Joseph Smith's Motives - The Prophet Puzzle - Dan Vogel 

It's possible that he may have started out as a pious fraud, but his increased appetite for power, money and women clearly allows his description to be shorted by the unnecessary adjective.

Hands down the best video I've seen in a very long time - well articulated, clear and so freakin informative! Loved every second of this presentation, thank you so much for your time and effort in putting it all together, simply brilliant.

This view of Smith seems to make the most sense. Thanks for the video.

Thank you Dan Vogel for leading me into The Restoration !

The reason cults work so well s they create a community of peer pressue where if you leave you may lose everything. When most people have a choice to face the truth or potentially lose family, friends, lifestyle, etc. it becomes easier for most to perform extreme mental gymnastics to try and validate the BOM. It's really sad and many feel they are in too deep to leave.

Jr. was a pious fraud with a broken moral compass. Adultery sealed his fate.

I believe that Joseph Smith JR initially got the idea of becoming a prophet from his Father Joseph Smith Senior who had talked about having a great prophet for a son long before Joseph Smith JR claimed to have visions. Joseph Smith JR was encouraged by his Father who was a restorationist. Joseph Smith JR didn't fit into the religious communities of his time because they were all traditional Christian sects so Joseph Smith JR created his own sect that claimed they were all wrong and modeled it after the restorationist ideals of his Father. Joseph Smith tried to join the Methodist Church in 1828 but was rejected by the Methodists for his involvement in folk magic. Just 2 years later Joseph Smith JR started his own Church in 1830. Every time that Joseph Smith would encounter a problem in his life he would "inquire of the Lord" and come up with a very convenient revelation on the matter. If God was in charge of the restoration of his "one true church" then God would have been giving the information to Smith without him having to inquire about it. Instead, the doctrine would be received as the problems were encountered. For example, when the Smith family was upset about a minister telling them that Alvin went to hell for not being baptized, Joseph Smith resolved the issue by coming up with baptism for the dead. When Joseph Smith was caught committing adultery then he came up with D&C 132 which threatened Emma with destruction if she divorced Joesph Smith JR (D&C 132:54). A self serving revelation like that shows Joseph Smith's motivations became completely selfish towards the end of his life.

Methinks you are actually too kind in this analysis, Dan. If phrases like "pious deceiver" or "sincere fraud" apply to Joseph Smith, then they also apply to the likes of Antonio Conselheiro, Jim Jones, David Koresh, etc. I purport that what is most elusive and difficult to understand is not what made Smith tick, but rather what makes his followers tick. How and why do otherwise reasonable, pious, sincere people fall prey to the charismatic sale pitch of such amoral narcissists? A genetic proclivity to depend upon, even revere, the "alpha male" of the chimpanzee troop?

Thank you for this well needed today!!!💞🌹💞

Thoughtful and interesting,...well put.

Very thoughtful video. Thanks for sharing

I adore this! I am so glad you discuss the "search it out in your mind" revelation-- I was so shocked by that one when I came across it. It could be seen as Joseph Smith giving up the hoax: explaining that God is, more or less, the creative process. But I think it is more how you see it, which is the converse: that Smith saw the creative process AS god-- which I think is actually quite beautiful. ( not to forgive him his more knowing deceptions and later abuses of power, of course )

"Enigmatic" is a very kind description

Thank you, thank you, thank you! For your study of this and sharing it with is on RU-vid. I watched this video multiple times over the course of 6 hours taking notes and researching. I really think this video pulled it all together for me. I could not reconcile the sincere nature of Joseph's works with the blatant evidence of his lies until now. I was raised a devout Mormon my whole life and I don't think you will know how much peace this video finally gave me. In fact, I have been struggling to know what to believe myself as of late, and I think Joseph was on to something with the universalism. I hate when other Christians say, "Save the Mormons! Their very souls are in jeopardy!" Because that is the EXACT same limiting belief as the Mormons believe. The first time a heard a Born Again Christian say that all Mormons are damned until we leave our ways and become what they call "true Christians" I knew I would never, ever, go to another church again. After what I've been through I could never run from one religion that limits my beliefs and tells me how to think straight to another one that does the same thing. Christian community: do you really believe Christ's atonement is limited to those who understand all the secular facts of his life. How naive and hypocritical, not to mention the pure blasphemy to limit who Christ can and will save to your own tiny maniputed understanding. If you believe this, stop researching all the issues with the Mormon church and take adeeper look into your own brainwashing sect.

