James 1:8 “A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.”

Church News, ‘1492 Voyage Fulfilled Prophecy,’ September 26, 1992

Looking at the title of this newsroom announcement would lead one to believe there’s hard proof Columbus’ voyage fulfilled a prophecy. Right?

Wrong.

This church news announcement has to be one of the most insidious things I’ve seen from the Church. It’s filled with deliberate attempts to confuse people like my mother, and cause overall false hope about something that didn’t happen to begin with.

We’re listing a review on key elements from this announcement, followed by our questions about this whole thing. The entire ‘prophecy’ is listed thereafter.

Anyone serious about the Lord has to wonder…Why would the leadership of a ‘God fearing’ church say things like this??????

Luke 17:2 “It were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he cast into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones.”

Here’s a quick review of what they’ve said –

‘…it was fulfillment of prophecy uttered more than 2,000 years earlier and established Columbus as a forerunner to the restoration of the gospel…’

‘…he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.’ (1 Ne. 13:12.)…’…and he will cause them to be scattered and smitten.’ (2 Nephi 1:6, 9-11.)’

‘…Nephi’s prophecy does not mention Columbus by name as being “the man” he saw in vision…’

‘…Elder Orson Pratt of the Council of the Twelve did this in a footnote as he published a new edition of the Book of Mormon with references and annotations…’

‘…Nephi did not say that Columbus would be the first to come to America. Nor did he mention the time of his journey. But he did prophesy that the “man among the Gentiles” would open the doors for the permanent colonization of this continent. Only Columbus fulfilled Nephi’s prophecy…’

1.If the supposed prophet Nephi prophesied about Columbus and it was a fulfillment of ‘scripture’, how could it not be Columbus?

2.Their attempt at being elusive to build drama only causes confusion.

3.What purpose did this big ‘Church News’ announcement serve?

4.What empirical proof do they have this was Columbus, other than one of their leaders mentioning it in a footnote 50 years after the original BoM was published?

5.How does this help my mother’s walk with Jesus?

6.How could Columbus go to the ‘brethren’ if the ‘brethren’ had been ‘scattered and smitten’?

7.After reading this nonsense, my thoughts keep going back to their historian said who said the Church hasn’t taught historical truth in decades. How can they do this with a straight face, and not feel any shame or guilt, when they publish these things?

The entire prophecy is listed below. Above all else, please, pray for these people! I just cannot imagine anymore having to live life like this. The drama and unknowns are just silly, and certainly not anything the good Lord would want for us!

This year marks the 500th anniversary of Christopher Columbus’ voyage of discovery to the Western Hemisphere. This voyage is, without question, one of the most significant events in the history of mankind – an event of such magnitude to justify providential guidance and aid.

Columbus’ history-making journey to America opened the door to a flood of exploration, colonization, missionary work and fortune-seeking. But, more important, it was fulfillment of prophecy uttered more than 2,000 years earlier and established Columbus as a forerunner to the restoration of the gospel. Some six centuries before the birth of Jesus, the prophet Nephi recorded what he saw in vision:

“And I looked and beheld a man among the Gentiles, who was separated from the seed of my brethren by the many waters; and I beheld the Spirit of God, that it came down and wrought upon the man; and he went forth upon the many waters, even unto the seed of my brethren, who were in the promised land.” (1 Ne. 13:12.) [emp. mine]

Some years later, Nephi’s father, Lehi, prophesied “. . . that there shall none come into this land save they shall be brought by the hand of the Lord. . . .

“Wherefore, I, Lehi, have obtained a promise, that inasmuch as those whom the Lord God shall bring out of the land of Jerusalem shall keep his commandments, they shall prosper upon the face of this land; and they shall be kept from all other nations, that they may possess this land unto themselves. And if it so be that they shall keep his commandments they shall be blessed upon the face of this land, and there shall be none to molest them, nor to take away the land of their inheritance; and they shall dwell safely forever.

“But behold, when the time cometh that they shall dwindle in unbelief, after they have received so great blessings from the hand of the Lord . . .

“Yea, he will bring other nations unto them, and he will give unto them power, and he will take away from them the lands of their possessions, and he will cause them to be scattered and smitten.” (2 Nephi 1:6, 9-11.) [emp. mine]

Nephi’s prophecy does not mention Columbus by name as being “the man” he saw in vision. It wasn’t until 1879 that Christopher Columbus was referred to as the man among the Gentiles.

Elder Orson Pratt of the Council of the Twelve did this in a footnote as he published a new edition of the Book of Mormon with references and annotations. (From radio address given by Nephi L. Morris, July 1, 1928, printed in the Deseret News, Saturday July 7, 1928.)

Nephi did not say that Columbus would be the first to come to America. Nor did he mention the time of his journey. But he did prophesy that the “man among the Gentiles” would open the doors for the permanent colonization of this continent. Only Columbus fulfilled Nephi’s prophecy.”