We truly marvel at the life of Joseph Smith. The Spirit touched his heart in most
everything he did and said. His formal education, like that of many other great men of the
eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, was limited. But that didn't stop him. When studying Church
history, one is quite impressed even with his common, everyday words and acts as leader of the
Church––his letters, his notes from his duties in office, his lectures and writings on faith, his
service to others, his blessings of the sick, his priesthood ordinations, and the mighty miracles he
wrought. They all read like scriptures, having an inherent majesty and power in them like the
writings of the greatest prophets of old. Even his opinions (like Alma the Younger giving his
opinion as to the timing of the resurrection of the just) are great treasures<\/span>.<\/p> <\/p>
His teachings, who he was as a person, father, and leader, and the direction he has given
to the millions of members who have joined the restored Church up through the present day,
might be best described with these thirteen verses that end D&C Section 121. They read like
thirteen steps to create a true man of God.<\/p>
<\/p>
Behold, there are many called, but few are chosen. And why are they not chosen?<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
B<\/i>ecause their hearts are set so much upon the things of this<\/i> <\/i>world, and aspire to the
honors of men, that they do not learn this one lesson—<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
That the rights of the priesthood are inseparably connected with the powers of heaven,
and that the powers of heaven cannot be controlled nor handled only upon the principles of
righteousness.<\/i> <\/i><\/p>
That they may be conferred upon us, it is true; but when we undertake to cover our sins,
or to gratify our pride, our vain ambition, or to exercise control or dominion or compulsion upon
the souls of the children of men, in any degree of unrighteousness, behold, the heavens withdraw
themselves; the Spirit of the Lord is grieved; and when it is withdrawn, Amen to the priesthood
or the authority of that man.<\/i> <\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
Behold, ere he is aware, he is left unto himself, to kick against the pricks, to persecute the
saints, and to fight against God.<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature and disposition of almost all men,
as soon as they get a little authority, as they suppose, they will immediately begin to exercise
unrighteous dominion.<\/i> <\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
Hence many are called, but few are chosen.<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
No power or influence can or ought to be maintained by virtue of the priesthood, only by
persuasion, by long-suffering, by gentleness and meekness, and by love unfeigned; <\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
B<\/i>y kindness, and pure knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the soul without hypocrisy,
and without guile—<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
R<\/i>eproving betimes with sharpness, when moved upon by the Holy Ghost; and then
showing forth afterwards an increase of love toward him whom thou hast reproved, lest he
esteem thee to be his enemy;<\/i> <\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
T<\/i>hat he may know that thy faithfulness is stronger than the cords of death.<\/i> <\/i> <\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
Let thy bowels also be full of charity towards all men, and to the household of faith, and
let virtue garnish thy thoughts unceasingly; then shall thy confidence wax strong in the presence
of God; and the doctrine of the priesthood shall distil upon thy soul as the dews from heaven.<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
The Holy Ghost shall be thy constant companion, and thy scepter an unchanging scepter
of righteousness and truth; and thy dominion shall be an everlasting dominion, and without
compulsory means it shall flow unto thee forever and ever.<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
Please take notice. This is what modern revelation from God looks like. Words of this
kind do not require explanation as to their origin, for their authenticity is self-evident, and their
inspired nature can be taken at face value. <\/p>
<\/p>
To say this another way––<\/p>
<\/p>
The Holy Ghost is a great writer.<\/p>
<\/p>
The Holy Ghost is far beyond the level of Shakespeare.<\/p>
<\/p>
The words of the Holy Ghost are not just text on paper.<\/p>
If all men were humble and wise before God, they would realize that Joseph was a true
prophet and, thereby, look upon his life and great works as they do other great and renowned
prophets of old. Instead, they mock him, belittle him, and treat him as though he were some