I wish you would continue..Thank You.

Such a great prospective Dan Vogel

wow great video, I saw all your videos but I like how this one goes into the ins and outs of his motives and thoughts.. He was pious fraud, He basically covered His back in writing the book of Mormon.. He justified himself and His "good intentioned" deceptions.

Joseph Smith: American Muhammad.

very interesting, thanks for posting the vid!

Brilliant!! Utterly compelling

Before there was much in the way of science and certainly no internet, folklore filled in the gaps. Until fairly recently it was very common to know people in the U.S. who believed men are born with one less rib than women because God created Eve from Adam's rib. These people will look you in the eye and insist this is true. Such tales can be so believable that when. many years ago, I began to study nursing and medicine I made it a point to know for sure if men had one less rib than women. My parents were college educated and non-religious. I do not consider myself generally ignorant yet the belief about the rib was believed by many, perhaps a majority of the kids I went to school with.~~~My point is, I think the folklore was accepted as pseudo-fact by Joseph Smith and he did not know any different. I believe he was extremely creative, charismatic, intelligent and also religious. I think he may not have been able to absolutely tell the difference between fable and fact. He had other people around him who encouraged him in what are basically delusions, who accepted his visions and inspirations. For me the question becomes how much of what he imagined did he actually believe? (I am not Mormon nor against Mormons. I am just a very curious person and I see Joseph Smith as at least partly sincere, if deluded. He was in large part the creation of his time and the backwoods of New York and that general region.)

Joseph Smith believed God sometimes inspires deception, that some sins are according to his will or that occasionally it is necessary to break one commandment in order to fulfil a higher law. I can run with that. Your explanation helps to understand the mind of Joseph Smith.

Excellent video. It does present a way to look at this extraordinary enigmatic man, Joseph Smith, in a respectful way, regardless whether one finds him a fraud or a real prophet. I have admired the Prophet while at the same time being incapable of understanding how he was able to accomplish all that he did and the enormity of his legacy.

What do you think about the theories of Joseph Smith's use of datura and other entheogens in inducing mass visions? is this more likely than your hypnosis theories at least with regards to large groups (as was common dieting the Kirtland period? )

I have long suspected that JoSmith's primary motivation was the prophetic role itself. Smith, like his mother and father, and essentially his entire culture, was drenched in the KJV. However little formal schooling Smith had, he was clearly precocious concerning religion and the Bible, highly intelligent and inventive, and even, as suggested by Harold Bloom, an authentic religious genius. It's safe to assume that Smith, like everybody around him, for no good reason sincerely but simply just accepted the Bible to be the word of a god and that Christianity was fundamentally true. Both from reading the Bible and observing the sectrarian religious world around him, it would be easy for him to conclude at an early age that the Bible was not straightforward, even confusing, and that it was subject to massive and varied interpretation. Probably listening as a child to his parents read the Bible aloud he was exposed to OT prophets. The precocious Smith recognized that "prophet" was the key to making sense of the Bible and for a correct Christianity. Joseph Smith wanted to be that prophet and he did an admirable job. How he justified in his own mind what he knew to be subterfuge, fraud and a con, is hard to imagine but I suspect some of it involved convincing himself that thoughts and ideas in his head actually did come from the god of the Bible. The accumulation of wealth clearly was not Smith's motive. Prophetic knowledge and pronouncement (and power and control) seems more likely. Even if it took "sincere" pious fraud & deception -- including self-deception -- to accomplish god's will

Well, he was right about one thing.. All churches are false! Unfortunately, so is his. Joe's time and place was a world of folk magic and mysticism. People were very uninformed and believed all sorts of improbable things about the "unseen world." When magic stopped working for him and got him into trouble, our hero decided to branch off into religion. He was a bright boy. He rightly perceived that the current religious foment represented an opportunity. Lots of religions were invented during that period in the USA.

