You are just as wrong as all the people who started the other "Wars between religions" that have happened over the centuries, with Catholics declaring protestants are going to Hell, and vice versa, the differing Protestant churches ganging up on the catholics, or fighting amongst themselves.
17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself
adelivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I
bsaw two
cPersonages, whose brightness and
dglory defy all description,
estanding above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—
This is My fBeloved gSon. Hear Him! 18 My object in going to
ainquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that
all were wrong)—and which I should join.
19 I was answered that I must join none of them,
for they were all awrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that
all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those
bprofessors were all
ccorrupt; that: “they
ddraw near to me with their lips, but their
ehearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the
fcommandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the
gpower thereof.”
20
He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself
alying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace,
bmother inquired what the matter was. I replied, “Never mind, all is well—I am well enough off.” I then said to my mother,
“I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true.”
This 'Father' described here does NOT match what is tradionally taught about Him.
This 'Jesus' described here does NOT match what is tradionally taught about Him.
I see nowhere that JS never 'prayed' to GOD to see if his vision was true, for he surely knew the Scripture that warned:
2 Corinthians 11:14
And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
You can see that others thought that mere men were angels or Christ before JS had his vision.
Galatians 4:14
Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.
I Said: You are just as wrong as all the people who started the other "Wars between religions" that have happened over the centuries, with Catholics declaring protestants are going to Hell, and vice versa, the differing Protestant churches ganging up on the catholics, or fighting amongst themselves.
You then Quote: http://scriptures.lds.org/en/js_h/1/19#19 17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!
18 My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.
19 I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”
20 He again forbade me to join with any of them; and many other things did he say unto me, which I cannot write at this time. When I came to myself again, I found myself lying on my back, looking up into heaven. When the light had departed, I had no strength; but soon recovering in some degree, I went home. And as I leaned up to the fireplace, mother inquired what the matter was. I replied, “Never mind, all is well—I am well enough off.” I then said to my mother, “I have learned for myself that Presbyterianism is not true.”
You said: This 'Father' described here does NOT match what is traditionally taught about Him. This 'Jesus' described here does NOT match what is traditionally taught about Him.
So, Either tradition is wrong, or Joseph smith is wrong. Got it.
You said: I see nowhere that JS never 'prayed' to GOD to see if his vision was true, for he surely knew the Scripture that warned: 2 Corinthians 11:14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light.
I am not responsible for what you see and where you start reading, but this is just irresponsible reading on your part, the First vision happened in response to a prayer.
14 So, in accordance with this, my determination to ask of God, I retired to the woods to make the attempt. It was on the morning of a beautiful, clear day, early in the spring of eighteen hundred and twenty. It was the first time in my life that I had made such an attempt, for amidst all my anxieties I had never as yet made the attempt to pray vocally.
15 After I had retired to the place where I had previously designed to go, having looked around me, and finding myself alone, I kneeled down and began to offer up the desires of my heart to God. I had scarcely done so, when immediately I was seized upon by some power which entirely overcame me, and had such an astonishing influence over me as to bind my tongue so that I could not speak. Thick darkness gathered around me, and it seemed to me for a time as if I were doomed to sudden destruction.
16 But, exerting all my powers to call upon God to deliver me out of the power of this enemy which had seized upon me, and at the very moment when I was ready to sink into despair and abandon myself to destruction—not to an imaginary ruin, but to the power of some actual being from the unseen world, who had such marvelous power as I had never before felt in any being—just at this moment of great alarm, I saw a pillar of light exactly over my head, above the brightness of the sun, which descended gradually until it fell upon me.
17 It no sooner appeared than I found myself delivered from the enemy which held me bound. When the light rested upon me I saw two Personages, whose brightness and glory defy all description, standing above me in the air. One of them spake unto me, calling me by name and said, pointing to the other—This is My Beloved Son. Hear Him!
18 My object in going to inquire of the Lord was to know which of all the sects was right, that I might know which to join. No sooner, therefore, did I get possession of myself, so as to be able to speak, than I asked the Personages who stood above me in the light, which of all the sects was right (for at this time it had never entered into my heart that all were wrong)—and which I should join.
19 I was answered that I must join none of them, for they were all wrong; and the Personage who addressed me said that all their creeds were an abomination in his sight; that those professors were all corrupt; that: “they draw near to me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, they teach for doctrines the commandments of men, having a form of godliness, but they deny the power thereof.”
So, it was a response to
prayer we are talking about, not just Joseph walking along suddenly seeing a vision, and the power of the devil was there, at first, and Joseph knew the difference.
But lets go on with your "nationalization".
You can see that others thought that mere men were angels or Christ before JS had his vision.
Galatians 4:14 Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.
This is pathetic! OK, Lets talk about the "Traditional view, and it's problems with Scripture, and I am only going to go into a few places here, I've got TONS more.
Lets start with
Matthew 17:5 5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
IF it was word for word, you would say Joseph Smith plagerized it, but this is defiantly not out of character for God the father to introduce Jesus Christ and telling people to "Hear ye him"
Acts of the apostles 7:55-56 55 But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,
56 And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.
OK, I always think of the stained glass window with Jesus stooped over to stand on his right hand as an illustration of the absurdity that people such as yourself are forced to contemplate when reading this scripture "Traditionally"
Matthew 3:16,17 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
In all in the KJV there are 12 instances where God the Father introduces Jesus with "In whom I am well pleased" And 7 where he introduces him as "My beloved son" and that's just in the New Testament. please not that "Atonement" appears only once n the bible, but that doesn't diminish it's importance.
So, lets go back to your original point here Joseph smith's account disagrees with what is "Traditionally Taught about" Jesus, not scriptures, whose traditions are these?
Mark 7:8 8 For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.
3 But he answered and said unto them, Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?
Colossians 2: 8 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
I note with interest that you have to go to tradition, not to scriptures to debate this essential point of the differences between our two Christian faiths, for it must be frustrating for you to see that the scriptures have much that supports Joseph Smith's first vision. For this reason, we Mormons invite all to come unto Jesus by putting
our religion to "The Test" Test us,
Get a copy of the Book of Mormon,
Get a Copy of the Bible, and
Ask God for he
giveth to all men liberally, and will answer a faithful
prayer.
My Brethren and sisters, who shall read this, I testify to you that an honest prayer to god is never left unanswered, if you wonder whether to even try our faith, pray about it, for God will answer you and will never be angry at an honest prayer.
Go with God, may he bless and keep you safe from Sin, Amen.