strange reality TV character of the early 1800s. This lack of respect, and even hatred, on the part
of some towards Joseph and other leaders of our Church is one of the great tragedies of the
modern world. And it comes often from those who have a conflict of interest—those not able to
judge his important role in human history righteously because it undermines their own personal
beliefs and livelihoods. They engage in priestcrafts, setting themselves up as a light to get gain or
praise of the world. They also put themselves in the undesirable position of mocking a prophet
and seer of God. The Lord will remember them, but not in the way they will wish to be
remembered. <\/p>
<\/p>
With these opening comments as a foundation, it is now the desire of the author to
demonstrate simple reasoning (plainness in reasoning—Sphere-2) to help all of us who are
members, and all of those who are not of our faith, to understand that even without a spiritual
witness from God, the testimony of Joseph Smith is easily proven through common sense and
simple reasoning. <\/p>
<\/p>
Many of our young persons growing up in the Church are still learning the gospel little by
little. Many inactive members of the Church, and even many active members, struggle mightily
to understand the workings of the Spirit. And, of course, many investigators arrive at our
meetinghouse doors throughout the world every day having little or no background with the
Church or the Spirit. And even for those of us who have received a spiritual witness, our
knowledge of God is hardly perfect. Thus, all of us in the Church, and all of us in the world, are
in constant need of being strengthened in the Lord. <\/p>
<\/p>
So let's begin.<\/p>
<\/p>
On the morning of a beautiful, clear day in the spring of 1820, a young Joseph Smith
went alone into a wooded area near Manchester, New York seeking knowledge from God about
the truth of religion. Something special for the world happened or did not happen on that day.<\/p>
<\/p>
Already, right here at the start, we have reached an important question. In reading the
Bible, in investigating local Christian churches in the community, and in seeking guidance from
God through prayer, had Joseph already crossed the line of what is appropriate conduct for a
young boy of Christian faith?<\/p>
<\/p>
Unfortunately, we have to ask this question of our \"mainstream\" Christian brothers and
sisters because they often don't realize that in this act of praying to find the correct church or
religion, Joseph was doing what the Lord wanted him and all people of the earth to do. Many, or
at least some, are of the opinion that the truth of religion is found only through an exhaustive,
verse-by-verse, technical read of the Bible, and that personal prayer and serious reflection on the
matter are only of secondary importance. How did they ever come to such a conclusion? This
idea of dismissing prayer and one's personal faith in God as the primary means of establishing
truth? Probably because they themselves have pursued this same kind of exhaustive, verse-by-
verse, technical read of the Bible and have lost their bearings in life. <\/p>
<\/p>
Reading the Bible is an important step in the search for truth––Joseph Smith was led to
pray by precisely what he discovered in his reading there. But sincere, personal prayer is the far
greater tool, allowing us to find answers to all of life's questions by communicating directly with
our Heavenly Father.<\/p>
<\/p>
Quoting on this point from History of the Church<\/i>:<\/p>
<\/p>
But we ask, does it remain for a people who never had faith enough to call down one
scrap of revelation from heaven, and for all they have now are indebted to the faith of another
people who lived hundreds and thousands of years before them, does it remain for them to say
how much God has spoken and how much he has not spoken? And if any man has found out for a
fact that the Bible contains all that God ever revealed to man he has ascertained it by an
immediate revelation.<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
This is the key point of our Church––revelation. We are not dependent on historians,
archeologists, cosmologists, or any great thinker, past or present. The testimony of Joseph Smith
can be established through revelation today at the Church leadership level in Salt Lake City, and
also at the individual member or nonmember level anywhere in the world. It can be established
through world-changing miracles in support of the Book of Mormon, whether that be by an
appearance anew of an angel of God among us, or by any one of a thousand possible miraculous
events that can be brought to pass in front of our eyes or by touching our hearts. <\/p>
<\/p>
But we also need to make sure that our own personal testimony of God, and our
testimony in support of the faith or religion we currently have, is not our own invention or the
