FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Detailed response to CES Letter, First Vision
Response to "First Vision Concerns & Questions"
| [[../Book of Mormon Translation Concerns & Questions|Book of Mormon Translation Concerns & Questions]] | A FAIR Analysis of:
[[../|Letter to a CES Director]] |
[[../Book of Abraham Concerns & Questions|Book of Abraham Concerns & Questions]] |
I am not worried that the Prophet Joseph Smith gave a number of versions of the first vision anymore than I am worried that there are four different writers of the gospels in the New Testament, each with his own perceptions, each telling the events to meet his own purpose for writing at the time. I am more concerned with the fact that God has revealed in this dispensation a great and marvelous and beautiful plan that motivates men and women to love their Creator and their Redeemer, to appreciate and serve one another, to walk in faith on the road that leads to immortality and eternal life.
—Gordon B. Hinckley, “God Hath Not Given Us the Spirit of Fear,” Ensign, Oct 1984, 2 off-site
- Response to section: "There are at least 4 different First Vision accounts by Joseph Smith"
- Response to section: "The dates / his ages are all over the place"
- Response to section: "The reason or motive for seeking divine help – bible reading and conviction of sins, a revival, a desire to know if God exists, wanting to know which church to join – are all over the place"
- Response to section: "Who appears to him – a spirit, an angel, two angels, Jesus, many angels, the Father and the Son – are all over the place."
- Response to section: "The historical record shows that there was no revival in Palmyra in 1820"
- Response to section: "Why did Joseph hold a Trinitarian view of the Godhead, as shown previously with the Book of Mormon, if he clearly saw that the Father and Son were separate embodied beings in the official First Vision?"
- Response to section: "There is absolutely no record of a First Vision prior to 1832"
- Response to section: "In the 1832 account, Joseph said that before praying he knew that there was no true or living faith or denomination upon the earth"
"There are at least 4 different First Vision accounts by Joseph Smith"
"The dates / his ages are all over the place"
Critical sources |
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"The reason or motive for seeking divine help – bible reading and conviction of sins, a revival, a desire to know if God exists, wanting to know which church to join – are all over the place"
Critical sources |
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"Who appears to him – a spirit, an angel, two angels, Jesus, many angels, the Father and the Son – are all over the place."
"The historical record shows that there was no revival in Palmyra in 1820"
"Why did Joseph hold a Trinitarian view of the Godhead, as shown previously with the Book of Mormon, if he clearly saw that the Father and Son were separate embodied beings in the official First Vision?"
"God" changed to "Son of God" in the Book of Mormon
Jump to Subtopic:
- Question: What changes were made to the 1837 edition of the Book of Mormon?
- Question: Why did Joseph Smith make changes to the Book of Mormon such as modifying "God" to read "the Son of God"?
- Question: Why did Joseph Smith change the wording in Mormon 7:7 from "is one God" to "are one God"?
- Question: Were any of these changes made in reaction to sectarian criticism?
Critical sources |
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"There is absolutely no record of a First Vision prior to 1832"
"In the 1832 account, Joseph said that before praying he knew that there was no true or living faith or denomination upon the earth"
Is there a contradiction between First Vision accounts about Joseph knowing all churches were wrong?
Jump to Subtopic:
- Question: Did Joseph Smith decide that all churches were wrong before he received the First Vision?
- Question: How could Joseph Smith come to the conclusion that all churches were wrong on his own?