Stephen E. Jones

Jesus is Jehovah Quotes: Unclassified quotes: July 2008

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The following are quotes added to my Jesus is Jehovah unclassified quotes database in July 2008.
The date format is dd/mm/yy. See copyright conditions at end.

2008: Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr, May, Jun, Aug, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec.

1/07/2008
"Significantly, according to Joseph, Sr., it also was in 1824 that Joseph, Jr. `was baptized, becoming thus a
member of the Baptist Church.' [Lapham, F., "Interview with the Father of Joseph Smith, the Mormon
Prophet, Forty Years Ago," Historical Magazine, 7 (May 1870, pp.305-309] Three years earlier (c. 1821)
Joseph apparently had caught a `spark of Methodism' in a camp meeting and at that time became an exhorter
for those meetings. [Turner, O., "History of the Pioneer Settlement of the Phelps and Gorham Purchase,"
Alling: Rochester, 1852, pp.213-214] Then, as late as June 1828, he sought membership with the Methodist
Episcopal Church in Harmony, Pennsylvania, possibly in response to his first child being "still-born and
very much deformed." [Howe, E.D., "Mormonism Unvailed," Telegraph Press: Painesville OH, 1834, p.269]
So, not only was there no 1820 revival, but when a revival did hit the Palmyra-Manchester region in 1824,
Joseph and his family were drawn into Christendom's churches-in direct opposition to what God had
supposedly said to Joseph back in 1820." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon
Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.18)

13/07/2008
"Joseph Smith senior, with a family consisting of a wife and eight children, including Joe the Prophet, ...
were an illiterate, shiftless, indolent tribe, without any visible means of a respectable livelihood, nor was it
apparent that they earned an honest living-young .Joe being the laziest of the crew. The boys, who were
frequently seen lounging about the stores and shops in the village, were distinguished only for their
vagabondish appearance and loaferly habits. The female portion of the household were pretty much ditto.
Pomeroy Tucker (1802-1870) Smith family acquaintance" [Tucker, P., "The Mormon Imposture-The
Mormon Aborigines," Wayne Democratic Press: Lyons NY, 1858, p.2]" (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under
Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.3)

13/07/2008
"ACCORDING TO JOSEPH FIELDING SMITH, tenth president of the LDS church, Mormonism `must stand
or fall on the story of Joseph Smith. He was either a prophet of God, divinely called, properly appointed and
commissioned, or he was one of the biggest frauds this world has ever seen.' [Smith, J.F., "Doctrines of
Salvation," Bookcraft: Salt Lake City UT, 1954, Vol. 1, p.188] " (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A
History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.3. Emphasis original)

13/07/2008
"To most of his contemporaries, Joseph Smith was nothing but a charlatan from a family of illiterate
wanderers; a shiftless trouble-maker-albeit a charismatic and imaginative one-with a penchant for
superstitions, storytelling, and decision-making based on the occult traditions of nineteenth century rural
folk magic. Nathaniel Lewis, for instance, who was the uncle of Smith's wife, Emma, made a telling comment
in 1834: `Joseph ... is not a man of truth and veracity; ... his general character in this part of the country, is
that of an impostor, hypocrite and liar.' [Howe, E.D., "Mormonism Unvailed," Painesville OH, 1834, p.267]"
(Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New
York NY, 2002, p.6)

13/07/2008
"In Nauvoo, however, Smith did authorize a few select leaders to begin enjoying the practice after
personally teaching them its glorious principles. William Clayton, who served as Joseph's secretary and
official `Clerk of the Kingdom,' remembered: `From him I learned that the doctrine of plural and celestial
marriage is the most holy and important doctrine ever revealed to man on the earth.' [Jenson, A., "Plural
Marriage," The Historical Record, May 1887,p.226] ... At the same time, Smith consistently and
vehemently denounced polygamy as sinful, maintaining that monogamy was God's perfect design for marital
relationships and that it was the only model of marriage he wanted to see practiced by his followers. The
level of Joseph's hypocrisy incensed many individuals within Smith's inner circle. For example, on March 4,
1843, he married nineteen-year-old Emily Partridge, after which time he waited only four days before taking
to himself her twenty-two year-old sister, Eliza. But then, only one week later, the March 15 issue of Smith's
Times and Seasons denied polygamy: `We are charged with advocating a plurality of wives ... [T]his is as
false as the many other ridiculous charges which are brought against us. No sect has a greater reverence for
the laws of matrimony or the rights of private property; and we do what others do not, [we] practice what we
preach.' [Times and Seasons, Vol. 4, No. 9, March 15, 1843, p.143] Joseph's public pretense at monogamy
continued for several years, much to the chagrin and anguish of several high-ranking LDS leaders, each of
whom would eventually forsake the church." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the
Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.195)

13/07/2008
"Oftentimes money-diggers would hire themselves out to persons who believed that they, too, might profit
through occultism. Such activity, however, was illegal because money-diggers habitually defrauded clients
out of hard-earned cash by not delivering on their promises to find large caches of buried treasure. ... Joseph
Smith, Jr., probably gravitated toward money-digging due to his mother and father's predilection for occult
ritual, white magic, superstitions, paranormal phenomena, divination, and treasure hunting. ... One of the
earliest documents referring to Smith's money-digging reputation is an 1830 letter from Rev. John Sherer to
the American Home Missionary Society. In this communication, Sherer describes Smith as a person who
pretends to look `through a glass, to see money underground.' Sherer also labeled Smith a `juggler,' a term
that used to denote someone who manipulated people for fraudulent purposes-i.e., a con-man. [Sherer, J.,
Letter to American Home Missionary Society, November 18, 1830]" (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods:
A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, pp.28-30)

13/07/2008
"The money-digging company under Joseph's guidance eventually left Pennsylvania after failing to find the
Spanish silver mine. But rather than going home, Joseph traveled with Stowell to his Bainbridge, New York, farm
where he continued the search for lost treasure. After several months, however, Stowell's sons decided to step in
and prevent their father from squandering any more of his money. They, along with Peter Bridgman (Stowell's
nephew) brought charges against Joseph and succeeded in having him arrested in March 1826 for being a
disorderly person and an impostor. [Letter, Chenango Union, May 3, 1877] The transcript of Smith's appearance
in court was first published in 1873 in Fraser's Magazine (an English periodical). [Marshall, C., "The Original
Prophet, By A Visitor to Salt Lake City," Fraser's Magazine, February 1873, Vol. 2, pp.229-230] During this
preliminary hearing (then called an `examination'), Joseph admitted that he possessed `a certain stone' that he
occasionally used to determine where treasures were hidden in the earth. The court record continued: `[H]e
professed to tell in this manner where gold mines were a distance under ground, and had looked for Mr. Stowell
several times, and had informed him where he could find these treasures.' [Tuttle, D., court transcript, New
Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia, Vol. 2, 1883, pp.1576] Stowell attempted to defend Joseph, but ended up doing more
harm than good by testifying that he positively knew Smith could `tell, and did possess the art of seeing those
valuable treasures through the medium of said stone.' [Ibid] He further stated that he had the most implicit faith in
Joseph's skills. After others testified that they, too, had witnessed Smith's illegal activities, the court pronounced
him guilty. Joseph escaped jail time, however, when the court subtly suggested he leave town and never return.
This common show of mercy, known at that time as `Leg Bail,' may have been granted because Smith was only
twenty years old." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight
Windows: New York NY, 2002, pp.42-44)

16/07/2008
"Does John 1:1 prove that Jesus is God? John 1:1, RS: `In the beginning was the Word, and the Word
was with God, and the Word was God [also KJ, JB, Dy, Kx, NAB].' NE reads `what God was, the Word
was.' Mo says `the Logos was divine.' AT and Sd tell us `the Word was divine.' The interlinear
rendering of ED is `a god was the Word.' NW reads `the Word was a god'; NTIV uses the same
wording. What is it that these translators are seeing in the Greek text that moves some of them to refrain
from saying `the Word was God'? The definite article (the) appears before the first occurrence of the-os'
(God) but not before the second. The articular (when the article appears) construction of the noun points to
an identity, a personality, whereas a singular anarthrous (without the article) predicate noun before the verb
(as the sentence is constructed in Greek) points to a quality about someone. So the text is not saying that
the Word (Jesus) was the same as the God with whom he was but, rather, that the Word was godlike, divine,
a god. (See 1984 Reference edition of NW,p. 1579.)" (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "Reasoning
from the Scriptures," [1985], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York: Brooklyn NY, Second edition,
1989, p.212. Emphasis original)

16/07/2008
"Does Thomas' exclamation at John 20:28 prove that Jesus is truly God? John 20:28 (RS) reads:
`Thomas answered him, `My Lord and my God!' There is no objection to referring to Jesus as `God,' if this is
what Thomas had in mind. Such would be in harmony with Jesus' own quotation from the Psalms in which
powerful men, judges, were addressed as `gods.' (John 10:34, 35, RS; Ps. 82:1-6) Of course, Christ
occupies a position far higher than such men. Because of the uniqueness of his position in relation to
Jehovah, at John 1:18 (NW) Jesus is referred to as `the only-begotten god.' (See also Ro,By.) Isaiah
9:6 (RS) also prophetically describes Jesus as `Mighty God,' but not as the Almighty God. All of this is in
harmony with Jesus' being described as `a god,' or `divine,' at John 1:1 (NW,AT)." (Watchtower Bible
& Tract Society, "Reasoning from the Scriptures," [1985], Watchtower Bible & Tract Society of New York:
Brooklyn NY, Second edition, 1989, p.213. Emphasis original)

17/07/2008
"Here is Michael our prince, the great protector of the church: The first of the chief princes, v. 13. Some
understand it of a created angel. Others think that Michael the archangel is no other than Christ himself,
v. 5. He came to help me (v. 13); and there is none but he that holds with me in these things,v. 21.
Christ is the church's prince; angels are not, Heb. ii. 5." (Henry, M., "Matthew Henry's Commentary: On the
Whole Bible in One Volume," [1710], Church, L.F., ed., Marshall, Morgan & Scott: London, 1960, Fourth
impression, 1968, pp.1100-1101. Emphasis original)

