FAIR is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing well-documented answers to criticisms of the doctrine, practice, and history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Mormonism and Wikipedia/Joseph Smith, Jr./1831 to 1838
| 1827 to 1830 | A FairMormon Analysis of Wikipedia: Mormonism and Wikipedia/Joseph Smith, Jr. A work by a collaboration of authors (Link to Wikipedia article here)
|
1838 to 1839 |
| The name Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia Foundation, Inc.. Wikipedia content is copied and made available under the GNU Free Documentation License. |
An analysis of Wikipedia article "Joseph Smith, Jr."
Reviews of previous revisions of this section
Life in Ohio (1831–38)
Early Ohio period Updated 1/8/2010
| - | Wikipedia Main Article: Joseph Smith, Jr.– | Wikipedia Footnotes: Joseph Smith, Jr.–Notes | A FAIR Opinion |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
The entry of Sidney Rigdon's supporters into the young church more than doubled the number of Latter Day Saints. When the comparatively well-educated and oratorically gifted Rigdon became Smith's closest adviser, he aroused the resentment of some of Smith's earliest followers. |
|
|
|
|
The Kirtland saints also exhibited unusual spiritual gifts such as loud prophesying, speaking in unknown tongues, swinging from house joists, and rolling on the ground. With some difficulty, Smith managed to check the most extreme forms of religious enthusiasm. |
|
|
|
|
While in Ohio Smith and his family had to live as guests in other people's homes. Despite a lack of privacy, Smith's revelations significantly increased. Following completion of the Book of Mormon, Smith rarely used his seer stone and now received revelations "whether a text lay before him or not." |
|
|
|
|
In the early 1830s Smith began reworking the King James Version of the the Bible. |
|
|
|
|
An addition to Genesis, called the Book of Moses, was not based on any purported ancient writings. |
||
|
|
In early 1831, revelations instructed Smith to organize a new social system, called the United Order, in preparation for the coming millennium. Members were required to consecrate their property to the church so that "every man may receive according as he stands in need." |
| |
|
|
"The experiment was a failure, and the two-year existence of the system was about average for the various communal experiments being undertaken in the period." |
|
|
|
|
In July 1831, Smith visited Missouri and dictated a revelation pinpointing the location of the prophesied city of Zion as Jackson County, Missouri, centered at the town of Independence, then a ragged village of no more than twenty dwellings. |
|
|
|
|
A revelation commanded the Saints to gather there, while the church headquarters temporarily would remain in Ohio. Smith and his family continued to live in Ohio, but he visited Missouri on occasion. | ||
|
|
By 1832, the twenty-six-year-old Smith led an organization of about a thousand followers. Not only were the burdens of his office beyond his education and experience, some disaffected former followers accused Smith of dictatorial ambition, deceiving the credulous, and an intent to take their frontier property. |
|
|
|
|
On March 24, they encouraged the mob to drag Smith and Rigdon from their beds and beat them unconscious. Smith was tarred and feathered and narrowly escaped being castrated. |
|
|
Expulsion of Church from Zion, and Kirtland Temple Updated 1/8/2010
| - | Wikipedia Main Article: Joseph Smith, Jr.–Growth_and_persecution | Wikipedia Footnotes: Joseph Smith, Jr.–Notes | A FAIR Opinion |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
The attack on Smith in Ohio encouraged him to accelerate a trip to Missouri. |
|
|
|
|
During his 1832 visit, Smith had to dampen hard feelings among his subordinates there, but he was also able to found the first Mormon newspaper, the Evening and Morning Star, at the time the westernmost newspaper in the United States. |
|
|
|
|
The paper's publisher, Mormon journalist W. W. Phelps, was assigned the task of compiling Smith's earlier revelations, which believers had begun to treat as sacred texts, and publishing them as the Book of Commandments. |
|
|
|
|
The rough pioneers of Missouri found Smith's prophecies about Zion threatening. |
|
|
|
|
Vigilantes tarred and feathered two church leaders, destroyed some Mormon homes, destroyed the Mormon press including most copies of the unpublished Book of Commandments, and effectively forced the Saints to move to Clay County. |
