Romney candidacy has resurrected last days prophecy of Mormon saving the Constitution

[snopes]

It's Mormon lore, a story passed along by some old-timers about the importance of their faith and their country.

In the latter days, the story goes, the U.S. Constitution will hang by a thread and a Mormon will ride in on a metaphorical white horse to save it. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says it does not accept the legend - commonly referred to as the "White Horse Prophecy" - as doctrine.

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_6055090

Yes, as mentioned the Latter-Day Saints DO believe that there will be, in the last days, a time when things are so bad that the "constitution hangs by a thread." However, I at least HOPE most of us Mormons do NOT think THAT is how things will go down. hee hee hee!

[matches]

Originally Posted by snopes

It's Mormon lore, a story passed along by some old-timers about the importance of their faith and their country.

In the latter days, the story goes, the U.S. Constitution will hang by a thread and a Mormon will ride in on a metaphorical white horse to save it. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints says it does not accept the legend - commonly referred to as the "White Horse Prophecy" - as doctrine.

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_6055090

Off Topic, but is anyone else ever a little weirded out by White Horse analogies? In revelations doesn't the horseman of war ride a white horse, and Death ride a pale (presumably white as well) horse?

I had thought the antichrist rode a white horse too, but I could be mistaken on that.

[Jonny T]

Originally Posted by Revelation 6

1I watched as the Lamb opened the first of the seven seals. Then I heard one of the four living creatures say in a voice like thunder, "Come!" 2I looked, and there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a bow, and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a conqueror bent on conquest.

...

7When the Lamb opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, "Come!" 8I looked, and there before me was a pale horse! Its rider was named Death, and Hades was following close behind him. They were given power over a fourth of the earth to kill by sword, famine and plague, and by the wild beasts of the earth.

(I wouldn't interpret "pale" to mean "white" here tho.)

However, later in Revelation:

Originally Posted by Revelation 19

11I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and makes war. 12His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15Out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. "He will rule them with an iron scepter."[a] He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

I'm guessing Christ, rather than Death and his cronies, was on the Mormons' mind at the time.

[jason13]

Originally Posted by matches

Off Topic, but is anyone else ever a little weirded out by White Horse analogies? In revelations doesn't the horseman of war ride a white horse, and Death ride a pale (presumably white as well) horse?

It could be "ashen", "grey", or "pale green" as other translations use.

Or "pale" could be understood as "weak", "thin", "lacking vigour", "sick", etc.

The actual Greek word used here is χλωρος.

[matches]

Originally Posted by Jonny T

(I wouldn't interpret "pale" to mean "white" here tho.)

However, later in Revelation:
I'm guessing Christ, rather than Death and his cronies, was on the Mormons' mind at the time.

I am wondering if it is a translation issue, but I had always been under the impression that when Jesus returns triumphant it was on a white cloud, not a white horse. Unless this is a seperate verse in revelations.

[Jonny T]

The white cloud image is taken from Daniel:

"As I watched in the night visions, I saw one like a human being coming with the clouds of heaven. And he came to the Ancient One and was presented before him. To him was given dominion and glory and kingship, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that shall not pass away, and his kingship is one that shall never be destroyed."

(Daniel 7:13-14)

Also, after the ascension there is a reference to Jesus coming again in the same manner by which he was taken. since he left on a cloud, he must be coming back on one.

However, the part of Revelation 19 I quoted above is almost universally taken to be a reference to Christ. King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Word of God...

[matches]

Originally Posted by Jonny T

The white cloud image is taken from Daniel:
(Daniel 7:13-14)

Also, after the ascension there is a reference to Jesus coming again in the same manner by which he was taken. since he left on a cloud, he must be coming back on one.

However, the part of Revelation 19 I quoted above is almost universally taken to be a reference to Christ. King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Word of God...

Well there you go. Time to read revelations again...sigh...not the easiest read in the bible.

[surfcitydogdad]

That "hanging by a thread" thing is oft used and misused by Mormons of various political persuasions and agendas, so I don't take it too seriously. Who knows what it refers to? People of many cultures use holy words or scriptures and such, and twist them to fit or justify their own constructs.

I'd be hard pressed to believe the expression (or "prophecy") has anything to do with the current Romney. There is only one candidate from a major party who is at all dedicated to protecting the US Constitution, and it's Ron Paul, who is not LDS, but is very libertarian.

Full disclosure: I am Libertarian and practicing LDS. The politics of my fellow Mormons frustrates and disgusts me. They tend to be social conservatives (and therefore, not truly politically conservative at all), particularly prohibitionistic. They pay lip service to the divine principle of "free agency" (freedom of choice) but are usually willing to vote to limit our choices. There are LDS liberals, too, but they're not much better; it's just a question of degree of government and taxation, or which areas of personal or economic freedom to tamper with. On those infrequent occasions when the church speaks out on "moral" issues - such as the ERA or gay marriage - I have always voted my conscience, which has been the opposite of the church's stand.

If the Constitution is, will be, or was hanging by a thread, perhaps it has already been saved, or has not been saved, or will not be saved, due to the lack of correct and critical political thinking by the "Saints." The top LDS pols of the day are often thought to be the one; maybe Harry Reid is the man - not Mitt - as he is always trying - albeit unsuccessfully - to stop Dubya and his evil neo-con minions from trampling on the Constitution.

Yeah, it would be great if "the elders of the church" would save the Constitution (particularly the Bill of Rights), but other than a few impotent Dems in Congress, and powerless libertarian nobodies like me, I don't see any Mormons working to save their revered Law of the Land. Tis a pity.

[Lancastrian]

My guess is that the 'white horse' imagery is taken more from the white hat/black hat fairy tale dichotomy and less from the bible, especially since it isn't an 'accepted' myth.

[Mnotr2]

The prophecy relating to Mitt assumes that Romney can even get elected... not likely IMHO. And not because of his religion.

[RBCal]

The original link has expired.

“You will see the constitution of the United States almost destroyed. It will hang like a thread.... A terrible revolution will take place in the land of America.... [T]he land will be left without a Supreme Government,... [Mormonism] will have gathered strength, sending out Elders to gather the honest in heart... to stand by the Constitution of the United States.... In these days... God will set up a Kingdom, never to be thrown down.... [T]he whole of America will be made the Zion of God.”

- Prophet Joseph Smith, Jr., May 6, 1843

http://www.ils.unc.edu/~unsworth/mormon/whitehorse.html

I don't see how making America the Zion of God saves the Constitution. I thought that there was something about "separation of church and state" in the Constitution. Thus, they would actually destroy the Constitution if this prophecy came to pass.