Do you believe the testimony of Joseph Smith? Why?

Question

Does his testimony alone inspire you or not? Please read his testimony before you answer. If you believe include YOUR testimony of his experience and how it relates to YOU. And if you do not believe his testimony, please tell of YOUR OWN personal experience with it. Please don't try to convince me either way, I just want to know of others Personal experiences and opinions of his testimony.

If you have never read it before and would like to answer my question please read it before doing so. Your opinion is not your own unless your knowlege is your own. Translation read it your self then form an oppinion. That goes for members as well as non-mebers.
http://lds.org/library/display/0,4945,104-1-3-1,FF.html

Please read his testimony before ansewring this question! Yes, Latter Day Saints, you too.

Did anyone besides Scotty D read the whole question along with the tetimony before answering?

Answer 1

No. By the way, Jesus never said there would be any "last prophet", John the Baptist or otherwise.

I don't believe it simply because it took him 25 years to figure out what his testimony was.

His first accounts said that his "first vision" (his words, not mine) occurred when he was 17, and that he saw "an angel". Later, it was "two angels". Even later, it was "a multitude of angels" with one angel speaking to him. Later, it was Jesus Christ speaking to him with a multitude of angels accompanying him. Finally, he said it was "two personages", one introducing the other as "His Son, Jesus Christ". At this point, he placed this "first vision" in 1820 (his 'fifteenth' year) and the "one angel" vision back to 1823 where it originally belonged (when he "was 17 years old") and called the angel Moroni. It was at this time that he told the story of the plates.

Besides, he has to apologize for his own story, saying that "I would not believe it myself, if I hadn't experienced it" as if to pacify the people that call it a fraud.

EDIT: to the guy above me, you have to read the verse in context. Christ was talking about the Jewish law and the Jewish prophets. John was the last of the Jewish prophets to live by the Jewish law. Christ came, so all Jewish laws, customs, and prophecies were complete. The Christian Era commenced. The Book of Acts talks about several Christian prophets (and prophetesses) that were considered authoritative by the apostles AFTER the deaths of both Jesus and the Baptist.

2nd EDIT: Yes, I read JS's entire History.

Answer 2

Yes I believe the testimony of the prophet Joseph Smith. I can tell you I didn't always believe it. I didn't believe in the Book of Mormon. But as I learned more about the church and the basic gosple principles... I felt something so amazing and so overwhelming, and I knew that those things I heard were real. But I still did not believe in Joseph Smith. Some time later I came to a realization. The things that made so much sense and I felt were so true came to be by prophecy from God the Father to Joseph Smith. So if what I believed is true then Joseph is a true prophet called of God. Since then there are many physical evidances that prove the authenticity of the Book of Mormon, one of the fruits of Josephs divine calling. It leaves no doubt in my mind and heart. To this day I tear up when I hear his testimony or even sing the hymn "Joseph Smith's First Prayer". I love the prophet, and I bear my testimony that I know through him our Father and His Only Begotten restored truths that were lost. We now have the Holy Priesthood, even the authority of God on this earth once again. I testify these things in the name of Messiah, my Savior, Jesus Christ, Amen.

Answer 3

I don't believe Joseph Smith's testimony.

He strikes me as having been a decent guy - and I think he honestly believed the things that he taught. If people feel like they have found the truth in the Mormon church, then more power to them.

I was raised Mormon by my mom, though my dad was Catholic. I went to a few other churches too, and finally determined that they all had little pieces of the truth, but due to their beliefs, they refused to put them together.

I don't believe in Jesus Christ (past being a guy who got nailed to a tree for telling people to be nice to each other), and as far as I can tell, there is no 'God' - at least not in the 'Christian' sense. If there is anything like God in the universe, it is more like the sum total of everything.

I don't know for sure - and I may very well be wrong. If I have to face God and account for what I have done - he already knows my reasoning. If he sends me to hell because I didn't jump through the right hoops, then it sounds like he has a serious problem.

Answer 4

I have *just* read the testimony of Joseph Smith.

Am I inspired? Perhaps. Am I a believer? No. Although I have a great deal of respect for those who are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. I mean no disrespect when I say these things. However, you asked of my own personal experience with it, and I'll tell you.

I am convinced that the Bible alone is the *complete*, inerrant Word of God. I try to adjudicate everything else I read by discerning whether or not it is consistent with the Word of God. There is a great number of things that Joseph Smith said came from God which are contrary to the Holy Scriptures.

As President Hinckley (First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) says, "It all comes down to whether or not you believe the testimony of Joseph Smith." And I believe that President Hinckley is correct.

