Has anyone ever heard of Joseph Smith?

Question

I have had 2 guys coming to my home and today was the second time. Today, they preached about a "prophet" called Joseph Smith who came to restore the true word of God, 200 years ago. Since I was born I have never heard of this and I have also asked my Christian relatives and no-one has heard of this "prophet". Since he is so important, I'd think people would know him. Does anyone know where this is leading? I know people that were brainwashed and ended up in cults and if you know something please let me know so I can put a stop to this. I don't mind praying with people but when they claim things like that this guy had God and Jesus appear to him and that God had said to him that "all churches were wrong", I want to validate it, because it's a huge claim in Christianity. Ofcourse I know churches and religions may have different teachings...so they claim that when Jesus died the true gospel was removed from earth and this Joseph Smith brought back the "truth". Anyone? Thanks....!

Spibbles, you seem to have a problem with my question....Maybe you are one of them? Offended? I won't apologize for that. You are just too ignorant to pay you any mind!
Anyway, thanks to everyone for your sincere replies. I heard of the polygamy and their little book we read today mentioned the book of mormon. Hey, I always go with my gut feeling. I watched 3 documentaries on their church and how they marry their small kids....Noooo! Thanks again yall!

teenagers not small kids. I take that back. I also know that not everyone will do that ofcourse. Very informative.

Answer 1

I made the mistake of letting them come to my home on several occasions to share with me, and from what I understand Joseph Smith was 12 year old kid that was chosen by God to spread the word of Mormon, can you imagine adults being led by a 12 year old? He was suppose to have been led to these lost documents, that no body else knew existed and started teaching from that. No one except Mormon's ever heard of this prophet, why? I have a problem with most of this, but especially the last name, have you ever known any other prophet in the bible with a sir name? No other biblical figures were named Jones, Smith, Brown,etc.I don't know much else to share because I stopped reading with them at this point. Hope I helped a little bit.

Answer 2

The angel Moroni story has also been changed since the first edition of the P.of G.P. was published in 1851. That edition said that the angel "Nephi" revealed the gold plates to Smith (p. 41). Other early Mormon sources which mention the angel Nephi are: The Millennial Star Vol III, pp. 53, 71 and Times and Seasons Vol. III pp. 749, 753. In the latter volume on page 710, Joseph Smith said, "This paper commences my editorial career. I alone stand responsible for it." Thus, if the angel's name is wrong, Smith is at fault. In 1853, Joseph's mother, Lucy Mack Smith, also said the angel's name was Nephi (Biographical Sketches, p. 79). Most Mormons today have never heard that the angel Nephi revealed the gold plates to Joseph Smith. But, Mormons assume the B. of M. must have come from God if an angel revealed it to Joseph Smith.

Answer 3

I've heard of Joseph Smith. Just in case you don't know; he founded a cult called Mormonism. Here's a little bio on him:
Joseph Smith, Jr. (December 23, 1805 – June 27, 1844) was an American religious figure who founded the Latter Day Saint movement, also known as Mormonism. Smith's followers declared him to be the first and true latter-day prophet, whose mission was to restore the original Christian church, said to have been lost soon after the death of the Apostles which caused an apostasy. This restoration included the establishment of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the publication of the Book of Mormon and other new scriptures. As a leader of large settlement communities, Smith also became a political and military leader in the American Midwest.

Although Smith's early Christian restorationist teachings were similar in many ways to other movements of his time, Smith was, and remains, a controversial and polarizing figure within Christianity because of his religious and social innovations, his doctrine of polygamy, and his following, which has continued to grow to the present day.


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Sweetie

Answer 4

Joseph Smith was born and raised in Upstate New York, he proclaimed that while in the woods he was told by god where he (God) had buried another testament written on "Golden Plates". Joseph Smith claimed he was the only one able to read these plates and translated them to his disciples himself. This is where the Chuch of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints started. Now based out of Salt Lake City, Utah. Joseph Smith was claimed by the locals in New york to be a womanizer, and a drunk and was run out of town. He fled across country and finally settled in Utah. Mormonism has a lot of fine points to it, but like most religions has changed numerous times over the centuries. They went from an organization that believed in many wifes (Polygamy) to denouncing that practice. Mormons are some of the nicest and most honest people you'll ever meet. However if you watch a few documentaries you may start to question the religious ideals, I know I did. Its hard enough for some to believe in God, trying to convince people someone who had been called a drunk and womanizer went into the woods and came out after having a conversation with God is even harder to believe.

Answer 5

So many answers about Joseph Smith, Jr.; so few that are correct. And most are distorted, with truths distorted and the rest fabricated through imagination or hearsay. Tsk, tsk.

Joseph Smith, Jr. was not born in upstate New York; he moved there from his birthplace in Sharon, Vermont, when but a boy. He was born 23 December 1805.

Anyone wanting to read for themselves about Joseph Smith, Jr. can do so by logging on to lds.org or pick up a Book of Mormon. His story is in each book, told in his words and you'd be surprised at how stretched and fabricated the truths are even on this forum once you begin reading "Joseph Smith--History."

Answer 6

Well, everyone above me has certain parts of it right, but the whole story deserves to be told. Joseph Smith was a man who, in the early19th century, was approached by the angel Gabriel (remember him). Essentially the angel didn't really say every other religion woas wrong, he really just proposed some alterations. This was the start of the mormon faith. Mormons believe that after Jesus left the disciples, he came to the North American Indians. These Natives, Gabriel told Mr. Smith, burried there history in New York. Smith went and dug it up, and published it, as an addition to the bible, as The Book of Mormon.

Answer 7

Joseph Smith was a great man. He restored the true church to the earth. Even if you don't believe that he was a prophet he still was a kind and generous man. Also Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) are not a cult, by modern definition anyway. If however you were to use the purest form of the word cult then any religious group would be one. Go look up the word if you don't believe me. You can find out further information about Mormons by going to www.mormon.org or by contacting me.

Answer 8

Joseph Smith is the founder of the mormon religion, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. "Latter Day" meaning newer. I think an angel came down and told this guy a new gospel and made his buddies disciples. A religion of convenience at the time, where polygamy was ok than not, and race discrimination was ok than not, so on and so forth.

Answer 9

So many answers, so many HATERS!

Shame on all of you Christians for spreading lies about something you know NOTHING about. It makes me sad and repulsed. No wonder people hate God and Christians. If I did not know Him and you were my only answers to my questions, I would run the other direction.

Joseph Smith was a prophet whether you believe it or not. We don't marry off our teenagers. You are watching documentaries about the FLDS church. Mormons have not practiced polygamy for over 100 years.

All you haters...stop pointing your judge mental finger at me. And stop being so naive and believing rumors that you hear. Not just about Mormons but about every different walk of life.

Answer 10

Joseph Smith = Founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints,

AKA, The Mormons.

One of them is running for President, and another is the Majority Leader of the US Senate.