Claim: "[In an LDS film] Joseph is even shown healing the sick in Nauvoo. Although this film is very emotional and inspiring it has no more reality to it than any other fictional story created by Hollywood. Let's now examine the historical documents about the true character of Joseph Smith."
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Joseph's healing accounts are well-attested to by multiple witnesses. The video would like to dismiss such things, but says absolutely nothing about the "historical documents" to prove that Joseph did perform healings on multiple occasions.
The video wants to dismiss the historical accounts in a simple sentence—they never refer to Joseph's healings again. This is dishonest.
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What do the records tell us about Joseph's ability to heal through the power of Christ?
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Critics ought to be careful when dismissing or criticizing healing by God's power: the scribes and Pharisees likewise sought to minimize or negate the miraculous healings performed by Jesus by insisting that He was, in fact, wicked. (See, for example, Matthew 9꞉34, Matthew 12꞉13-14, Matthew 12꞉24, Mark 3꞉5-6, Luke 5꞉17-26, Luke 6꞉7, Luke 14꞉3-4, John 7꞉32, John 9꞉13, John 11꞉44-50, John 12꞉17-19).
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Claim: "An amazing experience like [the First Vision] should radically change a person's life but by the age of 21, Joseph was arrested and brought before a judge in Bainbridge, N.Y., for deceiving Josiah Stowell, charged for glass looking and sit before the court as a disorderly person."
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Joseph never claimed to be perfect, and mentioned that following his vision he made errors. (Template:S=sHowever, the video attempts to deceive its viewers on numerous points, as discussed in the sections below.
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Was Joseph found guilty?
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The video carefully avoids describing the outcome of this legal proceeding. The video apparently wants the listener to conclude that Joseph was found guilty in court —after all, there is no shame in being charged with a crime if one is found not guilty. (And, even a false conviction is no stain on a man's character—even Jesus Himself was falsely condemned.)
But, these facts would not serve the video's purposes, so they say nothing about the outcome.
In fact, the appearance before the judge was not a trial—as demonstrated by the Reverend Wesley Walters, a prolific anti-Mormon author. Therefore, he was not found guilty, and no trial was held.
This is one more "historical document" from which the video wants to protect its viewers.
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Was Josiah Stowell deceived?
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Despite their claims that they are trying to "Search for the Truth," the video does not tell its viewers that Josiah Stowell testified for Joseph as a defense witness and did not believe that Joseph had defrauded him at all. Stowell testified of Joseph's claims, "Do I believe it? No, it is not a matter of belief: I positively know it to be true."
But, the Search for the Truth video will not tell you this part of the truth from the documents.
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If Stowell had no complaint, why was Joseph brought before the judge at all?
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The charges were brought by Stowell's family members, who seem worried that Josiah would accept Joseph's religious claims.
In fact, Stowell joined the Church founded by Joseph, and remained a faithful member to the day of his death.
Would the video's authors condemn Paul because he was brought before many courts because of religious persecution? (See Acts 23꞉6.)
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