Interesting factoid:
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If you ask the average bible reader to name the "important" prophets you'd come up with a list something like this one:
The major prophets of the Hebrew Bible were:
Joshua
Samuel
Isaiah
Jeremiah
Ezekiel
Hosea or Hoshea
Joel or Yo'el
Amos
Obadiah or Ovadyah
Jonah or Yonah
Micah or Mikhah
Nahum or Nachum
Habakkuk or Habaquq
Zephaniah or Tsefania
Haggai or Haggai
Zechariah Zekharia
Malachi or Malakhi
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The TALMUD says that there had been twice as many prophets as the number of people who left Egypt (2,600,000), but only those whose messages were for future generations were recorded. This count was 48 male and 7 female Prophets.
What do you make of that fact?
Do we need to stop and ask a few questions about HOW WE DEFINE the word PROPHET?
1. a person (of either sex) who claims contact with the supernatural/divine and who purports to SPEAK FOR THEM
2. human serving as an intermediator between the divine and humanity
3. human entrusted to bestow special knowledge from a divine source
What makes a prophet a PROPHET?
Is that clear enough? When such a person (list above) speaks or writes a message....it is called PROPHECY.
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Jews, Christians and Muslims have a matter-of-fact attitude about prophets and prophecy. They are monotheists.
However, their view is historically VERY NARROW!
In every civilization regardless of religion there are such prophets who have operated all through history!
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What if we were to step back and away from the NARROW view for a moment? Could we include other functions for a prophet
and still be historically accurate? Were "true" prophets functioning other than predictors of the future (usual meaning)?
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List of Facts about Prophets:
1. Targets of persecution and opposition by authorities in power whom the prophets had criticised
2. Gave specific warnings about corruption and malfeasance in order to correct wrongful practices
3. Called "seers" because prophets could see what authority was doing wrong and reporting it publicly
4. Tertullian and Eusebius report the activity of prophets operating long after the death of the twelve original Apostles
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With the above information about prophets having been considered we can ask an important question or two.
Can a religious body, group or organization do the work a prophet is said to do and correctly claim to NOT be a prophet?
What if there was an organization that wanted all the respect, gravitas and authority possessed by a prophet of god while
exempting itself from charges of FALSE PROPHET when its utterances failed? Would this group be guilty of trickery and blame-shifting?
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Deuteronomy 18:21-22
King James Version (KJV)
21 And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the Lord hath not spoken?
22 When a prophet speaketh in the name of the Lord , if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.
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The Governing Body of Jehovah's Witnesses claims and has always claimed special privilege as: "the mouthpiece of God."
This matches #1 on our list of definitions of PROPHET above.
The Watchtower magazine has repeatedly emphasized the status of its Governing Body as intermediary charged with the duty of
providing all the True teachings of Jehovah while demanding loyalty from obedient christians.
This matches #2 on our list of definitions of PROPHET above.
Throughout its history, Jehovah's Witnesses have received New Light, it claims, as special discrete knowledge of dates for Armageddon.
This matches #3 on our list of definitions of PROPHET above.
The 100% failure rate would seem to refute them as a prophet--so, they claim simply to NOT be one!
LOOPHOLE?
Have they discovered a loophole for lying in the name of Jehovah and getting away with it?
"Ever since The Watchtower began to be published in July 1879 it has looked ahead into the future... No, The Watchtower is no inspired prophet, but it follows and explains a Book of prophecy the predictions in which have proved to be unerring and unfailing till now. The Watchtower is therefore under safe guidance. It may be read with confidence, for its statements may be checked against that prophetic Book." (The Watchtower 1 January 1969)
Indeed, 7 million members of this religion ALLOW THEM to escape condemnation for false prophecy and give them unwavering personal loyalty.
Is there no modern day group of prophets who will STAND UP AND ACCUSE THIS RELIGION?
The answer is: YES! Their exists a modern day prophet to point an accusing finger at this Governing Body in protest!
Who is this PROPHET? WE ARE!
The community of ex-JW members who publicly voice their accusations of lying, false prophesying, lethal blood policies and child molestation malfeasance!
WE SO-CALLED APOSTATES are the REAL PROPHETS!
I remind you:
List of Facts about Prophets
1. Targets of persecution and opposition by authorities in power whom the prophets had criticised
2. Gave specific warnings about corruption and malfeasance in order to correct wrongful practices
Here is the twist ending.
The GB can only toy with the word prophet by making sure they only print that word in regard to themselves with " " around it: "prophet".
EX-JW critics at least speak the true truth about "the Truth" in the face of shunning and policies of ad hoc mind control
HOW IRONIC!
