Biblical Reasons Ministry  

Sex, Lies, and Videotape

by Bob Betts of Concerned Christians - contact

Sunday afternoon I went to the local LDS Temple Visitor's Center and watched the movie, Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration, for a second time.

It is a fictitious video rendition of certain real events in Smith's life, and the withholding of any event or statement that would not make Smith appear to be the quintessential Christian, prophet, husband, father, community leader, humanitarian, marriage counselor, teacher, preacher, you-name-it, he was the most Christ like man since Christ Himself.

But, knowing what I know from reading Mormon authored books, including LDS scripture, LDS literature, History of the Church by Joseph Smith, Journal of Discourses, etc., I know that I was lied to. The details of the events were deliberately falsified. Here are several examples of what I observed and heard.

No mention of the Smith family's involvement in occult practices, as they were only portrayed as an innocent and devout Christian family. The truth is withheld.

No mention that Joseph and Emma eloped after her father turned down Joseph's request for her hand in marriage, due to Joseph's lack of a real job and his treasure-hunting by means of peep-stones. Rather, there is only the mention that Emma's parents were against the marriage at first, but that they married later. So, apparently, though he was to be the most important prophet in history, there was no problem with dishonoring Emma's parent's wishes. That's apparently not something that should be exposed in a movie designed to make Joseph Smith out to be someone he wasn't, i.e. honorable. The truth is withheld.

No mention of any of Smith's 30+ wives. He is falsely portrayed as a simple, monogamous family man, devoted only to Emma, with never another woman attracting his attention. No flirting, no approaching any teen-aged girls for marriage, no mention of the "new and everlasting covenant." No breaking the LDS "law of the priesthood" by marrying non-virgins and women who were espoused to another. No Oliver Cowdery catching Smith committing adultery and being unfaithful to Emma, having sex with Fanny Alger in a barn. Nothing but a whitewash of Joseph Smith's character. The truth is withheld.

There was no mention of Smith's 1832 diary entry version of the first vision in his own handwriting, which is entirely different from the version in the Pearl of Great Price. The original "vision" story contained no mention of darkness overcoming him after he prayed. In the original "vision" story, Joseph said that only the Lord appeared to him, so no conversation took place between the Father and the Son. In the original "vision" story, the Lord did not tell Joseph not to join other churches, or that they were all wrong, or that their creeds were an abomination, or that their professors were all corrupt. The truth is withheld.

Much attention was paid to making the evangelical preacher look bad, including his preaching. Though Mormons claim that they don't attack other religions or denominations this film proves otherwise.

Much attention is paid to the persecution of Mormons portraying them as innocent victims. Not so, said LDS author, Stephen C. LeSueur in his book The 1838 Mormon War in Missouri. He wrote:

The activities of the Mormons during this period [summer and fall of 1838] often contributed to, rather than allayed, hostility toward their presence in Missouri. In Caldwell County, Mormon leaders dominated local politics, while the Danites, a secret Mormon vigilante organization, enforced orthodoxy, thus reinforcing the Missourians' perception of Mormonism as a fanatical and un-American religion. The Mormon army and the Danite band inspired a terrible fear among the non-Mormon settlers who regarded the Mormon soldiers as ruthless cutthroats. Although Mormon military action was generally initiated in response to reports of violence, the Mormons tended to overreact and in some instances retaliated against innocent citizens. Their perception of themselves as the chosen people, their absolute confidence in their leaders, and their determination not to be driven out led the Mormon soldiers to commit numerous crimes. The Mormons had many friends among the Missourians, but their military operations undercut their support in the non-Mormon community.

The degree of Joseph Smith's complicity in the Mormon military activities has long been debated by historians. Evidence now available, however, demonstrates that he directed much of the plundering and burning committed by Mormon soldiers in Daviess County. He viewed these actions as necessary for the defense of his people. In addition, Smith and other Mormon leaders knew and approved of the activities of the Danite organization, including the forcible expulsion of dissenters from the Mormon county of Caldwell. Mormon leaders justified the Danite actions with the claim that a republican people have the right to remove undesirable citizens from their communities--the same principle cited by the Missourians to expel the Mormons.

