Ask a Prophet

[Prophet]

I have another question.
Did you expect your interview to go crazy?

While I'm honestly not surprised it went the way it did, I did enter the thing practicing what I preach, not bothering with the anxiety that goes along with having expectations, good or bad.

Did you more or less see what you figured you would see here?

 

[apophenia]

It's not that I reject you out of hand and ignore any words of truth you might have to say. I've seen you say things I agree with, some of them profound.

But I haven't seen you say anything that hasn't been said before. I've just seen a lot of egotistical nonsense attached to the truth you carry like a cross.

I agree with this. Prophet often relates the story of his epiphany when he realised that he was being selfish when he thought he loved his girlfriend. But it is a huge and unsupportable leap from there to declaring himself a prophet.

Apart from following some well-worn paths of syncretic 'New Age'-style philosophy, Prophet has not offered anything worthy of declaring himself a prophet. Generally speaking, the term is more or less meaningless, and is only used by religious fundamentalists of one style or another to elevate their preferred philosopher.

Possibly the only person who earned that title is Alvin Toffler. His trilogy (Future Shock,Third Wave and Powershift) accurately foretold huge cultural changes. But because his work is secular and sociological, religious and 'spiritual' types don't see his work as prophetic. I would also nominate Edward O. Wilson, pioneer of sociobiology, and William Gibson, the grandfather of cyber-punk writing, as having the kind of detailed and accurate foretelling of science and culture which could deserve the word 'prophecy'.

But Prophet ? No, he is just a young man who had an important realisation about his own behaviour. That is praiseworthy, but nothing about his ideas deserves the title he gives himself.

 

[Aquitaine]

What did I have for breakfast this morning, 'o Prophet?

 

[Iti oj]

Do you like to cool

 

[Prophet]

I agree with this. Prophet often relates the story of his epiphany when he realised that he was being selfish when he thought he loved his girlfriend. But it is a huge and unsupportable leap from there to declaring himself a prophet.

I continue to say that realizing my own evil caused me to recognize what Socrates and his students called the Form of the Good. Please demonstrate for me, if you can, the "huge and unsupportable" nature of my logic. All I've said about my realization is that I understand the nature of love after I saw for the first time that attachment that made my love false.

Plato writes that the Form (or Idea) of the Good is the ultimate object of knowledge, although it is not knowledge itself, and from the Good, things that are just gain their usefulness and value. Humans are compelled to pursue the good, but no one can hope to do this successfully without philosophical reasoning.

-from wikipedia on Form of the Good

Socrates and Plato seem to think this is pretty important. I should add that Christians call this concept Knowledge of Good and Evil, though they have some pretty mixed up ideas on it.

Apart from following some well-worn paths of syncretic 'New Age'-style philosophy, Prophet has not offered anything worthy of declaring himself a prophet. Generally speaking, the term is more or less meaningless, and is only used by religious fundamentalists of one style or another to elevate their preferred philosopher.

This paragraph is circular. I have not said anything worth of declaring myself a prophet to a person who believes prophets don't exist. This leads me to believe there is nothing I could say. This doesn't surprise me.

Possibly the only person who earned that title is Alvin Toffler. His trilogy (Future Shock,Third Wave and Powershift) accurately foretold huge cultural changes. But because his work is secular and sociological, religious and 'spiritual' types don't see his work as prophetic. I would also nominate Edward O. Wilson, pioneer of sociobiology, and William Gibson, the grandfather of cyber-punk writing, as having the kind of detailed and accurate foretelling of science and culture which could deserve the word 'prophecy'.

But Prophet ? No, he is just a young man who had an important realisation about his own behaviour. That is praiseworthy, but nothing about his ideas deserves the title he gives himself.

We've already been over the concept of future telling as prophecy here in this thread. I'll bother addressing your points if you care to go back and read to address mine.

 

[Shermana]

We've already been over the concept of future telling as prophecy here in this thread.

So you think dismissing it and writing it off as "delusion" and "insanity" counts as "going over the concept"? Can you name a single other prophet of any religion that didn't involve future telling?

 

[Prophet]

So you think dismissing it and writing it off as "delusion" and "insanity" counts as "going over the concept"? Can you name a single other prophet of any religion that didn't involve future telling?

I understand that it doesn't process for you, but free will is contradictory to your ancient, fundamentalist concepts of omniscience and prophecy.

I will have to be at peace with it not being good enough for you and hope that others understand what I am saying about your viewpoints.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I have a question. What is your position as a prophet on human sexuality?

 

[Shermana]

I understand that it doesn't process for you, but free will is contradictory to your ancient, fundamentalist concepts of omniscience and prophecy.

Ah, that explains why Jonah was able to get Nineveh to repent and forgo their prophecied destruction. No free will involved apparently. Right.

I will have to be at peace with it not being good enough for you and hope that others understand what I am saying about your viewpoints.

I'd like to see a single person chime in that agrees with what you're saying regarding prophethood.

 

[Iti oj]

tell me what do you see as ny role in apoplectic world

 

[Prophet]

Ah, that explains why Jonah was able to get Nineveh to repent and forgo their prophecied destruction. No free will involved apparently. Right.

