what was Joseph Smith's religion before he founded mormonism?

Question

Arthur, Jesus Christ founded your religion? can you give a concrete evidence about that?

gypsy, you're not funny. sorry.

Answer 1

According to a book we read about him in Comp 1 class, a pagan. He was a pseudo-psychic who tried to made a living from fortune telling. Definitely a scam artist!

His religion was Scamology

Answer 2

Smith could be considered a mainstream Christian of his time, prior to his invention of Mormonism. Interestingly, despite supposedly being instructed by God not to join any church, Smith tried to join the local Methodist Episcopal congregation in 1878 after the death of his infant son. "He presented himself in a very serious and humble manner, and the minister, not suspecting evil, put his name on the class book, in the absence of some of the official members." ( Joseph and Hiel Lewis, The Amboy Journal, April 30, 1879, p.1) When Joseph Lewis learned of this act, he felt that Smith was not truly repentant of his magic involvement and felt him to be unfit for membership. Mr. Lewis further details the incident: I with Joshua McKune… thought it was a disgrace to the church to have a practicing necromancer, a dealer in enchantments and bleeding ghosts in it. So on Sunday we went… and talked to him some time… Told him that his occupation, habits and moral character were at variance with the discipline… that there should have been recantation, confession and at least promised reformation — That he could that day publicly ask that his name be stricken from the class book, or stand investigation. He chose the former, and did that very day make request that his name be taken off the class book. (The Amboy Journal, June 11, 1879, pg. 1)

Answer 3

Joseph Smith really had no religion except Christianity prior to his vision and restoration of Christ's church. He frequently attended Methodist services with his mother, but felt strongly that they were lacking some important doctrine. He was earnestly searching for the right religion when he was reading in James where it says "if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally and upbraideth not." Reading that passage inspired him to ask the Lord which was the true church- when he did that he received a visit from God the Father, and Jesus Christ and was told that there was no true church and that he was to organize one on the earth.

Answer 4

From Wikipedia:

Joseph Smith, Jr. was born on December 23, 1805, in Sharon, Vermont to Joseph Smith, Sr. and Lucy Mack Smith. After his birth, the family moved to western New York, where they continued farming just outside the border of the town of Palmyra. This region was an area of intense revivalism and religious diversity during the Second Great Awakening. Although Smith had limited involvement with organized religion during his youth, he was religious, and influenced by folk religion.

Smith reported that, at the age of 14 (or thereabouts), he experienced a theophany, referred to by Latter Day Saints as the First Vision. Smith recorded several accounts of the vision later in life. The version which is most well-known and read was published in 1838.

Smith reports he was concerned as to the correct church to join, and went to a grove of trees to pray. When he did, he recounts that he had a vision where he saw God the Father and his Son, Jesus Christ, appear to him as two separate, glorious, resurrected beings (in other accounts, they are described as heavenly beings). They told him that none of the churches established at the time were correct, and so he should join none of them
[End Quote]

Later in life he began the Church of Christ, later called The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints

Answer 5

Part of the reason the LDS church came about was that Joseph was confused about religion. He didn't know which church to join, although he was tending towards the Methodists. He read a verse in James which says "If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God" and decided to do just that: found a quiet spot, knelt down to pray, and asked God which church to join. The result was that God told him that none of the churches then on the earth had the fullness of the gospel, and some years later Joseph was instrumental in restoring Jesus Christ's church.

Between the first vision and his calling as a prophet, however, he did join the Methodist church.

Answer 6

None, but he was partial to the Methodist sect. P.S. he didn't found Mormonism. Mormonism, which is another term for restored Christianity, was founded by Jesus Christ. Joseph Smith was merely the conduit through which Jesus Christ reestablished His truth to the earth once more in its fullness and purity.

Response to post above: He was a pseudo-psychic who tried to made a living from fortune telling. Definitely a scam artist!His religion was money-grubbing.

That book definitely has it wrong. He never claimed to be psychic. He was a money digger. You should check out Richard L. Bushman's book "Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling."