invention of others we have depended upon for guidance throughout our lives. For if someone
states that he or she belongs to the religion or church established by God, and has a personal
testimony to that effect, the question then is––where did that testimony come from, and is it
valid? Certainly, prayer, while being the primary tool of one's faith, is still dependent upon the
strengths and weaknesses of that individual. Mistakes are commonly made in interpreting
answers or non-answers from God. It's an evolving, imperfect science that each of us must learn
throughout our lives. <\/p>
<\/p>
Faith and confidence in one's testimony of God and religious beliefs is important, but
humility in one's testimony is even more important, especially when sharing it with others. All
people have doubts and worries about their status before God and the imperfections inherent in
their belief system. Honesty and humility are great tools to reach across from one religion or one
set of beliefs to another. One who seeks to bear testimony of truth of any kind, and is not humble
before God in that testimony, must repent, for God does not work through the proud and
arrogant, he works through the meek and humble. Showing forth humility when testifying of all
that is in your heart is also a form of love. The other person can more easily receive your words
and appreciate your sincerity, linking their imperfect knowledge of God with yours. Instead of
using your testimony as a weapon and, perhaps, striking down a hard blow upon the beliefs of
others, you testify to them as one having a strong but imperfect knowledge and as one filled with
love, for a testimony based on a love of God, a love for all of His sons and daughters, and a love
for all of the beautiful animals and creatures that live with us on this earth, is more powerful and <\/span><\/p>effective than any other and, most especially, more powerful than one based merely on a
technical knowledge of God derived from the scriptures or religious education materials. If you
are not completely sure about something when you testify, be clear about which part of the truth
you are confident about and which part you are not. As you sincerely express to someone the
incompleteness of your testimony, and all of the things you are doing to try to strengthen it, the
Spirit may come forth in that very moment to provide you additional insight and a stronger, more
powerful testimony. And if it is the case that you are wrong, then your sincerity is equally good
there as well. The Spirit can come forth and testify to you of that which is right to replace that
which is wrong. Thus, there is never a reason to ever \"over testify\" to others about gospel truths,
whether it be in Church meetings, among friends, or in the mission field. Testify only of those
things you know and feel good about in your heart<\/span>. <\/p> <\/p>
We may even have doubts about things we have testified to in the past. In that case, we
should pray again to our Heavenly Father to receive clarification and a second witness. The Book
of Mormon is an example of this principle. It is a second witness of the life and mission of Jesus
Christ, a clarification of gospel principles that had already gone forth to the world through the
Bible, and the means by which the incorrect beliefs of sincere individuals can be corrected.
Personal prayer is the tool to use to verify that the Book of Mormon is true and of God. The
same process can also be used to verify that the King James Bible is true and that God indeed
exists.<\/p>
<\/p>
Okay, with that said, let's return again to Joseph in the year 1820.<\/p>
<\/p>
Up to this point, at least, every reasonable person would probably feel a kinship with
Joseph and what he was experiencing. The vast majority of men and women who have ever lived
on earth have had at least some curiosity about the truth of God and religion at some point in
their lives. Thus, Joseph Smith's initial search for truth, and the way he went about it as a young
man, can be safely categorized as a good thing in the eyes of most people. <\/p>
<\/p>
Another question.<\/p>
<\/p>
What was the general state of affairs in the world with regard to the truth of God at this
time in the earth's history? Was there a public truth center office downtown in Palmyra at the
time, staffed with truth counselors 24 x 7, where a young man like Joseph might have gone to get
unbiased information about the religions of the world and the possible existence of God?
Obviously, there was not. Joseph was on his own, relying mainly upon the excellent upbringing
of his parents, but still needing, irrespective of others, to acquire knowledge from the available
books, and to satisfy his own curiosity and desire for truth. <\/p>
<\/p>
The Bible had already come into existence and was available to many in printed form.
