Without Disclosing My True Identity
Likewise, honest research would reveal that most of the accepted History of the
Church was written over the course of many decades after Joseph’s death, interpolating
words and scenarios that present Joseph as the author, when he actually had nothing at all
to do with what was written. The editors of the LDS/Mormon published history had access
to some of Joseph’s writings, much of which was from a dairy he kept. But these religiously
biased editors presented his history as they wanted it to be known in similar fashion to the
way the Bible had been concocted and edited, turning it (the Bible) into an instrument of
theocratic, political, and social control over people.
The editors of Joseph’s history included many things that promoted the doctrines
and behaviors necessary to control the people and to justify the lusts of the early leaders, as
well as to embellish the laws of carnal commandments that Joseph gave them in their
rebellion against the “fullness of the everlasting Gospel as delivered by the Savior.”
However, even if Joseph had written the history himself, he would not have told the real
truth in full, because he was mandated otherwise. In fact, Joseph was instructed to obfuscate
it, just as Christ did. Joseph’s revelations and diaries included only those things that
accurately reflected the rebellious state of the people and their lust to be told what to do, just
as the people of ancient Israel desired from their Moses. “And because [the LDS/Mormons]
desired it Joseph hath done it, that they may stumble.”^23
The Controversy Over the Title Page of the Book of Mormon
One of the great thorns in Joseph side was the controversy that developed after the
Book of Mormon was completed in June of 1829, when Joseph secured a copyright for the
book by submitting what he referred to as the “title-page of the Book of Mormon”^24 to the
clerk of the U.S. District Court.^25 Martin Harris was livid when he found out its contents.
Martin alleged that Joseph had left out important details that were included in the first part
of the Book of Mormon plates and which were in the 116-page manuscript that he had lost. He
remembered some of the strict warnings and counsel Moroni had given upon the first plate
(as Martin remembered) that Joseph translated. Harris was confused as to why Joseph
would submit an incomplete translation of the first plate for copyright protection excluding
many of the things that were included in the 116-page manuscript.^26
Martin had a hard time with this issue and never let it go throughout his life. In his
mind, Joseph had lied and invented a title page that did not exist. Martin commented about
the title page throughout his life, revealing things that Joseph told him never to discuss with
others. The question of the authenticity of the title page was a relentless and ongoing
problem, giving Joseph cause to address it specifically when he began his written, official
history of the church in 1838, which history, for all intents and purposes, was Joseph’s diary
at the time. Joseph attempted to defuse the situation in the following diary entry about the
title page: “Therefore, in order to correct an error, which generally exists concerning it,”^27
followed by his explanation of it being “a genuine and literal translation of the title-page of
the original Book of Mormon as recorded on the plates.”
The real truth is that the title page did not exist until Joseph inquired into the Urim
and Thummim about how he was supposed to begin the Book of Mormon record. The way he
had originally written down the beginning of the record in the front of the 116-page
manuscript had been lost. The original handwritten title page penned by Emma, who was
Joseph’s first scribe, included important translator’s instructions intended only for whoever
would receive the plates for translation. These supplemental instructions, therefore, were