Why don't the LDS believe Joseph Smith?

Question

The Mormons are not really firm in what they believe. Joseph Smith rewrote the Bible, at one point, but his version is not what the LDS use as scripture, instead they use the KJV. IF they believe that Joseph Smith was given the "restoration" of the gospel, why don't they use his translation of the Bible? Was he a prophet that had the inspired word of God? Evidently even the LDS church does not think so, or they would use his version of the Bible.

"EXTENT OF THE CHANGES. Joseph Smith made extensive corrections and additions to the books of Genesis, Exodus, Psalms, Isaiah, Matthew, Luke, Romans, 1 Corinthians, Galatians, Hebrews, James, 2 Peter, and Revelation. He also made many alterations in the writings of the Old Testament prophets and in Mark, John, Acts, and several of the epistles. He made no changes in Ruth, Ezra, Esther, Ecclesiastes, Lamentations, Obadiah, Micah, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Malachi, Philemon, 2 John, and 3 John.

He also made some corrections in all other books of the Bible, and rejected the Song of Solomon as not being inspired scripture.

http://www.lightplanet.com/mormons/basic/bible/jst_eom.htm

Pono 7-- ask your Bishop, or look up the info online. Even other Mormons have said that yes, JS did rewrite the Bible.

moonman- that is the lamest excuse I ever heard! The Gid I know wants people to know the truth. He doesn't conceal it and say "milk before meat!"

moonman- that is the lamest excuse I ever heard! The God I know wants people to know the truth. He doesn't conceal it and say "milk before meat!"

joatman- they have enough money and influence now. What's stopping them?

resigned- altering the Bible is wrong, so why JS did it is beyond me. However the LDS claim JS was a prophet, so logically it would follow that if their prophet made a "correct" version of the Bible, that they would believe and use it.

Answer 1

Short answer: Because they recognize his humanity and that he was a false prophet, but don't want to admit it.

Answer 2

I really don't see what your problem is. The Bibles they use are the KJV, but have footnotes which reference the verses which Joseph Smith felt inspired to clarify (as the book had been translated by imperfect humans and not under the inspirition of God). So, most do refer to his thoughts and inspiration when they study the Bible. I'm sure you can find a Bible with all the inspired verses, but it's not different then the way they do it now. It's actually nice to be able to compare. The Mormons aren't necessarily required to use one translation of the Bible over the other, but use the KJV because it is the most widely accepted and considered to be a pretty good translation. I guess you'll just have to chalk this one up as making an incorrect deduction/observation.

This is pure fact, so if this response get's thumbs downs, you may as well throw away all answers.

Answer 3

Joseph Smith was only one of possibly thousands in the same period who sought a utopian paradise, basically a communistic (in the classical term- not in the present interpretation). A good many were followers of Robert Owens, an English industrialist, and most of their communities were called either Harmony, New Harmony (like New Harmony, Indiana, Providence, or New Providence, and founded little towns like Rugby, Tennessee. Most, almost all, of them failed (read a history of Rugby, Tennessee) because of quarrels within the community, abuses by the man who set the whole thing up, many for sexual abuses. Jim Jones is one of the most recent that I can think of. The Anabaptists, The Brethern, Mennonites, Amish, Hussites, Hutterites and many more, were not of the same ilk. Isolation from the bulk of society was necessary to keep their "innocence" and the Mormons killed many men, women, and children in Moutain Meadows, taking only the girls who had not turned 8 years old back with them for wives, sex slaves, or what have you.

Mormons used their version of the KJV, not the Standard KJV and JWs also use their own version of the KJV

Answer 4

Jesus Christ was [a] God before he became Man. Most Christians believe this. I as well. "God became man so that man might become God." St. Athanasius of Alexandria As a Mormon, I believe he probably followed the same progression his Father did, i.e. God the Father of Christ was God before he became a Man. Of this I am not certain. In any event, my belief differs from the literal statement made by Joseph Smith to the extent that we were not Gods prior to becoming men. He does not go into it like that. The last question can be answered simply by stating that we believe in an open canon...“line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little”...what God has given us is not all He has to give. I believe he has revealed through his prophets that previous doctrines enunciated by his church leaders were in fact false (e.g. Blacks and the priesthood prior to 1978), so if God deemed it necessary to correct Joseph Smith through Thomas Monson, he could certainly do so. One of the members above thought it unimportant to know these things. Another said it is considered irrelevant for us to know these things. I totally disagree. Another stated the Church is perfect. As long as the church is comprised of imperfect men, it will not be perfect. When Joseph Smith said: "It is the first principle of the gospel to know for a certainty the character of God"...he was saying it is relevant and important to ponder these things and question..."ask and ye shall receive..." Doctrinely, my views are close to those of Old timer too.

Answer 5

I worked in Utah for 10 years as a professional. Although within their own reality and world they appeared to be good folks, I was able to observe the effects of their belief system on local Native Americans. I did read the Book of Mormon, there actually did appear to be some areas that if applied to life as a philosophy would help. However, if LDS think Native Americans are Gods chosen people, why is there behavior just short of Hitler? There is no evidence to support their claims as well, no middle eastern skeletal remains, no tools, no technology from middle east. No evidence Native Americans turned brown because they went into savagery living off the land and no evidence of Caucasian skeletal remains in America. I have met some Mormons who fed the Indians, but at this point, they call themselves Jack Mormons....... If anything, it is a White supremacist religion.....

Answer 6

Joseph Smith was a sex addict and his religion, if started today, would be called a sex cult from the get go.

This fact was well documented in a TV special which I saw on TV just last night. Part 2 will be aired tonight.

The Bible warns us to avoid those who claim they got a new gospel message from an Angel.

That warning, in Galatians 1:6-10 fits both Mohammed and Joseph Smith.

Pastor Art

Answer 7

Joe Smith claimed to be a prophet. He wrote that book, made some claims and projected some things to happen in the future. Each time they didn't happen the mormons came up with an excuse and changed the book. They don't even know what they believe.

As for that chick up above me, the Bible states no other book, teaching, or whatever the wording is, is not needed for Christianity. That the Bible is the only book needed. So their book of mormon is irrelevant.

Answer 8

The LDS version of the KJV references parts of the JST in the footnotes.

The Prophet intended to publish the entire Joseph Smith Translation but was prevented from doing so by a lack of money and time and by frequent persecution.

Answer 9

Beats me! I believe that the "Restored Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" (whew!) does use Joseph Smith, Jrs version of the Bible. They call it "the Inspired Version".

Edit: Make that the Reorganized Church ... etc.
.

Answer 10

Because they think a new prophet can override an old one, but that's BS because both are supposedly inspired directly by God and many times the older one says his teachings cannot be altered.

Answer 11

i do believe that it was told not to alter the Bible-so basing there religion on another seems wrong