The Catholic Church had existed for many centuries, assuming a continuous line of priesthood
authority since the days of Christ and the acknowledgement by God that it was the final word in
all religious matters. Breaking away from the Catholic Church, the Protestant Reformation had
been underway in recent centuries, started by Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Wycliffe, and
others. From these, a whole series of new Christian churches, doctrines, and religious theories
sprung up; and then, later on, many smaller but very unique Christian churches started up on <\/p>
their own or split off from the Protestant movement. Non-Christian religions all around the world
had also existed for many centuries, and many new ones would soon be getting started. <\/p>
<\/p>
Standing on the outside, the secular world had been growing in confidence and strength
during the Renaissance and Enlightenment periods, and had already been throwing stones
through the stained-glass windows of the various churches to let its presence be felt. Men of
religion, in turn, as well as throwing stones at each other, threw many of these stones back,
shattering the walls of some of the glass houses constructed by politicians, lawyers, philosophers,
mathematicians, doctors, and other leading secular men and women of that era.<\/p>
<\/p>
Thus, it is not surprising that there was such a great excitement of religion in upstate New
York in 1820. The Christian world had been in a constant state of turmoil since the death of the
apostles many centuries before, and this confusion and instability might have seemed particularly
ominous for a young person like Joseph who had grown up on a small farm and had limited
education.<\/p>
<\/p>
Coming home from the woods that day, Joseph Smith declared that he had seen a vision.
Certainly, there have been many persons in ancient history, and also in recent history, who have
claimed to have seen God or have testified of seeing a heavenly vision of some kind. All of those
found in the King James Bible, of course, we accept as true. Those who testify of such
experiences that are not part of the Bible, among persons of other Christian faiths or among other
religions of the world, we have to look at individually, on a case-by-case basis, to judge the
sincerity and accuracy of their testimony as best we can. For this reason, and looking from the
viewpoint of the world, the testimony of someone like Joseph Smith would seem to be just one
among many. As members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, it is just as wrong
for us to criticize or belittle the beliefs of others as it is for others to criticize us. We know what it
feels like to have our beliefs mocked, and it's not a pleasant experience. But truth is truth, and
revelation is revelation. We will not directly challenge the testimonies of men and women from
other religions here, but it will be impossible to avoid having all of these others fall by the
wayside or become diminished in importance as the truthfulness of Joseph Smith's testimony
becomes apparent to the reader. <\/p>
<\/p>
On the other hand, we must not forget the wonderful legacy of mainstream Christianity in
America, and in Western culture generally. The Pilgrims and other fine people from Europe who
came before us built the foundation of this great country. Christians in America and throughout
the world (as well as the vast populations of the earth that belong to other religions) pray to God,
enjoy family life, read scriptures, and experience miracles in much the same way we do. They
are in many cases led by fine leaders who are righteous men and women. It is the small number
of very vocal opponents of the Church among them that we tend to take the most issue with. But
we shouldn't judge the entire Christian world based on the acts of evil done by these few. Good,
sincere worship of deity, to the best of one's knowledge, is what all of us should strive for. Those
who have done their best to find the truth in this life, to follow their consciences and choose the
right, and to obey the commandments in the best way they know how, will not be denied
entrance to the kingdom of God. For some, the opportunity to hear the true gospel for the first
time may come after their lives are over and before they are resurrected. Nevertheless, the Ghost <\/span><\/p>of Jacob Marley screams and rattles his chains at all men and women of this world, but do they
hear?<\/span><\/p> <\/p>
Some may not enter the kingdom of God, not because they didn't believe in Christ, and
not because they weren't willing to keep the Sabbath day holy or obey the other commandments
spoken of in the Bible, but because they looked beyond the mark––not recognizing the plainness
of the gospel of Jesus Christ that was right there in front of them. They were not able to feel the
powerful spirit contained within the Book of Mormon, having picked it up to read once or twice,
but finding nothing of interest. They perhaps recognized the apostasy of the Jews in the Old
Testament that preceded the New Testament coming forth, and built their churches and beliefs in
Christ upon that foundation; but they couldn't recognize the apostasy of the first-century
Christians that would necessitate the Book of Mormon and modern prophets and apostles coming
forth many centuries later. Human nature hasn't changed, and apostasy was not a phenomenon
unique to the Israelites of the Old Testament. <\/p>
<\/p>
As for this small group of opponents of the Church who walk the earth today, the Ghost
of Jacob Marley screams loudest at you. Pause yourself in the terrible work you are doing and
consider this––If mainstream Christianity had fully captured what the Savior wanted us to have
from the New Testament and Old Testament only, and there was no need for a restoration of the
gospel, He would still look fondly upon the good Christlike manners and attitudes of Latter-day
Saints. To say this plainly—there is no place in the gospel of Jesus Christ, and most especially
inside of mainstream Christianity, for the persecution or belittling of other religions. Persecution
is not debate. Persecution is not a truth-seeking activity. Mocking the beliefs of others and
embarking upon destructive crusades to denigrate them leads only to personal ruin in the end.
