias and referencing primary sources is key. You have given us a very valid counter argument to the cult of Mormonism.

[jasonb.]

The Book of Mormon, when it copies the KJV, also copies the textual variants / mistranslations of the 1769 KJV. The only way that happens is if Joseph Smith was reciting from the only bible he knew - the 1769 KJV. How people can see this as anything other than con artistry is beyond me.

[TonyThomas]

"Gold weighs 1, 204 pounds per cubic foot, so if we use the dimensions given by Smith we can correctly conclude that the plates were 1/6 of a cubit foot. In other words, if the plates were made of gold (as the angel Moroni claimed them to be), they would have weighed 200 pounds. This becomes problematic since no one believes that it is physically possible to carry such a weight for any considerable distance, much less be able to run away from thieves bent on stealing the plates." -- Mormon Research Ministry

[ko.pi.pe.]

it'd be interesting to see a non-faithful film retelling of his life i think

[daniellewissmiller]

I didn’t grow up Mormon my husband did. I started watching to understand a little when we were not allowed to attend a wedding in temple of our niece.
My thoughts are you are such an intelligent young lady. Thanks for the education and I can really tell you have put a lot of time in your research. I admire your strength and your caring nature. I wish you well and thank you.

[knitsandlit]

You speaking to your younger self was one of the most beautiful things I’ve seen on YouTube, I’m so glad you left it in! We feel for you too.