The Prophet Test...

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_truth dancer
_Emeritus
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Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:40 pm

The Prophet Test...

Post by _truth dancer »

Before I got my job I had to take a variety of tests, get fingerprinted, and go through some fairly extensive questionnaires and interviews to determine if I was qualified to work in my field.

So, I got to thinking, with all the various men claiming to be prophets in the news these days, maybe someone should come up with some sort of prophet screening?

At minimum, before a man claims he is a prophet he should be required to have a background check to determine if he has a criminal record. There should be a serious psych eval and a thorough assessment to pick up any mental health issues or personality disorders. Particular attention should be paid to delusion disorder, narcissistic and grandiosity issues, and hyposexuality and sexual predatory behaviors. Perhaps even a neuro exam to pick up on brain abnormalities such as frontal lobe epilepsy and Geschwind Syndrome.

Ok, so maybe it won't happen but it is a good idea don't you think?

:-)

~dancer~




A little FYI.. from Wiki, one of my heros...
Vilayanur S. Ramachandran explored the neural basis of the hyperreligiosity seen in TLE using galvanic skin response, which correlates with emotional arousal, to determine whether the hyperreligiosity seen in TLE was due to an overall enhanced emotional response, or if the enhancement was specific to religious stimuli (Ramachandran and Blakeslee, 1998). By presenting subjects with neutral, sexually arousing and religious words while measuring GSR, Ramachandran was able to show that patients with TLE showed enhanced emotional responses to the religious words, diminished responses to the sexually charged words, and normal responses to the neutral words. These results suggest that the medial temporal lobe is specifically involved in generating some of the emotional reactions associated with religious words, images and symbols.
"The search for reality is the most dangerous of all undertakings for it destroys the world in which you live." Nisargadatta Maharaj
_Analytics
_Emeritus
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Post by _Analytics »

That would be a fantastic idea. I know if I saw Jesus, I'd want an extensive psychiatric evaluation before I beleived it!
It’s relatively easy to agree that only Homo sapiens can speak about things that don’t really exist, and believe six impossible things before breakfast. You could never convince a monkey to give you a banana by promising him limitless bananas after death in monkey heaven.

-Yuval Noah Harari
_Who Knows
_Emeritus
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Joined: Wed Nov 01, 2006 6:09 pm

Post by _Who Knows »

Analytics wrote:That would be a fantastic idea. I know if I saw Jesus, I'd want an extensive psychiatric evaluation before I beleived it!


Then you'd be labeled an adulterous sign-seeker. Contrary to 99% of everything else in life - when it comes to religion, you can't ask for evidence/proof (oh, except for an undefinable/subjective feeling - a.k.a. - the spiritual witness).
WK: "Joseph Smith asserted that the Book of Mormon peoples were the original inhabitants of the americas"
Will Schryver: "No, he didn’t." 3/19/08
Still waiting for Will to back this up...
_asbestosman
_Emeritus
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Post by _asbestosman »

Who Knows wrote:
Analytics wrote:That would be a fantastic idea. I know if I saw Jesus, I'd want an extensive psychiatric evaluation before I beleived it!


Then you'd be labeled an adulterous sign-seeker. Contrary to 99% of everything else in life - when it comes to religion, you can't ask for evidence/proof (oh, except for an undefinable/subjective feeling - a.k.a. - the spiritual witness).


I'd at least ask for the handshake test.
That's General Leo. He could be my friend if he weren't my enemy.
eritis sicut dii
I support NCMO
_The Dude
_Emeritus
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Post by _The Dude »

Who Knows wrote:
Analytics wrote:That would be a fantastic idea. I know if I saw Jesus, I'd want an extensive psychiatric evaluation before I beleived it!


Then you'd be labeled an adulterous sign-seeker. Contrary to 99% of everything else in life - when it comes to religion, you can't ask for evidence/proof (oh, except for an undefinable/subjective feeling - a.k.a. - the spiritual witness).


If someone asks for a sign before they will believe, he is labeled "adulterous sign-seeker". Fine
If someone gets a sign, but doubts the reality of the sign, he is still labeled "adulterous sign-seeker"??? You just cannot win!
"And yet another little spot is smoothed out of the echo chamber wall..." Bond
_Yong Xi
_Emeritus
Posts: 761
Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2007 1:56 am

Re: The Prophet Test...

Post by _Yong Xi »

truth dancer wrote:Before I got my job I had to take a variety of tests, get fingerprinted, and go through some fairly extensive questionnaires and interviews to determine if I was qualified to work in my field.

So, I got to thinking, with all the various men claiming to be prophets in the news these days, maybe someone should come up with some sort of prophet screening?

At minimum, before a man claims he is a prophet he should be required to have a background check to determine if he has a criminal record. There should be a serious psych eval and a thorough assessment to pick up any mental health issues or personality disorders. Particular attention should be paid to delusion disorder, narcissistic and grandiosity issues, and hyposexuality and sexual predatory behaviors. Perhaps even a neuro exam to pick up on brain abnormalities such as frontal lobe epilepsy and Geschwind Syndrome.

Ok, so maybe it won't happen but it is a good idea don't you think?




Yes, it is likely that one claiming to be a prophet will possess (or come to possess) any or all of the characteristics you describe. In fact, it may even be a requirement.
_SatanWasSetUp
_Emeritus
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Post by _SatanWasSetUp »

I think it depends on the rules of the religious group as to what makes a prophet. In Mormonism the only thing you need is good health and longevity. If you can outlast the other guys at the top, you get the job.
"We of this Church do not rely on any man-made statement concerning the nature of Deity. Our knowledge comes directly from the personal experience of Joseph Smith." - Gordon B. Hinckley

"It's wrong to criticize leaders of the Mormon Church even if the criticism is true." - Dallin H. Oaks
_Boaz & Lidia
_Emeritus
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Post by _Boaz & Lidia »

The Dude wrote:
Who Knows wrote:
Analytics wrote:That would be a fantastic idea. I know if I saw Jesus, I'd want an extensive psychiatric evaluation before I beleived it!


Then you'd be labeled an adulterous sign-seeker. Contrary to 99% of everything else in life - when it comes to religion, you can't ask for evidence/proof (oh, except for an undefinable/subjective feeling - a.k.a. - the spiritual witness).


If someone asks for a sign before they will believe, he is labeled "adulterous sign-seeker". Fine
If someone gets a sign, but doubts the reality of the sign, he is still labeled "adulterous sign-seeker"??? You just cannot win!


And the sign said you need a membership card to get inside...
_Jersey Girl
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Post by _Jersey Girl »

TD,

The Bible has a prophet test. Why don't LDS use that?
Failure is not falling down but refusing to get up.
Chinese Proverb
_truth dancer
_Emeritus
Posts: 4792
Joined: Tue Oct 24, 2006 12:40 pm

Post by _truth dancer »

Jersey Girl wrote:TD,

The Bible has a prophet test. Why don't LDS use that?


I'm just thinking the Bible test needs a little updating. (smile)

Maybe LDS don't use it because it was not translated correctly? ;-)

~dancer~
"The search for reality is the most dangerous of all undertakings for it destroys the world in which you live." Nisargadatta Maharaj
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