In a recent
work, after claiming that D&C 84 is an example of a false prophecy by
Joseph Smith, Paul Derengowski, an anti-Mormon author and Calvinist, wrote:
The problems with the explanations or excuses
for this prophecy that did not come to pass is that they do not make sense if
the Mormon believed that God and Jesus are omnipotent, superior beings that
they claimed them to be. If sinners can halt God’s plans so easily, then just
what kind of God is God? (Paul Derengowski, Muhammad
and Joseph Smith, Jr.: Spirit-Born Brothers [St. Polycarp Publishing House,
2019], 350)
Comments
like this only prove how intellectually disingenuous Derengowski truly is.
Firstly, he is a Calvinist, so believes God has foreordained every single act
that has and will happen. And yet, in spite of his belief in the formal sufficiency
of the Bible (a la the false doctrine of Sola Scriptura [See my book-length
treatment Not
By Scripture Alone: A Latter-day Saint Refutation of Sola Scriptura]) and
his Reformed theology, he must ignore instances where biblical prophets uttered prophecies (many of which were uttered
with no contingencies provided!) never taking place (and will never take place). For a full discussion, see:
To give an
additional example not in the above article, note how in Micah 3:12, the
prophet predicts the inevitable downfall of Jerusalem. This passage provides
the only unambiguous instance in the Hebrew Bible of a prophetic message being
specifically referred to in another prophetic collection, for it is discussed
in Jer 26:18-19. Jerusalem, however, had not fallen; but this does not mean
that Micah was dismissed or condemned as a false prophet on the grounds that
his prophecy had not been fulfilled, as Derengowski's reading would require.
Rather, the claim is made that Hezekiah’s repentance had led Yahweh to change
his mind and spare the city, and such a claim cannot readily be refuted. With
his commitment to biblical inerrancy and sufficiency, Derengowski is certainly
in no position to dispute it. For a discussion of this and other issues, see
Richard J. Coggins, "Prophecy--True and False" in heather A. McKay
and David J.A. Clines, eds. Of Prophets'
Visions and the Wisdom of Sages: Essays in Honor of R. Norman Whybray on his
Seventieth Birthday (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic Press), 80-94.
Now, if Derengowski
were to be consistent, he would have
to admit either (1) he is wrong in his claims about the nature of prophecy or
(2) he would have to argue against the Bible and biblical prophets, too.
Indeed, we could rework Derengowski’s comments thusly:
The problems with the explanations or excuses
of these false prophecies that did not come to pass does not make sense if the
Reformed Protestant believed that God and Jesus are omnipotent, superior being
that they claimed them to be, especially in light of Calvinism teaching God has
foreordained all events that will come to pass. If sinners (who are totally
depraved, per the T of TULIP) can halt God's plans to easily, then just what
kind of God is God in Calvinism???
Kerry A. Shirts, "A War on the Civil War Prophecy"
Be sure to also check out:
