The Achill Island Essays 7
Anyone Can Be a Prophet
I want to know if you are prepared to live in the world with its harsh need to change you. If you can look back with firm eyes saying this is where I stand.
David Whyte
We have many wild and romantic notions about prophets and prophesies. They are often associated with old bearded men who emerge from the desert to chastise kings, who converse regularly with God, and who can predict the future with uncanny accuracy. In our culture we usually put prophets in the same general category as fortune tellers, soothsayers, astrologers and practitioners of new-age spirituality. With their chanting, dancing and late-night infomercials, they are sources of inspiration for some, and entertainment for the rest.
But prophecy isn't about hocus-pocus, crystals, reading stars or tea leaves, or speculating on political assassinations and celebrity romances. Prophecy involves reading yourself and your place in the world around you, understanding the universal principles of justice, recognizing what needs to be done, and then going out and doing it.
The prophet's predictions are based on an objective assessment of the reality around them. They strip away hidden agendas, personal interests, politics and wishful thinking. They expose the bare truth and lay it before all to see. They challenge those who stand to gain by the status quo and those who seek to deceive or mislead the people around them. Prophets are rarely speculative. They state in a rather straightforward way what will happen if things don't change. They always offer alternative courses of action and, objective to the core, they refuse to compromise.
Unfortunately, real prophets aren't liked very much. In fact they're often despised. They say things that people don't want to hear. They tell people to do things that they don't want to do. To those who are content with the status quo they issue warnings. To those who are in desperate circumstances, they provide hope. That is why prophets are not heard in their own countries or communities. The message they give is difficult to accept.
Our society is full of false prophets telling us exactly what we want to hear. The false prophet fails to observe all the facts and consider all the complexities. The world is an enormously complex and, in many ways, unpleasant place. False prophets never talk about the pain, about the hard work that will be required, or about the sacrifices we will be called upon to make as we try to make the world a better place for everyone. They predict a life that will be realized by only an elite segment of humanity.
Our bookshelves are filled with titles like, "God wants you to be Rich" and, "The Lau Tzu in 10 Minutes". Thousands of years of human thought and divine revelation distilled into a few easy guiding principles (with the emphasis on 'easy'). We're looking for fast-food, feel-good philosophy and there is no shortage of experts to satisfy our hunger.
True prophets never write best-sellers or charge thousands of dollars for a personal engagement. They are never hired as high-priced consultants and rarely give interviews. In fact, they would avoid wasting their time on such endeavours. True prophets are busy working away in their communities, fighting injustice and forcing changes to our political and economic systems. In western society, attempts are made to marginalize them and label them as dreamers or fanatics. In other societies, particularly those in the developing world, they are simply murdered.
The prophet's job is to interfere with injustice, evil, and greed. Armed with the simple truth, they stand up on behalf of those who have no power: the poor, minorities, the sick and disabled, children, the elderly, and more recently, other species and the environment. They see what is wrong and try to make it right. Sometimes they are successful. Often they are not. But whether or not they personally succeed, they plant the seeds of change, setting in motion the forces that ultimately transform societies.
How do you recognize a true prophet today? The bible tells us "You will be able to tell them by their fruits." The true prophet leaves behind wisdom, understanding, and hope and expects nothing in return. They are the people making real contributions to their communities and real sacrifices for those in need. The false prophet takes advantage of the uncertainties of modern day life, preying on those desperate for hope. All you're left with when the false prophet leaves is a bill.
Prophets express themselves in many ways. Some challenge openly, taking to the streets or to the seas to condemn wrongdoing. Some challenge quietly through artistic expression. Others will simply challenge through non-cooperation, refusing to participate in the destructive behaviours of our society. They present an alternative approach to life. Prophets will use their skills and talents, in whatever form, to communicate their message.
Anyone can be a prophet, though it isn't easy. As far as I can figure there are four qualifications. The first is that you must know yourself. You don't have to be perfect, but you must understand your biases, prejudices, talents, abilities and limitations. You must know your personal history and understand the circumstances that have defined who and what you are. You must acknowledge everything about yourself, good and bad. Most important, you must love yourself.
The second qualification is that you must have a relationship with God, in whatever form you believe God to be. You must be open to revelation whether it comes through prayer, meditation, the reading of sacred scriptures or experience. This is how we tap into the reservoir of universal knowledge. Revelation guides the prophetic mission. And it's subtle... almost too subtle. It's easy to miss. Rarely is it anything as dramatic as a divine vision. More often it's a chance reading, or an encounter with another person, or a thought inspired by natural surroundings.
The third qualification is that you must objectively observe the world around you, seek out the true facts of the situation, and evaluate what's going on in light of the universal principles of justice; of right and wrong. You must make your evaluation known. You must apply your knowledge and understanding to strengthen the community and, where necessary, cause change.
The fourth and final qualification is that you must be prepared to stand up for those who have no voice. The prophet has a special responsibility to the poor, the dispossessed, and other disadvantaged peoples. The prophet must be concerned about all living creatures and the environment. In answering the prophetic call you must be prepared to challenge the people and institutions who control power, who exploit, and who profit from the misery of others and the destruction of environment. In doing so the prophet brings hope to those in need and to a besieged planet.
Prophets express the view of an evolving universe. The prophet recognizes that the message is much more important than the messenger. There is no room for an exaggerated ego in the prophet's personality.
We all have a prophetic calling. Over the next fifty years or so, we need to cope with the dramatic changes that will take place in the world. While the false prophets will babble on about materialistic and utopian ideals, the real prophets will be causing small but meaningful changes in their communities. We need lots of people who can act as agents of change. This is the modern prophet's calling.
March 1996
About the Photograph: Caged antiquity. The first time I visited Stonehenge, it was closed. Imagine that – open for five thousand years, but the night I got there – it was closed. It wasn’t surprising, given the need to protect it from vandals and new age wackos. But its sad that we have to build fences and post security guards to protect the symbols of our common heritage.