Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space?

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What do you think about Joseph Fielding Smith's moon prophecy?

He spoke out about something quasi-political. As a Church official, he should have known to leave well enough alone.
6
4%
It was his personal opinion and he was wrong about it. Big deal.
49
35%
I think this is proof he was a "false prophet."
1
1%
He's human...sometimes even Prophets or Apostles get stuff wrong.
26
18%
Joseph Fielding Smith was right about the moon, and still is to this day.
60
42%
 
Total votes: 142
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7cylon7
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by 7cylon7 »

man did not go to the moon, sorry. Truth is truth. Only the 1% will find their way through the mist of darkness.

In fact, it really does not matter. I have heard and seen the evidence. We have sent rovers and ships to the moon but not man.

One word. Radiation. Any man that goes out of the protective shield of the magnetosphere would die of radiation sickness. The shielding in the 1960 was just not enough to protect the men.

Why didn't the Russians go to the moon? Why has no one but us gone to the moon. Are you kidding me. Look at the south pole every nation on the world is there exploring. The moon is even better. The Russian for sure would of went if they could of.

Just be aware that these people will stop at nothing to keep their power. They want more power and they want to make you a slave. Lets keep that in mind.

JohnnyL
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by JohnnyL »

shadow wrote:
JohnnyL wrote:
Hey, swords can be double-edged! :D
That was the point I was making.
Remember, it was JFS's words that were used to bolster the position that man didn't go to the moon (note the title of the thread). Turns out he said he was wrong. Turns out a prophet said we did go to the moon. Fortunately the moon trip, whether it happened or not, has absolutely nothing to do with my salvation.
I don't think he said "I was wrong." ;)
Did he go back to it? No...
If he had said, "It was fake"--then or later--how would that have changed the course of church history?

Nan
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by Nan »

In a 1972 press conference when JFS was made president of the church he was asked about that quote. He said "I was wrong wasn't I."

JohnnyL
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by JohnnyL »

Nan wrote:In a 1972 press conference when JFS was made president of the church he was asked about that quote. He said "I was wrong wasn't I."
"wasn't I"--is that a confirmation, or a question? Is there an actual voice recording, I'd love to hear it. You might be right.
What was he going to do, say it was fake?? Seriously, if he had straight revelation it was fake, what do you think he would have said?

Nan
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by Nan »

He was admitting he was wrong about it.

JohnnyL
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by JohnnyL »

Nan wrote:He was admitting he was wrong about it.
"wasn't I"--is that a confirmation, or a question? Is there an actual voice recording, I'd love to hear it. You might be right.
What was he going to do, say it was fake?? Seriously, if he had straight revelation it was fake, what do you think he would have said?

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A Random Phrase
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by A Random Phrase »

Nan wrote:In a 1972 press conference when JFS was made president of the church he was asked about that quote. He said "I was wrong wasn't I."
That answers the opening question as far as JFS's own opinion, then. It would appear that he didn't think it an earthshaking mistake to believe it and be in error.

(As for me, the jury is still out on whether or not the trip to the moon was actually made.)

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laronius
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by laronius »

I really don't have an opinion one way or the other, but two points:

1. If you look at fairmormon.org website you will see that the quote credited to Pres Smith "Well, I was wrong, wasn't I?" was based on someone's personal reminiscence.
http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_ ... n_the_Moon" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

2. I think it is part of God's plan that his servants are wrong from time to time on insignificant things to weed out those not truly converted.

But like I said, whether he was wrong or right, it doesn't matter to me.

JohnnyL
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by JohnnyL »

http://waronyou.com/forums/index.php?topic=20005.0;wap2" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Funny I had forgotten one of the best articles on this topic...

Stanley Kubrick seems to be Mr. Photographer, and the tricks he used.

heartsongs
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by heartsongs »

Simply, we did not go to the moon, not then nor ever. Joseph Fielding Smith was right. Don't believe it, research it for yourself.

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A Random Phrase
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by A Random Phrase »

heartsongs wrote:Simply, we did not go to the moon, not then nor ever. Joseph Fielding Smith was right. Don't believe it, research it for yourself.
I find the evidence on both sides persuasive, thus I am in the middle. I don't know if we went or not.