17/07/2008
"Jesus Christ shall appear his church's patron and protector: At that time,when the persecution is at the
hottest, Michael shall stand up,v. 1. Christ is that great prince. At that time Michael shall stand up for
the working out of our eternal salvation; the Son of God shall be incarnate, shall be manifested to destroy
the works of the devil. Christ stood for the children of our people when he was made sin and a curse for
them, stood in their stead as a sacrifice, bore the curse for them, to bear it from them. (Henry, M., "Matthew
Henry's Commentary: On the Whole Bible in One Volume," [1710], Church, L.F., ed., Marshall, Morgan &
Scott: London, 1960, Fourth impression, 1968, p.1:1103. Emphasis original)

17/07/2008
"Their state and condition shall be glorious and happy at the second coming of Christ. This the apostle
informs the Thessalonians of by the word of the Lord (v. 15). The Lord Jesus will come down from heaven in
all the pomp and power of the upper world (v. 16): The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout.
He will descend from heaven into this our air, v. 17. The appearance will be with pomp and power, with a
shout-with the voice of the archangel. The glorious appearance of this great Redeemer and Judge will be
proclaimed and ushered in by the trump of God (Henry, M., "Matthew Henry's Commentary: On the Whole
Bible in One Volume," [1710], Church, L.F., ed., Marshall, Morgan & Scott: London, 1960, Fourth impression,
1968, p.2:678)

17/07/2008
"The apostle brings in Michael the archangel,&c., v. 9. Interpreters are at a loss what is here meant by
the body of Moses. He durst not bring,&c. Not that he was afraid of the devil, but he believed God
would be offended if, in such a dispute, he went that way to work. A memorandum to all disputants, never to
bring railing accusations into their disputes. Truth needs no supports from falsehood or scurrility. The
Lord rebuke thee. He would not stand disputing with the devil. Divine rebukes are harder to be borne than
careless sinners now think for." (Henry, M., "Matthew Henry's Commentary: On the Whole Bible in One
Volume," [1710], Church, L.F., ed., Marshall, Morgan & Scott: London, 1960, Fourth impression, 1968,
p.2:766)

17/07/2008
"The attempts of the dragon not only proved unsuccessful against the church, but fatal to his own interests
(v. 7). Heaven will espouse the quarrel of the church, 1. The seat of this war-in heaven, in the church, which
is the kingdom of heaven on earth, under the care of heaven. 2. The parties: Christ, the great Angel of the
covenant, and his faithful followers; and Satan and all his instruments. The strength of the church lies in
having the Lord Jesus for the captain of their salvation. 3. The success of the battle: The dragon and his
angels fought and prevailed not. The victory fell to Christ and his church, and the dragon and his angels
were not only conquered, but cast out. (Henry, M., "Matthew Henry's Commentary: On the Whole Bible in
One Volume," [1710], Church, L.F., ed., Marshall, Morgan & Scott: London, 1960, Fourth impression, 1968,
p.2:778)

17/07/2008
"[Dn 12:1] The great prince]-Calvin believes that the reference is to Christ. However, Michael, as the
representative of Christ, is the valiant warrior, who comes to protect God's elect from the fierce persecution
of the king of the North. Stands over]- i.e., in the sense that he comes to protect God's people (cf. Esther
8:11; 9:16)." (Young, E.J., "A Commentary on Daniel," [1949], Banner of Truth: Edinburgh, British edition,
1972, Reprinted, 1978, p.255. Emphasis original)

17/07/2008
"[Dn 12] 1. at that time-typically, towards the close of Antiochus' reign; antitypically, the time when
Antichrist is to be destroyed at Christ's coming. Michael-the guardian angel of Israel (`thy people'), (ch.
10:13). The transactions on earth affecting God's people have their correspondences in heaven, in the
conflict between good and bad angels; so at the last great contest on earth which shall decide the
ascendency of Christianity (Rev. 12:7-10). An archangel, not the Lord Jesus; for he is distinguished from
`the Lord' in Jude 9." (Jamieson, R., Fausset, A.R. & Brown, D., "Commentary Practical and Explanatory on
the Whole Bible," [1871], Oliphants/Zondervan: Grand Rapids MI, Revised Edition, 1961, Fifth printing,
1966, p.764. Emphasis original)

17/07/2008
"LDS documents also are surprisingly quiet about Smith's activities from 1824-1827. Why? It may be due to
the fact that during those particular years Joseph regularly engaged in ritual magic and divination, two
practices condemned not only by Christians, but also by twenty-first century Mormons." (Abanes, R., "One
Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002,
p.27)

17/07/2008
"Relatively few Mormons know that at one time Joseph Smith's reputation as an occultist stretched from
New York to Northern Pennsylvania. Moreover, the use of occult rituals among his early followers was the
norm, rather than the exception ... Much of their attachment to occultism centered around the now archaic
practice of treasure-hunting via divination-i.e., money-digging. The pursuit held the fascination of countless
individuals throughout rural America in the early nineteenth century. [Quinn, D.M.,"Early Mormonism and
the Magic World View," Signature Books: Salt Lake City UT, 1998, pp.30-65] These `money-diggers,' as they
were called, often spent most of their days and nights trying to `dig up treasure that supposedly had been
buried throughout the land by pirates, Spaniards, or ancient inhabitants of the country.' [Persuitte, D.,
"Joseph Smith and the Origins of the Book of Mormon," McFarland & Co: Jefferson NC, 2000, p.35]. ...
Joseph Smith, Jr., probably gravitated toward money-digging due to his mother and father's predilection for
occult ritual, white magic, superstitions, paranormal phenomena, divination, and treasure hunting. An innate
interest in such issues seemed to have been very active not only in them, but also in various members of
their family lines going back as far the seventeenth century. [Brooke, J.L., "The Refiner's Fire: The Making of
Mormon Cosmology, 1644-1844," Cambridge University Press: New York, 1994, p.77] Neighbor Fayette
Lapham learned from Joseph, Sr. that he was `a firm believer in witchcraft and other supernatural things; and
had brought up his family in the same belief. [Lapham, F., "Interview with the Father of Joseph Smith, the
Mormon Prophet, Forty Years Ago. His Account of the Finding of the Sacred Plates," Historical
Magazine,May 1870, Vol. 7, pp.305-306]" (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon
Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.28)

17/07/2008
"There is no doubt that Joseph, Jr., was deeply entrenched in occultism along with the rest of his family.
William Stafford, a neighbor and fellow money-digger, stated that Joseph, Jr., used a seer stone not only to
`see all things within and under the earth,' but also to discover `the spirits in whose charge these treasures
were, clothed in ancient dress.' [Howe, E.D., "Mormonism Unvailed," Painesville OH, 1834, p.258] According
to Jesse Townsend, Joseph gazed into his stone to `see chests of money buried in the earth. He was also a
fortune-teller, and he claimed to know where stolen goods went.' [Tucker, P., "Origin, Rise and Progress of
Mormonism," D. Appleton & Co: NY, 1867, pp.288-291] Joseph Capron had similar recollections: `The family
of Smiths held Joseph Jr. in high estimation on account of some supernatural power, which he was
supposed to possess. This power he pretended to have received through the medium of a stone of peculiar
quality. The stone was placed in a hat, in such a manner as to exclude all light, except that which emanated
from the stone itself. This light of the stone, he pretended, enabled him to see anything he wished.
Accordingly he discovered ghosts, infernal spirits, mountains of gold and silver, and many other invaluable
treasures deposited in the earth. He would often tell his neighbors of his wonderful discoveries, and urge
them to embark in the money digging business. [Howe, 1834, p.259] ... Additional testimony shows that
Joseph, Jr. and his family often engaged in complex rituals based on occult lore generally not known except
by avid practitioners of folk magic. ... On some occasions, Smith made animal sacrifices to appease whatever
spirits might be guarding the buried treasure. Emily M. Austin recounted one time when Joseph told his
money-digging company `there was a charm on the pots of money, and if some animal was killed and the
blood sprinkled around the place, then they could get it.' Austin remembered: `So they killed a dog and tried
this method of obtaining the precious metal.... [Austin, E.M., "Mormonism; or, Life Among the Mormons,"
M.J. Cantwell: Madison WI, 1882, 32ff] Hiel Lewis, a cousin of Joseph's wife, Emma, reported that the
sacrifice of white dogs, black cats, and other animals `was an indispensable part or appendage of the art
which Smith, the embryo prophet, was then practicing.' [Tanner, J. & S., "Mormonism, Magic and Masonry,"
ULM: Salt Lake City, 1988, p.33] Sometimes, however, Joseph and his companions relied solely on magical
rituals and occult ceremonies. " (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church,"
Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, pp.30-31. Emphasis original)

19/07/2008
"Although Smith never took any Lamanites as wives, he did begin establishing what would gradually
become a fairly large harem of young girls and women taken from his flock of `white and delightsome'
disciples. His first polygamous union occurred in 1832/33 with Fanny Alger, the 16-year-old daughter of a
neighboring Mormon family. [Jenson, A., "Plural Marriage," Historical Research, Vol. 6 , May 1887,
p.233] Benjamin Johnson remembered Alger as `verry nice & Comly young woman' whom everyone liked.
[Johnson, B.F., "My Life's Review," Zion's Printing & Publishing Co: Independence MO, 1947] According to
Martin Harris, Smith made `improper proposals to her, which created quite a talk amongst the people.' [Van
Wagoner, R., "Mormon Polygamy: A History," Signature Books: Salt Lake City UT, 1989, p.6] Harris found
out about the affair when Smith sought his advice on what to do about the spreading gossip. Martin wanted
no part of the controversy, telling Joseph that he would have to find a way out of his troubles `the best way
he knew how.' [Van Wagoner, p.7]" (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon
Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.132)

