Hi Frank,
It is strange to me that at the possibility that you were slighted, you go to great lengths to defend yourself and about the importance of truth and then you say that the original poster is lying and spreading rumor.
Easy there, Frank. Please don't put words in my mouth. I didn't say that the original poster was lying. That is untrue. I simply urged caution in spreading a rumor about a "white horse prophecy" that is, in fact, an unsubstantiated rumor/myth that has been denied by the very people who are supposed to believe it.
Secondly, I hope that you understand the difference between "defending" one's self and simply setting the record straight when someone (subtly) makes an allegation.
In this thread, you mentioned how it takes "eyes to see" and "ears to hear" in order to arrive to the opinion -- which wasn't presented as an opinion -- that you shared with another brother. The subtle accusation was that those of us who do not share that opinion lack properly discerning spiritual eyes and ears. When I mentioned it to you, you mentioned something about how if a shoe fits that I should wear it and then told me to judge myself.
I learned a long time ago that individuals wouldn't be accused of "defending" themselves if they weren't also "attacked" for either personal reasons or for the caution that they urge.
It seems that you have made a judgement call that someone is lying brother, you need to re-read the original post and point out who is lying. The context of this thread is the laying out of evidences of what the Mormons believe and the OP made an excellent case. Your sole refutation of the OP is that five years after announcing this prophecy publicly, the head of the Mormons then renounced it. That is your sole evidence to refute the OP, the words of the leader of a Satanic cult?
Frank, this is simply untrue. I cannot understand how you could even come to such a fallacious conclusion.
Again, I did NOT say that the original poster was lying. I simply pointed out that the "white horse prophecy" is nothing more than a myth and rumor. Christians are NOT supposed to be given to such things. We are not supposed to spread myths, old wives tales and the like (I Timothy 4:7). This is true regardless if the subject of those rumors are true believers, unbelievers or members of a cult.
As for the rumor/myth itself: There has been no citation...no evidence...no proof presented to substantiate it. You just claimed that the prophecy was presented and then renounced five years later. So, where is your credible sources for this proclamation? The very cult in question denies this (which is odd given that they don't deny so many other crazy things that they renounced).
Now, to be very clear: This prophecy could be based upon something real. However, YOU do not know it. I don't know it. I have looked into this intently with more than just a few internet searches or books about the Mormon cult. All that I can find is the supposed "prophecy" that is alleged and the fact that I have never seen any evidence that the Mormon cult ever embraced it.
So, an honest presentation of this would be to clearly introduce it as a rumor/myth. Yet, that isn't what happened here. A few individuals repeated this rumor/myth as a means to substantiate why it would be wrong to vote for Mitt Romney. The rumor wasn't presented as a rumor. It wasn't stated that the Mormons claim that this isn't even true. It was presented as either a fact or something important to consider when thinking about whether or not to vote for Governor Romney.
Wow. As I said Chris, if you have any credible evidence to suggest that the OP is merely lies and rumors, you should present that rather than the ususal " I dont know anyone who believes that," that is not evidence.
Again, brother, this is not true. I didn't say that the original poster was lying. Brother Greg simply posted a article that was copied from a website that he cited. I obviously oppose the teachings and doctrines of Mormonism (that was never in doubt). I am simply calling into question the presentation of this rumor/myth as a fact.
And, I didn't say that "I don't know anyone who believes that" in the context of this rumored and mythical "prophecy." And, brother, you need to constrain yourself from further attacks when I truthfully say that I don't know anyone who believes a stereotype that you or others espouse about entire groups. It is WRONG to stereotype or label a group based upon what you or others may deduce about them.
Could you imagine how SermonIndex would be perceived if we judged it upon what others might say about this community? If worldly men deduce that SermonIndex is "a Calvinist community" because a few loud individuals share their views about the matter, it would be wrong for them to proclaim a public judgment about the website based upon a portion of the individuals involved here.
We shouldn't be so easily given to stereotypes, assumptions, myths and rumors. We shouldn't be given to repeating them too. Our lips should be cleaner than that.
