About this episode

The episode explores Joseph Smith's methods of providing detailed answers to mysterious and incomplete aspects of his prophetic claims.

Tonight on Mormonism Live, we examine a recurring pattern in Joseph Smith’s prophetic career: when he encountered something mysterious, incomplete, inaccessible, or simply unknown, he rarely seemed content to say, “I don’t know.” Instead, he supplied an answer—and often an extraordinarily detailed one. A skeleton becomes Zelph, complete with a name, identity, history, and ancient associations. Egyptian papyri become the writings of Abraham. Egyptian figures become Abraham, Pharaoh, Shulem, Olimlah, gods, and cosmic teachings. The Kinderhook Plates produce an ancient genealogy. A stone becomes a seer stone capable of revealing hidden knowledge. Native Americans become Lamanites. Landscapes become Cumorah, Zion, the Garden of Eden, Adam-ondi-Ahman, and the “plains of the Nephites.” And the pattern extends beyond objects and geography. Where scripture appears incomplete, Joseph supplies the JST, Book of Moses, Enoch material, and D&C 7’s hidden parchment. Where ancient language is unknowable, he supplies the “Pure Language” of Adam. Where the universe remained largely mysterious, Joseph supplies an elaborate Abrahamic cosmology involving Kolob and an entire hierarchy of named…

People in this episode

Host: Bill Reel

Topics covered

• Joseph Smith
• prophetic career
• mystery
• religious claims
• historical analysis
• spirituality

Keywords

• Joseph Smith
• prophecy
• religion
• spirituality
• historical claims
• mystery
• Abraham
• Egyptian papyri

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Book of Moses, JST, D&C 7

Places: Cumorah, Zion, Garden of Eden, Adam-ondi-Ahman, plains of the Nephites, Kolob, Lamanites, Egyptian papyri, Kinderhook Plates, Abraham

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