How do Christians reconcile the failure of prophesies

Zoii

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According to the NY Times, the USA has seen a dramatic rise in evangelical preachers making prophesies, particularly concerning the political affairs of Trump and the republican party.

Prophesies are not new, of course, with doomsday prophesy groups, almost exclusively Christian, failing to see the world end on the predicted date.

In the last ten years, prophesies have emerged focussed on the the re-election of Donald Trump and the so called red wave which would see the Democrats swept from power. Now I am not from USA so couldn't care less about their politics. I'm more interested to know how those who believe prophesies, reconcile their faith in both their religion and their preacher, when the prophesy does not come to pass.


 

HTacianas

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According to the NY Times, the USA has seen a dramatic rise in evangelical preachers making prophesies, particularly concerning the political affairs of Trump and the republican party.

Prophesies are not new, of course, with doomsday prophesy groups, almost exclusively Christian, failing to see the world end on the predicted date.

In the last ten years, prophesies have emerged focussed on the the re-election of Donald Trump and the so called red wave which would see the Democrats swept from power. Now I am not from USA so couldn't care less about their politics. I'm more interested to know how those who believe prophesies, reconcile their faith in both their religion and their preacher, when the prophesy does not come to pass.



I don't pay any attention to people who claim to be prophets.
 
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Zoii

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jamiec
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False prophets and similar charlatans are no novelty. FWIW, there were false prophets in the OT period. Especially in the years before the fall of Jerusalem to the Babylonians. False prophecy is almost to be expected in a period of crisis and uncertainty. And our times are certainly a period of crisis and uncertainty, so these people pop up like mushrooms.
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Friedrich Rubinstein

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A failed prophecy is a clearer sign of a false prophet than a fulfilled prophecy is a sign of a true prophet. God's prophecies never fail, while even a broken clock is right twice a day.
 
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CRAZY_CAT_WOMAN

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According to the NY Times, the USA has seen a dramatic rise in evangelical preachers making prophesies, particularly concerning the political affairs of Trump and the republican party.

Prophesies are not new, of course, with doomsday prophesy groups, almost exclusively Christian, failing to see the world end on the predicted date.

In the last ten years, prophesies have emerged focussed on the the re-election of Donald Trump and the so called red wave which would see the Democrats swept from power. Now I am not from USA so couldn't care less about their politics. I'm more interested to know how those who believe prophesies, reconcile their faith in both their religion and their preacher, when the prophesy does not come to pass.


These people are wrong for making false prophesies, period. There nothing in the bible about God wanting Trump to win. These people can't be trusted. Christians need to tell people, what these people really are.
 
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Zoii

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A failed prophecy is a clearer sign of a false prophet than a fulfilled prophecy is a sign of a true prophet. God's prophecies never fail, while even a broken clock is right twice a day.
The trouble is - God's prophecies are announced through prophets. So I guess you're saying you reconcile the frequently failed prophesies by saying, if they come true then the person was chosen by God. If they don't then he was a false and therefore not from God. Seems like you still believe in prophecies though. So what will happen if the prophet got one right, and you say he was from God; then got one wrong. How will you reconcile it.
 
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Friedrich Rubinstein

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The trouble is - God's prophecies are announced through prophets. So I guess you're saying you reconcile the frequently failed prophesies by saying, if they come true then the person was chosen by God. If they don't then he was a false and therefore not from God. Seems like you still believe in prophecies though. So what will happen if the prophet got one right, and you say he was from God; then got one wrong. How will you reconcile it.
There is no such thing as a "part-time prophet". Either you are a false prophet (shown by a single failed prophecy) or you are a true prophet of the living God, in which case none of your prophecies will fail.

When you look at Deuteronomy 18:20-22 you will find that a person who claims to have spoken in the name of the Lord that wasn't commanded by God (meaning a failed prophecy) was to be put to death in the times of the Old Testament. God doesn't take it lightly when people pretend to be prophets.
 
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Tuur

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According to the NY Times, the USA has seen a dramatic rise in evangelical preachers making prophesies, particularly concerning the political affairs of Trump and the republican party.

Prophesies are not new, of course, with doomsday prophesy groups, almost exclusively Christian, failing to see the world end on the predicted date.

In the last ten years, prophesies have emerged focussed on the the re-election of Donald Trump and the so called red wave which would see the Democrats swept from power. Now I am not from USA so couldn't care less about their politics. I'm more interested to know how those who believe prophesies, reconcile their faith in both their religion and their preacher, when the prophesy does not come to pass.


Simple. If these modern prophets fail, they're not worth listening to. But I haven't seen or heard what the NY Times claims.
 
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Pommer

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Simple. If these modern prophets fail, they're not worth listening to. But I haven't seen or heard what the NY Times claims.
There are several who predicted a Trump re-election and some that have stood by those “prophesies” and proclaim Trump to still be President in some sort of double-secret-probation way or other.
 
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St_Worm2

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Hello @Zoii, unfortunately, I cannot read the NYT article that you posited for us w/o paying to do so, so I cannot comment on the specifics within it (perhaps you could post some excerpts from it for us?).

Also, I would be interested in knowing who wrote the article, and which section of the NYT it was published in (if it's not too much trouble, that is?).

Thanks :)

--David
 
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disciple Clint

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According to the NY Times, the USA has seen a dramatic rise in evangelical preachers making prophesies, particularly concerning the political affairs of Trump and the republican party.