Your videos are fascinating pieces of American history, only in America can someone conceive a folklore religion and sell to a hungry public. Thank you!

Smith was definitely a sensationalist! Undoubtedly perusing on the cusp of grandiosity!

You won't hear about that seer stone anymore! They took that story out! My father is a Patriarch and he's never heard that story!

Thank you for your research. I have benefited a lot from reading the Book of Mormon, and even though it may not be historical, I have no doubt that it can be consider a source of ispiration for a christian, because at least in my experience, has lead me closer to God. The world is not made of black and white,....there are colours and shades, and sometimes it is a bit more complex than what we might think, including the life of Joseph Smith Jr. But I always try to discern with God's help the good part of it. Thank you again for your research as neutral historian, i really appreciate it.

Your amazing Dan! Thank You

Thanks for the review of JS jr. and his connection to the “writing “ of the BOM. 😮

I think Alma Chapter 32 in the Book of Mormon can be seen as support for Vogel's views here. Alma basically says that if you desire to believe something, it is OK to start by hoping it is true, and later on you will feel more certain.

I believe he believed what he believed. I just don't believe what he believed....

In the video, at 35:10, you show a document that appears to be the same revelation as D&C 8. However, the wording that you show is not the same. Is there an online source for the document you show?

I call it the "law of the greater good." However, in most cases, I believe polygamy is wrong. And sex with a minor is punishable by law. It becomes a game of conflicting Christian Gods. Your God says you can have 30 wives, well, my God, who is supported by the US government says you need to stand trial.

I think he was just like any other person who began to think of himself as something special and it got out of hand as more and more people around him began propping him up in his delusions of grandeur. Charles Taze Russell, Ellen G. White, Mohammed and William Branham all did the same thing. Jim Jones is the most notorious of them all. He couldn't admit to anyone he was a fraud, not even to himself because he was getting deeper and deeper into doing wrong. You see it all the time today. A movie star thinks they are something special then people start paying attention to them and then they have a reality tv show and think they can make public political opinions even though they nothing about the politics they are trying to talk about. Then the fanboys and fangirls go on like they can't do wrong, all the while they are slipping more and more away from reality. He didn't believe what he was saying, but people were giving him attention and prestige, that's all he wanted. It is the peoples fault Joseph Smith became what he was. It is a cult of personality, that's all.

I would argue that he was an adventurer. He chose a guise of holiness to facilitate his inner desires. If one can’t live the life of say a pirate who buries treasure he could create a way to live the life of the great heroes of the Old Testament. Those were other adventures that Smith may have been familiar. Smith found the perfect avenue that would give him more power than all the men around him. Part and parcel of this arrangement was that Smith got to play the role of Pious fraud, which must have been intoxicating to a certain extent.

Does anyone know when Smith first identified himself as a prophet

Joseph Smith was one of the most evil, brilliant, and ruthless people who ever lived. I'm just fascinated by his story.

+ Dan Vogel I've looked at just 2 of your assumptions of God supposedly lying or admonishing someone to lie. But you are mistaken. Here's the proof... Sarah WAS Abraham's sister (and wife, and niece). A half sister anyway. Here's how that worked out... See Genesis 20: 10-12. Terah was Abraham's father. Haran was Abraham's brother. Sarah was Haran's daughter (Abraham's niece). Haran died and Sarah was taken by Terah as his daughter (Abraham's half-sister). Abraham & Sarah were then married and thus his wife. The 2nd issue was the supposition that God lied when he told Adam & Eve "In the day thou eatest thereof, thou shalt surely die". (Genesis 3: 4-5) Actually Lucifer told a half truth. when he said "thou shalt not surely die" (a lie) ...thou shalt be as the gods, knowing good from evil (absolutely true!). Here are the proofs... "God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil". (Genesis 3:22). Genesis 5:5 states Adam lived 930 years and died. 2 Peter 3:8 Says 1 day to God is a 1,000 years to man. BTW: Abraham 3:4 (LDS Scripture, POGP) backs this up.

