Comments about ‘In the Village: Teaching practical prophecy’

Very good article Mr. Card, thanks! As in all things, some of us are
better at it, than others. So, I guess that is where repentance comes
in.

Cause and effect is now prophecy?

"God commands us not to do things that will destroy us. They won't all destroy us immediately, of course. But God, with his foresight and experience, warns us of the terrible consequences so we can avoid them when it's easy to do so."

What if you are wrong, Scott? What if your belief in God is fantasy and you base all your life on a fantasy? What then?

I actually think this is a poor article and has very little relevance in the real world. The things he is claiming are prophecy are not prophecy at all. For every action there is a consequence. It isn't a prophecy that if you cross the road without looking you might get hit. It is common sense. It has absolutely NOTHING to do with prophecy.

If Card can demonstrate that the words of Prophets are probabilistic cautions from an omniscient God, then he affords Mormonism wide lattitude in the Prohecy/outcomes department. "God didn't say that if we tolerate Same Sex Marriage we would be certainly destroyed, he's just saying that there is a possibility that society would "fall" (as many Mormons are apt to say)." Of course one has to ask, if God thinks in probabilistic terms, is he really omniscient? If he is, then why waste all the trouble to warn people against something when the outcome does not coincide with the warning - particularly since we assume God knew that before he advised against it? If he's not omniscient, well then he's no better than us with the exception of perhaps a little more experience - but that's another can of worms. At any rate, so far not so good for this article.

According to Webster's dictionary one of the definitions of prophecy is simply "a prediction of something to come." Mr. Card clearly was using this definition when he writes of "practical prophecy" in our everyday lives with our children. In our everyday lives we always have our agency, whether or not to follow advice or "practical prophecy". We term following that advice/"practical prophecy" common sense.

Note that following our common sense ("practical prophecy") does not necessarily denote any religious action or belief. We can further choose whether or not we want to acknowledge "religious" prophecy. If we choose to acknowledge that there is a God and that his servants prophecy, then it would be "common sense" that we would follow that prophecy as we learn to look ahead in our eternal lives. If we choose not to believe in God or that he has servants who prophecy then our OWN common sense (or "practical prophecy") becomes our guiding factor. WE choose what prophecy we want to follow.

I rather liked this article! I enjoy the play on words since that gives a much deeper meaning to the ideas Mr Card presents on parenthood and our relationship with God. Nearly in the literary tradition of parables, this story is likewise an "earthly story with a heavenly meaning".

Thank you sir! I carry on now a little smarter a little more spiritually refreshed after thinking about this article. It was a good piece of fruit, so to speak. Personally, I have no desire to wrest with its ideas or dote about endlessly with meaningless claptrap.