So, prophets in Jesus' time were good, but prophets now are evil?

It's so you can't question their 'perfect' doctrines. It's all about power. and control.

If Jesus returns I think this time the Christians will crucify him and dub him as being evil, or he will be sued for not being politically correct and offending someone. :P I'm sure he hates so much of the cr*p that has been carried out in his name, I also think he'd smite the end-timers- for trying to bring mass destruction to the world.

It's simple. In Biblical times, if you said, "Thus saith the Lord" and it didn't happen, you died as a false prophet. This why when you read utterly incoherent and vague "prophecies" in the Bible you can find ten thousand variant interpretations, from Christians mind you, who can't say for sure what they mean. Psychics, mediums and such do the same thing today, speaking in language so symbolic and vague that it can mean anything and the psychic always has a way out. Just go to the newspaper and rea the horoscope for an example of something only slightly less vague than a fotune cookie.

The other issue too is that modern fundies think "prophecy" means "fortune-telling", i.e. predicting future events like in a crystal ball. But that is not how Bibole writers used it. "Prophecy" was the act of calling the people to repentance which always involves blaming current of pending doom on infidelity to God and promising restorationand prosperity for fidelity to Godas the "prophet" derfines it. We also have instances of political commentary, like Daniel, written during the Maccabbean revolt, centuries after the events it "predicts" putting a prediction of those events into the main character's mouth. It's hindsight not foresight. We see the same thing in the Jesus predicting the destruction of the Jerusalem temple, an event which took place before the Gospel was written.

People don't see into the future. It's fraud. period.

Well, your statement would be more argumentative if you had mention the entire Bible, but since you narrowed it to Jesus' time I believe there was only John the Baptist and he was the Herald to Jesus ordained by God. There were no other Prophets. The Disciples where prophetic but not Prophets. The difference is minimal, but enough.

Now, the heart of your question is how come psychics and "prophetic" people are doing the Devil's work. It is simple. What is the message and focus of their "power." When you speak to the dead, talk of past lives, foresee the future for prosperity or happiness it is very much of the Devil. If the focus is of God it will have the power and backing of the Holy Spirit and it will come to pass. If it is to promote a book or a particular Church or something similar it is not of God.

Near as I know the only Prophetic books that Christians revere are those found in the Old Testament and the Book of Revelation. The rest would be Prophetic statements of Jesus and his Disciples. Both are ripe with warnings against false prophets and diviners and are equated with Satan.

Jesus also warned us of false prophets and to know them by their fruit. Likewise we will know true prophets.

Are there prophets now? If so, how do you decide they are prophets? That is true prophets? There were prophets in the Old Testament, but any serious mistakes brought about their stoning.

Explain the change. First, you haven't really established that they were "revered in earlier times." By whom and how many?

Perhaps the rise of Satanic worship and New Age-ism prompted serious Christians to react. Do you include in "earlier times" the Salem witch trials of 1692? Does that qualify as earlier times?

Well, I'm going to give you my theistic point of view. And since I'm a Muslim, it is my belief that Muhammad is the last prophet.

Anyways.

I believe that God's plan of this is because, right now we're too smart and skeptical. Two thousand years ago if someone seriously had a revelation from God, people would believe them. Right now, if someone claimed to had a revelation from God, genuine or not, they'll end up in an Asylum.

Perhaps this is God's plans.

They are....the prophetic canon of scripture has been closed since about AD 95 (John on the island of Patmos)

Unless what a person says absolutely comes true right down to a milispect of info...they are a false prophet.

There is a difference between a false prophet, diviner, and astrologer and a real prophet, called and chosen by God to be His mouthpiece on the earth. You really don't understand what a prophet is. Let me help you:

A prophet is a person who has been called by and speaks for God. As a messenger of God, a prophet receives commandments, prophecies, and revelations from God. His responsibility is to make known God’s will and true character to mankind and to show the meaning of his dealings with them. A prophet denounces sin and foretells its consequences. He is a preacher of righteousness. On occasion, prophets may be inspired to foretell the future for the benefit of mankind. His primary responsibility, however, is to bear witness of Christ. The President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is God’s prophet on earth today. Members of the First Presidency and the Twelve Apostles are sustained as prophets, seers, and revelators. I bear my testimony of this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

After Jesus Christ, we have no need of prophets. The Bible warns us about false prophets in Matthew 7:15 " Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing,but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

You shall not permit a sorceress to live (Exodus 22:18).

The Law also said.

You shall not eat anything with the blood, nor shall you practice divination or soothsaying . . . Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God. . . And the person who turns after mediums and familiar spirits, to prostitute himself with them, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from his people . . . A man or a woman who is a medium or a wizard shall be put to death; they shall be stoned to death, their blood is upon them (Leviticus 19:26,31; 20:6,27).

Understand though, that this was the Old Testament and although we shall not practice any of the above as christians, Jesus changed the punishment by dying for us. So if one commits any of the above and repents from it, that person will be forgiven.

I don't Phoenix. I believe that most of us have some psychic abilities if we can allow ourselves to tap into them. And, as a Christian I believe those things to be from God. I know not all Christians feel as I do, but I strongly believe that we cannot define or put limits on God and as long as we try, we will never reach a state of true spiritual enlightenment.

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