Any idea how many Mormons consider him to be a fraud ?

Mormonism has been the State of Utah's #1 export for a long-long time, and the Qurom of 12 and the Qurom of the 70 are never going to stop exploiting the gravy train for them that Mormonism is.

I PITY the WOMAN that MARRIED this DEVIANT WOLFEN SOUL. I know she cried rivers .

If you realize the existence of the devil, and how evil is summoned from sin and the occult, Joseph Smith's life makes perfect sense. "And you shall become like God" is what the devil told Eve. The same devils that inspired Mohammed found Joseph Smith. The best way to do evil is to twist the good.

I don't know if he was such a complicated or unique phenomenon. The formation of these groups happens all the time, all over the world. He was just particularly slick, so his cult happened to be one that lasted. (Most of them just fade out of existence or end in disaster.) It seems to help to have a foundational book--Scientology is one of the most notable examples of a group that managed to last in America after Smith, thanks in part to 'Dianetics'.

Happiness - is the object of our existance and will be the end thereof; if we pursue the path that leads to it;and this path is virtue, uprightness, fathfulness, holiness, and keeping all the commandments of God. Joseph Smith Jun

+dan vogel. I like your analysis but I think you are way to kind to him. I've read a Marvelous work and wonder and BoM. Ive read the quran and parts of the hadith. It is striking how simililar those two meglomaniacs were. Especially how they used revelation from "god" to further their own ends. Especially with women. Though M was much more violent and hateful. If I were to choose between the two I'd choose Smith. His followers managed at least to build a functional prosperous society, while muslims have been reeking havoc for ages.

Boy i tell you that boy Joseph Smith was a real piece of work. I wished he would have come to my door step to witness Mormonism. Ill would have liked to set him straight by the true gospel of Jesus Christ.

Dan, please keep the much needed great work. Quu Estion: Why did Joseph Smith claim that Israeliets migrated to the Americas in 600 BC? Their decendants did not experience Jesus' life. Could it be in tecearly 1800s that much less was known about the Americas' history than Middle Eastrn and European history.

to go down in history....that is all

in deuteronomy in the old testament there is the test of the prophets chapter 18 verses 21-22 it states in my words cause i don't have a bible handy if a man claims to be a prophet and just one of his prophecies or revelations does not come true then he is not speaking the words of god and should be dissed all the way around. simple enough? in words mormons can understand he was a false prophet he did not pass the test and the excuse that he was a man and men make mistakes does not work when you are supposedly speaking for god

“No one will tell you. RU-vid: Joseph Smith HORROR mansion”

George Morris Smith 1832- 1890 Related?

An interesting guy for sure.

Every uncorrected error and unrepented sin flows on until the end of time. (Paraphrased from CS Lewis)

Look at Smith as a treasure seeker, he had to believe on some level that he could find treasure, else, if a complete scam, it was one doom to fail quickly, leaving you sitting next to a big hole with a bunch of angry men with shovels. The fact that when, as you describe, there briefly appeared to be a treasure he could not return to his hat, betray a man who, like a moth was drawn to a flame but know enough to fear it heat. Smith was a man testing his faith in his god and himself. He was a multi-dimensional character, smart and self-serving seeing what he could get away with, and finding that god did not strike him dead for his blasphemy presumed the god must be endorsing them, he undoubtedly felt that he was special and the chosen of god, why else would god let him get away with things. The question of why others followed him is the more important one and why they continue to do so today in the face to some much contrary evidence, The leaders undoubtedly believe they too are chosen by virtue of the fact they are leaders and thus must protect their position as the chosen ones of god, much as Smith rationalize his world. The lessons here are in the power of self-deception, our ability to shape our understanding of the world in a way that justifies our position in it. Smith was a very human man no different from you or I, his lies just became bigger.

