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RealEyesRealizeRealLies's avatar

Why doesn't the Prophet ever fortell anything good?

Asked by RealEyesRealizeRealLies (30960points) October 5th, 2009

Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce, Merlin… who else?

If prophecy is genuine, do they ever make positive predictions? You know, like the cure for Polio in the lat 1950’s. Or the Moon Landing and maybe the Civil Rights movement… How could they miss these things? Or did I miss something?

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22 Answers

filmfann's avatar

Nostrodamas made positive predictions as well. He talked about the beginning of the new millenium beginning a wonderful age.

jfos's avatar

In my opinion, people pay more attention to people predicting bad things than people predicting good things.

eponymoushipster's avatar

why does the news always lead with a murder, and end with the kitty beauty pagent?

Sarcasm's avatar

They have beauty pageants for kittens? LINK. NOW.

fireside's avatar

Here is a brief talk given by `Abdu’l-Bahá, the son of Baha’u’llah. In this talk, he summarizes the key teachings of Baha’u’llah, who is the Prophet of the Baha’i faith.

This was given in 1911, before the civil right movement or the establishment of the League of Nations, the UN, the International Criminal Court, the Women’s suffrage movement, etc.

“Man and woman both should be educated equally and equally regarded.”

“It is racial, patriotic, religious and class prejudice, that has been the cause of the destruction of Humanity”

“Equality and Brotherhood must be established among all members of mankind.”
“All men must be treated equally.”

“All the nations and peoples will come under the shadow of the Tent of the Great Peace and Harmony—that is to say, by general election a Great Board of Arbitration shall be established, to settle all differences and quarrels between the Powers”

Firstandlast's avatar

If you think of Jesus as a prophet you could say that his message of love and giving His live so that others may live was very positive and His declaration that the kingdom of God was at hand.

I always thought that Jesus was a very positive person. He came into the world to show us the way to our creator. He also showed a great passion for the sick, the hungry and the dying. Most people look down at sinners Jesus came to save us.

FutureMemory's avatar

Speaking of predictions, I can’t wait til 12/21/2012. The number of crackpots, false messiah’s (as if there is such a thing as a true messiah), and run of the mill shit-for-brains that come out of the woodwork will be quite entertaining.

El_Cadejo's avatar

@eponymoushipster ohhh man i saw one of them the other day on channel 40 news (biggest joke news station ever) Except all the cats were wearing brightly colored wigs. Funniest thing i’ve seen in a while. (this can also be attributed to the fact i just got done smoking 3 bowls :P)

eponymoushipster's avatar

@uberbatman i know that channel, you’re right. it’s a joke. bowls or no bowls, that’s some funny stuff. though i’m sure the sticky icky made it even better

El_Cadejo's avatar

even the newscasters couldnt hold it together during this segment.

RealEyesRealizeRealLies's avatar

@filmfann

That’s a little open ended don’t you think? The typical Nostra-Doom vision are purported to be uncannily specific… some thinking “Hister” directly depicts “Hitler”. As far as a “new millenium” or “wonderful age”, could you be more specific please, because that’s what will happen by default after we blow ourselves to bits.

RealEyesRealizeRealLies's avatar

With all respect @fireside, those sound more like wishful thinking rather than positive prophecy (the way they’re phrased). Are you sure they are predictions and not just good advice?

And the last one sounds eerily familiar to One World Government, and although phrased as prophecy, I’m not convinced of the positive outlook if it came to pass. Sounds like it may be underway already with the UN, just not with all nations though.

RealEyesRealizeRealLies's avatar

@FutureMemory

Dang I’m glad you said that. I thought Doobie Day was on the 22nd. I might have missed the party without your friendly reminder.

s-e-t-s a-l-a-r-m n-o-w

RealEyesRealizeRealLies's avatar

@Firstandlast

I like Jesus too. But what exactly was his positive prophecy…? Sure, the lion and the lamb might lie down together when the Dragon is cast into the lake of fire and all that stuff… but isn’t that at the expense of nearly everyone one earth getting roasted, toasted and killed to death first?

FutureMemory's avatar

“killed to death”.

Awesome phrase, Realize x3

mattbrowne's avatar

We are the descendants of people who took the basic emotion of fear seriously. Those who were too brave ignoring dangers didn’t make it. They died before having sex. Natural disasters left a huge impression during the time of oral traditions.

