Brief
Joseph Smith
The claims the writer was given for Joseph Smith, in the order they were given.
1
Joseph Smith founded the Mormon Church in the nineteenth century after following orders given to him by an angel of light named Moroni.
“In the nineteenth century, the religious establishment laughed when a young man named Joseph Smith followed the orders given to him by an angel of light named Moroni and founded the Mormon Church.”
Messengers of Deception: UFO Contacts and Cults 0101-01-01 ch4:22953-23142 testimony
2
Jacques Vallée classifies Joan of Arc, Joseph Smith, Edgar Cayce, and Uri Geller as historical direct contactees.
“Under this definition, such historical figures as Joan of Arc or Joseph Smith are direct contactees. So are Edgar Cayce and Uri Geller.”
Messengers of Deception: UFO Contacts and Cults 0101-01-01 ch6:13676-13804 opinion first hand
3
Evans-Wentz believed the vision of God and Jesus experienced by Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, was in fact a vision of the Shining Beings, known elsewhere as Devas.
“The vision of God and Jesus experienced by Joseph Smith, the founder of the Church of Latter-Day Saints, was in fact, Evans-Wentz believes, a vision of the Shining Beings (known in other parts of the world as Devas).”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:44660-44869 opinion second hand
4
On the night of 1823-09-21, Joseph Smith reported a light appearing in his room that grew until it was lighter than at noonday, followed by a personage standing in the air beside his bed, whose feet did not touch the floor.
“I discovered a light appearing in my room, which continued to increase until the room was lighter than at noonday, when immediately a personage appeared at my bedside, standing in the air, for his feet did not touch the floor….”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:46720-46940 testimony second hand
5
Joseph Smith reported that the personage identified himself as Moroni, a messenger sent from the presence of God, and said that Smith's name would become known for good and evil among all nations.
“He called me by name, and said unto me that he was a messenger sent from the presence of God to me, and that his name was Moroni; that God had a work for me to do; and that my name should be had for good and evil among all nations, kindreds and tongues….”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:46949-47194 testimony second hand
6
The revelation of the Book of Mormon began on the night of 1823-09-21 between Joseph Smith and an angel.
“Thus begins the account of the revelation of the Book of Mormon with the story of what transpired on the night of September 21, 1823, between Joseph Smith and an angel.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:47205-47367 administrative
7
The angel stated that the Book of Mormon was in the form of gold plates buried at a certain spot, to be translated with the help of two stones in silver bows buried with the plates.
“The book itself, the angel stated, was in the form of gold plates that lay buried at a certain spot, and could be translated with the help of two stones in silver bows, that were buried with the plates.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:47374-47569 hearsay second hand
8
Joseph Smith reported that after the communication, the light gathered around the personage until the room went dark except around him, and he saw what appeared to be a conduit open into heaven, through which the personage ascended and disappeared.
“After this communication, I saw the light in the room begin to gather immediately around the person of him who had been speaking to me...I saw, as it were, a conduit open right up into heaven, and he ascended until he entirely disappeared.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:47578-47859 testimony second hand
9
In 1842, at the request of Colonel Wentworth of the Chicago Democrat, Joseph Smith wrote a sketch of the history of the Mormon Church containing additional details on the apparition.
“In 1842, at the request of Colonel Wentworth of the *Chicago Democrat,* Joseph Smith wrote a sketch of the history of the Mormon Church that contained additional details on the apparition:”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:47920-48097 administrative
10
Joseph Smith described a light bursting into the room brighter than that of day, producing a shock affecting his whole body, followed by a personage standing before him surrounded by an even greater glory.
“On a sudden a light like that of day, only of a far purer and more glorious appearance and brightness, burst into the room...In a moment a personage stood before me surrounded with a glory yet greater than that by which I was already surrounded….”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:48110-48415 testimony second hand
11
Joseph Smith reported being told of plates deposited nearby engraved with an abridgement of records of ancient peoples on the American continent, and that the angel appeared to him three times the same night, repeating the same message.
“I was told where there were deposited some plates, on which was engraved an abridgement of the records of the ancient peoples that had existed on this continent. The angel appeared to me three times the same night and unfolded the same things.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:48498-48734 testimony second hand
12
The 1823 vision of Angel Moroni was not Joseph Smith's first vision; he had earlier claimed a mystical revelation at age 14 while alone in the wilderness, which led him to be forbidden from joining any religious sect.
“this apparition was not Joseph’s first vision. Indeed he had “been forbidden to join any of the religious sects of the day” because he had claimed to have been favored by a mystical revelation while he was alone in the wilderness at the age of 14”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:48773-49018 administrative
13
Angel Moroni appeared to Joseph Smith three times during the night of 1823-09-21, which happened to be the Autumn Equinox, repeating exactly the same words each time.
“The angel appeared three times during the night of September 21, 1823 (which happens to be the Autumn Equinox), repeating exactly the same words.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:49209-49348 administrative
14
After the angel's third appearance, Joseph Smith was surprised to hear a cock crow and find daylight approaching, so that the interviews had occupied the whole night.
“After the third time Joseph was surprised to hear the cock crow and to find that daylight was approaching, “so that our interviews must have occupied the whole of that night.””