|
|
|
|
Smith organized a military expedition from Kirtland (later called Zion's Camp) to take back the land—a revelation had commanded him to lead the church like a modern Moses to redeem Zion "by power, and with a stretched-out arm." |
| |
|
|
The camp reached the Missouri River, but did not engage the Missouri militiamen, who outnumbered them. After negotiations failed, Smith dictated another revelation stating that God was displeased with the church's lack of commitment to the United Order, |
| |
|
|
and therefore, the "redemption of Zion" would have to wait until the church's elders could receive their promised endowment of heavenly power. |
| |
|
|
This endowment had been prophesied to take place in a temple planned to be built in Kirtland. | ||
|
|
After the failure of his effort to "redeem Zion", Smith was "stunned for months, scarcely knowing what to do." |
|
|
|
|
However, he soon organized the leading governing bodies of the church, and published a new book of his revelations entitled the Doctrine and Covenants to replace the destroyed Book of Commandments, in the process revising and changing many of his prior revelations to reflect later church theology and practice. Under his direction, the Saints sacrificed to build a stone temple. For a few months after its completion in early 1836, this first temple was the scene of visions, angelic visitations, prophesying, speaking and singing in tongues, and other spiritual experiences. |
|
|
Collapse of church in Ohio Updated 1/11/2010
| - | Wikipedia Main Article: of church in Ohio Joseph Smith, Jr.–Collapse of church in Ohio | Wikipedia Footnotes: Joseph Smith, Jr.–Notes | A FAIR Opinion |
|---|---|---|---|
|
|
After the dedication of the Kirtland temple, Smith's life "descended into a tangle of intrigue and conflict." |
|
|
|
|
The religious enthusiasm generated by the opening of the temple was damaged by a series of internal disputes that caused the collapse of the church in Ohio. |
| |
|
|
One dispute had to do with the embarrassment caused by Smith's failure of "redeem Zion". Another dispute related to a 14-year-old girl named Fanny Alger, with whom Smith had married as a plural wife. Smith's assistant president Oliver Cowdery was dismayed by this, considering it to be a "dirty, nasty, filthy affair." |
| |
|
|
The greatest strain on the church, however, was financial. From an economic perspective, the Kirtland temple had been "a disaster," as money that might have been used for the City of Zion was channeled into a costly building project. Both Smith and his church went deeply in debt, and Smith was "hounded by his creditors ever after." |
|
|
|
|
In an attempt to recover, in August 1836, Smith dictated a revelation that there was "much treasure" in Salem, Massachusetts. Hoping he might find it with his seer stone, he and his closest associates left the financially troubled Kirtland community for the East. By September they were back in Kirtland; they returned with no treasure. |
|
|
|
|
A more common expedient for raising money on the frontier was wildcat banking. Smith and other church leaders lacked sufficient capital to obtain a state banking charter, and in 1836 they established the Kirtland Safety Society as a quasi-bank. Notes were printed and circulated in January 1837, but the Society's limited cash reserve and a national bank crisis, the Panic of 1837, led to the failure of the venture within a month. The notes bore Smith's signature, and he was personally blamed for the fiasco. The nationwide panic also encouraged creditors to pursue their debtors vigorously. |
|
|
|
|
Many Latter Day Saints, including prominent leaders who had invested with the bank, became disaffected and either left the church or were excommunicated. |
|
|
|
|
There were even a couple of unseemly rows in the temple, including one occasion on which guns and knives were drawn. |
|
|
|
|
When a leading apostle, David W. Patten, raised insulting questions, Smith slapped him in the face and kicked him into the yard. |
|
|
|
|
After a warrant was issued for Smith's arrest on the charge of bank fraud, Smith and Rigdon fled Kirtland for Missouri on the night of January 12, 1838. |
|
|
References
| Wikipedia references for "Joseph Smith, Jr." |
- Abanes, Richard, (2003), One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church Thunder's Mouth Press
- Allen, James B., The Significance of Joseph Smith's "First Vision" in Mormon Thought off-site .
