View source for Countercult ministries/Watchman Fellowship/Section 8

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|L=Countercult ministries/Watchman Fellowship/Section 8
|H=Response to claims in "Joseph Smith and the Biblical Test of a Prophet"
|T=Watchman Fellowship
|A=James Walker
|<=[[../Section 7|Claims made in "False Prophecy in the Doctrine and Covenants"]]
|>=[[../Section 9|Claims made in "The Bible: 1,002 - Book of Mormon: Zero"]]
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{{H2
|L=Countercult ministries/Watchman Fellowship/Section 8
|H=Response to claims in "Joseph Smith and the Biblical Test of a Prophet" by Watchman Fellowship
|S=
|L1=Response to claim: Latter-day Saints claim that the truthfulness of "the LDS Church" and Joseph Smith can be tested using the promise in Moroni 10:4. This test is claimed to be too "subjective" to be valid
|L2=Response to claim: The true test of a prophet is that all his prophecies come to pass (Deut. 18:20-22), and “…the Bible never recommends prayer as a way of discerning true and false prophets”
|L3=Response to claim: Joseph Smith predicted in 1835 that, "The coming of the Lord, which was nigh - even fifty-six years should wind up the scene"
|L4=Response to claim: The author claims that Doctrine and Covenants 37:1, which instructs Joseph to stop translating until he goes to Ohio, is a "self-fulfilling prophecy"
|L5=Response to claim: Two unfulfilled “close-dated unconditional prophecies” preserved in Doctrine and Covenants Section 84:3-5 (construction of a temple in MO) and Section 114 (David Patten serving a mission to all the world) prove that Joseph Smith was a false prophet
}}
</onlyinclude>

==Response to claim: Latter-day Saints claim that the truthfulness of "the LDS Church" and Joseph Smith can be tested using the promise in Moroni 10:4. This test is claimed to be too "subjective" to be valid==
{{IndexClaimItemShort
|title=Watchman Fellowship
|claim=
Latter-day Saints claim that the truthfulness of "the LDS Church" and Joseph Smith can be tested using the promise in Moroni 10:4. This test is claimed to be too "subjective" to be valid.
|authorsources=<br>
#{{s||Moroni|10|4}}
}}
{{propaganda|How can the authors assume that this test is too "subjective" to be valid?
}}
{{:Question: What is Moroni's promise?}}
{{:Question: Is prayer the only element required in the determination of truth?}}
{{:Question: What about those who pray and don't receive a confirmation the Book of Mormon is true?}}
{{:Source:How Do I Recognize and Understand the Spirit:Preach My Gospel:As you pray for inspiration, you should also confirm your feelings}}

==Response to claim: The true test of a prophet is that all his prophecies come to pass (Deut. 18:20-22), and “…the Bible never recommends prayer as a way of discerning true and false prophets”==
{{IndexClaimItemShort
|title=Watchman Fellowship
|claim=
The true test of a prophet is that all his prophecies come to pass (Deut. 18:20-22), and “…the Bible never recommends prayer as a way of discerning true and false prophets”.
|authorsources=<br>
#{{s||Deuteronomy|18|20-22}}
}}
{{misinformation|Many LDS critics attempt to condemn Joseph Smith using a standard that would, if applied to Ezekiel, Jeremiah, Nathan, an angel of God, and Jonah, also condemn the Old Testament as a fraud.}}
}}
{{:Question: Does Joseph Smith fail the "prophetic test" found in Deuteronomy 18?}}

==Response to claim: Joseph Smith predicted in 1835 that, "The coming of the Lord, which was nigh - even fifty-six years should wind up the scene"==
{{IndexClaimItemShort
|title=Watchman Fellowship
|claim=
Joseph Smith predicted in 1835 that, "The coming of the Lord, which was nigh - even fifty-six years should wind up the scene." Since that didn’t happen by 1891, it suggests Joseph may have been a false prophet.
|authorsources=<br>
#''History of the Church'', Vol. 2 p. 182
}}
{{misinformation|The authors do not note that Joseph wasn't really sure what this meant.}}
}}
{{:Question: Did Joseph Smith prophesy that Jesus Christ would return in 1890?}}

==Response to claim: The author claims that Doctrine and Covenants 37:1, which instructs Joseph to stop translating until he goes to Ohio, is a "self-fulfilling prophecy"==
{{IndexClaimItemShort
|title=Watchman Fellowship
|claim=
The author claims that Doctrine and Covenants 37:1, which instructs Joseph to stop translating until he goes to Ohio, is a "self-fulfilling prophecy."
|authorsources=<br>
#{{s||D&C|37|1}}
}}
{{misinformation|}}
D&C 37:1 states: "Behold, I say unto you that it is not expedient in me that ye should translate any more until ye shall go to the Ohio, and this because of the enemy and for your sakes." This isn't a ''prophecy'' at all! It is simply instruction for Joseph to stop translating until he goes to Ohio. The authors appear to wish to portray every utterance that Joseph attributed to the Lord as a "prophecy."
}}

==Response to claim: Two unfulfilled “close-dated unconditional prophecies” preserved in Doctrine and Covenants Section 84:3-5 (construction of a temple in MO) and Section 114 (David Patten serving a mission to all the world) prove that Joseph Smith was a false prophet==
{{IndexClaimItemShort
|title=Watchman Fellowship
|claim=
Two unfulfilled “close-dated unconditional prophecies” preserved in Doctrine and Covenants Section 84:3-5 (construction of a temple in MO) and Section 114 (David Patten serving a mission to all the world) prove that Joseph Smith was a false prophet.
|authorsources=<br>
#{{s||D&C|114|}}
*''History of the Church'', Vol. 3, p. 171.
}}
{{misinformation|}}
}}
{{:Question: Was Joseph Smith's prophecy that the Independence, Missouri temple "shall be reared in this generation" a failed prophecy?}}
{{:Question: Why did Joseph Smith say that David Patten would serve a mission when he was killed only six months later?}}

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