19/07/2008
"Smith's novel solution was to marry Alger in a secret ceremony and have her move into his home in 1835 as
a maid-servant and adopted daughter [Compton, T., "In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph
Smith," Signature Books: Salt Lake City UT, p.34]. Twenty-seven-year-old Joseph acquired his new bride by
first approaching her uncle, Levi Hancock, one of his most ardent followers. In the spring of 1832, Smith told
Hancock: `[T]he Lord has revealed to me that it is his will that righteous men shall take Righteous women
even a plurality of Wives ... preparatory to the ushering in of the Millenial [sic] Reign of our Redeemer'
[Compton, p.31] .... Hancock married them on the spot by simply repeating the words of the marriage
ceremony as Joseph himself dictated it. This same scenario would be repeated again and again- i.e., Joseph
obtaining a new wife through the use of an intermediary; a male relative of his prospective bride. [Compton,
p.33]" (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight
Windows: New York NY, 2002, pp.132-133)

19/07/2008
"Fanny's parents were honored to have their daughter marry the prophet. But others, most notably, Joseph's
wife, Emma, felt differently. She responded with shock and outrage after accidentally discovering Joseph
and Fanny `in the barn together alone. She looked through a crack and saw the transaction!!!' [William
McLellin, letter to Joseph Smith III, July 1872, in Compton, T., "In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of
Joseph Smith," Signature Books: Salt Lake City UT, p.35] The scene devastated Emma. Ann Eliza Webb
Young, wrote: `She [Emma] was extremely fond of her [Fanny] ... and their affection for each other was a
constant object of remark, so absorbing and genuine did it seem.' [Young, A.E.W., "Wife No. 19," Dustin,
Gilman & Co: Hartford CT, 1875, pp.66-67] But Emma's fondness understandably gave way to other
emotions, as Young relates: `[I]t was with a shocked surprise that the people heard that sister Emma had
turned Fanny out of the house in the night.... [I]t was felt that she [Emma] certainly must have had some
very good reason for her action.' [Young, pp.66-67] William McLellin, an early Mormon leader, also
remembered the incident, and related it many years later to Joseph's son, Joseph Smith III, telling him in a
letter: `He [Smith] found he was caught. He confessed humbly, and begged forgiveness. Emma and all
forgave him.' [McLellin, W., letter to Joseph Smith III, July 1872, in Tanner, J. & S., "The Mormon Church
and the McLellin Collection," ULM: Salt Lake City UT, 1993, p.53]. But this would not be the last time
Smith's affections turned to other young girls, especially those living under his own roof as either adopted
wards or maidservants. Emma's heartbreak had only just begun." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A
History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.133)

20/07/2008
"So Joseph proceeded to open his institution not as the Kirtland Safety Society `Bank,' but rather, as the
Kirtland Safety Society Anti-Banking Company, complete with currency that had the prefix `anti' and
the suffix `ing' lightly stamped around the bold-typed word `BANK.' Smith actually believed that his debts,
along with those of his followers, could be wiped out by merely printing these notes and using them to pay
creditors. The bills, however, were practically worthless because Smith had virtually no silver/gold coinage
to back up the paper he issued. His entire capital stock consisted of nothing but land valued at inflated
prices.... To augment their confidence in the organization, Smith resorted to a rather ingenious deception:
`Lining the shelves of the bank vault ... were many boxes, each marked $1,000. Actually these boxes were
filled with `sand, lead, old iron, stone, and combustibles' but each had a top layer of bright fifty-cent silver
coins. Anyone suspicious of the bank's stability was allowed to lift and count the boxes. ... ' [Brodie, F.M.,
"No Man Knows My History," Vintage Books: New York , 1995; pp.196-197] Smith spread the word that he
had $60,000 in hard coinage to back the paper notes, and could lay his hands on $600,000 more if necessary.
In reality, he had barely $6,000. He also said that he had only printed up about $10,000 in bills, when at least
$150,000 had been distributed. [Brodie, p.195] .... Smith opened for business after installing himself and
Sidney Rigdon as the institution's main officers, while supporting positions within the Society's corporate
structure were filled by most of his twelve apostles. His confidence never wavered during its first few weeks
of operation, as evidenced by a January 1837 conversation he had with his inner circle. He told them that
while he was alone in a room, God had spoken to him in an audible voice, promising that if the Saints
followed his commandments, `all would be well' with the Society. [Jessee, D., "The Kirtland Diary of Wilford
Woodruff," BYU Studies, Summer 1972, Vol. 12, pp.384.381]" (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A
History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, pp.136-137. Emphasis
original)

20/07/2008
"But after more than $36,000 in notes had been passed in Cleveland, that city's merchants began
panicking over rumors that Smith's `Anti-Bank' had been established by a revelation from God. Various
businesses then learned that merchants in Buffalo and New York had never even accepted the notes.
Soon, nearby shopkeepers began rejecting the paper. The Painesville Republican then
announced that Smith's notes had been refused by the Bank of Geauga County, adding that for this
reason businessmen should not accept them. ["Anti-Banking Company," Painesville
Republican, January 19, 1837] Those who were left holding the bogus bills suddenly wanted to get
rid of them. Hundreds of notes began flooding back to Kirtland for redemption in hard coinage. It was a
disaster. Less than one month after opening, Smith's currency was exchanging at 12 1/2 cents on the
dollar. [Adams, D.W., "Chartering the Kirtland Bank," BYU Studies, Fall 1983, Vol. 23, p.72] The
authorities quickly heard about the scandal and on February 1, 1837, a writ was sworn out against
Joseph Smith, Jr., and Sidney Rigdon accusing the two men of `illegal banking and issuing
unauthorized bank paper.' [Adams, p.472] Their trial was scheduled for the court's fall session. Despite
these signs of impending calamity, the Society remained open and continued issuing notes, which by
March were worth between only 1-10 cents on the dollar. [Hill, M.S., Rooker, C.K. & Wimmer, L.T.,
"The Kirtland Economy: A Market Critique of Sectarian Ecomomics," BYU Studies, Summer
1977, Vol. 17J, pp.445-449] ... Smith and Rigdon ... in October .... were found guilty of violating state
banking laws and fined $1,000 each, plus small costs. As Mormon historian B.H. Roberts concisely
stated in his history of the church, `The `Kirtland Safety Society' enterprise ended disastrously.'
[Roberts, B.H., "A Comprehensive History of the Church," Deseret Book Co: Salt Lake City UT, 1930,
Vol. 1, pp.401-402] But Smith's woes were not yet over. The trial's judgment unleashed a rash of
personal threats against Smith's life and numerous lawsuits from creditors suing for damages. [Brodie,
F.M., "No Man Knows My History," Vintage Books: New York , 1995; pp.201- 202]" (Abanes, R., "One
Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY,
2002, pp.137-138. Emphasis original)

20/07/2008
"Failed Joseph Smith Prophecies Mormons believe they are led by prophets of God, who have received
divine revelations as appointed leaders of the LDS church. This is especially true of Joseph Smith, the
church's founder. A legitimate question is: `Did the predictions/prophecies made by Smith come true?'
According to Bible, a true prophet must be correct in his/her predictions 100 percent of the time (Deut. 18:21-
22). Even the Doctrine and Covenants promises that every prophecy it contains `shall all be fulfilled' (D&C
1:37). ... In light of these criteria, the following partial list of failed prophecies/predictions by Joseph Smith is
significant." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight
Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.461)

20/07/2008
"1823, Sept. 21. The angel Moroni tells Smith that Isaiah 11 is `about to be fulfilled.' Isaiah 11:6-11 says that
the wolf and the lamb, the calf and the lion, will dwell in peace together, that nothing will `hurt or destroy,'
and that the earth shall be `full of the knowledge of the Lord. [PGP, Joseph Smith-History 1:40] This
prophecy has not yet come to pass, and the phrase `about to be fulfilled' no longer applies. " (Abanes, R.,
"One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY,
2002, p.461)

20/07/2008
"1829/1830. Winter Joseph received a revelation that Hiram Page and Oliver Cowdery were to raise money
by going to Canada, where they would find a buyer for the copyright of the Book of Mormon. [Roberts, B.H.,
"A Comprehensive History of the Church," Deseret Book Co: Salt Lake City UT, 1930, Vol. 1, pp.1, 165]
Cowdery and Page went to Canada, but never found a buyer for the copyright." (Abanes, R., "One Nation
Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.461)

20/07/2008
"1830, Sept. In a revelation, God decrees that the elect shall be gathered into one place `against the day
when tribulation and desolation are sent forth upon the wicked.' [D&C 29:8.] The one place to which
Mormons were to gather changed as the Saints were driven from one location to another. Mormons remain a
scattered people." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls
Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.462)

20/07/2008
"1830, Sept. Smith declares by revelation that `the hour is nigh and the day soon at hand' when the wicked
will burn, all prophecies will be fulfilled, and Jesus will return to begin a 1,000-year reign. [D&C 29:9-11]
The terms `nigh' and `soon' can no longer be applied to this prophecy." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under
Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.462)

20/07/2008
"1831, Mar. 7. By God's command and revelation the Saints were to gather riches and purchase an
inheritance (i.e., the New Jerusalem, a.k.a. Zion), a place of refuge and safety, where the wicked would not
come, and against which the wicked would refuse to battle because of fearing the Mormons. [D&C 45:64-
74] Most of the Missouri property that the Saints had acquired was either sold or abandoned." (Abanes, R.,
"One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY,
2002, p.462)

20/07/2008
"1831, July 20. Missouri is named as the land consecrated for the gathering of the Saints, the place for the
City of Zion and the building of a temple. It will be purchased by the saints `for an everlasting inheritance.'
[D&C 57:1-5] The `City of Zion,' including its temple, was never built up." (Abanes, R., "One Nation
Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.462)

20/07/2008
"1830, Sept. Zion, along with its temple, will be built at Independence, Missouri, `in this generation.' This
generation `shall not all pass away' until the temple will be built upon the spot chosen.[D&C 84:2-5 (cf. v
31)] The generation to which Smith refers died out many years ago, without seeing the building of a temple
in Independence." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls
Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.462)

