Saturday, August 30, 2014

Revisiting LDS President George Albert Smith's 1946 Prophecy; Why It Is Unlikely To Be Fulfilled In Its Specified Format

The deteriorating international situation, with the wars, rumours of wars, pestilence, and drought have triggered a renewed interest in prophecy among some within the Mormon community. Among the prophecies discussed is one reportedly given in 1946 by Church President George Albert Smith while visiting with a family in Utah. The person recording the prophecy was a neighbor of President Smith.

Here is the most important excerpt:

Pres. Smith said, "I have had a troublesome vision of another great and terrible war that made the war just ended look like a training exercise World War II and people died like flies. It began at a time when the Soviet Union's military might dwarfed that of the United States, and we [that is, the United States] would have missiles in Europe that carried an atomic bomb. I saw the United States withdraw its missiles to appease the Soviet Union, and then the war began." He also said that we would have big missiles in deep holes he described like grain silos which the Soviets would try to destroy with their own missiles. They would hit military installations and some cities also. He said that the president at that time would be of Greek extraction.

Until then all the presidents would be of British or northern European ancestry. He continued that the U.S. would be bound by numerous entangling alliances and would take away weapons owned by the people. He talked some about the initial attack and the ground warfare, but I can't remember enough to document all their tactics and in which countries various things occurred. One tactic, especially in Europe, was to transport tanks in thousands of big trucks like semi-trailers on the super highways to have them located where they wanted them when the war was to begin. During that explanation I asked, "What about the Atomic Cannon?" to which he answered, "I didn't see anything like that." Then he said, "The aftermath was dreadful. Think of the worst, most difficult times of the Depression." He turned to us children and said, "You won't remember the Depression," which was true. I didn't know there was a depression as I was growing up - the sun came up every morning, flowers bloomed, we went to school, and there was church every Sunday. But he repeated to our parents, "Think of the worst condition of the Depression. Can you think of something?" Our father answered, "Oh yes!" Then Pres. Smith continued, "You know how Sunday school picnics are complete with salad, chicken, root beer, and dessert, and everyone has a wonderful time. The worst time of the Depression will seem like a Sunday school picnic when compared with conditions that will exist after that great war." When he finished speaking he turned around and went to the front door.

Post-analysis reveals the most likely time of fulfillment of this prophecy would have been 1988-1989. The U.S. had just reached agreement with the Soviet Union on intermediate range nuclear forces in 1987. The key to preventing fulfillment may have been President Ronald Reagan's courageous refusal to accept Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev's proposal to ban all ballistic missiles at the Reykjavík Summit in 1986. The subsequent American Strategic Defense Initiative convinced Gorbachev that the Soviets couldn't hope to outspend the U.S., leading to the transformation of glasnost and perestroika from a ruse designed to hoodwink the West into a serious initiative that led to the so-called "Evil Empire" voluntarily disbanding in 1992.

Nevertheless, the threat of this prophecy's fulfillment in this form didn't completely recede until after the 1988 Presidential elections. The Democratic nominee, Michael Dukakis, was of Greek origin, and in July 1988, right after the Democratic national convention, a Gallup poll showed Dukakis leading by 17 points. But this proved merely to be a post-convention bump as George H.W. Bush clawed his way back to a six-point victory in November after successfully portraying Dukakis as soft on crime.

Some people wonder if George Albert Smith used the term "Greek" as a substitute for "non-White", and claim Barack Obama is the President under which the attack will happen. However, Obama is mixed-race, and on his maternal side, his mother, Stanley Ann Durham. is of English origin. So Barack Obama at least partways continues the tradition of American Presidents holding either British or other Northern European ancestry. By the way, a short list of 2016 Presidential hopefuls reveals no one of Greek ancestry, although Bobby Jindal is of Asian Indian origin and has no European ancestry.

In addition, Russia's current military might, while improving, does NOT dwarf American military might, even though Russian bombers and submarines are behaving provocatively worldwide and Russia is bullying its immediate neighbors (Georgia and Ukraine). While the U.S. is still hogtied by entangling alliances and there are increasing infringements upon the right to bear arms, the U.S. government has not, in the general sense, taken away all weapons owned by the people yet. Consequently, I don't believe George Albert Smith's prophecy will be fulfilled in its specified format, although some of the individual events could still take place. Too many people have had visions of a physical invasion of the United States by international forces led by the Russians and Chinese for us to dismiss this possibility. Another LDS blogger echoes the possibility of at least a partial fulfillment.

Anklebiters and naysayers will complain about George Albert Smith giving this prophecy to one individual family rather than announcing it at General Conference. But there are two good reasons why President Smith did not announce this churchwide. First, it could have precipitated some panic. And secondly, most people might have scoffed at him. After all, Noah warned the people of the antediluvian world for 100 years that the earth was about to be baptized by full immersion in water, backing this up by building an ark, but in the end, only eight people survived the Flood. Noah and his immediate family. The rest of the world laughed at Noah.

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

The events in the Middle East are certainly troubling. The involvement of the U.S. over there is going to get bigger and bigger. The ISIS terrorist cells that exist in Western countries will start attacking. Who knows, this may be the wayv the prophecy will be fulfilled. It could be years away still. I am worried for my children and grandchildren.

EG

Anonymous said...

When I was a little girl I remember my mother saying that the Prophet said that the time would come when we would have a depression that would make the one we just had look like a Sunday Picnic. I was born in 1939.

Anonymous said...

What about elizbeth warren? She seems greek descent as her father was. Sure she claims some Indian descent but whatever...

Anonymous said...

In reviewing the prophecy, it appears that the Mr. Horne backtracked on the Greek extraction after conferring with his brother that was present. Changing it to not of European descent as the rest of the presidents up until that point had been. This point if taken at face value changes dramatically the framing of the argument above. What it also would do is describe our present circumstances quite exquisitely.

Rocco said...

I am sure when George Albert Smith had the vision, he was not looking at the president DNA. he probably saw how he looked like. Back then the Greek word was a more polite way to refer to a black man or a man of diversity. Well Obama is definitely messing up our relationship with Russia by sanctioning them and by closing all dialogues with them. He seems to fit very well with Greek extraction

Unknown said...

David Horne also mentioned that President Smith indicated that this nuclear
attack would take place on a holiday after the new president was elected, but
before he took office. The following war would involve many of the countries of
the world but President Smith talked specifically about Europe, Germany,
Hungary, Israel, Turkey, United States, and the Soviet Union, as well as a few
others.
1.Statement of David Hughes Horne, P.E., copyrighted March 26, 1989

So IF this is really from a prophet then I would expect all of it, or none of it, to be true. Therefore, IF this Russian attack were to happen then it appears it would have to occur within the next 9 days. Is that correct?

Anonymous said...

Might it occur on Martin Luther King Day before Trump gets sworn in?

Kyle said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Unknown said...

If it something doesn't occur today then the whole thing must be false. But today is still a holiday. The last chance for this "prophecy".

Unknown said...

George John Tenet is the man...

Anonymous said...

I hope you found out in the meantime who the Greek president is, personally I said it 20 times. It was a revelation but also a personal occurrence, so much more than a revelation - a revelation THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN SAID BY MYSELF. Thank you God, today is the first time when I read the prophecy and until now I had no idea why I had this compulsion to confront the most powerful man in the world. I won't tell you more because you apparently like to do part of the way yourselves, but I am telling you this - IF YOU DOUBTED GOD, DON'T DO IT ANYMORE!