It’s always interesting to see the White Horse prophecy discussed in major media outlets. This might be a good time to read this excellent article by FAIR on this particular prophecy. To summarize: the White Horse prophecy is not official Church doctrine and there are many reasons to doubt its accuracy. However, there are many reasons to believe that Joseph Smith did, on several occasions, predict that the Constitution would be saved by Elders of the Church. There is reason to believe that the prophet meant that Elders of the Church would support good government and protect the Constitution (not assume control of the government). As a supporter of Mitt Romney’s candidacy, I don’t believe any of these prophecies are relevant to him directly.
The Millennial Star
Weird. What’s weirder is that democrat who uses the phrase to run because he thinks Republicans are making the constitution hang by a thread. Although I think it equally silly how some Republicans saw that from Democratic appointed justices.
I probably should provide a link to the text itself. The “white horse” are the saints in the west as opposed to the “red horse.” A lot of the “prophecy” is pretty common beliefs of the era. (i.e. predictions of wealth from minerals) The claim, and its a pretty dubious one, is that there will be a banking failure and that only Utah banks and English banks will be trusted. The banking failure leads to a kind of Iraqi like civil war in the US. Turkey becomes democratic. Utah is the only place of peace during the civil war. There will be a problem of feeding all the refugees to the Utah region. England and France team up (this was the 19th century when they were enemies) to keep Russia from taking over the world. (Many don’t know that under the Czars of the era Russia was a world power – but probably the Soviet empire kept this text alive in some conservative Mormon minds)
Anyway, even ignoring its problematic source the account itself seems kind of difficult to buy. The banking issue, which is key to everything, being the biggest issue.
Yes, it’s disturbing to see the media pick up folk doctrine and bandy it about as if it were a central or an accepted LDS belief. I wonder how the WSJ can even portray it as an LDS religious belief at all when all the LDS religion people they quoted downplayed the idea that the prophecy is reliable or relied upon by Mormons. The only people who seem to buy into it (surprise!) are LDS politicians. I’ve never once heard the White Horse prophecy discussed or even referenced in LDS church meetings or classes.
It is especially odd considering that JFS and McConkie, the great propagators of Mormon oddities, stated publicly and repeatedly that the prophecy was false and not from the Prophet.
Joseph on several occasions talked about the constitution hanging by a thread. The First Presidency publicly claimed in 1885 that the prophecy was then at hand. There are countless other examples throughout our history.
…now, if Mitt’s name were David, then we might be on to something (grin).
Geoff, et al at M*:
Ya’ll might want to consider switching hosts (again). The server on which this web site is now hosted often refuses connections and often comes up “server not found”. It fluctuates day to day. But the bottom line is that the web site is often unavailable.
I have had the same problem as Bookslinger.
Me, too, that’s why I don’t post as often.
I am convinced that this prophecy has already been fulfilled by the Mormon Battallion.
During the Civil War the country was divided. Many states sought to dismiss the Constitution and withdraw from the Union.
Despite years of abuse from the Federal Government a battalion of Mormon men marched west to protect the Union.
The prophecy is false and Mormon prophets after Joseph Smith made that very clear in 1918 when Joseph H. Smith thoroughly debunked the White Horse fallacy. It’s amazing that many members still cling to this falsehood. Of all the Motmon myths, this one still gets quoted, but it’s still false.
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