Joseph Smith's prophecy of the Civil War

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Criticism

Joseph Smith made an 1832 prophecy of the Civil War. Critics scramble to dismiss this prophetic "hit" by various tactics, including:

1. claiming a rebellion was already going on in South Carolina in 1832
2. claiming a civil war was "inevitable," and "anyone" could have predicted it
3. claiming the Church did not publicize the prophecy until after the Civil War started

Source(s) of the Criticism

• Richard Abanes, One Nation Under Gods: A History of the Mormon Church (New York: Four Walls Eight Windows, 2003), 267-276 ( Index of claims )
• Fawn M. Brodie, No Man Knows My History: The Life of Joseph Smith (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1945), 124. ( Index of claims )
• Template:CriticalWork:Decker Hunt: The God Makers
• Bill McKeever and Eric Johnson, Mormonism 101. Examining the Religion of the Latter-day Saints (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books, 2000), Chapter 9. ( Index of claims )