20/07/2008
"1832, Sept. New York, Albany and Boston will be destroyed if they reject the gospel. The `hour of their
judgment is nigh.' [ D&C 84:114-115] Newell K. Whitney and Joseph Smith went to New York, Albany,
and Boston and preached the LDS message. The cities did not accept it. They have not yet been
destroyed." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight
Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.463)

20/07/2008
"1832, Dec. 25. Civil War Prophecy see Chapter Twelve" (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A
History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.463)

20/07/2008
"1833, Jan. 4. Joseph Smith says "by the authority of Jesus Christ" that `not many years shall pass away'
before the wicked `of this generation' will be swept from off the face of the land and the Lost Ten Tribes
will be gathered to Missouri, and that `there are those now living upon the earth whose eyes shall not be
closed in death until they see all these things, which I have spoken, fulfilled.' [HC, Vol. 1, pp.315-316]
Smith's generation has died out, and yet Jesus has not returned." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A
History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.463)

20/07/2008
"1833, August 2. Promise that if the saints are obedient the City of Zion (in Missouri) will prosper and
become glorious, great and terrible, honored by the nations of the earth. Zion cannot fall or `be moved' out
of its place. [D&C 97:18-20] The City of Zion never prospered in Missouri. The Saints fled the state."
(Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New
York NY, 2002, p.463)

20/07/2008
"1833, Dec. 10. Joseph Smith tells the saints that they should retain their lands in Missouri and seek legal
redress against their enemies. If they should not obtain it, God will avenge them with `ten thousand of his
Saints' and all their adversaries would be destroyed. [HC, Vol. 1, 455] The Mormons sought redress of
their losses, but were unsuccessful. Wrongs against them were not avenged, nor were their enemies
destroyed." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight
Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.463)

20/07/2008
"1834, Spring. Smith prophesies to Zion's Camp that `within three years they should march to Jackson
County and there should not be a dog to open his mouth against them.' [Peck, R., "Reed Peck Manuscript,"
3] Jackson County was never redeemed and Zion's Camp never marched again." (Abanes, R., "One Nation
Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.464)

20/07/2008
"1834, Apr. 23. Revelation received stating Smith's United Order would be `everlasting,' `immutable and
unchangeable,' to benefit the church `until I [i.e., Jesus] come.' Through Smith, Jesus said: `This is the way
that I, the Lord, have decreed to provide for my saints." [D&C 104:1, 2-6] The United Order failed in Ohio
and Missouri." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight
Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.464)

20/07/2008
"1834, June 22. The Lord says regarding Missouri: `I will fight your battles... the destroyer I have sent forth
to destroy and lay waste mine enemies; and not many years hence they shall not be left to pollute mine
heritage, and to blaspheme my name upon the lands which I have consecrated for the gathering together of
my saints.' [D&C 105:13-15]. Enemies in Missouri were not destroyed, nor were they ever driven from the
land. The Mormons, on the other hand, were driven from Missouri within five years." (Abanes, R., "One
Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002,
p.464)

20/07/2008
"1834, Aug. 16. Smith said the Spirit of the Lord told him that the Saints should be ready to move into
Jackson County, Missouri, on September 11, 1836, `the appointed time for the redemption of Zion.' [HC,
Vol. 2, 145] The Latter-day Saints fled Missouri in 1839." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History
of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.464)

20/07/2008
"1835, Feb. 14. `[T]he coming of the Lord, which is nigh-even fifty-six years should wind up the scene.'
[HC, Vol. 2, 182] 1835 + 56 years = 1890/91. Jesus did not return." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods:
A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.464)

20/07/2008
"1835, Feb. 14. Smith prophesied that Orson Hyde would go to Jerusalem, and `by thy hands shall the Most
High do a great work, which shall prepare the way and greatly facilitate the gathering of that people [i.e., the
Jews].' [Morris, N.L., `Prophecies of Joseph Smith and their Fulfillment,' Deseret Books: Salt Lake City UT,
1926, p.261] Orson Hyde went to Jerusalem, but did nothing to facilitate the gathering of the Jews, which did
not occur until over 100 years later (i.e., 1948)." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the
Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.465)

20/07/2008
"1836, Aug. 6. Smith received a revelation to go to Salem, Massachusetts, where he was supposed to
receive `its wealth pertaining to gold and silver.' [D&C 111:4] Smith returned in September to Kirtland,
without having seen the prophecy fulfilled." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the
Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.465)

20/07/2008
"1837, July 23. Smith issued a revelation saying that Thomas B. Marsh, then the president of the quorum of
the Twelve Apostles, would be `exalted,' would preach to Jews and Gentiles `unto the ends of the earth,'
among `the mountains, and among many nations.' Smith said that by marsh's word `many high ones shall be
brought low, and ... many low ones shall be exalted.' Through Smith, God tells Marsh: `I know thy heart.'
[D&C 112:3-4, 7-8, 11] Less than two years later, on March 17, 1839, Marsh was excommunicated. The
prophecy was not fulfilled." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four
Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.465)

20/07/2008
"1838, Apr. 17. Smith, via a revelation, says Apostle David W. Patten should settle his business so that he
can go on a mission `next spring ... to testify of my name and bear glad tidings unto all the world.' [D&C
114:1] Less than eight months later, Patten was killed at the Battle of Crooked River (October 25, 1838). The
revelation never came to pass, even though Patten died `strong in the faith' (HC 3:171)." (Abanes, R.,
"One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY,
2002, p.465)

20/07/2008
"1839, Mar. 20. While in prison, Smith prophesied that his enemies would be taken `in their own craftiness'
and that `not many years hence.... [his enemies] and their posterity shall be swept from under heaven, saith
God, that not one of them is left to stand by the wall.' [ D&C 121:11-15 23] None of these prophecies came
to pass." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight
Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.465)

20/07/2008
"1842, Apr. 28. At a Relief Society meeting, Smith says; `I now prophecy that before ten years shall roll
around, the queens of the earth shall come and pay their respects to this Society.' [Quinn, D.M., "The
Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power," Signature Books: Salt Lake City UT, 1994, p.634] No queens have
ever fulfilled this prophecy." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church,"
Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.466)

20/07/2008
"1843, Jan. 20. Joseph Smith prophesies that he and Orson Hyde will drink wine together in Palestine.
[Faulring, S.H., ed., "An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and Journals of Joseph Smith," Signature
Books: Salt Lake City UT, 1987, p.294] Smith never went to Palestine. And drinking wine would have been
against Smith's Word of Wisdom command." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the
Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.466)

20/07/2008
"1843, Apr. 6. `I prophesy in the name of the Lord God, and let it be written-the Son of Man will not come in
the clouds of heaven till I am eighty-five years old.' [HC, 5:336] `[T]he 14th chapter of Revelation ... `[T]he
hour of His judgment is come.' And Hosea, 6th chapter. After ... 2,520 years; which brings it to 1890.' [HC,
5:336] 1805 + 85 years = 1890/91. Jesus did not return in 1890 based on the either of these calculations."
(Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New
York NY, 2002, p.466)

20/07/2008
"1843, Apr. 6. `There are those of the rising generation who shall not taste death till Christ comes.' [HC,
5:336] All persons of Joseph's generation, as well as those of the rising generation alive when he was
speaking, are deceased. None of them saw Christ's return." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A
History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.466)

20/07/2008
"1843, May 18. `I prophecy in the name of the Lord God of Israel, unless the United States redress the
wrongs committed upon the Saints in the state of Missouri and punish the crimes committed by her officers
that in a few years the government will be utterly overthrown and wasted, and there will not be so much as a
potsherd left for their wickedness.' [HC, 5:394] The U.S. government did not redress any of the wrongs
committed against the Mormons in Missouri. Nevertheless, it has not been `overthrown and wasted.' "
(Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New
York NY, 2002, p.466)

20/07/2008
"1843, Dec. 16. `While discussing the petition to Congress, I prophesied, by virtue of the holy Priesthood
vested in me, and in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, that, if Congress will not hear our petition and grant
us protection, they shall be broken up as a government, and god shall damn them. And there shall nothing
be left of them-not even a grease spot.' [Faulring, S.H., ed., "An American Prophet's Record: The Diaries and
Journals of Joseph Smith," Signature Books: Salt Lake City UT, 1987, p.432] The United States rejected the
Mormons' petitions; their wrongs were not redressed. America has not been `broken up.' When this was
reprinted in the HC (vol. 6, 116), 18 words were omitted in order to read: `While discussing the petition to
Congress, I prophesied, by virtue of the holy Priesthood vested in me, and in the name of the Lord Jesus
Christ, that, if Congress will not hear our petition and grant us protection, they shall be broken up as a
government.* * * *' Notice how the comma after the word `government' was changed to a period in order to
make it appear as if the sentence was complete." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A History of the
Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.467)

20/07/2008
"1844, Feb. 6. Smith prophesied `that 5 years would not roll round before the company would all be able to
live without cooking.' [Quinn, D.M., `The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power,' Signature Books: Salt Lake
City UT, 1994, p.642] Mormons are still cooking their food." (Abanes, R., "One Nation Under Gods: A
History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY, 2002, p.467)

20/07/2008
"1844, Apr.-May. Joseph Smith prophesies that his unborn child will be called David, and will be `church
president and king over Israel.' [Quinn, D.M., `The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power,' Signature Books:
Salt Lake City UT, 1994, p.644] Smith's son, David, was never `church president and king over Israel.' He
died in 1904, at the age of 60, having spent the last 27 years of his life in an insane asylum." (Abanes, R.,
"One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church," Four Walls Eight Windows: New York NY,
2002, p.467)

