Joseph Smith's Three Witnesses

Walker, Turley, and Leonard explain the reasons for high tension in Utah a different way. Instead of focusing about problems with the church like Denton, they explain about things happening around the church. They focus on how news of a coming U.S. army puts fear in the people. They quote Heber C. Kimball as saying “that the army wanted to take Mormon women back to the States” (Walker, Turley, Leonard 44). Also, the authors describe how Brigham Young also makes it seem like the second coming, where Christ comes to destroy the wicked, is near and that the people need to prepare for it. They also mention Brigham Young’s strict war policy. Within this war policy, they were to be frugal with all their supplies, and not sell or trade any of it to those of

Two of these denominations were the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the African Methodist Episcopal. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - commonly known as Mormons was founded by Joseph Smith; he was inspired to create a new church faction by the revivals he experienced in the western area of New York called the "Burned Over District-" implying it had been "scorched" by so many revivals. Although not regarded as a splinter off from an existing Protestant denomination but a restoration of primitive Christianity having distinctive post-biblical doctrines, the Mormon Church is now a flourishing, worldwide denomination. On the other hand, during the revivals, Baptists and Methodists converted large numbers of blacks. However, because of the mistreatment they received from their fellow believers, under the leadership of Richard Allen, the black population broke away from the Methodist church while creating their own denomination; the African Methodist Episcopal.10 Both churches mentioned above, having developed and sprouted out other denominations over the years, still stand even today.

Member of the church prefer to be recognized as Latter Day Saints though there are many different ways to call them both politely and discriminatory. The above way is however the most common and acceptable. The church of Jesus Christ for latter day saints was made official in 1830 by Joseph Smith he and another man by the name of James J Strang would go on to change the name in different ways over the years until there deaths. The church was formed in New York April,6 1830 It is said that James S strang claimed he was ordained by angels and asked to take over the matriarch for the church and he felt Joseph Smiths presence this claim just so happened to take place the same hour Joseph Smith was murdered even though he and James were over 200 miles away from each other . Members of the church have

By March, 1830, Smith translated and compiled them into the first edition of the Book of Mormon. According to Smith, “…when he found and translated the plates, they told of a lost tribe of Israel that migrated to the Americas many hundreds of years ago” (Online Nevada Encyclopedia). This “lost tribe” was led by Lehi, the first American forefather, and several of his sons – Nephi, Laman, and Lemuel. Initially, civilization remained in balance between “fair” and “righteous” Nephites and their more aggressive Lamanite brethren (Hickman 429). Eventually, the warlike Lamanites united against their neighbors and all but decimated the Nephite population. Due to this contemptuous, God cursed Laman and Lemuel with a “…skin of blackness”, in an effort to separate their progeny from the “record-keeping” Nephites (2 Nephi 5:21; Alma 3:8) (429). Most contemporary LDS view “Nephites” as authors of the Book of Mormon (Angel Moroni was a Nephite), and “Lamanites” as ancestors of American Natives

In 1844, Joseph Smith, ecclesiastical leader of the Latter-day Saints and presidential candidate, was murdered by an angry mob. This mob was fostered by the release of a newspaper questioning Smith’s practices (including polygamy), qualifications, and intentions for his potential presidency. More than 150 years later, Mitt Romney, a member of the LDS Church, launched a presidential campaign and garnered forty-two percent of the popular vote. Although these two candidates share a faith, their political roles and views are substantially different. This is representative of the significant changes in the relationship between the Mormon church and the U.S. government.

One of the largest struggles for members in the church is animosity of non-members. On one hand, many express their dislike of the LDS church without even knowing what Sacrament Meeting is or the full the title of the “Mormon church” (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). On the other hand, there are a number supposed experts about Mormon doctrine. Some have belonged to the Church themselves at one point, leaving after finding unresolved dissonance between their beliefs and the Gospel. Others are often learned scholars, criticizing the Mormon doctrine to prove their own views. The following paper involves the latter of the two in an analysis of Ezekiel 37:15-17, a Biblical scripture that the LDS Church believes to refer to The Book of Mormon.

