What Calamity would befall your Faith if a New Prophet was revealed?

Question

Or perhaps not even a Prophet but a Great Soul to help bind the monotheistic, Budhist and Hindu religions in kindness and reignite their inspiration to the world.
How coould you come to terms with worshipping and practicing beside someone of another faith altogether?
Do you think it would enhance the world if a New Prophet or Mahatma brought the different religions together in common and practical work for the betterment of the world? Could you follow such a one as he or she?
Could a Muslim widow who lost her child to Israeli bombardment comfort and hold the son of her son's killer if he died? How much are the people of Faith willing to compromise for a better world for themselves, their God and the children of our time?
Could you subject yourself to respect of other religions under the guidance of a Mahatma if it meant the flourishing of a better world for all?

Answer 1

Yes,...that's a good question. I'm all for working with conscientious people regardless of their backgrounds. This visionary which you speak of i think is all of us.... led by nothing but a desire for peace, everyone needs to be that visionary.As a precedent, the coming together will first have to be seeded in the realm of ideas , merging and assimilating, in the public sphere of debate we can come to a compromise, understanding and create through mutual agreement a peaceful co-existence in diversity. That is very important. Talking........ openly and respectfully with the intention to include the other rather than impose our own exlusive beliefs.

Answer 2

I could practice and worship beside any people. It doesn't matter to me what faith people have or who they have it invested in. I think it would be great if a new rophet was revealed or something to bind all people together. i think that would be a revelation in hate and discrimination. I could follow a new Prophet so long as they that brought different religions together especially if it was proving to enhance compassion in todays society. Im just not sure about the widow. But Id have faith that in time it would be possible. Im all for a better world and hope one day to see a new prophet or Mahatma.

Answer 3

I have no faith and am an atheist so no calamity would befall me.
I recall reading that the founder of the bahai faith (the "bab") was executed by muslims for claiming to be the chosen one. However the ayatolla khomeni (man from the town of khom) was accepted as one who had been foretold.
I think that xtians and muslims would have a probelm with anyone who wanted to change the status quo (muslims especially) if those changes deviated from scriptural ideals, as would the authorities in their countries (and the psychiatrists in particular) even though both faiths expect a new leader to emerge/prophet to return. Society however simply wouldn't accept a *traditional* prophet (visionary etc), rather he would be locked away and given little red pills. I'm not sure about the reincarnative faiths though I believe they and their followers would be more open to change, as in the east the dharma (moral teaching) is expected to change from age to age. If a new leader does emerge I therefore predict s/he would come from the hindu or buddhist culture. As a new religion could cause a security threat I expect any new world leader would also be politically correct, secularist, democratist, capitalist and modernist if the new system were to be *allowed* to function and thrive, and its followers unite. Perhaps a change to Islam would be particularly welcome in the West, and (as we can currently see) schollars if not prophets are beginning to be screened and hand picked by powers that be, to exert control the masses of believers in ways pleasing to our politicians and business interests. So much for the free world? Well we must limit our freedom in order to protect it.

Answer 4

Mankind is too sinful for a better world to come about through what you're describing. It's very idealistic. Only through a transforming Power can the nature of man be changed. Another prophet wouldn't change my view at all. The Gospel, as revealed by the Apostles, through the centuries has changed, and is changing, the nature of mankind. Those who just used it, instead of embracing it, did things to turn the stomachs of many...and still do. But there is still a work of God going on in the hearts of thousands.

This world, as it is, is not meant to continue. There WILL be a paradigm shift, but it won't be in the way you think.

Answer 5

Lots of heavy answers to this, a heavy but interesting question...

Proof of a new prophet would shake no one's faith in the modern world: a tangible Prophet or Great Soul (I would like to see you define this more clearly to be honest) would be greeted with complete scorn and cynicism that they would in all likely hood get thrown into jail for being sociopathic or assassinated by someone protecting their own faith.

He/she would be as much a terrorist to the religious machine as anything else...after all, the words of the modern religions have really not changed vastly over the last several millenium, some one with proof, where proof necessarily refutes faith in such old matters of the heart would not be happily embraced. No comprimise, this web site and the religous bigotry from all sides it instills just demonstrates this...