And it surely will not lead to the salvation of your souls. Latter-day Saints are known the world
over to be outstanding people and Christlike in both word and deed. So to mock them and speak
negatively of them to others is to deny reality and live contrary to your own Christian beliefs<\/span>. <\/p> <\/p>
Such also were the feelings of Joseph in his testimony when making mention of the
persecution he experienced in his teenage years. He said of them: <\/p>
<\/p>
... and being of very tender years, and persecuted by those who ought to have been my
friends and to have treated me kindly, and if they supposed me to be deluded to have endeavored
in a proper and affectionate manner to have reclaimed me.<\/i><\/p>
<\/p>
We also need to correct the record in one other very important respect. The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not a cult, nor is it an ecclesiastical cult. It is as American in
tradition as apple pie, the flag, and the US Constitution, going back to the early decades of the
United States, with as pure a legacy of greatness as any people who have ever walked this earth.
That doesn’t mean every Latter-day Saint member or Church leader of the past has been
infallible or that every Latter-day Saint living today is somehow perfect. It just means that all
honest and fair-minded individuals need to accept that Latter-day Saints are an important part of
the great tradition, culture, and overall success of America. Religious organizations and any of
their split-off apostate groups should be judged independently (and judged righteously) based on
their own individual records. We don't need to answer for or be grouped with any others who
find their way into the news from time to time. We have our own public record of the last 190 <\/p>
years, mostly untarnished by the rudeness of naysayers, and we proudly offer it as a testimony of
this work. <\/p>
<\/p>
Now, to continue. <\/p>
<\/p>
So, Joseph returns home after having seen a vision. His declaration at that time and place
raises a series of additional questions for us, for mainstream Christianity, for other world
religions, for philsophers, for historians, and even for the scientific community.<\/p>
<\/p>
What would be the manner in which God, of his own free will and choice, and without
first seeking approval from any of the religious leaders then alive in 1820, would reveal himself
to man?<\/span><\/p> <\/p>
And who would be the man or woman chosen by the Lord to receive such a visitation or
important revelation? If not 1820, then when? If not Joseph Smith, then whom? A Baptist
minister of Palmyra or a lay member of his congregation? Someone else from another small
town or a large city of the world? A bishop, a cardinal, or the Pope in Rome? Is there anyone
alive even today, an authoritative representative of mainstream Christianity to whom we can
address this question? In response to such a question, we might receive a wide variety of
interesting answers, but not one that speaks for the entire Christian world<\/span>. <\/p> <\/p>
Another question.<\/p>
<\/p>
Would the Lord form a new church in the aftermath of such a visitation, or would He just
remodel the pews and doctrine of an existing one? In other words, would he put new wine in a
new bottle or would he put new wine in the old bottle of one of the mainstream Christian
churches?<\/p>
<\/p>
A visitation of this kind in any era of world history would be a miracle and revelation of
the highest order. Can the true church of Jesus Christ be restored to earth by anything less? <\/p>
<\/p>
The Catholic Church generally, to its credit, has at least this as the basis for its past and
current operations—an understanding that the true Church of Christ requires the authority of God
to act in His name and to preach the gospel to the world. The Church cannot be established by
one simply reading the Bible and finding obvious doctrinal differences or evidences of apostasy
within the church or religion of which one is a part, and then, without direct revelation or
authority from God, and without, realistically, the foundation of new canonized scripture in
support, simply break away and try to build a new one as close to the original of Christ as
possible. One can certainly find the true Church (or true set of beliefs) of God through reading
the Bible coupled with sincere, personal prayer, if such a church already happens to exist on