Civil officials made numerous attempts to resolve peacefully the developing conflict. They brought to trial a number of Mormons and non-Mormons accused of committing crimes, and when these measures failed to dispel the unrest, they called upon the state militia to intervene. The Missouri troops prevented a clash between the Mormons and vigilantes during an early outbreak of hostilities, but continued pressure by the vigilantes finally wore down the militia's resolve. The Missouri troops lacked the training and disposition for combat in civil disturbances, and their sympathies rested with their neighbors in the vigilante army. Inclement weather and a rebellious, anti-Mormon spirit among the militiamen finally forced the generals to dismiss the troops leaving the Mormons and vigilantes to fight it out themselves.

Why was none of this brought out in the movie? Why are the Mormons only portrayed as unarmed, peaceful, pacifists? Why does the Visitor's Center production flat out lie about what really happened? Where's Mormon honesty? Where's Mormon integrity?

Lie to me once, shame on you. Lie to me twice, shame on me. I take it very personally that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (CoJCoLDS) is willing to show me, "a visitor," a video production that doesn't BEGIN to tell me the truth about what Joseph Smith was really like, or what really happened to him and the Mormons.

Joseph Smith: Prophet of the Restoration continued this whitewashed, truth-withheld portrayal of persecution with the mention of the Extermination Order by Governor Boggs. No mention is made of Sidney Rigdon's 4th of July, 1838 speech to all the Mormons in Far West, Joseph Smith being present, as well as partaking in the writing of the speech, speaking of the Mormons own "war of extermination" almost 4 months prior to Governor Bogg's extermination order. Sidney Rigdon proclaimed:

We take God and all the holy angels to witness this day, that we warn all men in the name of Jesus Christ, to come on us no more forever, for from this hour, we will bear it no more, our rights shall no more be trampled on with impunity. The man or the set of men, who attempts it, does it at the expense of their lives. And that mob that comes on us to disturb us; it shall between us and them a war of extermination, for we will follow them, till the last drop of their blood is spilled, or else they will have to exterminate us; for we will carry the seat of war to their own houses, and their families, and one party or the other shall be utterly destroyed--Remember it then all Men. ...

Now, hasn't THAT documented speech been a very well-kept secret by the CoJCoLDS?!

The author went on to say:

The evidence suggests, however, that the Mormon leaders' fear of violence was exaggerated, even unfounded, at that time. The journals and reminiscences of the Saints do not mention any trouble with the non-Mormons prior to the Fourth of July oration. [Mormon scribe] W. W. Phelps testified that throughout the summer and fall he received assurances from the citizens of Ray and Clayton counties that no mobs were being raised against the Saints in that quarter. William Swartzell, a Mormon resident of Diahman, recorded that the Mormons were the only ones talking about mobs at this time--he had heard nothing from the Missourians. In later years, Mormon leaders such as Brigham Young, Wilford Woodruff, Orson Hyde, and Jedediah M. Grant condemned Rigdon's speech as a foolish and overly aggressive statement of Mormon rights that unnecessarily provoked anti-Mormon violence. "Elder Rigdon was the prime cause of our troubles in Missouri, by his fourth of July oration," Young said. ("Elder Rigdon's Trial," Times and Seasons 5:667)...