I think it's pretty clear that the motive started with money but by 1831 he wanted power and polygamy with the invention of the priesthood and changing John the Baptist as the spirit of eljiah fulfillment to himself in his translation of the Bible. His change of the Godhead occured after the Lectures of faith in 1835 perhaps for another motive. The motive is probably best found in the changes he made to the Bible and the reasoning why.

I don't think this essay's purpose in any way defends Joseph Smith, but merely seeks to explain his psyche in a fuller way than previously done. It probably is of no consequence to anyone except those who have felt deceived by his work, and wish to understand the particulars. I still find there is more (and less) to the story re the killing of Laban for the plates. Primarily, that this murder is gratuitous since it would have been a simple matter for God to impose a deeper drunken stupor upon Laban in order that his armour, unsullied by copious amounts of blood, be stolen without the ensuing decapitation. There are a great many ways that God could have facilitated getting the plates without decapitation. Therefore, and not to put too fine a point upon it, Smith had an adolescent boy's flair and taste for both drama and blood, and felt this story would play well, at least to the immature mind. The killing underscores mankind's overarching need for these all important records. I doubt Smith's need to justify deception was as great as the author depicts. I believe he was a personality that from early childhood learned to deceive and enjoy the results. Yes, the essay does bring to the fore some need to justify his own deception, but again, I doubt he was all that plagued with the process and by 1828 on, but rather delighted in his own growing successes. Just one of those weird socioopathic geniuses you meet from time to time. If he attempted to justify his deceptions through scripture, it was for the edification of others, and certainly not for himself. I enjoyed the analysis.

I’m LDS. Watched the whole video and enjoyed it a lot. I’m not trying to be willfully ignorant, but I do still believe he was a prophet. But I completely understand how he can not be viewed as a prophet. I just have had spiritual experiences that I feel told me it’s true. Everyone can have there own opinion though

I'm hoping Dan is still around to respond to my post. Hey, Dan, tell us about the eight witnesses and the plates, and please please please give us your documented references. We have spoken several times on this, but let's try it again before the entire world.

nothing that young Smith ever "found" was presented - the "norm" was all would be taken by spirits etc - Smith faced ridicule, arrest and being run off - Smith ran off with Emma Hale only to return to her Dad as a penniless Seer - and soon quit the hard farm work Mr Hale offered - the B of M is entirely an attempt to placate Hale and restore Smith's rep as a "Seer" to the locals- Smith was smart enough to pretend he had tried and failed to find the plates for 3 years... but it was Emma that made the 4th try work - "yes Mr Hale... If I had not run off with your daughter the plates would never be seen. God wanted her to elope with a Seer " [ God wanted Smith to Elope with a LOT of women ] - obv Hale told him to get lost, and the Penniless Seer now turned to Martin Harris for the living expenses and obv a new scam - all you have to do is write a book with a Copyright - the plates would never be shown as was the norm- so Smith wrote a Copyrighted book and went to sell it in Canada to pay back Mr Harris for the months spent living of him [ as was the norm ]- the book didn't sell - Mrs Harris was stirring up trouble and no gold was produced- the B of M is such an obv fraud - right from the orig title page

I appreciate your reporting. If you truly are seeking the rest of the puzzle Dan I can share it with you.