- (1992), The Mormon Experience University of Illinois Press .
- (1980), The Lion and the Lady: Brigham Young and Emma Smith off-site .
- Bergera, Gary James (editor) (1989), Line Upon Line: Essays on Mormon Doctrine Signature Books .
- Bloom, Harold, (1992), The American Religion: The Emergence of the Post-Christian Nation Simon & Schuster .
- Booth, Ezra, Mormonism—Nos. VIII–IX (Letters to the editor) off-site .
- Brodie, Fawn M., (1971), No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith Knopf .
- Brooke, , (1994), The Refiner's Fire: The Making of Mormon Cosmology, 1644–1844 Cambridge University Press .
- Bushman, Richard Lyman, (2005), Joseph Smith: Rough Stone Rolling , New York: Knopf .
- Clark, John A., (1842), Gleanings by the Way , Philadelphia: W.J. & J.K Simmon off-site .
- Compton, Todd, (1997), In Sacred Loneliness: The Plural Wives of Joseph Smith Signature Books .
- Foster, Lawrence, (1981), Religion and Sexuality: The Shakers, the Mormons, and the Oneida Community , New York: Oxford University Press .
- Harris, Martin, (1859), Mormonism—No. II off-site .
- Hill, Donna, (1977), Joseph Smith: The first Mormon , Garden City, New York: Doubleday & Co. .
- Hill, Marvin S., (1976), Joseph Smith and the 1826 Trial: New Evidence and New Difficulties off-site .
- Hill, Marvin S., (1989), Quest for Refuge: The Mormon Flight from American Pluralism Signature Books off-site .
- Howe, Eber Dudley, (1834), Mormonism Unvailed: Or, A Faithful Account of that Singular Imposition and Delusion, from its Rise to the Present Time , Painesville, Ohio: Telegraph Press off-site .
- Hullinger, Robert N., (1992), Joseph Smith's Response to Skepticism Signature Books off-site .
- Jessee, Dean, (1976), Joseph Knight's Recollection of Early Mormon History off-site .
- Lapham, [La]Fayette, (1870), Interview with the Father of Joseph Smith, the Mormon Prophet, Forty Years Ago. His Account of the Finding of the Sacred Plates off-site .
- Larson, Stan, (1978), The King Follett Discourse: A Newly Amalgamated Text off-site .
- Mormon History off-site .
- Mack, Solomon, (1811), A Narraitve [sic] of the Life of Solomon Mack Windsor: Solomon Mack off-site .
- (1994), Inventing Mormonism Signature Books .
- Marquardt, H. Michael, (1999), The Joseph Smith Revelations: Text and Commentary Signature Books .
- Marquardt, H. Michael, (2005), The Rise of Mormonism: 1816–1844 Xulon Press .
- Matzko, John, (2007), The Encounter of the Young Joseph Smith with Presbyterianism off-site .
- Morgan, Dale, Walker, John Phillip (editor) (1986), Dale Morgan on Early Mormonism: Correspondence and a New History Signature Books off-site .
- (2008), Joseph Smith Jr.: reappraisals after two centuries Oxford University Press .
- Newell, Linda King, (1994), Mormon Enigma: Emma Hale Smith University of Illinois Press .
- (1999), Mormon America: The Power and the Promise HarperSanFrancisco .
- Persuitte, David, (2000), Joseph Smith and the origins of the Book of Mormon McFarland & Co. .
- Phelps, W.W. (editor) (1833), A Book of Commandments, for the Government of the Church of Christ , Zion: William Wines Phelps & Co. off-site .
- Prince, Gregory A, (1995), Power From On High: The Development of Mormon Priesthood Signature Books .
- Quinn, D. Michael, (1994), The Mormon Hierarchy: Origins of Power Signature Books .
- Quinn, D. Michael, (1998), Early Mormonism and the Magic World View Signature Books .