Could the religions be brought together? Yes: but it would take a cataclismic event, truly world shattering, whereby death came to millions or billions, leaving everyones faith in tatters...it is too engrained, to entrenched into societys psyche to be removed or even just realigned. Never gonna happen

Answer 6

If one could bring the religions of the world together he would be far greater than any man, Prophet or supposed God that has ever set foot on Earth. I would follow him even if I had the choice.
But the true question is can there be that Great Soul who will not simply preach but also inspire that magnificent world?

Answer 7

Why would I need some new prophet, when Christ already tells me to respect all people? Why should I need someone to tell me, "Love your enemies", when Christ has already done so? I don't need to be guided by someone who has rehashed the word of God into some new-age philosophy.

Oh, and for the record, I seriously doubt a good portion of Protestant Christianity would willingly accept "a new prophet", especially one who teaches a lot like Christ does, yet embraces ecumenalism (uniting the religions)... that there sets off a red warning flag to us, as a warning of the False Prophet... since that is one of the things that makes him plain as day to us.

Oh, and one last thing... there are many things that are comprimisable. A Charismatic may believe that speaking in tongues may manifest in all believers in some way, I believe prophecy is a major part of the Bible, Catholics believe that their traditions are equal to the importance within the Bible. I may or may not agree with them, and they may or may not agree with me, but we are willing to accept our positions as "potentially valid". This is compromise within the Church.

There are, however, some things that cannot be compromised. The fact that Christians are not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers (just like yoking an ox with a mule... one will pull his weight, the other can't even reach the ground, and both are uncomfortable with the situation). The fact that such a prophet may reveal himself to be the False Prophet (especially if he points toward someone greater than him, and this someone is capable of producing miracles and surviving deadly wounds). And the fact that I would be a servant of two masters is unthinkable, for I would be loyal to one and not the other, or vice versa, and it causes conflict within, and therefore, making me a hypocrite.

On top of that, who greater of a teacher can there be, aside from God Himself, than the Son of God?

Sorry, all of what you speak of is what Jesus taught. I don't need a new prophet to tell me that which I already know, and nor would I compromise my faith in God by saying to Him with my deeds, "Your Son's teachings isn't enough".

Answer 8

People of all belief systems recognize truth when they are presented with it. “You can fool some of the people, sometimes…but not all the people every time.” This does demonstrate the importance of thinking for one’s self. Let’s not forget the lessons provided by the Jim Jones mass suicide tragedy.

After giving a great deal of study and thought into multiple religious beliefs and thought systems; I made an important discovery. They all lead back to one absolute. There is something greater than ourselves in existence, generating different concepts for many…but this also limits the concept…for a broader concept includes “All” and exists for a reason…and is to be respected. We are all connected in ways that become almost unfathomable; one not being greater or lesser than another.

People with real faith, goodwill, and understanding know and understand the validity of other faith systems. If a loving being graced our earthly presence and combined these great teachings into something of truth, why would anyone object? Why would we label it? Why the rush to judgment, in either the negative or positive, when you can listen to your soul and know the truth in what is presented to you?

We are provided with many meaningful, deeply spiritual paths to attain spiritual perfection…already manifest within our souls. I would listen with my heart, my spirit, and my soul…and know the truth. Your soul never lies to you, for is a part of the Whole. It would not present a conflict for me.

Answer 9

It's my belief that there have been many prophets that have came since the time of Jesus and Muhammed. Most people would not accept them for what they are. Most of them are labeled as crazy because they claim to talk to God. I don't think I would follow, personally, I don't follow people. If I saw God coming down from the heavens followed by all the angels, I would still not be sure. I would have many questions....

Answer 10

No calamity would shake my faith, but then I'm zen buddhist. It would be great to see an enlightened being arrive to bring the world closer together under one view. As it is right now, people of different religions tend to be so narrow minded that anything "new" is considered blasphemy or ignorant. I think that if Jesus himself came down, most of the christian community would probably proclaim him a fake and refuse to listen to anything he had to say.