Too nice to be true

Quitting the Mormon Church (Unabridged) I have been thinking of quitting the Mormon Church. Yes, if I can, I am going to get even with that church. As soon as I can find another church that teaches about the Gathering of the House of Israel; the return of the Ten Tribes and their mission; the return of the Jews to Palestine and why, and how they are going to build the temple; the building of temples and what to do with them; the mission of Elias, the prophet, as predicted by Malachi; the method for the salvation of the people that died at the time of Noah in the flood; the origin of the American Indian; the complete explanation of why Jesus of Nazareth had to have a mortal mother but not a mortal father; the explanation of the three degrees of glory (three heavens) as mentioned by Paul; the complete explanation of why Elias and Moses did not die but had to be translated (since they both lived before the resurrection was introduced by Christ); the restoration of the gospel by modern revelation as promised by Peter and Paul and Jesus himself; the belief in eternal marriage and the family, and the knowledge and the place to seal for eternity; that teaches abstinence from all harmful drugs and foods; and that sells the best fire insurance policy on earth, for the last days, for only a tenth of my income. Yes sir, as soon as I can find another church that teaches all that, or even half as much, I will say good-bye to this Mormon Church. The church that I am looking for must also be able to motivate 90,000+ youth, and adults, for the first, second or third time, to leave their homes for two years at their own expense and go to far-away places to teach and preach without salary. It must be able to call, on a frosty day, some 5 or 6 thousand professors, students, lawyers, doctors, judges, policemen, businessmen, housewives and children to go and pick apples at 6 am. It must be able to call meetings and get the attention for two hours of more than 300,000 men. Yes, it must also teach and show why salvation is assured for children who die before eight years of age. Mr. Editor, could you help me find a church that teaches all that and more than hundreds of other doctrines and principles, which I have no room to mention here, and which brings solace and comfort to the soul; peace, hope, and salvation to mankind, and above all, that answers the key questions that all the great philosophers have asked; questions and answers that explain the meaning of life, the purpose of death, suffering and pain; the absolute need for a Redeemer and the marvelous plan conceived by our Father and executed by Jesus Christ the Savior? Yes, as soon as I find another church that teaches that, and also that has the organization and the powers to make that teaching effective, I am going to quit the Mormon Church. For I should not tolerate that “they” should change a few words in the Book of Mormon - even if those changes simply improve the grammar and the syntax of the verses - for, after all, don’t you think the Divine Church should employ angels as bookmakers, and clerks, to do all the chores on earth? Don’t you think, Mr. Editor that the Divine Church should also have prophets that don’t get sick and don’t get old and die, and certainly, that don’t make a goof here and there. No, sir! A Divine Church should be so divine that only perfect people should belong to it, and only perfect people should run it. As a matter of fact, the Church should be so perfect that it should not even be here on earth! So, I repeat, if any one of the kind readers of this imperfect letter knows about another church that teaches and does as much for mankind as the Mormon Church, please let me know. And please do it soon, because my turn to go to the cannery is coming up. Also, “they” want my last son (the fifth one) to go away for two years and again, I have to pay for all that. And I also know that they expect me to go to the farm to prune trees, and I have heard that our ward is going to be divided again, and it is our side that must build the new chapel. And also, someone the other day had the gall of suggesting that my wife and I get ready to go on a second mission, and when you come back, they said, you can volunteer as a temple worker. Boy, these Mormons don’t leave you alone for a minute. And what do I get for all that, I asked? “Well,” they said, “for one, you can look forward to a funeral service at no charge!”… Do you think you can help me to find another church? Thomas D. Clark

God sums it up pretty simply about false prophets like Smith: "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christand *_no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of lighttherefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness;_* whose end shall be according to their works." (2Cor 11:13-15)

By the way, the thing you put as "admitting" to his "treasure seeking" was just a letter saying he was employed by a man that wanted to mine for silver....Not sure what your talking about there...

He sounds like a psychedelic astranaut. The story may not be true as he stated it, but it sure caused an organization to rise. No princess lives in the Disney castle, but kids and adult alike travel around the world and spend $$$ to prentend one does.

I came here to read ridiculous comments from pro-Mormon defenders.

So if he was a fraud, in a roundabout way, makes him a valid prophet in a loose definition of the word? 🤣 You cant deny the genius of Joseph Smith, deceiver or not.