JohnnyL
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Posts: 9832

Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by JohnnyL »

Here's a link that has photos in it: http://assassinationscience.com/HowKubr ... ings-1.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

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francisco.colaco
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by francisco.colaco »

Anyone on Earth with an appropriate laser and telescope system can bounce laser beams off three retroreflector arrays left on the Moon by Apollo 11, 14 and 15.

The following image has the american landing module from Apollo XI on the lunar surface.

Image

JohnnyL
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by JohnnyL »

francisco.colaco wrote:Anyone on Earth with an appropriate laser and telescope system can bounce laser beams off three retroreflector arrays left on the Moon by Apollo 11, 14 and 15.

The following image has the american landing module from Apollo XI on the lunar surface.

Image
So they say. Did man put them there?

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Etosha
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by Etosha »

People - come on! We went to the moon OK - Wake up all you people who think you are soooooo awake!

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francisco.colaco
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by francisco.colaco »

JohnnyL wrote:
francisco.colaco wrote:Anyone on Earth with an appropriate laser and telescope system can bounce laser beams off three retroreflector arrays left on the Moon by Apollo 11, 14 and 15.

The following image has the american landing module from Apollo XI on the lunar surface.]
So they say. Did man put them there?
No, of course not, Big Bird and the Cookie Monster did it.

JohnnyL
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Posts: 9832

Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by JohnnyL »

francisco.colaco wrote:
JohnnyL wrote:
francisco.colaco wrote:Anyone on Earth with an appropriate laser and telescope system can bounce laser beams off three retroreflector arrays left on the Moon by Apollo 11, 14 and 15.

The following image has the american landing module from Apollo XI on the lunar surface.]
So they say. Did man put them there?
No, of course not, Big Bird and the Cookie Monster did it.
Expand your thinking... Did a man have to be there to put them there? Is that the only way?

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francisco.colaco
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by francisco.colaco »

JohnnyL,

Joseph Fielding Smith spoke also of INSTRUMENTED flights not allowed on the moon or space. Are you by the way implying that 1) the picture is false (VLIW is european, runned by ESA, not NASA), 2) aliens did it, or 3) the soviets never did land and operate a fabulous rover on the moon in 1970, nor the martian rovers are real?

That was HIS personal opinion. One is entitled to be quite a dushebag on his personal opinions, and while they have no eternal consequences, man is supposed to have them and discuss them. I believe that humanity will land a man on Mars (if they have the time to do it), but it would take different physics to travel through space into distant stars or galaxies. Physics that we do not have now.

The «I was wrong, wasn't I?» for me tells a tale of someone who knew what he received was not revelation, but personal opinion. If you consider all he uttered revelation, even when clearly marked as opinion, then the Sun should be a planet, not a star (check, it is there).

I can't help feeling that if Joseph Fielding Smith was here to defend himself, he would be rolling on the floor laughing.

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francisco.colaco
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by francisco.colaco »

JohnnyL,

I am afraid, and was warned about this by a kind soul, that my words were not expressed the right way. Thus what I have written will be read with a different meaning by my own fault. I have written « One is entitled to be quite a dushebag on his personal opinions, and while they have no eternal consequences, man is supposed to have them and discuss them.», and that will be naturally red as a personal insult. It is not.

What I meant in anyone (you or ME or anyone else), can and will be quite a dushebag in personal opinions. We, as intelligent and opinionated individuals, tend to believe in the most incredible things (don't make me talk about my own history of past beliefs, unless you want something better than a sitcom).

So, what I meant is that as ling as the opinions do not have eternal consequences (like moon landings, evolution vs creation, democrats vs republicans or, in my case, PSD vs PS vs CDS --- local political parties) the Lord will neither interfere nor guide by revelation. I am sure most scientific books are full of statements that will in time be proven outright false. What I have learned is the Lord does not care. He expexts mankind and individuals to develop their own opinions, to exercise intellect and, occasionally, to be quite silly doing so. You, I and anyone else.

I wouldn't want it any other way ;)

Once again, I am sorry for my terrible expression and I plead for your understanding. (Thanks also, Brian, for not letting this unfortunate mistake pass).

