In America, the public has traditionally associated prophecy with forecasts about the future.
However their religious and political context is quite different. In past and present societies, they are seen as troublemakers. Richard Rohr, a Franciscan priest and founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation describes how this “truth-telling” might be viewed today.
After reading his understanding of prophets, I wonder if the credit union movement could benefit from this voice today? Or is each credit union’s current profit more than sufficient?
The Prophet from Richard Rohr
“One of the gifts of the prophets is that they evoke a crisis where one did not appear to exist before their truth-telling.
“Prophets always talk about the untalkable and open a huge new area of “talkability.” For those who are willing to go there, it helps us see what we didn’t know how to see until they helped us to see it.
“It’s the nature of culture to have its agreed-upon lies. Culture holds itself together by projecting its shadow side elsewhere. That’s called the “scapegoat mechanism.”
“It seems the prophet’s job is first to deconstruct current illusions, which is the status quo, and then reconstruct on a new and honest foundation. That is why the prophet is never popular with the comfortable or with those in power.
“Prophets are difficult to have around. No one wants to claim the title or do the work because of it. In this postmodern age, everybody is uncomfortable with prophets. They yell when you don’t want them to. They ask for trouble when you could avoid it. They don’t have a politically correct bone in their bodies….
“Prophets are leaders, but not leaders of their own choosing. Inevitably, they have some sort of . . . encounter. . .They’re quirky and more than a little weird. “
Please share any experience with credit union prophets which you have seen currently. I would like to share their message.