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What are the minimum requirements for a prophet
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 6:28 pm
by _Scottie
I'd like to put a twist on Runtu's "what disqualifies a prophet" thread.
What, in your opinion, are the minimum qualifications that a prophet should possess?
** Please note I'm talking about any prophet, not just LDS prophets.
Should they be able to predict the future?
Claim to speak with God?
Receive promptings from God?
Writing scripture?
Speaking in tongues?
What else?
Re: What are the minimum requirements for a prophet
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 7:36 pm
by _harmony
Scottie wrote:I'd like to put a twist on Runtu's "what disqualifies a prophet" thread.
What, in your opinion, are the minimum qualifications that a prophet should possess?
** Please note I'm talking about any prophet, not just LDS prophets.
Should they be able to predict the future?
Claim to speak with God?
Receive promptings from God?
Writing scripture?
Speaking in tongues?
What else?
None of the above.
They should do only two things:
1. live what they preach
2. take no money from anyone for whatever tasks they do in their role as prophet (they should have another job in order to support themselves)
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 7:37 pm
by _beastie
delusions of grandeur
Re: What are the minimum requirements for a prophet
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 7:40 pm
by _Yong Xi
Scottie wrote:I'd like to put a twist on Runtu's "what disqualifies a prophet" thread.
What, in your opinion, are the minimum qualifications that a prophet should possess?
** Please note I'm talking about any prophet, not just LDS prophets.
Should they be able to predict the future?
Claim to speak with God?
Receive promptings from God?
Writing scripture?
Speaking in tongues?
What else?
Correct false doctrine
Inspire confidence
Create a big tent
Value the individual
Answer the existential questions (I know, a tall order, but why not?)
Posted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 8:49 pm
by _truth dancer
Depends on how one defines, "doctrine." :-)
If one defines a prophet as, "a person who speaks for God or a deity, or by divine inspiration," then to qualify they would have to actually speak for God by divine inspiration.
If one defines a prophet as "one of a band of ecstatic visionaries claiming divine inspiration and, according to popular belief, possessing magical powers," then they would have to "claim" inspiration and the possession of magical powers.
If one defines a prophet as, "a person regarded as, or claiming to be, an inspired teacher or leader," then all it takes is folks to regard someone as an inspired teacher or leader.
If one defines a prophet as, "a person who foretells or predicts what is to come," then some sort of future prediction would be essential.
If a person defines a prophet as, "a spokesperson of some doctrine, cause, or movement," then all they have to do is be a spokesperson for a cause or movement.
As a believer I had the belief that a true prophet was receiving revelation from Christ (defn #1), but have since come to learn that actually a prophet by LDS standards is just a man running the church sharing his opinion.... I guess the last definition.
~dancer~