Sunday, February 7, 2010

Should profits from false Apocalyptic predictions be confiscated?

IMHO, Apocalyptic predictions do a lot of harm: scare people unnecessarily, distract them from productive enterprise, and prevent people from thinking about what is best for the future in the long term.





I therefore propose that false prophecy be punished, at least to the extent of confiscation of any profits resulting from book and movie publication, perhaps with additional penalties.





The penalty would not be extracted until, say, one year after the prediction fails to come true, e.g. Dec 21, 2013.Should profits from false Apocalyptic predictions be confiscated?
I suspect you are being ';funny'; but something like that becams real serious regarding his first coming:





4 And it came to pass that in the commencement of the ninety and second year, behold, the prophecies of the prophets began to be fulfilled more fully; for there began to be greater signs and greater miracles wrought among the people.


3 Ne 1:5


5 But there were some who began to say that the time was past for the words to be fulfilled, which were spoken by Samuel, the Lamanite.


3 Ne 1:6


6 And they began to rejoice over their brethren, saying: Behold the time is past, and the words of Samuel are not fulfilled; therefore, your joy and your faith concerning this thing hath been vain.


3 Ne 1:7


7 And it came to pass that they did make a great uproar throughout the land; and the people who believed began to be very sorrowful, lest by any means those things which had been spoken might not come to pass.


3 Ne 1:8


8 But behold, they did watch steadfastly for that day and that night and that day which should be as one day as if there were no night, that they might know that their faith had not been vain.


3 Ne 1:9


9 Now it came to pass that there was a day set apart by the unbelievers, that all those who believed in those traditions should be put to death except the sign should come to pass, which had been given by Samuel the prophet.


3 Ne 1:10


10 Now it came to pass that when Nephi, the son of Nephi, saw this wickedness of his people, his heart was exceedingly sorrowful.


3 Ne 1:11


11 And it came to pass that he went out and bowed himself down upon the earth, and cried mightily to his God in behalf of his people, yea, those who were about to be destroyed because of their faith in the tradition of their fathers.


3 Ne 1:12


12 And it came to pass that he cried mightily unto the Lord all that day; and behold, the voice of the Lord came unto him, saying:


3 Ne 1:13


13 Lift up your head and be of good cheer; for behold, the time is at hand, and on this night shall the sign be given, and on the morrow come I into the world, to show unto the world that I will fulfil all that which I have caused to be spoken by the mouth of my holy prophets.Should profits from false Apocalyptic predictions be confiscated?
I'd be happy if they'd all just come here to say ';Oops, my bad!';.





But no. They'll just move on to the NEXT end of the world!
That would certainly save us a lot of hassle.





But I was kind of hoping to make a few bucks making insanely vague predictions about the future and being declared a prophet.
If people are soooooo stupid that they actually believe these false predictions, maybe they deserve to lose their money. There's a believer born every minute.
great idea
God foretold warnings.Are we afraid?
No, I am not a book burner nor the thought police.
Jesus.said that the Apocalypse would happen ';within the lifetime of some of '; the people listening to him. That would make his prediction at least 1920 years off (even if He came back tomorrow).


So could we make the penalties accumulative, say, a tenth of the Church's riches every century? Today the Church would be further into the red than Madoff.

No comments:

Post a Comment