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:49355-49523 testimony second hand
15
After the vision, Joseph Smith found himself too exhausted to work at his normal chores, collapsed unconscious while crossing a fence, and the angel appeared to him again, telling him to reveal his instructions to his father.
“Joseph Smith got up and began his normal chores, but he found himself so exhausted that he couldn’t work in any useful way...he fell to the ground when trying to cross a fence, and remained unconscious. The angel then appeared to him once more and told him to repeat his words to his father”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:49532-49879 testimony
16
Joseph Smith's father told him to go and do as he had been commanded, saying the instructions were of God.
“The father told Joseph to go and do as he had been commanded, and that “these things were of God.””
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:49926-50019 testimony
17
Joseph Smith found the buried plates inside a stone box which he could open, but was unable to remove the plates; the angel told him to return in one year, and each year after, until he would be permitted to take them four years later.
“he found them inside a stone box which he had no difficulty opening, but he was unable to take the plates out of the box. Again the angel appeared, and told him to come back precisely in one year and every year after that; four years later he would be permitted to take the plates.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:50110-50384 testimony
18
Martin Harris, a wealthy farmer, helped Joseph Smith work on the translation of the golden plates using special stones Smith had found in the box.
“Thanks to the help of a wealthy farmer named Martin Harris, Smith was able to work on the translation of the golden plates, which he read with the help of special stones he had found in the box.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:50435-50625 administrative
19
When Martin Harris took the plates and the beginning of the translation to Professor Charles Anthon of New York, Anthon stated the translation was correct, more so than any he had seen translated from Egyptian.
“When Harris took the plates and the beginning of the translation to Professor Charles Anthon of New York, this learned gentleman stated that the translation was correct, “more so than any he had before seen translated from the Egyptian.””
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:50630-50857 testimony second hand
20
Charles Anthon said the untranslated plates appeared to be Egyptian, Chaldaic, Assyrian, and Arabic, and signed a statement to that effect, which he later tore up upon learning Smith had found the plates on an angel's instructions.
“Looking at the plates that had not yet been translated, he said that they were Egyptian, Chaldaic, As- Syrian, and Arabic, and signed a statement to that effect (which he later tore to pieces, however, when he learned that the young man had found the plates upon the instructions of an angel!).”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:50868-51154 testimony second hand
21
Eleven persons stated that they saw the golden plates unearthed by Joseph Smith.
“Eleven persons have stated that they saw the plates unearthed by Joseph Smith.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:51164-51236 testimony
22
In June 1829, Joseph Smith, accompanied by Martin Harris, David Whitmer, and Oliver Cowdery, retired to the woods to pray for a vision of the plates.
“In June, 1829, in response to a communication obtained by Smith, the Mormon prophet retired to the woods accompanied by Martin Harris, David Whitmer, Oliver Cowdery, and knelt “in fervent prayer,” hoping to receive a vision of the plates.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:51243-51474 testimony
23
Jacques Vallee considers the transformation of an ordinary farmboy from rural New York State into an unchallenged leader of multitudes, referring to Joseph Smith, an unusual fact deserving investigation.
“The transformation of an ordinary farmboy from rural New York State into an unchallenged leader of multitudes is, in my view, an unusual fact which deserves investigation.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:53784-53941 opinion first hand
24
Evans-Wentz was intrigued by Joseph Smith's first vision, which was of two entities whose names Smith was not privileged to learn, and which took place during Smith's fifteenth year while he was praying in a wood.
“Evans-Wentz was intrigued by Joseph Smith’s first vision, which was not an apparition of Angel Moroni but of two entities whose names he was not privileged to learn. This took place during Smith’s fifteenth year, as he was praying in a wood”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:54309-54545 administrative
25
Joseph Smith reported that a pillar of light descended over his head, brighter than the sun, until it fell upon him, whereupon he saw two personages of indescribable brightness and glory standing above him in the air, one of whom spoke to him.
“I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me…. When the light rested on me I saw two personages, whose brightness and glory defy all descriptions, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:54552-54834 testimony second hand
26
Evans-Wentz, as translator of the Tibetan Book of the Dead, recognised that Joseph Smith's role in bringing out the Book of Mormon was similar to that of the Tertons, the 'takers-out' of secreted scriptures in Tibet.
“As the translator of the Tibetan Book of the Dead, Evans-Wentz recognized that the role played by Smith in bringing out the Book of Mormon was similar to that of the *Tertons,* the “takers-out” of secreted scriptures in Tibet.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:54841-55061 opinion second hand
27
The Three Nephites of Mormon lore have been seen several times since the days of Joseph Smith and form a counterpart to the Three Men in Black of modern UFO lore.
“The Three Nephites have been seen several times since the days of Joseph Smith, and form an interesting and colorful counterpart to the Three Men in Black of modern UFO lore.”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:55896-56065 opinion
28
Joseph Smith was lynched by a crowd in Illinois.
“Joseph Smith was lynched by a crowd in Illinois”
THE INVISIBLE COLLEGE: What a Group of Scientists Has Discovered About UFO Influences on the Human Race 2014-09-27 ch15:60045-60084 observation