Take the Minoan volcanic eruption for example. It happened around 1645 BC in the Late Bronze Age. There was heavy ashfall covering a very wide area. The tsunami that hit Crete was 35 to 150 meters / 110 to 490 feet high (it makes the recent one in Samoa look like a tiny splash). There were many observers in the mountains relatively safe at altitudes of 1000 meters or higher. They watched the wave fronts engulfing huge areas. Now many years later at bedtime (there was no television) what kind of stories did they tell their children? How wonderful the wedding of their grandparents was? The beauty of the flowers 100 years earlier?

The intellectuals at the time had lingering and nagging thoughts. Will the Earth shake again? Will there be more ashfall? Can another even bigger wave hit again? Will there be more bright lights in the sky (which they didn’t call meteorites)? Natural disasters cause traumata to people affected directly. They create fear among people even when not affected directly.

This is why most prophecies of the past are about negative predictions.

Here’s a modern version of a positive prophecy:

If another strong seaquake hits our oceans we’ve got the tsunami warning systems in place. We have trained our people how to react when the alarm goes off. Our doctors will be able to help injured people. There will be a time when almost no one has to die because of tsunamis, hurricanes and earthquakes.

Sound positive enough? We’re not quite there yet, but we could if politicians get the priorities straight.

RealEyesRealizeRealLies's avatar

Very interesting Matt. What I get from your comments is that negative prophesy acts as warning to what will happen if the current is used unwisely. Positive prophesy is not required because it actually manifests itself into reality by the actions of our present activities.

Not sure if that made sense… Perhaps we create negative prophesy as warning to guide positive future reality. In that case, there would be no need for positive prophecy at all. We exchange it for the positive reality we built in its place.

Positive prophecy is called… Hope? It gets physical beyond that…?

eponymoushipster's avatar

Yep, the answer is politics. it’s never led anyone astray ever, and it only keeps improving.~

mattbrowne's avatar

@RealEyesRealizeRealLies – Well, although the majority of prophecies seem to be negative there are a few which are positive as well. One example is Jesus’s Sermon on the Mount. In 1989 in East Germany just before the Wall came down it was mainly Protestant Christians who inspired thousands and eventually millions during the peaceful demonstrations against the communist regime. They believed in the positive prophecy given in the Sermon of the Mount. If we look at what triggered the financial crisis we might realize that some parts of the bible are not outdated at all. Greed seems timeless.

So here’s a positive prophecy:

… God blesses those people who are merciful. They will be treated with mercy! God blesses those people whose hearts are pure. They will see him! God blesses those people who make peace. They will be called his children…

You are like light for the whole world. A city built on top of a hill cannot be hidden, and no one would light a lamp and put it under a clay pot. A lamp is placed on a lampstand, where it can give light to everyone in the house. Make your light shine, so that others will see the good that you do and will praise your Father in heaven…

You know that you have been taught, “An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.” But I tell you not to try to get even with a person who has done something to you. When someone slaps your right cheek, turn and let that person slap your other cheek…

You have heard people say, “Love your neighbors and hate your enemies.” But I tell you to love your enemies and pray for anyone who mistreats you. Then you will be acting like your Father in heaven. He makes the sun rise on both good and bad people. And he sends rain for the ones who do right and for the ones who do wrong. If you love only those people who love you, will God reward you for that? Even tax collectors love their friends. If you greet only your friends, what’s so great about that? ...

When you do good deeds, don’t try to show off. If you do, you won’t get a reward from your Father in heaven. When you give to the poor, don’t blow a loud horn. That’s what show-offs do in the meeting places and on the street corners, because they are always looking for praise. I can assure you that they already have their reward. When you give to the poor, don’t let anyone know about it. Then your gift will be given in secret. Your Father knows what is done in secret, and he will reward you…

You cannot be the slave of two masters! You will like one more than the other or be more loyal to one than the other. You cannot serve both God and money…

You can see the speck in your friend’s eye, but you don’t notice the log in your own eye…

inkvisitor's avatar

The answer somewhat lies in the conditional part of your question: “If prophecy is genuine…”

It is not, so therefore all that follows it is invalid.

Judi's avatar

The role of a prophet is to warn and to call people to action and change. Not to simply predict the future.

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