Mormons: is it true Joseph Smith used to defraud people by charging them for searching for buried gold?

by using 'peep' stones? Sounds a lot like how he founded the Mormon religion, no?Mormons: is it true Joseph Smith used to defraud people by charging them for searching for buried gold?
There are records from 3 separate courts of Smith being hauled in for fraud by treasure hunting.





He even discussed it with his future father in law (Issac Hale) and promised to lay off the magic and fraud.





There are numerous affidavits from his neighbors about his activities. Since Mormons don't like the contents, they ignore them.Mormons: is it true Joseph Smith used to defraud people by charging them for searching for buried gold?
Quite the opposite. Joseph Smith worked for a time for a man with a lot of money. When the man decided to go treasure hunting, Joseph Smith tried to talk him out of it. The man would not be swayed, and since Joseph needed the money, he eventually agreed to continue searching. After some time and a lot of money had been spent, Joseph Smith was actually the one who finally persuaded the guy to quit.





Joseph Smith was just a hired worker, nothing more, nothing less. This had nothing to do with the faith.
no, actually it is not entirely true. It is true that charges of being a 'disorderly person' (the term then used to imply fraud) were once brought against him by the nephew of Josiah Stowell - but Joseph was acquitted according to the records (rather complex). scrying or seer stones have a very long and diverse (almost universal) history. the tradition of village seers goes back to England and covers hundreds of years of respectable service in their communities.





Peter Bridgeman (the nephew) believed that Joseph had defrauded his uncle because he used a seer stone.....and this was not the last time that Joseph's activities with a seer stone were described as fraud. later he was accused of being a ';confidence man.'; but - Dan Vogel( one of JS biographers) when he describes why one might see Joseph as a con man, also provides the information that allows us to see why that label is a distortion of the actual historical situation:


quoted from Brant Gardner ---


';A typical confidence scheme in Smith's time involved a transient who entered an area that was known for its tales of lost treasures and the charlatan's magical powers could be put to good advantage. Using a ';peep'; stone or mineral rod, he would lead the credulous to a remote spot where he had previously deposited a few coins and was able to impress them by ';finding'; the coins. In the ensuing excitement, he would ask to be paid for his services or, more boldly, suggest that a company be established and that shares be sold. Thereupon, he would disappear with the money. On the other hand, he might string the people along by leading them to subsequent spots, then offer magical explanations for the failure to locate or secure the treasure. For instance, he might tell them that the treasure was protected by an evil spirit or that they had not precisely followed the magical formula he had given them. Eventually he would suggest that the undertaking be abandoned, whereupon he would slip out of town with the money.';





JS functioned as the local seer - he found things that were lost,a nd had clients that often looked to him for help. the difference?


-the con men were transients --- the village seers were residential.


-the con man elicited clients for his talents, and the village seers were consulted. with Joseph the client came to him with their problem.


-the con men created the scam for money and left so they would not have to deal with the consequences. JS was part of the community, and remained so through success and failure. people came to them because of reputation.
56 In the year 1823, my father's


family met with a great affliction by


the death of my eldest brother,


Alvin. In the month of October,


1825, I hired with an old gentleman


by the name of Josiah Stoal, who


lived in Chenango county, State of


New York. He had heard something


about a silver mine having been opened


by the Spaniards in Harmony,


Susquehanna county, State of Penn-


sylvania; and had, previous to my


hiring to him, been digging, in order,


if possible, to discover the mine.


After I went to live with him, he


took me, with the rest of his hands,


to dig for the silver mine, at which


I continued to work for nearly a


month, whithout success in our


undertaking, and finally I prevailed


with the old gentleman to cease dig-


ging after it. Hence arose the very


prevalent story of my having been a


money-digger.


57 During the time that I was thus


employed, I was put to board with


a Mr. Isaac Hale, of that place;


it was there I first saw my wife (his


daughter), Emma Hale. On the 18th


of January, 1827, we were married,


while I was yet employed in the


service of Mr. Stoal.


(Joseph Smith - History 1:56-57 in the


Pearl of Great Price)





Short story: Joseph found his own treasure, his wife Emma, during and indeed because of this activity. Those who realize the importance of this will recognize the hand of God in it.
Why are you so interested in the Mormon religion.


Since you are asking with negative hints at something YOU feel happened and YOU feel should not have happened, that means you are looking for something to make the Mormon Church look bad.





Why is that? Why are you not concentrating on yourself and what YOU believe. It sounds like you enjoy trying to find something negative in what others believe.





No - I am not a Mormon - now. However, I do make my comments known on certain parts of their religion which I know something about.





You however, probably have never really investigated, know or understand what they teach and therefore, YOU are trying to stir up trouble.





Good for you. That is what a true Christian should be doing, is it not? You are truly following the teachings of Jesus when you judge, condemn and cause trouble, aren't you.
Not that I am aware of.





But I do know that lots of people came to him for help looking for buried treasure, like Josiah Stoal. (Looking for treasure was a lot more popular back then--everybody thought the Spaniards had treasure everywhere)
Next time, don't use an anti Mormon site. They're full of lies.
Haven't heard that one before... Do you have a source for the claim?