I am not a professional counselor but have experiance and knoweldege on psycopath behaviour. I have read a lot and could say his way of being includes narcisism, sociopathy, psychopathy, machiavellianism. Since I found out all that stuff that you mention in your video, I have been looking for answers towards all his deeds...

Money, sex and power as simple as that!

cdowis, your ad hominem attack on Dan Vogel tells me that your own logic is flawed. Why don't you address the message rather than attack the messenger?

So Dan what do you believe... I have caned all Christan churches for the book of John.

Joseph Smith is a very grey character. He was definitely a liar. The version of him given to most mormon children is very wrong. But he however did have some real occult background (which i don't view as necessarily bad) but that's the real way he claimed to be a prophet. He knew a lot about folk magic. And his involvement with masonic groups tops off some of the rituals he used. One thing remains true. He was a deceiver to the public. He did have some small psychic like abilities. And he knew a lot about masonic rituals. And the way they try to depict him in most modern videos to modern Mormons is very cherry picked and sugar coated. This is a good essay. I used to think he was a huge liar for a while. But after going even deeper into it I think Smith genuinely believed in what he was doing. He just wasn't exactly who he seemed to be to the public. He was pragmatic in furthering what he believed to be true. However what he did in the process was in a lot of ways monstrous. His burning of the printing press against him. And him marrying other woman's wives while denying it. You can't say to me he wasn't a liar. When most mormon children grow up they expect a prophet to never lie and to always lead them the right way. But when they find out that he did decieve quite a few people and that a lot of his revelations were possibly not as concrete like how his book of Abraham translation was actually an Egyptian book of breathings script. Joseph Smith was definitely "trippin'". Following a church that started with that kind of following shouldn't be trusted that's for sure.

the essential teachings of Mormonism are really great! It uplifts people and prepares them for the things that are not good. I am happy that I was raised Mormon and taught to think for myself however, I realized that I can find the truth for myself and did not need the crutch of the church anymore. I will instill these principles in my children and I am living my truth that I found through Mormonism! Joseph Smith was just a man who was inspired to teach others his truth but got caught up in his abilities to persuade people to follow him.........he became of the world because he was of the world. that does not mean that his initial message was not good. Lets take the good from people and stop trying to deny what they were placed here to do. I do not believe in the Doctrine and Covenants nor the Pearl of Great Price and have never read them because I knew. (inspired by God, the universal higher self) that they were not true.........he wrote those when he was starting to believe his own hype and wanted the life of the world.

At least you make your own video's, though i do not see you speaking to anyone. I am the only one who can answer those question's, as i figured out the puzzle. To bad you don't talk to anyone.

If he was about today his slogan would be Make America Great Again

I know that Joseph Smith was a true and living prophet of the Lord Jesus Christ. I've come to know and love Jesus Christ through reading the book of mormon. I truly hope you rid your anger and hatred and can live a better life.

Joseph Smith was a mystic. Joseph Smith was prophet, seer and revelator.

Only an intelligent skeptic could come up with this masterful essay. Well done.

Well you've taken into account all the variables of Joseph Smith's actions and personalities except one... What if everything he claimed to have happened, actually did? What if he actually did have and hold a stack of golden plates? What if he did actually converse with heavenly beings? Ridiculous? Perhaps, but not to be dismissed, out-of-hand without some consideration.. Remember, there were others, who both claimed to have both seen and handled the gold plates. Their names are found in the preface of the Book of Mormon. While some of them admittedly left the Church, none of them ever recanted their claim concerning the gold plates. So if the whole thing is one big hoax, it involves others besides Joseph. The crux of the complaints against Joseph Smith however, are overshadowed by the Book of Mormon, which speaks for itself. I dare anyone to read it and find anything in it, emphatically wrong, non-biblical or contradictory in any way, to Christian theology.

