Prophets
December 13, 2012 at 11:14 pm
(This post was last modified: December 13, 2012 at 11:15 pm by FallentoReason.)
I'm from Australia, so what I've noticed is that most of the posting happens while I'm asleep. I woke up one day and read this thread http://atheistforums.org/thread-16077.html and wanted to chip in an idea about what a prophet is, but I saw that the thread moved on from that. But I thought maybe we should dedicate an entire thread to this topic.
I've just started reading Thomas Paine's The Age of Reason which starts off by Mr. Paine pointing out what he sees as fundamental problems in the Christian faith. He dedicates a few paragraphs to prophets and points out that our idea of what a "prophet" and "prophesying" is has changed from its original meaning. He points to two verses (possibly out of more) that indicate to us what a prophet really is:
(implicit reference)
1 Samuel 10:5
After that you shall come to Gibeathelohim, where there is a garrison of the Philistines. And there, as soon as you come to the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying.
Ok, so we have a group of prophets who happen to like their music. Could be a coincidence.
(explicit reference)
1 Chronicles 25:1
David and the chiefs of the service also set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems as the Bible itself is stressing that a "prophet" is one who has musical talent and in no way is connected to the idea of predicting the future. Mr. Paine points out that we don't get told in any of these verses what the prophesying itself was about, because if it's simply playing songs and reciting poetry then clearly there's no need to speak of the concert itself they performed, as it's void of any real meaning.
I'll leave it there and see where discussion takes us.
I've just started reading Thomas Paine's The Age of Reason which starts off by Mr. Paine pointing out what he sees as fundamental problems in the Christian faith. He dedicates a few paragraphs to prophets and points out that our idea of what a "prophet" and "prophesying" is has changed from its original meaning. He points to two verses (possibly out of more) that indicate to us what a prophet really is:
(implicit reference)
1 Samuel 10:5
After that you shall come to Gibeathelohim, where there is a garrison of the Philistines. And there, as soon as you come to the city, you will meet a group of prophets coming down from the high place with harp, tambourine, flute, and lyre before them, prophesying.
Ok, so we have a group of prophets who happen to like their music. Could be a coincidence.
(explicit reference)
1 Chronicles 25:1
David and the chiefs of the service also set apart for the service the sons of Asaph, and of Heman, and of Jeduthun, who prophesied with lyres, with harps, and with cymbals.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems as the Bible itself is stressing that a "prophet" is one who has musical talent and in no way is connected to the idea of predicting the future. Mr. Paine points out that we don't get told in any of these verses what the prophesying itself was about, because if it's simply playing songs and reciting poetry then clearly there's no need to speak of the concert itself they performed, as it's void of any real meaning.
I'll leave it there and see where discussion takes us.
"It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it" ~ Aristotle