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Daryl
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by Daryl »

Cool thread. I am surprised with the results. Joseph F was right. In this instance, he knew what he was talking abut.

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Simon
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by Simon »

We could continue and ponder why among many early churchleaders there was the beliefe that man similiar to us lived on the moon. Apparently this was something Joesph taught, but we only get that info from second hand witnesses.. Nevertheless, there also have been patriarchal blessings that talk about it. One even given by Joseph Smith Jr.. Here a couple of examples:


"[Oliver B.] Huntington received a blessing from his father, William, on 7 December 1836. As recorded in the Patriarchal Blessing Book, the text reads: 'I lay my hands on thee & bless thee with a father's blessing.… Thou shalt be called to preach the gospel to this generation.… Before thou art twenty one thou wilt be called to preach the fullness of the gospel, thou shalt have power with God even to translate thyself to Heaven, & preach to the inhabitants of the moon or planets, if it shall be expedient, if thou art faithful all these blessings will be given thee …' Other early Mormon blessings expressed similar sentiments. On 15 December 1836 Lorenzo Snow received a blessing under the hand of Joseph Smith, Sr.: 'Thou shalt have great faith, even like the brother of Jared. Thou shalt have power to translate thyself from one planet to another, power to go to the moon if thou desire it, power to preach to the spirits in prison. Power like Enoch to translate thyself to heaven …' On 21 February 1836 Joseph Smith, Sr., blessed Jonathan Crosby, saying: 'Thou shalt … Be caught up to the third heavens, and behold unspeakable things, whether in the body or out.… And when thy [p.210] mission is full here, thou shalt visit other worlds.' Wilford Woodruff recorded in his journal on 3 January 1837 that Zebedee Coltrin 'Pronounced great blessings upon my head by the Spirit of Prophecy & Revelation.' Among other things the blessing said that he 'should visit COLUB & Preach to the spirits in Prision & that I should bring all of my friends or relatives forth from the Terrestrial Kingdom.' These blessings are congruent with Joseph Smith's conviction that translated beings were ordained by God 'to be ministering angels unto many planets.'"7

Now, was that inspiration false ? Are there beins living on the moon ? Are they invisible ?

Silas
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by Silas »

I tend to think that is the concern of the people who received those blessings as they are not revelation to the church. Maybe spirit prison is on the moon and they did get to preach there? I dunno. Maybe there was something wrong with the blessings. Even though the people are dead I still think blessings are of a personal nature and probably shouldn't be shared publicly.

Volante
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by Volante »

Maybe he didn't mean that man wouldn't set foot on the moon, just that we wouldn't hold dominion over the moon. We do seem to have lost interest in moon travel, and pretty quickly, too. No one wants to vacation on the moon or colonize it and live there. Sending man there did lead us to a lot of new awesome technology, but there's no reason for humans to be on the moon, so man isn't on the moon.

Anyway, the moon is held to the Earth's orbit, so even if we did end up colonizing the moon in the future, I don't see it as escaping the bounds of our sphere.

Either explanation works. Either way, we are still Earthbound.

optimusmoose
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by optimusmoose »

I am in utter shock that so many would vote that JFS was right. My goodness people.

First off, HE SAID HE WAS WRONG ABOUT IT. It's all over the web. (http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_ ... n_the_Moon" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

Second, the fact that this is all over the web and the majority of votes did not care to or think to google it would suggest that the majority of people who voted would rather assume their belief net is correct that investigate the likely possibility that it is not.

This is really, really sad.

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Searching for Kolob
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Re: Was Joseph Fielding Smith wrong about the Moon and Space

Post by Searching for Kolob »

optimusmoose wrote:I am in utter shock that so many would vote that JFS was right. My goodness people.

First off, HE SAID HE WAS WRONG ABOUT IT. It's all over the web. (http://en.fairmormon.org/Mormonism_and_ ... n_the_Moon" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;)

Second, the fact that this is all over the web and the majority of votes did not care to or think to google it would suggest that the majority of people who voted would rather assume their belief net is correct that investigate the likely possibility that it is not.

This is really, really sad.
Threes words: Van Allen belts.

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