Prior to the demise of treasure seeking, however, money diggers were characterized by Benjaman Franklin in 1729 as "honest" and "labouring" people.(1)While Franklin thought the practice was a waste of time and rejected it along with many other leaders and clergy, there still remained other leaders and clergy that yet practiced it. For example, court officials such as "John Dee (Queen Elizabeth's physician)" and "Goodwin Wharton (a seventeenth-century Lord of the Admiralty)" were seekers of buried treasure.(2) In addition, the family of Nathaniel Wood, himself a lapsed Congregational minister who used divining rods for religious purposes, were described as "'celebrated diggers in Middletown, Vermont,' and as having 'some of the best minds the town ever had' and enjoyed the reputation of 'upbuilding' any community in which they resided."(3) If this were not enough, Richard Bushman cited Willard Chase, a Methodist minister, as one of the "most vigorous of the Palmyra money diggers." Bushman also describes Josiah Stowell, Joseph Smith's digging employer, as an "upright Presbyterian and honored man in his community."(4) All this would seemingly indicate that Joseph found himself in good company.

Answer 7

*****My father’s family was proselyted to the Presbyterian faith, and four of them joined that church, namely, my mother, Lucy; my brothers Hyrum and Samuel Harrison; and my sister Sophronia.*****
*****In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them;*****

from Joseph Smith - History

5 Some time in the second year after our removal to Manchester, there was in the place where we lived an unusual excitement on the subject of religion. It commenced with the Methodists, but soon became general among all the sects in that region of country. Indeed, the whole district of country seemed affected by it, and great multitudes united themselves to the different religious parties, which created no small stir and division amongst the people, some crying, “aLo, here!” and others, “Lo, there!” Some were contending for the Methodist faith, some for the Presbyterian, and some for the Baptist.
6 For, notwithstanding the great alove which the converts to these different faiths expressed at the time of their conversion, and the great zeal manifested by the respective clergy, who were active in getting up and promoting this extraordinary scene of religious feeling, in order to have everybody converted, as they were pleased to call it, let them join what sect they pleased; yet when the converts began to file off, some to one party and some to another, it was seen that the seemingly good feelings of both the priests and the converts were more bpretended than real; for a scene of great confusion and bad feeling ensued—priest contending against priest, and convert against convert; so that all their good feelings one for another, if they ever had any, were entirely lost in a strife of words and a contest about opinions.
7 I was at this time in my fifteenth year. *****My father’s family was proselyted to the Presbyterian faith, and four of them joined that church, namely, my mother, Lucy; my brothers Hyrum and Samuel Harrison; and my sister Sophronia.*****
8 During this time of great excitement my mind was called up to serious reflection and great uneasiness; but though my feelings were deep and often poignant, still I kept myself aloof from all these parties, though I attended their several meetings as often as occasion would permit. *****In process of time my mind became somewhat partial to the Methodist sect, and I felt some desire to be united with them;***** but so great were the confusion and astrife among the different denominations, that it was impossible for a person young as I was, and so unacquainted with men and things, to come to any certain conclusion who was bright and who was wrong.
9 My mind at times was greatly excited, the cry and tumult were so great and incessant. The Presbyterians were most decided against the Baptists and Methodists, and used all the powers of both reason and sophistry to prove their errors, or, at least, to make the people think they were in error. On the other hand, the Baptists and Methodists in their turn were equally zealous in endeavoring to establish their own tenets and disprove all others.
10 In the midst of this war of words and tumult of opinions, I often said to myself: What is to be done? Who of all these parties are right; or, are they all wrong together? If any one of them be aright, which is it, and how shall I know it?
11 While I was laboring under the extreme difficulties caused by the contests of these parties of religionists, I was one day reading the Epistle of aJames, first chapter and fifth verse, which reads: If any of you lack bwisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Answer 8

His mother and father were partial to the Presbyterian faith, but he was entertaining joining the Methodist faith.

Answer 9

He was techniclly Non Denom only having what his parents told him about the bible.

Answer 10

Really good question, I'm kind of curious of that myself.