22/07/2008
"Mormons claim that the Book of Mormon is a book of divine revelation, given us by God in addition to
the Bible. Let us see whether the facts concerning the alleged writing and transmission of the Book of
Mormon bear out this claim. The Bible, as we know, was written in languages which were known and
spoken by many: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek. The Old Testament was written in the Hebrew language
which was spoken in Palestine at the time when these writings were produced, with the exception of a few
short sections in Aramaic ... The New Testament was written in Greek, which was at that time the common
language of the Roman Empire and the literary language of Palestine. ... the purpose of communicating His
revelation to man, the discovery during the last sixty years of thousands of extra-Biblical papyri dating from
New Testament times, mostly commercial documents written in Greek, has proved that the Koine Greek of
the New Testament was simply the everyday language which was in common use throughout the empire at
that time. If, now, God intended to issue another set of sacred books, it would be expected that He would do
so in another well-known language, the existence and character of which would be testified to by extra-
canonical documents. Mormons claim, however, that the language in which the plates allegedly original to
the Book of Mormon were written was `Reformed Egyptian' (Mormon 9:32); two verses later the following
qualification is added: `But the Lord knoweth the things which we have written, and also that none other
people knoweth our language; therefore he hath prepared means for the interpretation thereof.' `Reformed
Egyptian,' therefore, is not a known language; neither do we possess documents or inscriptions of any sort
which attest the existence of this language or help us understand its character. Is it likely that God would
give us His newest and allegedly greatest Book of Scripture in a language completely unknown?" (Hoekema,
A.A., "The Four Major Cults: Christian Science, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, Seventh-day
Adventism", Paternoster: Exeter UK, 1963, Reprinted, 1969, pp.75-76)

22/07/2008
"In I Nephi 1:2 we hear Nephi saying, `Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which [the
language?] consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.' But where did Lehi learn
`the language of the Egyptians'? Were not Lehi and his sans Hebrew-speaking Jews? Mormon missionaries
have told the author that the reason Nephi and the Nephites wrote in Egyptian was that they were
descendants of Joseph (who was the father of Manasseh), and that Joseph had lived in Egypt. True
enough, but the entire nation of Israel had lived in Egypt for over 400 years; yet they did not speak and
write Egyptian but Hebrew. Moses himself, who was trained in all the culture of the Egyptians, wrote not in
Egyptian but in Hebrew. Why, then, should Nephi, who apparently had never lived in Egypt, write in
Egyptian? Why should this small group of Jews from the tribe of Manasseh form a linguistic exception to
the prevalence of Hebrew in Palestine?" (Hoekema, A.A., "The Four Major Cults: Christian Science,
Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, Seventh-day Adventism", Paternoster: Exeter UK, 1963, Reprinted, 1969,
p.78)

22/07/2008
"This brings us to the further question of the character of this `Reformed Egyptian' language in which Nephi
and subsequent Nephite scribes reportedly recorded the history of their nation. .... One wishes that Moroni
had specified whether the original Egyptian script which the Nephites had somewhat altered was
hieroglyphic, hieratic, or demotic [Diringer, D., "The Alphabet," Philosophical Library: New York NY, 1948,
pp.59, 64-57]. Whichever form it was, however, it seems reasonably sure that it was not an alphabetic script,
since none of the three above-mentioned types of Egyptian are either syllabic or alphabetic. This means that
any of these types of Egyptian script would be extremely difficult to learn or to use, having a great number
of characters picturing various objects and actions. This fact, plus the fact that in Egypt writing was not
practiced by the common people but only by the priestly classes, makes it all the more amazing that Lehi and
his sons were able to read and write Egyptian." (Hoekema, A.A., "The Four Major Cults: Christian Science,
Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, Seventh-day Adventism", Paternoster: Exeter UK, 1963, Reprinted, 1969,
pp.78-79)

22/07/2008
"This raises the question: Why did God choose to use this language and this script for His alleged latest
book of revelation? Why, in other words, did God make Nephi and his descendants change from Hebrew to
Egyptian? One can very easily understand why the change from Hebrew to Greek was made when the New
Testament manuscripts were written: Greek was then the common language of the Greco-Roman world, the
language in which the gospel would be able to command the widest hearing. There is a second reason:
Greek is more highly inflected than Hebrew, having, for example, seven tenses instead of the two found in
Hebrew, and thus providing opportunity for many additional shades of meaning. The language of the New
Testament, therefore, is well adapted to convey the more advanced revelation about God and the plan of
salvation which is given in the New Testament. But now the question begins to pinch: why the shift from
Hebrew to Egyptian? ... As far as the Nephites themselves were concerned, what good reason would there
be for their not continuing to talk and write in Hebrew, which they already knew and understood?
Furthermore, neither can the reason be found in any possible superiority of the Egyptian language over the
Hebrew as a mode of conveying divine revelation. For, as we have seen, all the types of Egyptian script
were non-alphabetic, whereas Hebrew is a language written in alphabetic script. Does it seem likely, now,
that God would, for His alleged final sacred book, shift from an alphabetically written language like Hebrew
to a more primitive, non-alphabetically written language like Egyptian, which would be obviously less
precise in conveying fine shades of meaning than either Hebrew or Greek? If, finally, Egyptian were a
language in some respects superior to Hebrew, and admirably suited to convey the new and final revelation,
why did God permit all traces of this language to be lost and all these original documents to be removed
from the earth? If God's intent from the beginning was to leave with us only an English translation of these
documents, why could not this translation have been just as effectively made from Hebrew as from
`Reformed Egyptian'?" (Hoekema, A.A., "The Four Major Cults: Christian Science, Jehovah's Witnesses,
Mormonism, Seventh-day Adventism", Paternoster: Exeter UK, 1963, Reprinted, 1969, pp.79-80)

22/07/2008
"We must next examine, the nature of this alleged translation. It will be recalled that, according to Talmadge,
no reservation may be made respecting the Book of Mormon on the ground of incorrect translation, since
this translation was effected through the gift and power of God. [Talmadge, J.E., "Articles of Faith," Church
of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City UT, 1960, pp.18-19.] This means, then, that Joseph Smith's translation
differs from all other translations that have ever been made; it was inspired directly by God and is therefore
completely errorless. This means, too, that the original manuscript of Smith's translation must be the
authoritative one, since it embodies the translation as it is alleged to have come directly from God. No
changes therefore may be tolerated in this original translation, since a single change would be sufficient to
upset the theory that this was an errorless translation. The fact of the matter is, however, that a great many
changes have been made in the Book of Mormon since the original edition of 1830 was published. In
comparing just the first chapter of this 1830 edition with the first chapter of the 1950 edition, I have noted
nine changes, exclusive of punctuation. A number of these changes correct obvious grammatical errors. For
example, `my father had read and saw' has been changed to `my father had read and seen'; `thy power, and
goodness, and mercy is over all the inhabitants of the earth' has been changed to `thy power, and
goodness, and mercy are over all the inhabitants of the earth'; `the tender mercies of the Lord is ...' has been
changed to `the tender mercies of the Lord are... .' Does the following sentence sound as though it has been
inspired by God? `And when Moroni had said these words, he went forth among the people, waving the
rent of his garment in the air, that all might see the writing which he had wrote upon the rent ...' (Alma 46:19).
The sentence has been changed to read: `... waving the rent part of his garment in the air, that all might see
the writing which he had written upon the rent part... . ` There have even been doctrinal corrections. On
page 25 of the 1830 edition we read, `And the angel said unto me, behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the
Eternal Father!' This has been corrected to read: `Behold the Lamb of God, yea, even the Son of the Eternal
Father!' (I Nephi 11:21). Does it seem likely that God would `inspire' a translation in which both grammatical
and doctrinal corrections would have to be made? Mormons have no right to regard the grammatical errors
as excusable on the ground of Smith's lack of formal education, for this entire translation is alleged to have
been made `through the gift and power of God,' and is said to be `in no sense the product of linguistic
scholarship.' [Talmage, "Vitality of Mormonism," Gorham Press: Boston, 1919, p.127] When there are
occasional grammatical errors in our Bible translations ...- we have no difficulty in admitting that the
translators ... were in error. After all, no translator is inspired. But Mormons cannot admit even a single
grammatical error in Smith's original translation." (Hoekema, A.A., "The Four Major Cults: Christian Science,
Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, Seventh-day Adventism", Paternoster: Exeter UK, 1963, Reprinted, 1969,
pp.84-85)

22/07/2008
"Another difficulty we have with Smith's `translation' is the presence in it of at least 27,000 words from the
King James Version of the Bible. [Budvarson, A., "The Book of Mormon Examined," Utah Christian Tract
Society: La Mesa CA, 1959, p.22] Does it seem likely that passages on the golden plates would be translated
by divine inspiration in language precisely like that of the King James Bible?" (Hoekema, A.A., "The Four
Major Cults: Christian Science, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism, Seventh-day Adventism", Paternoster:
Exeter UK, 1963, Reprinted, 1969, p.85)

22/07/2008
"We consider finally the testimony of Professor Charles Anthon, found in Pearl of Great Price, regarding
the genuineness of the characters taken from the plates and the accuracy of the translation. [Budvarson, A.,
"The Book of Mormon Examined," Utah Christian Tract Society: La Mesa CA, 1959, pp.11-12] It will be
recalled that when Anthon was shown the characters with their translation, he said, according to Smith's
autobiography, that the translation was `correct, more so than any he had before seen translated from the
Egyptian' (Pearl of Great Price, p. 55). However, in Mormon 9:34 we read, `But the Lord knoweth ... that
none other people knoweth our language; therefore he bath prepared means for the interpretation thereof.' If
the latter statement be correct, how could Professor Anthon know that the translation was correct? If, on the
other hand, he could make a judgment as to the accuracy of the translation, it is not true that `none other
people knoweth our language.' Both Budvarson and Walter Martin reproduce the letter sent to Mr. E. D.
Howe by Professor Anthon on February 17, 1834, in which the professor completely denies the truth of the
statements attributed to him in the Pearl of Great Price. [Budvarson, pp.39-40; Martin, W.R., "The Maze of
Mormonism," Zondervan: Grand Rapids MI, 1962), pp. 42-44] Even apart from the existence of this letter,
however, it will be obvious to any well-informed person that Professor Anthon could not have said what he
is alleged to have said in Pearl of Great Price. For, according to this document, Anthon said, after he saw
some characters supposedly copied from the golden plates, that these characters were: `Egyptian, Chaldaic,
Assyriac, and Arabic' (p. 55). One would have expected a learned man, however, to designate which type of
Egyptian script the characters represented: hieroglyphic, hieratic, or demotic. If we assume, now, that
`Assyriac' stands for Assyrian, and that `Chaldaic' stands for some form of Aramaic, we may note that the
professor is reported as saying that characters representing four different languages would provide a
readable kind of writing! The matter is still further complicated when we observe that the cuneiform script
used by the Assyrians, though it did employ syllabic signs and vowels, never became an alphabetic script
[Diringer, D., "The Alphabet," Philosophical Library: New York NY, 1948, p.43], that none of the three types
of Egyptian writing were alphabetic scripts, and that both Aramaic and Arabic were written in alphabetic
scripts. Does it seem likely that sense could be made out of characters from four different languages, two of
which were written in alphabetic scripts, whereas the other two were not? To use an illustration, this would
be like trying to write a sentence by putting letters from our own English alphabet next to some Hebrew
consonants, some Japanese characters, and some Chinese characters! Is it not by this time clear that
Professor Anthon, if he were any kind of scholar at all, could not possibly have said what the Pearl of Great
Price reports him as having said? We may thus dismiss this supposedly learned testimony as completely
valueless." (Hoekema, A.A., "The Four Major Cults: Christian Science, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormonism,
Seventh-day Adventism", Paternoster: Exeter UK, 1963, Reprinted, 1969, pp.85-86)