Could I be convinced merely by Joseph Smith's testimony? No. I am neither smart enough nor arrogant enough to say with 100% conviction that his testimony is untrue. Yet, my own faith and belief in the Old and New Testament being the inspired, inerrant, complete Word of God compels me to reject anything that is contrary to it.

Whatever the truth is, my prayer is that the Holy Spirit convicts me of it with 100% certainty.

Answer 5

No. Why because his testimony changed. There are at least 3 different accounts given by him of the First Vision. And he died not a martyrs death (accepting of God's will) but shooting. There has never been any archelogical evidence of the Nephites or the Lamanites. He was a convicted con man (NY state) in the time that new preachers and churches were popping up everyday.

Personal experience. My cousin converted to LDS. I live in an area that has the highest percentage per capitia of LDS of anywhere in the world. I lived in a LDS foster home for a while as they completely control the gov. around here. There is a high school seminary attached to every school (of which I have visited) and I have taken the missionary lessons (tricked into it) on several occasions at friends houses.

Edit: I did read the entire question and have read the testismony many times before. I answered the question why I don't believe it and my experience with his testimony and it's product his Church.

Actually Scotty over answered you did not ask what our opinions and beliefs are beyond his testimony.

I also find it hilarious that you asked for honest opinions and asked our WHY. ANd when it is not answered to liking thumbs dwn are given. THis is our beliefs and opinons she is asking for people. We are entitled to differing ones.

EDIT II:
NOTICE ALL THE NON MORMONS AND THOSE WHO SAY THEY DO NOT BELIEVE GET THE THUMBS DOWN.

Answer 6

I truly know in my heart that Joseph Smith was a true prophet and that his testimony is real. Many people have said to me that he created the LDS Church and made up the first vision to get profit and gain from others and to become somewhat of a celebrity. If you get the chance to see the movie Joseph Smith: The Prophet of the Restoration, do so. It will show you the horrible history of Joseph Smith and the horrible things that people did to him. In the end he sealed his testimony with his own blood, he died for his faith. If you can't believe the LDS religion, at least respect Joseph Smith's sacrifice. He and his brother gave up their lives because they believed and knew in their hearts that something was true. Many times I have asked myself if he was a true prophet, and always the answer to myself is yes. I have prayed and I have found out for myself that he is a true prophet and what he saw was true. Sure, he was only 14 when God and Jesus Christ appeared to him, but with God nothing is impossible. I will always believe in what Joseph Smith died for, which is the truth.

Answer 7

I've read it many times. I believe it wholeheartedly. I spent a long time praying and trying to find out if he was a prophet of God. A trip to Nauvoo strengthened that testimony. He was a great man that certainly had faults as well. He will have his name run through the mud until the second coming, and that's a shame. I for one, wish I'd known him in person.
He was indeed the instrument that God used to restore His church on earth.

Answer 8

I don't need to read the testimony of Jo Smith, I already read what the witnesses said at the front of the book of mormon and believed it at one time, (ex-mormon) you knpw how it goes "I believe the church is true and th ebook of mormon was translated ect" I got the burning in the bossom and I still get it for abstract things to, so I know it isn't real. I got a burning in mybossom for every mormon man I dated and I am with none of them. Anyways, I never got a Rhema (google it) from the book of mormon or th emormon bible the htree times I read the book, so the religion was basically dead to me.

Answer 9

I was LDS/Mormon for 8 years, and although I enjoyed my time in the church, nothing about Joseph Smith was inspiring, and I did read his testimony several times, I prayed hard that it would have some sort of effect on me and it never did.

Answer 10

When I was in High School I really thought I wanted to marry a particular girl. Her father made it clear that he would only allow her to marry another Mormon, so I set out to convert to LDS. I carefully read the Book of Mormon, cover to cover, paying particular attention to the preface, where Joseph Smith writes about the golden plates and the "decoder jewel." I earnestly prayed many times for some insight that would allow me to believe in God. I was never able to make myself believe that Joseph Smith was anything other than a charlatan and I never received any divine insight that would help me accept that God exists in objective physical reality. I lost interest in the whole project when I discovered that the woman I desired was secretly dating my best friend behind my back.

I suppose the main reason I thought Joseph Smith was a total liar and had obviously fabricated the Book of Mormon was because the only verifiable evidence (the Golden Plates and the "decoder") was conveniently missing. Lacking that critical tangible evidence, the Joseph Smith story was no more probable than Christ's supposed resurrection -- a total fabrication.