All I Possess

There are so many issues with the LDS church narrative of the First Vision.

Every ideology needs to have some founding myths. A myth may or may not be true, but it brings people together in a common purpose and origin.

The LDS First Vision myth has definitely solidified a body of people. Without it, the entire LDS church would crumble. But the problem with it is that nobody can quite agree on when, why, or how it happened.

Unfortunately, there is little evidence that it happened at all. Especially not the way the church tells the story. So that leaves many unanswered questions for anyone wanting to believe in the “restoration.”

(This video is amazing! A lot of new points with evidence on whether or not it actually happened)

Secondly, even if it occurred, and let’s just say we know when it occurred, there’s still the glaring issue of why it occurred.

Since the LDS church published its “Gospel Topics” essays, it’s been much more common knowledge that there are various accounts of the First Vision.

(Side note: these essays are so bad, you really do have to wonder if the church is trying to intentionally self-destruct.)

But still, it is minimized.

“Yea, he told the story differently to different people. Wouldn’t you modify something depending on your audience? Wouldn’t you leave out some details sometimes for a shorter version?”

Um, this is not about leaving out details. It’s not about details at all.

It’s about the entire purpose of the vision.

If your purpose is to show that the Father and the Son are distinct and separate beings, you wouldn’t leave that part out. (Some accounts only mention Jesus, and some accounts just mention angels, omitting God entirely!)

If your purpose is to tell that God said all sects are abominations and Joseph needed to restore His true church, you wouldn’t forget to mention that, either (like Joseph’s primary account in his own journal).

So, no, sorry. It’s not just a little, understandable oversight.

The very first mention of any vision was dated 1832, twelve entire years after it happened. And this is the most benign version that does not contradict the trinity or imply that anything was wrong with the current selection of Christian denominations.

I’d be okay with that account. You wanna see Jesus and have Him forgive you of your sins? Knock yourself out.

It wasn’t until much later that a claim about the “Great Apostasy” or “Restoration” came about.

But wait. I just wanna dig into this fact that the first mention was 1832 (and if that journal was dated correctly. We are talking about an organization known to backdate their claims).

Isn’t it funny that this was two years after the Mormon church began? Like maybe they needed a founding myth, in hindsight.

But my complaint is the fact that I was raised on The Work and the Glory and it’s underlying story that all these townsfolk were persecuting Joseph, getting all riled up about his claim to have seen God.

And NOBODY wrote it down??? REALLY??

Again, we just have a moment of realization where people like me figure out the narrative they’ve been told their whole life has absolutely nothing to back it up!

Betrayal.

Hypocrisy.

Lies.

Would I have listened to these stories if I knew they were just stories?

Would I have stayed in that church, giving it ten percent of my earnings and many hours of my time, defending it to all my Christian friends (sorry guys…I was wrong) — would I have stayed this long?

Would I have been “all in” had I been offered the chance to give informed consent?

Of course not.

These are the things we wrestle with.

But I feel like Paul, where now that I’ve been informed, it is my duty to give my life to God, correcting the mistakes I’ve made and the messages I have personally shared.

I owe Him so much for pulling me out. Yes, I will speak up.