History of The Church 6:50; “What is the object of our coming into existence, then dying and falling away, to be here no more? … Could you gaze into heaven five minutes, you would know more than you would by reading all that ever was written on the subject.” – Joseph Smith, October 9, 1843
Colossians 2:18, “Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.”
Smith’s comment seems to be a recurring theme in his life.
According to his mother, Smith made a similar comment as a teenager when he claimed
“I can take my Bible, and go into the woods, and learn more in two hours, than you can learn at meeting in two years, if you should go all the time.”*
If that was the only smart-aleck comment Smith had made in his life, you might be inclined to dismiss his immature outbursts. However, upon reading his history, it becomes quite evident Smith wasn’t all that fond of reading. At all. He obviously didn’t like reading what God had to say, nor was he fond of others reading (or hearing) about it either.
Much of the heresy Joseph Smith spewed out during his life was reminiscent of what was going on in biblical times. Not only was Colossae home to the temple of Diana, the principle issue with the church there was the heresy of self-sufficiency. Although Paul never visited Colossae, the entire Asia-Minor region had been drowning in the Gnostic philosophy for decades. Paul’s exhortation to the young church was a reminder it’s only in and through the supremacy of Christ Jesus, can we hope for eternal life with Him.
It’s quite remarkable if you think of it. Smith, who hated reading, and bragged about his third grade education, was able to incorporate portions of several cult ideologies into his new religion. It’s just like the wise King Solomon said, ‘There’s nothing new under the sun’…
*History of Joseph Smith by His Mother, p. 90;
“SHORTLY after the death of Alvin, a man commenced laboring in the neighborhood, to effect a union of the different churches, in order that all might be agreed, and thus worship God with one heart and with one mind. This seemed about right to me, and I felt much inclined to join in with them; in fact, the most of the family appeared quite disposed to unite with their numbers; but Joseph, from the first, utterly refused even to attend their meetings, saying, “Mother, I do not wish to prevent your going to meeting, or any of the rest of the family’s; or your joining any church you please; but, do not ask me to join them. I can take my Bible, and go into the woods, and learn more in two hours, than you can learn at meeting in two years, if you should go all the time.””
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