What is a false prophet?

Scorpion

I have been to many different sites in the last four years regarding religion. I find it amusing that when a leader or founder of a movement takes upon the role of someone who speaks for God, and then what the founder said as "supposed" truth from God fails, they back peddle and try to give new meaning to what was really meant to begin with.

I myself look at Charles Taze Russell (Bible Students), Joseph Smith (LDS), Ellen G. White (Adventists), and others that took upon themselves as spokesmen for God, as false prophets according to Deutoronomy 18:20-22.

Of course those that follow such movements will at times say that what was said by the leaders actually happened in a way different than what was actually intended, when actually it was a clear failure as to what was supposed to take place according to the founder or leader of the movement.

I would be interested in opinions as to what anyone believes what a false prophet is to them.

Just because someone does not come out and say: I AM A PROPHET FOR GOD, does not excuse them (IMO) from the failures they spoke and mislead people with.

What are your opinions.

RR

Personally, having studied this subject out, I don't see it as a false prophecy ... these people are not giving you any new information, they are not telling you anything that is not already in scripture ... the prophecies are already in the scriptures, what they are endeavoring to do is interpret the prophecies, thus their interpretations, their expectations were wrong, the prophecies will still come to pass.

"People in glass houses, shouldn't throw stones"

Edited by - RR on 28 December 2000 18:40:0

Frenchy

RR makes a good point about interpretation vs prophesying. However an interpretation of scripture can be seen as a prophecy. Qualifying and quantifying a Biblical passage is a form of prophecy just as much as reading certain ‘signs’ and giving an explanation of them. For example is this not what Daniel did with the writing on the wall? The WTS sees itself as a prophet and has said as much in its publications.

-Seen it all, done it all, can't remember most of it-

RR

True, but a prophet is one who speaks for God, thus when the Society [or others] claim to speak or prophecy they do so not under the banner of inspiration, because ONLY the original books that make up the scriptures were inspired, no, they do so under the banner of interpretation. Thus they can only prophecy or speak about things that are to come based on what the scriptures say.

Daniel prophecied and interpretated under direct inspiration, Jehovah revealed to him the "writing on the wall."

"People in glass houses, shouldn't throw stones"

Scorpion

RR,

You said a prophet is one who speaks for God. This is true.

The topic is: What is a false prophet? Not what is a prophet.

From what you said, those who predict things that are not inspired of God, are a false prophet (IMO). Does C.T.Russell fit this discription of one who claims to speak for God but is not inspired of God? After all, much if not all of what Russell claimed would take place failed. Russell used scripture to try to prove his point.

If Russell was not inspired of the "TRUE" God, then what was his inspiration?

claudia

I feel anyone who teaches something as "truth" is a prophet. Very dangerous to do this. I dont feel sincerity or lack of sincerity matters. WTS insists many times that what they say is the truth. this is false prophecy. Yes, insisting.

larc

Well, whether it's called false prophecy or false interpretation, it can do a powerful amount of harm to the believers, either in sacrifices they made including death, jail and poverty that were later said to be unneccary, or in shifting, wavering beliefs that undermine the confidence of those who would like to believe.

Just found another shifting believe; their interpretation of Rev. 22:13-15.
In four issues of the Watctower is the following:

Applies to: Watchtower issue
Jesus 7-1-55 p.387
Jehovah 11-15-67 p.680
Jesus 10-1-78 p. 15
Jehovah 12-1-99 p. 19

Have a nice day.

Carmel

Me thinks "false profit" means cooking the books, selling assets to make the "profit margin" appear better than it really is!

carmel who thinks carpenters make good profits

RR

All consecrated Christians are prophets, in that they are God's mouthpiece to the world, they areministers of God and as such speak for God about the things in His Word.

Russell NEVER claimed to be inspired, or to be a prophet, he did claim to be a mouthpiece of God, which is true of ALL Christians.

I'm not trying to defend the man or the Society. I think often times we apply a meaning to a word that is not there.

"People in glass houses, shouldn't throw stones"

ZazuWitts

Oops - just saw larc's posting above and just a minute ago I had posted it under Seven's topic "Jesus or Jehovah."
I came across it on another site and showed it to larc - the 'old man' beat me to it! Just like him, ha. If he wasn't taking a nap I would give him what for - but I'm enjoying the peace and quiet too much - y'all know he is the talker! Besides I'm not sure I would consider this "false prophesy" - more like 'running off at the mouth' -
an organization that prints too much and can't even remember what they said previously.

What is a false prophet?

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