Father Figure

Shawn McCraney discusses the influence of Joseph Smith Jr.'s familial background, particularly his paternal grandfather Asael and father Joseph Smith Sr., in shaping the foundational beliefs of Mormonism, emphasizing themes like Universalism and the anticipation of restoring the "primitive church". These views strongly influenced Joseph Jr.'s religious innovations and align with the family's restorationist and religious liberty ideals, contrasting with conventional Christian doctrine by advocating that all people are saved, a belief stemming from their Universalist affiliations.

Joseph Smith Jr. was heavily influenced by his family's belief that he was destined for a significant religious role, with his grandfather prophesying that a descendant would revolutionize religious faith and his father experiencing visionary dreams and holding unorthodox spiritual views. Despite the family's financial struggles and his father's challenges with alcohol and treasure seeking, Joseph grew up closely connected to his family, which played a critical role in shaping his theological ideas and his mission to restore what he believed to be the primitive religion of God in America.

Father Smith's dream illustrates a journey to a tree bearing exquisite, white fruit symbolizing the pure love of God, with his family happily partaking in this divine experience, despite facing ridicule from those depicted as proud and scornful within a grand building representing worldly contempt or Babylon. In the context of the early 19th century, there was a prevalent justification within the Latter-day Saints (LDS) community for the Smith family's practice of magic and treasure seeking, seen by some as a culturally accepted activity, though scripture warns against such practices as a deviation from seeking God's guidance.

The teaching discusses how early Bible-believing Christians rejected practices like money digging and magic parchments, trusting instead in scripture, a contrast to the beliefs of Joseph Smith's family who engaged in such practices before Mormonism emerged. It highlights the influence of Joseph Smith's father, a visionary man, on Joseph Junior, notably on the formation of beliefs central to Mormonism, as seen in the Book of Mormon narrative which integrates Smith's familial visionary traditions.