22/07/2008
"We conclude that there are so many improbabilities and absurdities in the story of the alleged `coming
forth' of the Book of Mormon that it cannot possibly have been a genuine vehicle of divine revelation. In
the words of a Mormon writer, `This book [The Book of Mormon] must be either true or false.... If false, it
is one of the most cunning, wicked, bold, deep-laid impositions ever palmed upon the world, calculated to
deceive and ruin millions who would sincerely receive it as the word of God, and will suppose themselves
securely built upon the rock of truth until they are plunged with their families into hopeless despair.' (Pratt,
O., "Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon," in Budvarson, A., "The Book of Mormon Examined,"
Utah Christian Tract Society: La Mesa CA, 1959, p.7] It is my earnest conviction that, in the light of the
evidence presented in this appendix, the Book of Mormon is precisely what Orson Pratt says it might be
in the latter part of the above quotation. It is, I believe, one of the most cunning and wicked impositions ever
palmed upon the world." (Hoekema, A.A., "The Four Major Cults: Christian Science, Jehovah's Witnesses,
Mormonism, Seventh-day Adventism", Paternoster: Exeter UK, 1963, Reprinted, 1969, pp.86-87)

22/07/2008
"Many of you are experienced in the difficult task of translating written text from one language to another. I
am intrigued, as you are, with the process Joseph Smith used to translate the Book of Mormon, which he
said was done through `the gift and power of God.' ... The details of this miraculous method of translation
are still not fully known. Yet we do have a few precious insights. David Whitmer wrote: `Joseph Smith would
put the seer stone into a hat, and put his face in the hat, drawing it closely around his face to exclude the
light; and in the darkness the spiritual light would shine. A piece of something resembling parchment would
appear, and on that appeared the writing. One character at a time would appear, and under it was the
interpretation in English. Brother Joseph would read off the English to Oliver Cowdery, who was his
principal scribe, and when it was written down and repeated to Brother Joseph to see if it was correct, then it
would disappear, and another character with the interpretation would appear. Thus the Book of Mormon
was translated by the gift and power of God, and not by any power of man." (David Whitmer, An Address
to All Believers in Christ, Richmond, Mo.: n.p., 1887, p. 12)" (Nelson, R.M., "A Treasured Testament,"
Ensign, July, 1993)

23/07/2008
"I return now to the central character of our survey, Joseph Smith, Jr. The year 1820 proved to be the real
beginning of the prophet's call, for in that year he was allegedly the recipient of a marvelous vision in which
God the Father and God the Son materialized and spoke to young Smith as he piously prayed in a
neighboring wood. The prophet records the incident in great detail in his book, The Pearl of Great Price
(Writings of Joseph Smith, Section 2, verses 1-25), where he reveals that the two `personages' took a
rather dim view of the Christian church, and for that matter of the world at large, and announced that a
restoration of true Christianity was needed, and that he, Joseph Smith, Jr., had been chosen to launch the
new dispensation. It is interesting to observe that Smith could not have been too much moved by the
heavenly vision, for he shortly took up once again the habit of digging for treasure along with his father and
brother, who were determined to unearth Captain Kidd's plunder by means of `peep stones,' `divining rods,'
or just plain digging. History informs us that the Smith clan never succeeded at these multitudinous
attempts at treasure hunting, but innumerable craters in the Vermont and New York countryside testify to
their apparent zeal without knowledge." (Martin, W.R., "The Kingdom of the Cults: An Analysis of the
Major Cult Systems in the Present Christian Era," Bethany Fellowship: Minneapolis MN, 1977, pp.150-151)

23/07/2008
"In later years, the `prophet' greatly regretted these superstitious expeditions of his youth and even went on
record as denying that he had ever been a money-digger. Said Prophet Smith on one such occasion: `In the
month of October, 1825, I hired with an old gentleman, by the name of Josiah Stoal, who lived in Chenango
county, State of New York. He had heard something of a silver mine having been opened by the Spaniards
in Harmony, Susquehannah county, State of Pennsylvania; and had, previous to my hiring with him, been
digging, in order if possible, to discover the mine. After I went to live with him, he took me, among the rest
of his hands, to dig for the silver mine, at which I continued to work for nearly a month, without success in
our undertaking, and finally I prevailed with the old gentleman to cease digging after it. Hence arose the
very prevalent story of my having been a money digger. [Pearl of Great Price: Joseph Smith-History, 1:56.
http://scriptures.lds.org/js_h/1/56#56] This explanation may suffice to explain the prophet's treasure hunting
fiascos to the faithful and to the historically inept; but to those who have access to the facts, it is at once
evident that Smith played recklessly, if not fast and loose, with the truth. In fact, it often appeared to be a
perfect stranger to him. The main source for promoting skepticism where the veracity of the Prophet's
explanation is concerned, however, is from no less an authority than Lucy Smith, his own mother, who, in
her account of the very same incident, wrote that Stoal `came for Joseph on account of having heard that he
possessed certain keys by which he could discern things invisible to the natural eye' (Linn, The Story of
the Mormons, page 16)." (Martin, W.R., "The Kingdom of the Cults: An Analysis of the Major Cult
Systems in the Present Christian Era," Bethany Fellowship: Minneapolis MN, 1977, p.151)

23/07/2008
"Further evidence, in addition to Mrs. Smith's statement (and prima facie evidence, at that), proves beyond a
reasonable doubt that the prophet was a confirmed `Peek Stone' addict, that he took part in and personally
supervised numerous treasure-digging expeditions, and further that he claimed supernatural powers which
allegedly aided him in these searches. To remove all doubt the reader may have as to Smith's early treasure
hunting and `Peek Stone' practices, we shall quote three of the best authenticated sources which we feel will
sustain our contention that Smith was regarded as a fraud by those who knew him best. It should also be
remembered that Joseph Smith, Sr., in an interview, later published in the Historical Magazine of May,
1870, clearly stated that the prophet had been a Peek Stone enthusiast and treasure-digger in his youth, and,
further, that he had also told fortunes and located lost objects by means of a `Peek Stone' and the alleged
supernatural powers therein. Substantiating Joseph's father's account of his rather odd activities is the
testimony of the Reverend Dr. John A. Clark after `exhaustive research' in the Smith family's own
neighborhood. `Long before the idea of a Golden Bible entered their minds, in their excursions for money
digging ... Joe used to be usually their guide, putting into a hat a peculiar stone he had through which he
looked to decide where they should begin to dig' (Gleanings by the Way, page 225, 1842). The
proceedings of a court trial dated March 20, 1826-New York vs. Joseph Smith-revealed that Joseph Smith
`had a certain stone which he had occasionally looked at to determine where hidden treasures in bowels of
the earth were ... and had looked for Mr. Stoal several times.' [Frazers Magazine, Vol. 7, February, 1873,
p.229] Therefore the court found the defendant guilty of money digging.'" (Martin, W.R., "The Kingdom of
the Cults: An Analysis of the Major Cult Systems in the Present Christian Era," Bethany Fellowship:
Minneapolis MN, 1977, pp.151-152)

23/07/2008
"Joseph Smith, Jr., in 1820, claimed a heavenly vision which, he said, singled him out as the Lord's anointed
prophet for this dispensation, though it was not until 1823, with the appearance of the angel Moroni at the
quaking Smith's bedside, that Joe began his relationship to the fabulous `golden plates,' or what was to
become the Book of Mormon. According to Smith's account of this extraordinary revelation, which is
recorded in The Pearl of Great Price (Writings of Joseph Smith, Section 2, verses 29-54), the angel
Moroni, the glorified son of one Mormon, the man for whom the famous book of the same name is entitled,
appeared beside Joseph's bedside and thrice repeated his commission to the allegedly awestruck treasure
hunter. Smith did not write this account down until some years later, but even that fails to excuse the
blunder he made in transmitting the angelic proclamation. This confusion appears chiefly in the earlier
edition of The Pearl of Great Price wherein the former Moroni is named as messenger; yet in the latter
Joseph, with equal prophetic authority, identifies the messenger as Nephi, an entirely different character
found in the Book of Mormon! This unfortunate crossing up of the divine communication system, was
later remedied by thoughtful Mormon scribes who have exercised great care to ferret out all the historical
and factual blunders not readily explainable in the writings of Smith, Young and other early Mormon writers.
In current editions, therefore, both the "revelations" agree by identifying Moroni as the midnight visitor.
However, whether Nephi or Moroni carried the message to Smith apparently makes little difference to the
faithful." (Martin, W.R., "The Kingdom of the Cults: An Analysis of the Major Cult Systems in the Present
Christian Era," Bethany Fellowship: Minneapolis MN, 1977, p.152)