Mormonism, the largest church to originate on American soil is not without its own burdens to bear. As one of the younger religions, one that strayed from the foundations of the other already established religions in the United States, it is often viewed with negativity and mockery. Modern day social media, television, news articles and movies often exploit Mormon beliefs. They twist and exaggerated certain facets of the Mormon way of life. This framing of their belief system by the media leads the public opinion toward viewing this representation as a true depiction of the Mormons. Some of the more extreme behaviors exhibited by members that have separated from the main group are used against the entire faith by the media, so in turn this extremist view has become a Mormon stereotype.

Although the author of John Smith’s testimony is unknown, it seems that the author is possibly a government official who is trying to figure out what happened for the

Mormonism was founded by Joseph Smith, a man who came from a family of poor New York state farmers that were involved in occult practices according to Malise Ruthven and Peggy Fletcher Stack. He claimed to have been visited by the angel Moroni after attending a revival in the New York area. During his visitation, he was given spiritual revelation from God, which Joseph claimed were written on “golden plates”, which he then translated using sacred stones . His translation of these golden plates was printed in 1830 with financial aid from a farmer by the name of Martin Harris who obtained a loan for the publication fees. Criticism of the book of Mormon was almost immediate, the Wayne Sentinel declared that “most people entertain an idea that the

He then became the first prophet of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. The LDS Church believes that he translated the gold plates to what is now called the Book of Mormon, the main scripture for the LDS church (Dirkmaat,2013). It is also believed that he received many revelations from God. He was persecuted throughout his life and ended up dying a martyr at the age of 38 (McKeever,n.d.).

Mormonism was founded in the 1820s’ by Joseph Smith. Smith, wanting to expand his religious following migrated to Illinois where he established a settlement that included a temple of worship and a village (Green 57). In Illinois the Mormon peoples’ were met with threats, violence, and occasionally they were even killed. This was the case for their leader Joseph Smith; Smith was met with disgust from non-mormons when he attempted to run for presidency and his church riddled with scandal when the word of polygamy got out. With his tarnished reputation, Smith was ultimately murdered by an outraged mob, who then threatened other Mormons that if they did not leave they would be met with the same fate (Mormons into the West). With that warning, the Mormons picked a new leader, Brigham Young, who wanted to flee the American Border. Young set for travel with his new followers to the Great Salt Lake, which at the time was located in Mexico.

8.Who was the most believable witness? Why? I think the most belivevable witness was Thomas petrucci. I think like he’s the most believable one because in my opinion he was the one that suffered the most.One reason why I think he suffered the most was because he lost 3 children in the ludlow massacre,he lost 4 siblings,and his family was evicted from their company owned homes.My last reason is because suffered through a terrible winter in their tent. Snow piled up and cold winds blew outside.

The Mormons and their highly contested religious views have similarities that one can correlate to the Native Americans and their practices in the West during the 19th century. After reading two primary sources, James Mooney’s The Ghost Dance Religion (Porcupine’s Account of the Messiah in the Appendix) and Mrs. Z. A. Parker’s description of a Ghost Dance on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1890, it is logical to conclude that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the American Indians in the 1800s both were yearning for freedom, perhaps for different reasons, but they both definitely wanted the independence and the privilege to practice however they liked. Even if the Mormons and Native Americans did not get along in the Great Basin

On April 6, 1980, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (aka the Mormon Church) was founded. [It is interesting to note that according to Mormon doctrine (Doctrine and Covenants 20:1), April 6 is the birthday of Jesus Christ.] 10 years prior to this event, in 1820, fourteen-year-old Joseph Smith

This paper will identify key events and activities in the life of Brigham Young, including his birth, childhood, activities within the church, and many marriages. All of this information was researched and gathered from several different online sources. The content in most of the online sources overlapped and was very repetitive.