Earlier Miccah suggested that he merely was disagreeing with you and presenting what the Lord had laid on his heart. Are you saying the Lord has told you something different? Are you saying that the Lord did not lay this on the brothers heart. You seem to have a very big problem anytime someone says " The Lord spoke to me." God does speak to His people, and He leads them and He guides them and He is very clearly laying it on the hearts of many saints about the dangers of having a Satanic cult leader as their leader. Now you would think that this would be obvious, but as I said before, we live in days of blindness and a sleeping church..............bro Frank
Maybe this is the root of the problem, Frank. You are again making an assumption about me that is simply untrue.
I do believe that God speaks to men in this day. I could tell you stories that would give goosebumps about how the Lord has spoken to me or led me in supernatural ways.
I could express how God even told me the names of individuals that I did not know while I was out sharing the Lord in malls and streets. I could express how the Lord told me specific "secrets of the heart" of certain individuals and how I shared those things while sharing the Gospel with them...and how the Lord used those things to draw them to Christ. I could tell you of visions, dreams and words that the Lord has shared with me. I could tell you about how a house that I lived in was hit by a tornado, but I was rescued because someone had knocked on my door (and I went to answer it just as the tornado hit and tore of the roof and other things everywhere except the door where I stood answering the knock). There are many, many things that the Lord has done in my life for which I do not share here.
At the same time, I believe that there is a difference between claiming that the "Lord led me" to a particular truth that is anything but universal for the Body of Christ. I have strong opinions about many things. At times, I have been ostracized by many people in the churches that I attended because they knew my opinions on certain subjects.
When I was young in Christ, I sometimes had a difficult time knowing the difference between what was from the Lord and what was an opinion or conclusion that I had reached. As a young believer, I sometimes shared those things with the ol' "God told me" or "the Lord showed me" or "the Lord led me to this" rhetoric. I have since learned to distinguish between what is undoubtedly the Lord's words and what are merely conclusions that I reached on matters.
In this case, there are many believers who have a different conclusion -- after prayer, fasting and study -- than the one that you, Miccah or some others may have arrived to. It would be prideful and arrogant of us to share those things as if "God told me" and then publicly dismiss those of you who disagree as not having "eyes to see" or "ears to hear" what God is saying on the matter.
Of course, in this case, I haven't even received any indication from the Lord about my vote. I currently feel inclined to vote for Mitt Romney -- but as I said DESPITE his religious views. However, I will remain in constant prayer about this matter through election day.
At the same time, I am not to be moved by the whims or claims of other brethren who have arrived to their own conclusion on the matter. I certainly wouldn't guess (or second-guess) their relationship with Christ simply because they have a difference of opinion on the matter that they arrived to after as much prayer direction as I have sought.
So, yes, we are living in the "days of blindness." And, yes, the Church in America (and elsewhere) is largely asleep in the Light. Yet, we are not the Lord's eye doctor. We are not the sleep specialist. We are not the Lord's shoe-inspector (even if we suggest that the "shoe fits"). We are not the authority by which we can present "white horse prophecy" as if it were anything other than a myth or rumor knowing that others might also repeat it as such. We are not even the authority by which others should base each and every doctrinal conclusion on non-essential matters.
So, our lips should be pure enough to only present the truth. If something doesn't pass the muster of undeniable truth, then we should disclaim it as much. There is nothing wrong with saying that something is a myth or rumor if we aren't -- or shouldn't be -- entirely certain that it is true. There is nothing wrong with saying "I don't know" if it is said in honesty. This doesn't make us less spiritual. However, there is a danger in the opposite attitude.
Brother, I hope that you understand that this is not personal. I am not endeavoring to "defend" myself from your suggestions. I am simply trying to clarify something that you said that wasn't accurate in a description of me or what I believe. And, of course, I certainly believe that the Lord speaks to us and guides His people in this day. However, I also know that many cults arose from what "God said" to certain individuals. We must rightly divide the Word of Truth...and we must be careful when we present something as being from the Lord or being from ourselves. And, of course, we must avoid gossip, myths and rumors. I believe that God is pleased with such honesty and purity of speech.
But refuse profane and old wives' fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness. - I Timothy 4:7