Some people will read a story written in ancient times and immediately figure out that the story was at least a partial fabrication when they read magical elements in it, such as a whale that is ordered around by God. Apparently, you are not at this level of thought yet.

I'd like to see a single person chime in that agrees with what you're saying regarding prophethood.

People who adhere to "truth via agreement" feel more secure in their irrational positions when they are part of a group. While you care that people agree with you, and you feel others agreeing with you gives your opinion more value, I do not care whether people agree with me or not, and my opinions are the same with or without moral support from other people.

 

[Shermana]

Some people will read a story written in ancient times and immediately figure out that the story was at least a partial fabrication when they read magical elements in it, such as a whale that is ordered around by God. Apparently, you are not at this level of thought yet.

Feel free to explain why you believe in God but not "magical elements". So you believe God exists but doesn't or can't do anything "Supernatural"?

People who adhere to "truth via agreement" feel more secure in their irrational positions when they are part of a group. While you care that people agree with you, and you feel others agreeing with you gives your opinion more value, I do not care whether people agree with me or not, and my opinions are the same with or without moral support from other people.

Umm, you're the one who said you hope others understand or something. I simply said I'd like to see a single one chime in who "understands".

 

[Prophet]

Feel free to explain why you believe in God but not "magical elements". So you believe God exists but doesn't or can't do anything "Supernatural"?

Correct.

Umm, you're the one who said you hope others understand or something. I simply said I'd like to see a single one chime in who "understands".

While I would love to encounter someone who does understand what I have to say, I have no need to confirm myself by gaining agreement. That is the fundamentalist way.

 

[apophenia]

I agree with this. Prophet often relates the story of his epiphany when he realised that he was being selfish when he thought he loved his girlfriend. But it is a huge and unsupportable leap from there to declaring himself a prophet.
.....
No, he is just a young man who had an important realisation about his own behaviour. That is praiseworthy, but nothing about his ideas deserves the title he gives himself.

I continue to say that realizing my own evil caused me to recognize what Socrates and his students called the Form of the Good. Please demonstrate for me, if you can, the "huge and unsupportable" nature of my logic. All I've said about my realization is that I understand the nature of love after I saw for the first time that attachment that made my love false.

It is not up to me to prove the negative. You've been among philosophers here long enough to know this - if you claim there are spaghetti monsters, it is up to you to prove their existence, not up to others to prove their non-existence.

You could have called yourself Humble Wisdom, or The Hanged Man, or Form of the Good. But you chose to call yourself Prophet and announce that you are an enlightened being.

It is time for your second important realisation about your motives, and this time you need to understand why you chose that name. Instead of being an example of humble wisdom, you have promoted yourself as being extraordinary, a person who is directly revealing the will of god. By persisting in this you are shooting yourself in the foot, and any good advice you may have for people is eclipsed by the sheer egotism of calling yourself a divine messenger. You are just another person on an internet forum. Embrace your obscurity and relative insignificance. The whole 'prophet' persona is just attention seeking which makes you the subject, not wisdom itself.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

Prophet did you see my previous question?

 

[Prophet]

I have a question. What is your position as a prophet on human sexuality?

I think humans should continue having sex.

 

[Rainbow Mage]

I meant prophet what is your position on hetero, homo, bisexuality and gay marriage?

 

[Prophet]

It is not up to me to prove the negative. You've been among philosophers here long enough to know this - if you claim there are spaghetti monsters, it is up to you to prove their existence, not up to others to prove their non-existence.

You could have called yourself Humble Wisdom, or The Hanged Man, or Form of the Good. But you chose to call yourself Prophet and announce that you are an enlightened being.

It is time for your second important realisation about your motives, and this time you need to understand why you chose that name. Instead of being an example of humble wisdom, you have promoted yourself as being extraordinary, a person who is directly revealing the will of god. By persisting in this you are shooting yourself in the foot, and any good advice you may have for people is eclipsed by the sheer egotism of calling yourself a divine messenger. You are just another person on an internet forum. Embrace your obscurity and relative insignificance. The whole 'prophet' persona is just attention seeking which makes you the subject, not wisdom itself.

Okay. You don't know me. Please, do not inform me what I was thinking at some random time in the past as a debating point, when you are actually just speaking from ignorance.

You're the one making the big deal about my screenname. You tell me that by choosing it I shot myself in the foot by causing people to marginalize me without debate, and then you do exactly what I've caused you to do. If you are a being of clear vision, then why are you, yourself ignoring my arguments in favor of attacking my screenname?

This thread is about asking me questions. You aren't asking questions. You're not trying to understand. You're not even debating me. You are saying that I'm not a prophet merely because prophets don't exist in your book, but it seems, if they do exist, you have them as future tellers who write books.

You won't even let me define my own terms. And then you say I have to prove the existence of the term that you demand control over. This is an intellectually dishonest debate tactic. I'm fairly wowed.

You've fallen a long ways from where I first met you, sir.

 

[confused453]

Let's see how good you are

when's the next mass extinction?
how do we prevent it?
how to become physically immortal, die and come back to life whenever one wishes?

 

[Prophet]

I meant prophet what is your position on hetero, homo, bisexuality and gay marriage?

I feel its pretty common sense to live and let live. I support the rights of gays to exist and marry.