30/07/2008
"In Jehovah's Witnesses in the Divine Purpose it is said that during the years 1909-1914 Russell's
sermons were sent out weekly to about 3,000 newspapers in the United States, Canada, and Europe (p. 50).
Martin and Klann, however, in their Jehovah of the Watchtower, give documentary evidence to prove
that in many cases these sermons were never delivered, as reported, in the places claimed. From the
Brooklyn Daily Eagle of February 19, 1912, the authors quote a news story affirming that a sermon
allegedly delivered by Russell in Honolulu on a certain date was never preached. [Martin, W.R. & Klann,
N.H., "Jehovah of the Watchtower," Zondervan: Grand Rapids, 1959, pp.15-17] On a later page the authors
reproduce a photostatic copy of a letter sent to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle by a Honolulu editor stating that
on the designated day Russell had stopped in Honolulu for a few hours, but had made no public address.
[Ibid., opposite p.30]" (Hoekema, A.A., "Jehovah's Witnesses," [1963], Eerdmans: Grand Rapids MI, 1972,
Reprinted, 1990, p.12)

30/07/2008
"Martin and Klann also tell how Russell's periodical once advertised so-called `Miracle Wheat' for one dollar
a pound, claiming that it would grow five times as fast as any other brand. After the Brooklyn Daily Eagle
had published a cartoon ridiculing the `Pastor' and his `miracle wheat,' Russell sued the newspaper for libel.
When this wheat was investigated by government departments, however, it was found to be, not five times
as good as, but slightly inferior to, ordinary wheat. Needless to say, the Eagle won the suit. [Brooklyn
Daily Eagle, November 1, 1916, in Martin, W.R. & Klann, N.H., "Jehovah of the Watchtower," Zondervan:
Grand Rapids, 1959, p.14]" (Hoekema, A.A., "Jehovah's Witnesses," [1963], Eerdmans: Grand Rapids MI,
1972, Reprinted, 1990, pp.12-13)

30/07/2008
"It should be mentioned at this point that Russell was married in 1879 to Maria Frances Ackley. No children
were born of this union. For many years Mrs. Russell was active in the Watchtower Society, serving as the
first secretary-treasurer of the society and for many years as associate editor of the Watch Tower. In 1897,
however, she and Russell separated. In 1913 Mrs. Russell sued her husband for divorce on the grounds of
`his conceit, egotism, domination, and improper conduct in relation to other women.' [Metzger, B.M., "The
Jehovah's Witnesses and Jesus Christ," Theology Today, April, 1953, pp.65-66]"(Hoekema, A.A.,
"Jehovah's Witnesses," [1963], Eerdmans: Grand Rapids MI, 1972, Reprinted, 1990, pp.12-13)

30/07/2008
"Russell's appalling egotism is evident from a comment made by him about his Scripture Studies series: `...
Not only do we find that people cannot see the divine plan in studying the Bible by itself, but we see, also,
that if anyone lays the `Scripture Studies' aside, even after he has used them, after he has become familiar
with them, after he has read them for ten years - if he then lays them aside and ignores them and goes to the
Bible alone, though he has understood his Bible for ten years, our experience shows that within two years
he goes into darkness. On the other hand, if he had merely read the `Scripture Studies' with their references
and had not read a page of the Bible as such, he would be in the light at the end of two years, because he
would have the light of the Scriptures.' [Watch Tower, September 15, 1910, p. 298, in Martin, W.R. &
Klann, N.H., "Jehovah of the Watchtower," Zondervan: Grand Rapids, 1959, p.24] Russell, in other words,
considered his books so indispensable for the proper understanding of Scripture that without them one
would simply remain in spiritual darkness."(Hoekema, A.A., "Jehovah's Witnesses," [1963], Eerdmans:
Grand Rapids MI, 1972, Reprinted, 1990, p.13)

30/07/2008
"In June, 1912, the Rev. Mr. J. J. Ross, pastor of the James Street Baptist Church of Hamilton, Ontario,
published a denunciatory pamphlet about Russell entitled Some Facts about the Self-styled `Pastor,' Charles
T. Russell. [Martin, W.R. & Klann, N.H., "Jehovah of the Watchtower," Zondervan: Grand Rapids, 1959,
p.18] Russell sued Ross for libel. In the trial, which took place the following year, Russell was proved to be a
perjurer. When asked by Attorney Staunton, Ross's lawyer, whether he knew the Greek alphabet, Russell
replied, `Oh, yes.' When he was further asked to identify the Greek letters on top of a page of the Greek
Testament which was handed him. he was unable to do so, finally admitting that he was not familiar with the
Greek language. [Ibid., p.20] Russell, furthermore, had previously claimed to have been ordained by a
recognized religious body. Staunton also pressed him on this point, finally asking him point-blank, `Now,
you never were ordained by a bishop, clergyman, presbytery, council, or any body of men living?' Russell
answered, after a long pause, `I never was.' [Ibid., p.22] In this trial, therefore, Russell's deliberate perjury
was established beyond doubt, and the real character of the man looked up to by his followers as an
inspired religious teacher was clearly revealed." (Hoekema, A.A., "Jehovah's Witnesses," [1963], Eerdmans:
Grand Rapids MI, 1972, Reprinted, 1990, pp.13-14)

30/07/2008
"Essentially, the Jehovah-Witness view of the person of Christ is a revival of the Arian heresy of the fourth
century A.D. Arius (who lived from approximately A.D. 280 to 336) and his followers (called Arians) taught
that the Son, whom they also called the Logos or Word, had a beginning, that the term beget when
applied to the generation of the Son meant to make, and that therefore the Son was not of the same
substance as the Father but was a creature who had been called into existence by the Father. [Kelly, J.N.D.,
"Early Christian Doctrines," Adam & Chas. Black: London, 1958, pp.227-228] The Arians taught that there
was a time when God was alone and was not yet a Father. [Seeberg, R., "Textbook of the History of
Doctrines," Hay, C., trans., Baker: Grand Rapids, 1954, p.I:203] Arius went on to ascribe to Christ only a
subordinate, secondary, created divinity. [Schaff, D.S., "Arianism," in "The New Schaff-Herzog
Encyclopedia of Religions Knowledge," Baker: Grand Rapids, 1960, p.I:281] He asserted that such titles as
God or Son of God when applied to Christ were mere courtesy titles: `Even if He is called God,' wrote Arius,
`He is not God truly, but ... is called God in name only.' [Kelly, p.229]" (Hoekema, A.A., "Jehovah's
Witnesses," [1963], Eerdmans: Grand Rapids MI, 1972, Reprinted, 1990, pp.122-123. Emphasis original)

30/07/2008
"On the basic question ... of the equality of the Son to the Father, the Witnesses take the Arian position: the
Son is not equal to the Father but was created by the Father at a point in time. As is well known, the church
rejected the Arian position at the Council of Nicaea in A.D. 325. The Nicene Creed, drafted by this council
and accepted universally by Christians today, made the following affirmation about the deity of Christ: `We
believe ... in one Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, begotten from the Father, only-begotten, that is, from
the substance of the Father ... begotten not made, of one substance with the Father...' [Kelly, J.N.D., "Early
Christian Doctrines," Adam & Chas. Black: London, 1958, p.232] Specifically directed against the Arians was
the closing statement: But as for those who say, There was when He was not, and, Before being born He
was not, and that He came into existence out of nothing, or who assert that the Son of God is from a
different ... substance, or is created, or is subject to alteration or change - these the Catholic [that is,
universal] Church anathematizes. [Ibid.] By assuming once again the Arian position on the person of Christ,
Jehovah's Witnesses have separated themselves from historic Christianity." (Hoekema, A.A., "Jehovah's
Witnesses," [1963], Eerdmans: Grand Rapids MI, 1972, Reprinted, 1990, pp.123-124)

30/07/2008
"We proceed next to examine some of the more important Watchtower interpretations of Scripture passages
bearing on the person of Christ. It will be remembered that the Witnesses claim to be guided only by the
Word of God and not at all by the opinions of men. Let us see whether their use of Scripture in connection
with the alleged creatureliness of Christ supports their claim. Old Testament Passages. Beginning with
Old Testament passages, let us look first at a text to which Jehovah's Witnesses appeal as teaching that
Christ was a created being, Proverbs 8:22. In What Has Religion Done for Mankind? this passage is
quoted in Moffatt's translation, `The Eternal formed me first of his creation, first of all his works in days of
old'; previous to this quotation the comment is made: `In the proverbs of wisdom he [Jehovah's only-
begotten son] speaks of himself as wisdom and calls attention to his being a creation of the eternal heavenly
Father.' [p.37. Cf. The Truth Shall Make You Free, p. 43] It is interesting to observe that the ancient Arians
also used this passage to support their views of the person of Christ, utilizing the Septuagint translation of
the verse, `The Lord created me (ektise) ... [Kelly, J.N.D., "Early Christian Doctrines," 1958, p.230] ...
Though Proverbs 8:22 figured largely in the Christological controversies of the early centuries, most modern
interpreters agree that the purpose of the author of Proverbs here was not to give a dogmatic description of
the `origin' of the Second Person of the Trinity, but rather to set forth the value of wisdom as a guide to be
followed by believers. In pursuit of this purpose, the author presents a poetic personification of wisdom. By
this personified wisdom the statement is made, `Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before
his works of old.' [ASV] The point of the passage is that wisdom is older than creation and therefore
deserves to be followed by all. To use Proverbs 8:22 as ground for a denial of the eternity of the Son - a
doctrine clearly taught in the rest of Scripture - is to use the passage in an unwarranted manner. [Delitzsch,
F., "Commentary on Proverbs," 1952, pp.133-34; Kantzer, K.S., "Wisdom," in "Baker's Dictionary of
Theology," Baker: Grand Rapids, 1960, p.554]" (Hoekema, A.A., "Jehovah's Witnesses," [1963], Eerdmans:
Grand Rapids MI, 1972, Reprinted, 1990, pp.126-127)

