Until
1979, the introduction page of the Doctrine and Covenants stated that
"Joseph Smith received visitations from Moroni, an angel of
light".
“This took place in the early spring of 1820.
In September 1823, and at later times, Joseph Smith received
visitations from Moroni, an angel of light, who revealed the resting place
of the ancient record from which the Book of Mormon was afterward
translated.” D&C Introduction
“After this third visit, he again ascended into
heaven as before, and I was again left to ponder on the strangeness of what
I had just experienced when almost immediately after the heavenly messenger
had ascended from me for the third time, the cock crowed, and I found that
day was approaching so that our interviews must have occupied the whole of
that night”. Joseph Smith’s Testimony 2:47
So a cock crowed after the angel Moroni appeared 3
times and introduced a false Christ and we see in the Bible that a cock
crowed after Peter denied Jesus the 3rd time.
Coincidence?
However, this is contrary to what the Bible teaches.
Angels and humans are two entirely different types of lifeforms created by
God. For instance, God created the angels to neither marry nor procreate
(Matt. 22:30).
The
question remains as to whether or not an angel actually did appear to
Joseph Smith or if he simply invented the stories. Those who believe the
angel Moroni is an invention point out that Moroni is the name of the
capital city of the Comoro Islands off the coast of Madagascar. One of the
islands is itself named Camora, and Smith named the hill in which he
supposedly discovered the golden tablets “Cumorah.” Prior to his
“revelation,” Smith had been involved in treasure hunting and might
have been drawn to the stories of Captain Kidd, who mapped the Coromo
Islands.
The Comoros is a sovereign, archipelago island nation
in the Indian Ocean located near the eastern coast of Africa.
As you can see on the map provided it consists of a
town called Moroni which serves as the capital of the island nation.
Now what are the odds this is a coincidence?
From what historical records have shown throughout the
writings of the Church, while Smith may have only had a third grade
education and was horrible at spelling, he did have access to books.
When searching Mormon Doctrine by Bruce R. McConkie a
general authority of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS
Church), on page 26 of the 1966 edition we find,
Angel of Light
(Angel of Light)
See DEVIL
2 Corinthians 11:14-15
14 And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed
into an angel of light.
15 Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as
the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their
works.
