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When one brings up the story of Joseph Smith Jr., either reverence or ambiguities will more than likely arise. The LDS (Mormons), the RLDS, and the many other branches rooted from Smith’s teachings view him as “the great prophet of God;” whereas, a vast majority of others question his belief of being called by God to restore the “true church.” In this paper we will briefly view the life of Joseph Smith, and then show what he believed and taught, making manifest the significance of this false prophet. The Life of Joseph Smith Joseph Smith was born December 23, 1805. As a youth, he moved from Vermont to western New York, near the town of Palmyra. (Melton 29) His family was proselyted into the Presbyterian denomination. Either his fourteenth or fifteenth year (not made clear from the many different testimonies) he claimed that although he was partial to the Methodist sect he still did not know which group to join. His problem was solved by a vision he had in 1820. Writer LeGrand Richards described this vision as, “One of the most important and momentous events in this world’s history. God, the Eternal Father, and his Son, Jesus Christ, appeared to Joseph Smith and gave instructions concerning the establi