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#19 The Facts On The Mormon Church
19. If the Mormon prophets were divinely
inspired, how does the Mormon Church explain their false prophecies?
In his own words Joseph Smith Jr. emphasized:
The only way of ascertaining a true prophet is to compare
his prophecies with the Word of God, and see if they agree...When, therefore,
any man, no matter who, or how high his standing may be, utters, or publishes,
anything that afterwards proves to be untrue, he is a false prophet.
Bruce McConkie
agrees and claims, "By their works it shall be known whether professing
ministers of religion are true or false prophets. Joseph Smith was a true
prophet."
But the Mormon Church also admits that "if his
claims to divine appointment be false, forming as they do the foundation of the
Church in this last dispensation. The superstructure {of the Church} cannot be
stable.
If Smith did give false prophecies, then the
superstructure of the Mormon Church collapses. According to Deuteronomy
18:20-22, if an alleged prophet's prophecy did not come true, he spoke in the
name of the Lord presumptuously. But if this prophet spoke in the names of
false gods to lead the people astray, that prophet was to die.
Joseph Smith claimed to be a true biblical
prophet. The fact that his prophecies did not come true proves he was a false
prophet. He spoke in the name of false gods and taught false doctrines,
thereby leading people astray from biblical truth.
In Doctrine and Covenants 1:37,38, "God" promises that the prophecies
and promises within the book's pages "shall all be fulfilled." Doctrine and
Covenants 84:1-5,31, declares under the authority of "the Word of the Lord"
that both a city and a temple are to be built "in the Western boundaries of the
State of Missouri and dedicated by the hand of Joseph Smith." This was a
revelation given to Smith on September 22-23, 1882, at Independence MO. It
stated clearly that the temple would be erected during the lifetime of those
then living. The prophecy promised the temple would be erected "in this
generation" (Doctrine and Covenants 84:4,5), and that "this generation
shall not pass away" until it was built.
In 1864, 30 years after the prophecy was given, the apostle George
Cannon continued to teach that the temple would be built before "this
generation" passed away. In 1870, almost 40 years later, Orson Pratt confirmed
that the Church could expect a literal fulfillment of the prophecy because "God
promised it" and "God cannot lie." In 1900, 70 years later, Lorenzo Snow
emphasized that the Mormons now living in Utah would still go back to Missouri
and build their temple. Even in 1931, 99 years after the prophecy, Joseph
Fielding Smith was stating his "firm belief" that the temple would be built.
But more than 170 years after the original prophecy, the temple has still not
been built! "This generation" all passed away long ago. Joseph Smith is also
long since dead and unable to dedicate the temple as "God" promised. No one can
deny the prophecy was false.
Another false prediction can be seen in the so-called "Civil War" prophecy
recorded in Doctrine and Covenants 87:1-8, given on December 25, 1832.
Although Mormons claim the prediction is "remarkable" and proof of Smith's
prophethood, this is not the case. First, the prediction of a civil war to begin
in South Carolina was not unusual. In 1832 Congress passed a tariff act refused
by South Carolina, and Andrew Jackson alerted the troops. Even in 1832 "the
nation was fully expecting a war to begin promptly in South Carolina."
Also, the prophecy itself is wrong on a number of counts. For one thing, when
the Civil War did occur, it was not poured out upon "all nations." There were no
earthquakes, "thunder of heaven," or lighting. Neither did all the earth's
population feel the "wrath of the almighty" nor was there "a full end of all
nations." In addition, there is some doubt the prophecy was a genuine prediction
to begin with."
Mormon rationalization for these and numerous other false prophecies have
proved futile. Instead of admitting the fact that Smith was a false prophet,
Mormons continue to deceive other people by portraying him as a genuine prophet
of God.
Taken from The Facts On The
Mormon Church, by John Ankerberg and John Weldon, published by Harvest House
Publishers.
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