earth. That approach is highly recommended for everyone living today. But to establish the true
Church of God anew, and to establish the absolute correct belief system to lead the inhabitants of
the world towards eternal life––that is a major precedent-setting operation that involves direct
revelation through a prophet or apostle, and not the requirement necessarily, but the probability
of new canonized scripture being introduced to the world, and clear authority from, and a
partnership with God to do such a thing.<\/p>
<\/p>
And what would be the subject matter covered in any newly revealed scripture? <\/p>
<\/p>
Is it not logical that the Lord would bring forth a new volume of scripture (and call a new
prophet or apostle) to clarify and expand upon that which He has already caused to go forth in
the prior ages of man? Clearly, the large number of Christian (and non-Christian) religions
around us speak volumes about such a need unless, of course, the Catholic Church has operated
with divine authority uninterrupted since the days of Peter. There are many friendly interchanges
among Christian churches today, but one only need look at the vast differences in their beliefs
and sacred ordinances to see what has resulted from the Bible being left alone for so many
centuries to clarify questions of doctrine.<\/p>
<\/p>
So, in seeing this confusion, if the Lord had a desire to bring forth new revelation, which
is his prerogative to do at any time––unless, of course, there is a man on earth greater than God
who is in a position to counsel Him in his works––then what writings of past prophets or apostles
might He include? Would it be okay for Him to reserve a people of God somewhere, hidden
from the view of the world, and bring forth their spiritual history at a later date? The Americas––
half the globe, in fact––had numerous peoples and thousands of years of history largely hidden
from the rest of the world. That would seem like a particularly good choice if one were to have
had foreknowledge of the earth's history and had planned everything out ahead of time. <\/p>
<\/p>
Let's assume that, in 1820 or another year of His choosing, the Lord had revealed a
volume of scripture in place of the Book of Mormon––another people and another testament of
Jesus Christ from some other source. Remove the names \"Mormon\" and \"Joseph Smith\" from the
restoration of the gospel. A new volume of scripture coming through say, a branch of the
Methodist church in Palmyra—a new testament of Jesus Christ to put next to that of Matthew,
Mark, Luke, and John. Would that then qualify for legitimacy? A mainstream Christian church
being chosen by God as the vehicle for the restoration of the gospel in its fulness? For most
Christians, the answer is probably still no. If the Lord had chosen instead to work through an
existing Christian church in Palmyra or elsewhere, its preacher or leader, being put in charge of
such an operation, would have most likely been the object of scorn and ridicule and the target of
violence by angry mobs, just like Joseph Smith. Thus, Joseph Smith, the Book of Mormon, and
the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have never really been the problem. The concept
of modern revelation––including modern prophets, apostles, and modern scripture––has been
and continues to be the stumbling block for the Christian world. <\/p>
<\/p>
At this early stage of his life, Joseph might logically be placed into a group of many
hundreds of people in history who have made similar claims about seeing a vision outside the
safety net of the Bible. How is Joseph Smith then different from all of these?<\/p>
<\/p>
If we look at his upbringing, the fact that he came from a very devout Christian family of
American tradition of the 1700s, and that neither he nor his family had had a reputation for
sensationalism or making any unique claims of visions to the public up to that point, would seem
to give at least some credence to the sincerity and individuality of his claim. Young Joseph loved
his father and mother, and he was very much like them. The same was true of his brothers and
sisters. The Smiths were simple farmers, not traveling evangelist preachers, politicians, <\/p>
soothsayers, attention-seekers, and so forth. This fact alone is not evidence of anything
