so atheists, how did Apostle Paul correctly prophesy, without error, the coming corruption of the Church?

Just a second... yes! Something's coming to me!

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I predict that in the future, men will come along who will take advantage of things for their own gain. They will be corrupt and steal from others. Some of them will even kill to get what they want!

Nations will be lead by people who lust after power, and they shall fight amongst each other, and the masses shall suffer because of their insatiable greed!

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What are the odds my prediction won't come true?

Ooh! I'm having another vision!

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Men and women will lust after each other, and abandon thought in their desire for carnal pleasures!

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Oh my God, here comes another one!

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And it will come to pass that men and women will tire, and lay their heads upon the pillows of their beds and sleep and renew their energy, but in time there will come a day when rest shall renew them no more, and they shall pass into death!

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And that was just off the top of my head. If I keep coming up with vague nonsense like that, I could be THE GREATEST PROPHET OF ALL TIME!!!

Gee, I don't know how Paul could have possibly predicted that corrupt men would come along. You're right. That must be a miracle.

Lion, you really don't read the Bible very well...ask yourself this very simple question...why did Paul write epistles? Because when he would start a church community in a new place, after he left, a different set of Christians would come in and start teaching things that were not the same (and sometimes the exact opposite - it's why he called the Galatians "stupid") as what he taught...therefore I put to you that Paul wasn't prophecying ANYTHING - he was simply noting what was happening everytime he left and he was trying to warn the people that after he left their community other Christians would come in and tell them to do things differently than Paul had told them. This isn't about corruption in the church, this is the foundation for calling people who disagreed with the proto-orthodox position "heretics"...this isn't about seeing a prophecy "fulfilled", this is the groundwork for burning people at the stake....

You really need to lay off the Yahoo Answers for a bit and take a couple of courses at college about composition, about critical thinking, and about how to read a text. You are really awful at it, and until you get over that hurdle, you'll just continue to alienate the people you hope to help, and simply encourage the sycophantic to embrace your shallow ideas.

The prophesy is vague, and susceptible to interpretation, just like most prophecies. The metaphor of wolves and sheep will be interpreted in different ways by different people. And the 2nd passage draws upon basic human instinct. Someone will always say "perverse" things. Haven't you known anyone in a church that was a holy roller on Sunday morning, and a holy terror the rest of the week?

It's rather easy to make really generic and obvious predictions.

Here's a real thinker for you -

Back about 7 years ago, I noticed there was a trend of every celebrity I wasn't fond of was having a run of bad luck. They were getting kicked out of their bands, making fools of themselves on Oprah, getting killed in accidents, etc. I made a proclamation - I stated in front of a room full of people, "Mark my words, Brittney Spears and Mel Gibson will be laughing stocks." Well, a couple of years later The Passion of the Christ came out and caused Mel Gibson a considerable amount of problems and we all know what happened with Brittney Spears.

I think my predictions were far more specific. Can 2009 be the year of The Passenger?

Those are the vaguest prophecies I have ever heard. Why can't there be a clear and unambiguous prophecy in the Bible if God wanted to prove it was true? Why not say "exactly 2000 years after the death of Jesus a volcano will erupt at such and such a place at such and such a time." If they got that one right, then I would believe.

Which corruption of the church are you referring to? And how is this prophecy and not simple common sense?

The explanation is simple, the whole history of the Hebrews is one of corruption, punishment and return, time after time, and Paul should have been well versed in this. He was saying nothing new or unexpected.

Paul wasn't referring to the catholic cult specifically because he knew the Church are the believers in Jesus Christ, not groups of people who label themselves then claim exclusivity. It is way more wide spread than that. He was also talking about those "Christians" that tolerate sins like homosexuality, idolatry and such. And who claim to accept evolution because they're "intelligent" and make God out to be a liar, which I know He isn't. God isn't politically correct He is correct.

It's not much of a stretch to say that there will be corruption in a religious organization.

If I say that I see much conflict in Iraq after the US pulls out, does that make me a prophet? No. It's just a given. Feel free to keep trying though.

it particularly is a rather hassle-free "prophesy" to make. If I mentioned "perceived first rate adult males and females shall dedicate evil deeds," ultimately sometime it could come actual. however, it particularly is beside the element. somebody's prophesy coincidentally coming actual does not instruct in a deity '~,o, somewhat the occasion you gave. Cheers although ~

Name a single religion that has ever existed that the original founders wouldn't consider corrupt today?

(Hint: There are none. Every religion has its heritics and corruption).

I can't believe that such an obvious fact about the nature of belief alludes you. Some common sense will help you differntiate simple observation from divine prophecy.