• A_Union_of_Kobolds@lemmy.world
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    3 days ago

    “Prophet” has a specific meaning, it’s not just a soothsayer. Prophecy is tied to the ends of eras, and for the Semitic people, most of their history was, at that point, servitude of one form or another, punctuated by suffering and occasionally vengeful conquest. The Jewish Prophets fortold the Messiah, who would lead them from suffering to paradise.

    Christ, in Christian theology, upended that order. He said he was the new Law, and the only way to God was through him. He was pretty clear on the subject. It didn’t take long before new Prophecies came about - but now, the people of God weren’t just a specific tribe, they were potentially the whole species. So the prophecies had to be Apocalyptic.

    Christ wasn’t a Prophet. He brought God’s message (according to him and his fans), but he didn’t say jack about the End Times.

    • ochi_chernye@startrek.website
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      3 days ago

      Ok, so maybe (depending on the mythology one subscribes to) he wasn’t a Prophet. Nevertheless, it seems inarguable that he was a prophet. Dude was mad prophetic.

      • A_Union_of_Kobolds@lemmy.world
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        2 days ago

        Words we use have meaning even if you don’t like them.

        In English, the word “prophet” has a deep historical tie to foretelling the end times for Semitic people

        It is a specific tradition you can’t just ignore. So when the question of “was Jesus a prophet” comes up, it’s important to be precise. Go ask any theologian if you don’t believe me. Conflating “prophet” with “soothsayer” was a HUGE sticking point when it came to medieval heresies.

        I should note, I’m atheist.

        And being “mad prophetic” is absurd. JESUS didn’t foretell the end times. He never once talked about what was to come outside extremely vague assertions like “believe in me and you’ll meet God”. If we go by the Gospel, he was clearly Not A Prophet.

        Christians are the worst fucking book club I swear…

        • ochi_chernye@startrek.website
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          18 hours ago

          I don’t really see what’s objectionable about asserting that Jesus was a prophet—according to modern usage of the word—while acknowledging that he may not have met some religions’ narrow definitions of the term. I can be as pedantic and prescriptive as any 40-something internet user about topics I consider myself well-versed in, but

          Words we use have meaning even if you don’t like them.

          is some really misplaced ‘old man yells at cloud’ energy.