In the same way that the Pharisees of Jesus days,,,who were the highly educated men of scripture,,,who crucify the lord,, ,it is in your highly educated opinion,,,who is and is not a man appointed by god,,,a prophet,,,,and point out a few things of what he did do or didn't do!!!regardless of all the things that he did do ...you want to claim that JS is not a man of god...just like the Pharisees. Who said that Jesus was of the devil..I would suggest to anyone that is listening to YOUR OPINIONS!!!! to take the time and read the book of Mormon,,,and come to your own opinion,,,n not rely on other people's opinions...just because this man has his opinion...doesn t mean anything...who cares what he says...how many things can you name where man gave his opinion,,and was WRONG!!!And let this man join the Pharisees,,,where ever they may be!!!and never let anyone influence you and your own opinion...take the time and do your own research!!!and let your own truths,,set u free...

You are unqualified to know or comment on the motives of Joseph Smith.

It's good and important to seek the truth, and listen too different points of view, however to truly know if Joseph Smith was a prophet of God requires knowledge from the true source God. Just ask with a sincere heart:) because he is

Or...he was a prophet of God

I think most people over think the whole restoration of the Lords church through the prophet Joseph Smith. In my opinion if he Had he been a false prophet the church would not be bearing all the good The church does throughout the world. In my opinion people tend to over complicate things and rely too much on What other people such as yourself has to say. Everyone is entitled to an Opinion. But doesn't mean it's gonna be correct. I

I believe in Christ. I believe in Saint'n. Which one commands us to Obey, and to Not Question, as the first and Great commandment, and the second like unto it?

Joseph Smith was a prophet of God he is referenced in Isaiah 29

Dan Vogels explanation is less believable than the explanation of the Church Jesus Christ LDS.

Dan, you have no grounds on which to judge Joseph Smith's motives. If you must try then you should be charitable.

The puzzle is only a puzzle to the blind who refuse to see the obvious. The easiest explanation for the miracles, prophecies, visions, and new scritpure is that Joseph Smith was called of God to be a prophet and restore the truth to the world. Vogel's inability to suspend disbelief is not the prophet's problem, but his own.

yes he's a joke....he boasted about he did more than any man did including JESUS.. he blasphemy the LORD.....JESUS died for his sins....well u know where he's @ n the the rest of his followers......rt now they're waiting for the 2nd coming of Jesus to receive His tru church n those believed in joseph smith to resurrection of damnation....the bible is very clear on that..

The only "motive" Joseph Smith had was to do what God told him to do. It's that simple.

Clairvoyance - - What Smith's enemies accuse him of while engaging in the same. I really have to wonder what people such as Dan Vogel hope to achieve by spending hundreds of hours creating RU-vid videos against Joseph Smith. Is he actually accomplishing anything useful or good? Not in the least. It's merely a hobby for him to make such disputes, to have "fun" because he has nothing better to do with his time. Prove me wrong.

Totally Neanderthal profile.

There is a ton of "historical" evidence (archeological & *newer* DNA studies) now confirming the existence of the vast "Moundbuilder" and Adena peoples (possessing Near East mitochondrial DNA H-subgroup(s) X2a and X2j), and much of the archeological evidence found in North America (swords, cimeters, breast plates, farming implements, etc.) has now been carbon dated and strongly supports Book of Mormon timelines. Only misleading sycophants who choose to remain willfully ignorant on these subjects (such as Mr. Vogel) will continue to promote the false assertion that no such evidence exists.

Paul said if we or a angel from heaven preaches any other doctrine let him be accursed galatians chapter 1 so we had to wait 1800 years after jesus died to fulfill the gospel jesus never said that to his apostles he said go preach the gospel 2000 yrs ago I was perplexed by mormons cause they seem good and I'm a average joe so I prayed n there doctrine does not line up to the bible which I believe amen

Vogel the atheist pretends he knows the motivation of someone else? Hahahaha he is nuts.

Joseph Smith was and is a prophet who gave the book of mormon