Prophesies are not new, of course, with doomsday prophesy groups, almost exclusively Christian, failing to see the world end on the predicted date.

In the last ten years, prophesies have emerged focussed on the the re-election of Donald Trump and the so called red wave which would see the Democrats swept from power. Now I am not from USA so couldn't care less about their politics. I'm more interested to know how those who believe prophesies, reconcile their faith in both their religion and their preacher, when the prophesy does not come to pass.


Should we consider the many things the NY Times has gotten wrong?
 
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Tuur

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There are several who predicted a Trump re-election and some that have stood by those “prophesies” and proclaim Trump to still be President in some sort of double-secret-probation way or other.
Predictions and prophecies are different things. A prediction can vary from best guess to detailed computer models, and claims to be nothing more. A prophesy is a revelation by deity. One can make bad guesses and bad models and if it's offset by more good guesses and good models, they can be interesting to listen to. A person who proclaims divine revelation who turns out to be wrong is either a liar or deluded, and not worth wasting time on.
 
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St_Worm2

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Should we consider the many things the NY Times has gotten wrong?
Hello Disciple Clint, that may prove to be useful in this case, but since we do not know the specifics of the article, we don't know how much of it may or may not be correct, how much of it is based upon actual facts or on conjecture, what information has been purposely included and/or what information has been purposely left out, etc., etc.

It's very difficult to have a discussion about an article that we cannot see.

--David
 
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public hermit

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According to the NY Times, the USA has seen a dramatic rise in evangelical preachers making prophesies, particularly concerning the political affairs of Trump and the republican party.

Prophesies are not new, of course, with doomsday prophesy groups, almost exclusively Christian, failing to see the world end on the predicted date.

In the last ten years, prophesies have emerged focussed on the the re-election of Donald Trump and the so called red wave which would see the Democrats swept from power. Now I am not from USA so couldn't care less about their politics. I'm more interested to know how those who believe prophesies, reconcile their faith in both their religion and their preacher, when the prophesy does not come to pass.


Failed prophecies created a bit of a crisis among those groups that peddle in that kind of thing. Some, like Jeremiah Johnson, received death threats for apologizing.

Over the last 72 hours, I have received multiple death threats and thousands upon thousands of emails from Christians saying the nastiest and most vulgar things I have ever heard toward my family and ministry. I have been labeled a coward, sellout, a traitor to the Holy Spirit, and cussed out at least 500 times. We have lost ministry partners every hour and counting."

You've got to love that Christian love.

 
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wing2000

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Over the last 72 hours, I have received multiple death threats and thousands upon thousands of emails from Christians saying the nastiest and most vulgar things I have ever heard toward my family and ministry. I have been labeled a coward, sellout, a traitor to the Holy Spirit, and cussed out at least 500 times. We have lost ministry partners every hour and counting."

As Jesus noted in Matthew:
Beware of false prophets, who come to you insheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravening wolves.

And Paul to the church at Corinth:
For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
 
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GreatLakes4Ever

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Should we consider the many things the NY Times has gotten wrong?

I wouldn’t degrade your god by comparing his messengers to a newspaper, but if you want to go right ahead.
 
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Zoii

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Should we consider the many things the NY Times has gotten wrong?
Are you saying that the Evangelical prophecies they referred to were in fact true? eg that Donald Trump is now president and that the Republican party in the midterms have swept aside the Democratic party.....amongst many others including the many doomsday Christian groups
 
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Zoii

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Predictions and prophecies are different things. A prediction can vary from best guess to detailed computer models, and claims to be nothing more. A prophesy is a revelation by deity. One can make bad guesses and bad models and if it's offset by more good guesses and good models, they can be interesting to listen to. A person who proclaims divine revelation who turns out to be wrong is either a liar or deluded, and not worth wasting time on.
I just wonder how the millions that follow some of these preachers reconcile the failures in what the preacher says will happen - seemingly they just brush it aside like it never happened
 
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wing2000

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From the linked NYT article -- quoting a socialist from an Evangelical University--
[I agree with this...]

As denominational Christianity declines almost across the board, magnetic independent leaders have stepped into the void. “There’s this idea that you can’t trust anybody except these trusted individuals,” said Brad Christerson, a sociologist at evangelical Biola University. “It’s a symptom of our time. People don’t trust institutions, and people think that all mainstream institutions are corrupt: universities, science, government, the media. They’re searching for real sources of truth.”

The result is that many congregations are awash in misinformation. Almost half of Protestant pastors frequently hear members of their congregations repeating conspiracy theories about current events, according to a survey released last month by Lifeway Research, which is affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.
 
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Maria Billingsley

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According to the NY Times, the USA has seen a dramatic rise in evangelical preachers making prophesies, particularly concerning the political affairs of Trump and the republican party.

Prophesies are not new, of course, with doomsday prophesy groups, almost exclusively Christian, failing to see the world end on the predicted date.

In the last ten years, prophesies have emerged focussed on the the re-election of Donald Trump and the so called red wave which would see the Democrats swept from power. Now I am not from USA so couldn't care less about their politics. I'm more interested to know how those who believe prophesies, reconcile their faith in both their religion and their preacher, when the prophesy does not come to pass.


One failed prophetic word deems that person a false prophet. This is how we test the spirit and this what scripture teaches us.
Unfortunately, due to the false teaching that it is OK to have one or two or several failed prophesies, these repeat offenders are given a clean slate. This is reconciliation.
Those who want their ears ticked continue to fall prey until they come back to their first Love, Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Blessings.
 
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