- Remini, , (2002), Joseph Smith: A Penguin Life Penguin Group .
- Roberts, B. H. (editor) (1902), History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , Salt Lake City: Deseret News off-site .
- Roberts, B. H. (editor) (1904), History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , Salt Lake City: Deseret News off-site .
- Roberts, B. H. (editor) (1905), History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , Salt Lake City: Deseret News off-site .
- Roberts, B. H. (editor) (1909), History of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints , Salt Lake City: Deseret News off-site .
- Shipps, Jan, (1985), Mormonism: The Story of a New Religious Tradition University of Illinois Press .
- Smith, George D., (1994), Nauvoo Roots of Mormon Polygamy, 1841–46: A Preliminary Demographic Report off-site .
- Smith, George D, (2008), Nauvoo Polygamy: "...but we called it celestial marriage" Signature Books .
- Smith, Joseph, Jr., (1830), The Book of Mormon: An Account Written by the Hand of Mormon, Upon Plates Taken from the Plates of Nephi , Palmyra, New York: E. B. Grandin off-site . See Book of Mormon.
- Smith, Joseph, Jr., Jessee, Dean C (editor) (1832), Personal Writings of Joseph Smith , Salt Lake City: Deseret Book .
- Jessee, Dean C (editor) (1839–1843), Personal Writings of Joseph Smith Deseret Book .
- (1835), Doctrine and Covenants of the Church of the Latter Day Saints: Carefully Selected from the Revelations of God , Kirtland, Ohio: F. G. Williams & Co off-site . See Doctrine and Covenants.
- Smith, Joseph, Jr., Church History [Wentworth Letter] off-site . See Wentworth letter.
- Smith, Lucy Mack, (1853), Biographical Sketches of Joseph Smith the Prophet, and His Progenitors for Many Generations , Liverpool: S.W. Richards off-site . See The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother
- Tucker, Pomeroy, (1867), Origin, Rise and Progress of Mormonism , New York: D. Appleton off-site .
- Turner, Orsamus, (1852), History of the Pioneer Settlement of Phelps and Gorham's Purchase, and Morris' Reserve , Rochester, New York: William Alling off-site .
- Joseph Smith: The Gift of Seeing off-site .
- Van Wagoner, Richard S., (1992), Mormon Polygamy: A History Signature Books .
- Vogel, Dan, (1994), The Locations of Joseph Smith's Early Treasure Quests off-site .
- Vogel, Dan, (2004), Joseph Smith: The Making of a Prophet Signature Books .
- Widmer, Kurt, (2000), Mormonism and the Nature of God: A Theological Evolution, 1830–1915 McFarland .
Further reading
Mormonism and Wikipedia
FairMormon's approach to Wikipedia articles
FairMormon regularly receives queries about specific LDS-themed Wikipedia articles with requests that we somehow "fix" them. Although some individual members of FAIR may choose to edit Wikipedia articles, FairMormon as an organization does not. Controversial Wikipedia articles require constant maintenance and a significant amount of time. We prefer instead to respond to claims in the FAIR Wiki rather than fight the ongoing battle that LDS Wikipedia articles sometimes invite. From FAIR’s perspective, assertions made in LDS-themed Wikipedia articles are therefore treated just like any other critical (or, if one prefers, "anti-Mormon") work. As those articles are revised and updated, we will periodically update our reviews to match.
Who can edit Wikipedia articles?
Editors who wish to participate in editing LDS-themed Wikipedia articles can access the project page here: Wikipedia:WikiProject Latter Day Saint movement. You are not required to be LDS in order to participate—there are a number of good non-LDS editors who have made valuable contributions to these articles.
