Before considering these “varying accounts” you need to understand how much is riding on Joseph Smith's First Vision. Joseph Fielding Smith, the 10th President of the LDS Church, wrote, “Mormonism, as it is called, must stand or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of God, divinely called, properly appointed and commissioned or he was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen. There is no middle ground. If Joseph Smith was a deceiver who willfully attempted to mislead people, then he should be exposed; his claims should be refuted, and his doctrines shown to be false, for the doctrines of an imposter cannot be made to harmonize in all points with divine truth. If his claims and declarations were built upon fraud and deceit, there would appear many errors and contradictions, which would be easy to detect.” Joseph Smith's first vision is the pivotal event upon which the LDS teaching about the apostasy of other religions and the plurality of Gods rests. So if this vision can be shown to be falsehood, the entire foundation of the LDS church is shattered. |
