False Prophets

The primary function of prophets in the Old Testament was to relay to the people, and most especially political leaders, what pleased and did not please their god. In the course of carrying out this duty, they sometimes predicted what would happen in the future, but their focus was on their own time, their present.

This is interesting to me as historical and cultural information concerning our particular civilization and the development of religious beliefs among humans in general.

However, if there is a god, I reject the idea that this god would communicate with us through prophets, leaving us with the impossible task of figuring out who is a “false” prophet and who is a “true” prophet. I doubt something as important as a message from a god would be delivered in such a haphazard way. It’s like some stranger knocking on my door and telling me my dead mother wants me to have a fried egg sandwich for dinner. Am I really supposed to believe that? If she is out there somewhere and able to communicate with this stranger, why didn’t she tell me herself?

Therefore, anyone in this day and age who is said to be a prophet is, in my opinion, a false prophet—no matter if they claim that title for themselves or others have made the claim in their regard, and no matter if they’re in the habit of prognosticating or commenting on present circumstances.

I do not believe anyone has any kind of special knowledge of otherworldly entities or their “desires” or “wishes” or “commands” for us. If there is some kind of spiritual reality, and if humans are capable of discerning this reality, I don’t think anyone has special abilities or insights into that reality. So if someone has a spiritual experience, that’s all well and good for them. But don’t expect me to set aside my own thoughts, feelings, experiences and instincts because of a claim that someone else has a message from a god. If there is a god, and that god wants to communicate something to me, I assume that god has my number and can call me direct.