D&C 129 wrote:1 There are two kinds of beings in heaven, namely: Angels, who are resurrected personages, having bodies of flesh and bones—
2 For instance, Jesus said: Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
3 Secondly: the spirits of just men made perfect, they who are not resurrected, but inherit the same glory.
4 When a messenger comes saying he has a message from God, offer him your hand and request him to shake hands with you.
5 If he be an angel he will do so, and you will feel his hand.
6 If he be the spirit of a just man made perfect he will come in his glory; for that is the only way he can appear—
7 Ask him to shake hands with you, but he will not move, because it is contrary to the order of heaven for a just man to deceive; but he will still deliver his message.
8 If it be the devil as an angel of light, when you ask him to shake hands he will offer you his hand, and you will not feel anything; you may therefore detect him.
9 These are three grand keys whereby you may know whether any administration is from God.
Did JSJr shake hands with the apparitions that appeared before him in the grove? How did he learn that they had bodies of flesh and bone?
Did JSJr ask to shake hands with the angel Moroni (previously called 'Nephi' by JSJr)?
Did JSJr ask to the angel to put down the sword and to shake hands with JSJr before accepting the commandment to commit adultery?
If you can live in heaven without requiring a resurrected body then what was the point of Christ?
“When we are confronted with evidence that challenges our deeply held beliefs we are more likely to reframe the evidence than we are to alter our beliefs. We simply invent new reasons, new justifications, new explanations. Sometimes we ignore the evidence altogether.” (Mathew Syed 'Black Box Thinking')
D&C 129 wrote:1 There are two kinds of beings in heaven, namely: Angels, who are resurrected personages, having bodies of flesh and bones—
2 For instance, Jesus said: Handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
3 Secondly: the spirits of just men made perfect, they who are not resurrected, but inherit the same glory.
4 When a messenger comes saying he has a message from God, offer him your hand and request him to shake hands with you.
5 If he be an angel he will do so, and you will feel his hand.
6 If he be the spirit of a just man made perfect he will come in his glory; for that is the only way he can appear—
7 Ask him to shake hands with you, but he will not move, because it is contrary to the order of heaven for a just man to deceive; but he will still deliver his message.
8 If it be the devil as an angel of light, when you ask him to shake hands he will offer you his hand, and you will not feel anything; you may therefore detect him.
9 These are three grand keys whereby you may know whether any administration is from God.
Did JSJr shake hands with the apparitions that appeared before him in the grove? How did he learn that they had bodies of flesh and bone?
Did JSJr ask to shake hands with the angel Moroni (previously called 'Nephi' by JSJr)?
Did JSJr ask to the angel to put down the sword and to shake hands with JSJr before accepting the commandment to commit adultery?
No, no and no. And so the foundations of Mormonism--the First Vision, the Book of Mormon and Celestial marriage--may well have been demonic in origin.
If you look at it from one angle, it could be argued that Satan deceived Joseph in these things and the mob at Carthage was carrying out the will of God in eliminating him. Makes as much sense as any other "spiritual" narrative.
You're all overthinking everything. Just pray and ask for the warm-and-tinglies in your bosom. Never mind all that activity behind the curtain... er, veil.
Proud to be the first of the "February Four" expelled from the Ceebooist branch of NeverMormonism.