30/07/2008
"Isaiah 9:6 is commonly understood by Christians to be one of the clearest Old Testament attestations to
the deity of Jesus Christ found anywhere. In the New World Translation it reads as follows: `For there has
been a child born to us, there has been a son given to us; and the princely rule will come to be upon his
shoulder. And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.' It
is acknowledged even by Jehovah's Witnesses that this passage predicts the coming Messiah. Yet the
Witnesses evade the clear teaching of the passage when they say, `He [Jesus Christ] is a `mighty God,' but
not the Almighty God who is Jehovah (Isa. 9:6).' [The Truth Shall Make You Free, p. 47] The fact of the
matter is, however, that the Hebrew expression here translated Mighty God ('eel gibboor) is also used in
Isaiah 10:21, where the New World Translation has: `A mere remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the
Mighty God.' It becomes clear from verse 20 of this chapter that the `Mighty God' to whom the remnant of
Jacob is said to be about to return is none other than Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel. Yet precisely the
same Hebrew expression, 'eel gibboor, is used in Isaiah 10:21 and in Isaiah 9:6. If 'eel gibboor in 10:21
means Jehovah, by what stretch of the imagination may the same phrase in 9:6 be interpreted to mean
someone less than Jehovah? In this connection it ought also to be observed that the Hebrew word 'eel in
Isaiah usually denotes Jehovah, the only true God; when it does not do so (in 44:10, 15, 17; 45:20; 46:6), it is
used to describe an idol made by men's hands. Surely Isaiah did not intend to say that the coming Messiah
would be an idol god! It ought also to be noted that the expression 'eel gibboor is, in Old Testament
literature, a traditional designation of Jehovah - see Deuteronomy 10:17, Jeremiah 32:18, and Nehemiah 9:32."
(Hoekema, A.A., "Jehovah's Witnesses," [1963], Eerdmans: Grand Rapids MI, 1972, Reprinted, 1990,
pp.127-129)

30/07/2008
"New Testament Passages. Probably the best-known New Testament passage to which the Witnesses
appeal is John 1:1, which is translated in the 1961 edition of the New World Translation as follows: `In
[the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.' Note that the word
God is capitalized the first time it occurs in the text but not the second time, and that in the second
instance it is preceded by the indefinite article. The impression this translation intends to convey is that the
Word (Jesus Christ) is not God but a god - not equal to Jehovah God but a subordinate deity. By way of
refutation, it should be observed, first, that Jehovah's Witnesses thus take a polytheistic position, affirming
that there exists, besides Jehovah God, someone who is a lesser god. This position is, however, in direct
conflict with Scripture, which affirms in Deuteronomy 4:35, `You have been shown, so as to know that
Jehovah is the [true] God; there is no other besides him' (NWT); and in I Corinthians 8:4, `We know that an
idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one' (NWT). How, then, can the Witnesses affirm
that Jesus Christ is a god? To be sure, the New Testament does occasionally speak of gods other than
Jehovah, but then only in the sense of false gods. So, for example, in Acts 28:6 the term a god (theon)
describes what the superstitious inhabitants of Malta thought Paul was after they had observed that the
viper did not harm him. [Cf. also Acts 14:11, where the multitude at Lystra is reported as saying about Paul
and Barnabas, `The gods [hoi theoi] have ... come down to us' (NWT)] And in Galatians 4:8 Paul
observes, `Nevertheless, when you did not know God, then it was that you slaved for -those who by nature
are not gods (theois)' (NWT). Do the Watchtower theologians intend to teach that Jesus Christ is a god
in one of the two senses just described? Yet the only times the New Testament speaks of gods (theoi)
other than Jehovah is when it is describing false gods or idols. [It might be objected that in Jn. 10:34 and 35
the term gods (theoi) is applied to Old Testament judges. Yet surely the Witnesses do not intend to say
that Christ is a god only in the sense in which these judges could be called gods since they affirm that
Christ is superior to all other creatures] By calling Jesus Christ a god, therefore, Jehovah's Witnesses are
actually making themselves guilty of idolatry and polytheism." (Hoekema, A.A., "Jehovah's Witnesses,"
[1963], Eerdmans: Grand Rapids MI, 1972, Reprinted, 1990, pp.128-129. Emphasis original)

30/07/2008
"In an appendix found on pages 773-77 of their New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures
(published in 1951), the Watchtower editors explain why they have rendered John 1:1 as they did. They
make clear that when the word theos (the Greek word for God) first appears in this verse, it occurs with a
definite article (pros ton theon) , whereas when it appears the second time, it does not have the definite
article (kai theos een ho logos). The editors go on to justify their translation, `and the Word was a god,'
by saying, `Careful translators recognize that the articular construction of the noun [that is, the construction
in which a noun appears with the definite article] points to an identity, a personality, whereas an anarthrous
construction [a construction in which a noun appears without a definite article] points to a quality about
someone (p. 774).' In refutation, let it be emphatically stated that this observation is simply not true to fact.
In the article on theos in the most recent Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament, it is said that
theos is used in the New Testament `quite predominantly of the true God, sometimes with, sometimes
without the article.' [Arndt, W.F. & Gingrich, F.W., "Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament,"
University of Chicago Press: Chicago, 1957, p.357] As a matter of fact, Jehovah's Witnesses do not follow
the above-mentioned rule themselves in their New World Translation. In the very chapter in which John
1:1 is found, for example, the word theos occurs at least four other times without the definite article, and
yet in each instance it is rendered God, not a god. In John 1:6 we read, in the New World Translation,
`There arose a man that was sent forth as a representative of God; his name was John.' Since the Greek has
para theou (no definite article), the Witnesses, to be consistent with their observation about the function
of the definite article, ought to translate: `sent from a god.' Yet here they render the anarthrous theos by
God. In verse 12 the expression tekna theou (again the anarthrous theos) is rendered `God's children,'
and in verse 13 the words ek theou egenneetheesan are translated `born ... from God.' Why not `children
of a god,' and `born from a god'? In the 18th verse we read: `No man has seen God at any time.' But the Greek
again has the anarthrous theos: Theon oudeis heooraken. Why do the Witnesses not translate, `No
man hath seen a god at any time'? The above makes clear that Jehovah's Witnesses do not really believe
their own statement about the articular and anarthrous construction of the noun since they do not follow
this rule in their own translation. We are compelled to conclude that they translate John 1:1 as they do, not
on the basis of careful grammatical study of the Bible, but on the basis of their own doctrinal
presuppositions." (Hoekema, A.A., "Jehovah's Witnesses," [1963], Eerdmans: Grand Rapids MI, 1972,
Reprinted, 1990, pp.129-130)

30/07/2008
"Concerning the Son in the office of `The Word of God' it is written: `In the beginning was the Word, and
the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were
made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.'-John 1: 1-3 [KJV]. ... By remembering
that the word `god', according to the Hebrew, means `mighty one' or `one who is before (others)', and by
remembering the Son's power and position with reference to all the rest of creation, it is easily grasped that
God's Son, the Word, was and is `a god' (El), or `mighty one', pre-eminent above other creatures, whereas
Jehovah, the Producer of the Word, is `the God' (Elohim), without beginning and `from everlasting to
everlasting'.... God's Son, the Word .... is a `mighty god', but not the Almighty God, who is Jehovah. (Isaiah
9:6)" (Watchtower Bible & Tract Society, "The Truth Shall Make You Free," Watchtower Bible & Tract
Society: Brooklyn NY, 1943, pp.44-47)

31/07/2008
"All these instances in which Jesus was worshiped come to a climax in the adoration of Thomas recorded in
John 20:28. When Thomas saw Jesus the week after he had expressed disbelief in Jesus' resurrection, he
said to Him, `My Lord and my God!' (NWT). If Jesus were not God, he should have rebuked Thomas at this
point. Instead of rebuking him, however, Jesus praised Thomas, saying, `Because you have seen me have
you believed? Happy are those who do not see and yet believe' (v. 29, NWT). Surely here is indisputable
proof that Jesus recognized Himself to be God and not only permitted but encouraged believers to worship
Him as such! What, now, do Jehovah's Witnesses do with this verse? On one occasion a Witness who
came to the author's door affirmed that when Thomas said, `My Lord,' he was looking at Jesus, but that
when he said, `My God,' he was looking up to heaven and addressing the Father. As Professor Metzger has
pointed out, however, the introductory words make this interpretation impossible: `Thomas said to him
[that is, to Jesus]: `My Lord and my God!' (NWT). [Metzger, B.M., "The Jehovah's Witnesses and Jesus
Christ," Theology Today, April, 1953, p.71, n.13] In "The Word" - Who is He? According to John the
Witnesses now grant that Thomas did say all of these words to Jesus. They go on to assert, however, that if
Thomas had meant that Jesus was the only true God, Jesus would certainly have reproved him. Since Jesus
did not reprove him, so they argue, Thomas could not have meant this (p. 50). What, then, did Thomas mean
when he said to Jesus, `My God'? He meant what the Apostle John meant: that Jesus was the Son of God
(20:31). John did not say that Jesus was God the Son; he only said that Jesus was the Son of God. By
Son of God John meant a being who was not the Second Person of the Trinity but a created being inferior to
the Father (pp. 50-51). [Cf. The Truth Shall Make You Free, p. 266] This interpretation, however, is a bold
attempt to evade the clear teaching of the passage. In refutation of the Jehovah-Witness exegesis of John
20:28, I offer the following considerations: (1) What can the expression `my God' possibly mean other than
`my true God'? As we saw above, the New Testament recognizes no true God beside Jehovah God; any god
other than Jehovah is for New Testament writers a false god or an idol. Thomas, being a Jew, was a strict
monotheist; for him there was no God beside Jehovah. When he said, `my God,' he could have meant
nothing other than `my one and only true God.' (2) The argument the Witnesses use to bolster their
interpretation boomerangs against them. Here was a monotheistic Jew saying to Jesus: `My God!' The fact
that Jesus did not rebuke Thomas but commended him for his faith proves decisively that Jesus was equal
to the Father, that He was Himself very God!" (Hoekema, A.A., "Jehovah's Witnesses," [1963], Eerdmans:
Grand Rapids MI, 1972, Reprinted, 1990, pp.139-140. Emphasis original)

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Created: 30 April, 2008. Updated: 31 July, 2008.