Most Missourians were not aware of any unusual strain in their relations with the Mormons. Many believed that interaction between the two groups had become remarkably friendly. Rigdon's warnings therefore surprised and alarmed the Missouri settlers, who interpreted the speech as an open, defiant declaration of Mormon intentions to set themselves outside the law. The Liberty Western Star reported:
'Until the 4th of July we heard of no threats being made against them, in any quarter. The people had all become reconciled to let them remain where they are, and indeed were disposed to lend them a helping hand, but on Sidney Rigdon, in order to show himself off as a great man, collected them all together in the town of Far West, on the 4th of July, and there delivered a speech containing the essence of, if not treason itself. This speech was not only published in the newspapers, but handbills were struck for distribution in Caldwell and Daviess counties. We have no the speech now before us, but we recollect amongst other threats, that this author said: "We will not suffer any vexatious lawsuits against our people; nor will we suffer any person to come into our streets and abuse them." Now, if this is not a manifestation of a disposition to prevent the force of law, we do not know what is.'

Reports of Rigdon's speech spread though the upper counties, increasing suspicions of and reviving old prejudices against the Saints. Mormon leaders had issued the statement as a defensive measure, prompted by their history of persecution. Although they wanted to frighten anyone who might threaten them, they did not intend to begin a conflict with their non-Mormon neighbors. The Missourians, believing the Mormons had no reason to fear persecution from them interpreted Rigdon's vigorous warnings as a threat against the citizens and law in northwestern Missouri.

What does all this tell me? For one thing, that the Mormons, in THIS case, were the ones who brought their own persecution on themselves but the showing at the LDS visitor's center neither portrays nor mentions any of this. Lies, lies, and more lies BY OMISSION.

So, if the Mormon church won't tell the truth about what really happened, then who will? I guess it will just have to be people like me. And, then, when I and others like me DO expose the truth, what will Mormons turn around and do to retaliate? They'll call us anti-Mormon, of course. They'll accuse us of being against "the Lord's Church," of course.

Well, go right ahead. I'm going to expose the sex, lies and video tape, regardless; because LDS apostle, Boyd K. Packer was dead wrong when he said, "Some things that are true are not very useful." All things that are true are useful unless you've got something to hide. And the CoJCoLDS certainly does. So, the truth is withheld.

But, there's more. Joseph Smith is shown to be a man of the black people. No mention of the "seed of Cain" doctrine. No mention of the racist LDS scriptures.¹ No mention that Smith proclaimed the true belief of the Mormons regarding negroes in the History of the Church, 3:29, "Are the Mormons abolitionists? No, ...we do not believe in setting the negroes free." The truth is withheld.

At the end, in the upper jail cell in Carthage, when the mob attacked and murdered Joseph Smith, there is no portrayal nor mention that Smith had a six-shooter which he used to shoot three men, killing two of them. The truth is withheld.

Because I knew the truth about Smith's history going into that LDS theater I could not be emotionally moved to tears, though they always supply a box of tissue. I could not be swayed by all the violin music throughout most of the 70 minutes of lies and deceptions I was subjected to. I could not feel sorry for the true person of Joseph Smith that I know from books I've read by Mormon authors, that most Mormons have never read, nor will they. My heart-strings could not be tugged nor could I feel "the spirit" that the Mormon church so desperately wants me to feel.

What I felt was anger that I was deliberately lied to. That everyone who watches that false portrayal is being lied to. That everything in that movie is a complete deception, a whitewashing, and a rewriting of Smith's history, from start to finish.

Do you Mormons want to know one of the reasons I know your church is false? Because it has lied to me. Because it has lied to you. Because it has lied to the world. It's a church of lies. Every Mormon missionary is lying every day to everyone they talk to; parroting the lies that the Mormon leadership has taught them to say, how to say it, and what to withhold.

Do you Mormons want to know why your church isn't Christian? Because it lies. More than anything else, it lies about Joseph Smith.

Bob Betts

1) Editor's note:

Some LDS may object that their religion is presented as racist. Consider their own scriptures:

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"Jesus' blood on the altar was the ultimate payment. He made us worthy permanently. When Jesus died on the cross the veil covering the Holy of Holies tore in half. The mercy seat lay exposed to mankind. There is no veil, anymore, between God and man. Jesus ripped it down. But Mormonism has hung up a new one." -Kathleen Baldwin