significant, but what it does do is provide a little context as to who Joseph was beforehand, what
his family was like, and what his expectations and goals as a teenager might have been. As such,
it does distinguish him from a great many of this group of hundreds mentioned above who have
made claims in public of extraordinary things. One can watch the news today and instantly judge
the credibility of such persons making pronouncements and discern their intentions, whether
good or bad. Men, women, and even some young people in the public eye like this become part
of the news cycle for a day or two, or maybe even off and on for a period of years, but
ultimately, they fall off the radar and have little impact on the world. And without any impact on
the world in a positive and significant way, the matter becomes mainly a personal one for them,
and not one that is helpful to bring others to a broader knowledge of God and the means for their
salvation. <\/p>
<\/p>
Joseph Smith made a major impact upon the world—no one can dispute that. He,
therefore, belongs to a much smaller and select group of people in human history who have
publicly claimed to have seen a heavenly vision outside of the prophets and apostles of the Bible,
a small group of persons, perhaps less than a dozen or so in size, who have impacted tens of
millions, hundreds of millions, or perhaps even billions of people. <\/p>
<\/p>
This begs the further question: How is Joseph Smith different from the important men
and women of history in this smaller group?<\/p>
<\/p>
There are good and sincere people in all religions. In fact, the vast majority of the people
of the earth are poor, humble, and striving to do the best they can with the knowledge of God
that has been passed down to them. The United States and Europe have spawned many great men
and women in the Judeo-Christian tradition over the centuries (and many great ones with no
formal religious ties at all) who have led religious movements, shaped history, and helped build
the foundation of Western civilization. Virtually all of these persons, however, were usually not
so bold as to say they had seen a vision of God themselves, deferring generally to the Bible for
their guidance. But for those who actually did publicly proclaim a vision of some kind, in what
level of detail or specificity was their proclamation given to the world to judge? Did it provide
anything new or more informative about the nature of God? And what was the relative
importance of their vision to the Bible and to the world? Did they bring forth new scripture that
stands equivalent in stature to the Bible? <\/p>
<\/p>
Here, we start to pare down this select group of men and women to only a few inside and
a few outside of the Christian world. There are writings of individuals, instances of personal
visions and miracles, and other great events recorded in the histories of some Christian churches,
but none of these writings, to the best knowledge of the author, have ever been considered as
canonized scripture equivalent in stature to the Old and New Testaments of the Bible. If, indeed,
there are some that have been missed here, or if new ones emerge at a future date, we can
evaluate them on a case-by-case basis and decide. <\/p>
<\/p>
And with regard to those who exist outside the Christian world, we will simply say this
without apology––Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Savior of the world. And He was
resurrected. That is the true foundation upon which to build. Non-Christian religions will find it <\/p>
difficult to match the obvious power and authority of the New Testament, as well as the
preparatory Old Testament that came before it. The words, the teachings, and the life example of
Jesus Christ stand supreme––overwhelmingly supreme––in religious thought and theory. <\/p>
<\/p>
One looking at the life and testimony of Joseph Smith, in comparison with all of the
others outside of the Bible, whether they are well known or unknown to the general public, will
quickly realize that he was fairly unique. He described the nature of God the Father, His Son,
Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost in very specific terms, and he acquired this knowledge in not
just one, but in numerous encounters. He then brought forth a whole range of new scriptures, not
to supersede or invalidate the Bible, but to bolster it and build upon it<\/span>. <\/p>"}