Thursday, January 07, 2010

Church Statement on White Horse Prophesy

In the LDS Church, there are several cases where the members tell stories that are what I like to call "extra doctrinal" because they have been passed down from person to person and are either not true, or the "accepted" truth is far from reality.

One of these is that Joseph Smith (or Brigham Young or Bruce R McConkie) said that if a man has been home from his mission a year (or turns 25 or turns 27) he is a menace to society.

Another is that Joseph Smith said that the constitution would one day hang by a thread, and that someone from Zion would ride in on a White Horse and save it.

This "White Horse Prophesy" has been getting some media attention lately, especially from Idaho, because a candidate for Governor there has been hosting meetings where he only wants LDS Priesthood holders attending so he can discuss this prophecy. Well, that has led the church to issue the following statement:

"The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is politically neutral and does not endorse or promote any candidate, party or platform. Accordingly, we hope that the campaign practices of political candidates would not suggest that their candidacy is supported by or connected to the church.

"The so-called 'White Horse Prophecy' is based on accounts that have not been substantiated by historical research and is not embraced as Church doctrine."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

That's interesting, Bob, thanks for sharing. I've read many quotes on the Constitution hanging by a thread, but I've actually never heard this part about the "White Horse." Does the "White Horse Prophecy" include the "hanging by a thread" part or just the horse part? I'm assuming just the horse.

Anyway, I better go back to menacing society now...