The respected NAR prophet Cindy Jacobs sent an emergency prayer alert to her followers, on Thursday, warning that a major terrorist attack--on the scale of 9/11--is being planned against the United States.

There are many problems with her pronouncement.

1. This prophecy cannot fail. The need is no less urgent this moment than it has long been to prevent large-scale terrorism. When (not if) something happens, she can claim more prophetic authority. Not enough people prayed. If it never happens she can claim prophetic authority: she warned, people prayed, and it didn't happen. To paraphrase her, it doesn't take a prophet to make this same claim. It could happen today.

2. This prophecy is non-specific. She doesn't say when this is to happen or within what time frame. There are no the details either. Why wouldn't the Lord give her more factual details? He certainly could. And if he wanted us to listen to her he might be expected to give us a better quality prophecy.

3. So there's no way of testing her prophetic claim.

4. The biblical support she invokes for her prophetic announcement is taken out of context. It looks like an attempt to wrap her statement in a cloak of biblical authority so readers will take it seriously. Just imagine what impact it would have if she left this part out of her announcement. This is presumption of divine authority. Not good. This is the part that really bothers me.

5. With all the alleged prophets on the scene today, where are the independent voices that might add to, confirm, or disconfirm her prophecy?

6. Is this really intended as a prophecy? It's so carefully worded that deniability is possible.

7. This kind of message draws attention to herself. It will frighten the true believers. And this will serve her well. They become dependent on her.

8. Notice the way she describes the way this impression came to her. Fallibility is built in. Impressions can occur to anyone, prophet or not. -- Holly Pivec