Recommendations when editing Wikipedia articles
FAIR does not advocate removing any references from Wikipedia articles. The best approach to editing Wikipedia is to locate solid references to back up your position and add them rather than attempting to remove information. Individuals who intend to edit should be aware that posting information related to the real-world identities of Wikipedia editors will result in their being banned from editing Wikipedia. Attacking editors and attempting to "out" them on Wikipedia is considered very bad form. The best approach is to treat all Wikipedia editors, whether or not you agree or disagree with their approach, with respect and civility. An argumentative approach is not constructive to achieving a positive result, and will simply result in what is called an "edit war." Unfortunately, not all Wikipedia editors exhibit good faith toward other editors (see, for example, the comment above from "Duke53" or comments within these reviews made by John Foxe's sockpuppet "Hi540," both of whom repeatedly mocked LDS beliefs and LDS editors prior to their being banned.)
Do LDS editors control Wikipedia?
Although there exist editors on Wikipedia who openly declare their affiliation with the Church, they do not control Wikipedia. Ironically, some critics of the Church periodically falsely accuse Wikipedia editors of being LDS simply because they do not accept the critics' desired spin on a particular article.
Do "anti-Mormons" control Wikipedia?
Again, the answer is no. The truth is that Wikipedia is generally self-policing. Highly contentious articles do tend to draw the most passionate supporters and critics.
Why do certain LDS articles seem to be so negative?
Although some LDS-related Wikipedia articles may appear to have a negative tone, they are in reality quite a bit more balanced than certain critical works such as One Nation Under Gods. Although many critical editors often accuse LDS-related Wikipedia articles of being "faith promoting" or claim that they are just an extension of the Sunday School manual, this is rarely the case. Few, if any, Latter-day Saints would find Wikipedia articles to be "faith promoting." Generally, the believers think that the articles are too negative and the critics believe that the articles are too positive. LDS Wikipedia articles should be informative without being overtly faith promoting. However, most of the primary sources, including the words of Joseph Smith himself, are "faith promoting." This presents a dilemma for Wikipedia editors who want to remain neutral. The unfortunate consequence is that Joseph's words are rewritten and intermixed with contradictory sources, resulting in boring and confusing prose.
We examine selected Wikipedia articles and examine them on a "claim-by-claim" basis, with links to responses in the FairMormon Answers Wiki. Wikipedia articles are constantly evolving. As a result, the analysis of each article will be updated periodically in order to bring it more into line with the current version of the article. The latest revision date may be viewed at the top of each individual section. The process by which Wikipedia articles are reviewed is the following:
- Update each Wikipedia passage and its associated footnotes.
- Examine the use of sources and determine whether or not the passage accurately represents the source used.
- Provide links to response articles within the FairMormon Answers Wiki.
- If violation of Wikipedia rules is discovered, identify which Wikipedia editor (by pseudonym) made the edit, provide a description of the rule violated and a link to the Wikipedia "diff" showing the actual edit.
- If a violated rule is later corrected in a subsequent revision, the violation is removed and a notation is added that the passage is correct per cited sources. This doesn't mean that FAIR necessarily agrees with the passage—only that it is correct based upon the source used.
Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, "Mormonism and Wikipedia: The Church History That “Anyone Can Edit”"
Roger Nicholson, Interpreter: A Journal of Latter-day Saint Faith and Scholarship, (2012)The ability to quickly and easily access literature critical of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been made significantly easier through the advent of the Internet. One of the primary sites that dominates search engine results is Wikipedia, an online encyclopedia that “anyone can edit.” Wikipedia contains a large number of articles related to Mormonism that are edited by believers, critics, and neutral parties. The reliability of information regarding the Church and its history is subject to the biases of the editors who choose to modify those articles. Even if a wiki article is thoroughly sourced, editors sometimes employ source material in a manner that supports their bias. This essay explores the dynamics behind the creation of Wikipedia articles about the Church, the role that believers and critics play in that process, and the reliability of the information produced in the resulting wiki articles.
Click here to view the complete article
</noinclude>
Copyright © 2005–2024 FAIR. This is not an official Web site of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The content of this page may not be copied, published, or redistributed without the prior written consent of FAIR.
| We welcome your suggestions for improving the content of this FAIR Wiki article. |
Sites we recommend: |