Mulder: Scully, can I ask you a question about the Bible?
Scully: Mulder, is this about whether Jesus might have been an extraterrestrial?
Mulder: No, it's not. It's about the prophets.
Scully: Is it about the flying chariot in the book of Ezekiel?
Mulder: No. I want to ask you about the eighth-century prophets.
Scully: You want to ask me about Amos, Hosea, and Isaiah?
Mulder: Also Micah. Don't forget Micah, Scully.
Scully: What do you want to ask me, Mulder?
Mulder: I want to ask you if you think it's possible that the eighth-century prophets knew each other.
Scully: I suppose it's possible. Amos and Hosea were prophesying in Israel, the Northern Kingdom, while Isaiah and Micah were prophesying in Judah, the Southern Kingdom. They might have known each other, or known of each other.
Mulder: And Amos, even though he prophesied in the north, was actually from the south, so he might have been the contact.
Scully: The contact... Mulder, are you saying you think eighth century prophesy was a conspiracy?
Mulder: Well, there are commonalities that can't otherwise be explained.
Scully: Such as?
Mulder: All four prophets make the point that the people of Yahweh had broken their contract with their God. And all four prophets claim that Yahweh is about to punish his people using foreign armies. These were unpopular stands to make at the time and would have caused these men to be ostracized. I just think it's possible that the prophets might have needed some sort of psychological support for their activism, which would have lead them to form bonds with like-minded men.
Scully: Mulder, are you saying that Amos, Hosea, and Isaiah were the eighth-century equivalent to the Lone Gunmen?
Mulder: Also Micah. Don't forget Micah, Scully.
Scully: While it is true that the eighth-century prophets had some points in common, they also differed in their message. Amos, for example, locates the sin of the people in the unjust treatment of the poor by the elites, whereas Hosea asserts the sin lies within the religious institutions. Isaiah, an elite who shows an urban bias, believes there is hope that Jerusalem may be saved, whereas Micah, who was from a small town and therefore an outsider, says the city will be destroyed.
Mulder: By alien armies.
Scully: Mulder...
Mulder: But they are alien armies, Scully. How do we know what kind of aliens they were?
Scully: They were Assyrians and Babylonians.
Mulder: But don't you think there could have been rogue elements within the Israelite or Judean governments...
Scully: To which Mulder am I speaking? Are you Classic Mulder who blames all events on aliens, or are you Reboot Mulder who thinks everything happens due to government conspiracies?
Mulder: Scully, are you asking if I'm more like Hosea, who blames all events on the worship of alien gods, or Amos, who thinks everything happens due to unjust actions by elites?
Scully: I think you are most like Isaiah, who keeps getting rewritten due to his ever-increasing pertinence to current events. And if you want to know more about the eighth-century prophets, you should read the book by D.N. Premnath.
Mulder: What's the book called?
Scully: It's called Eighth Century Prophets.
Mulder: Good title. Does it include Micah? We can't forget Micah.
Scully: It does include Micah.
Mulder: Do you know who my favorite prophet is?
Scully: I would have to say Jeremiah.
Mulder: Got it in one, Scully. Who is your favorite prophet?
Scully: My favorite prophet is Jonah. Because Jonah would prefer not to be involved in all this drama, and yet Jonah keeps getting hauled back into it, again and again.
Mulder: Scully, are you comparing the X-Files to the belly of the whale?
Scully: I am, Mulder.
Mulder: Would you be surprised, Scully, if I told you there are theories that what happened to Jonah was actually a thinly-disguised account of alien abduction?
Scully: No, I would not be surprised.
Mulder: And now I'd like to hear more about that cool flying chariot in the book of Ezekiel!
Scully: It's called Merkabah mysticism, Mulder. You can look it up in Wikipedia.
Hahaha. This is excellent! Your creativity and humor are really special – you never fail to disappoint! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI thought you made a really excellent point: “I just think it's possible that the prophets might have needed some sort of psychological support for their activism, which would have lead them to form bonds with like-minded men.” This is really getting at the people behind the story/message. You’re identifying with the perceived psychological struggle of delivering a tough-to-swallow message in the eighth century BCE; I hadn’t thought of this angle before! Indeed, how difficult it must have been to deliver such an unpopular message. I wonder if we can sympathize with some of our “modern day prophets” on this point – those who decry social inequality, economic disparity, etc? How might those individuals feel in the midst of modern American society?
Again, I really loved this. And, as always, looking forward to your post next week!
This is excellent! I really enjoyed reading it, AND it eclipsed entertainment by the amount of academic information you snuck in there. Well done. I'm impressed.
ReplyDeleteThe way you approached the differing messages of the prophets was helpful - especially the concise, back-to-back comparison. It is interesting to consider how and why they differed so much in their messages, and I like the suggestion of conspiracy that you offer here. Interesting to consider that in light of the formation of the canon of scripture.
I love this dialogue where you bring the work of the prophets into a current context:
Scully: To which Mulder am I speaking? Are you Classic Mulder who blames all events on aliens, or are you Reboot Mulder who thinks everything happens due to government conspiracies?
Mulder: Scully, are you asking if I'm more like Hosea, who blames all events on the worship of alien gods, or Amos, who thinks everything happens due to unjust actions by elites?
I think this opens up a discussion regarding the applicable nature of the work of the prophets. Even though understanding the context in which they were working is of utmost importance, there are still comparisons and wisdom to be gleaned for our current context. I tend to struggle with knowing how to apply that, but I really like what you've done with it here.
Wow Char, another really fun to read posts. Your posts always brighten up my Sundays :-) I love the way you synthesize the readings in a contemporary and fun way. Also, I've been getting back into the original X Files, so it's really neat to hear their voices speaking these words in my mind. Awesome!
ReplyDeleteI'm with Daniel on being struck by your observation that these prophets were surely unpopular messengers. That they would have needed social support is indisputable, but I wonder what avenues were available to them to receive such support. Were there small cabals of similarly disaffected Israelites who housed and fed the prophets to sustain the difficult and thankless work of calling society back into relationship with God?
This leads me to think of the prophets of today and the work of calling our 21st century toward justice. Each time I see a protestor kicked out of a Trump campaign rally I pray that there is a community of support for those people to go back to, to be find and affirmation, and to be renewed in their daunting effort to call us to be humble, merciful, and just. What I like about the X Files is that, between Mulder and Scully, most of the episodes are about finding truth that, at its heart, is a guarantee of mercy and justice for victims/survivors of criminal or oppressive violence. This is probably why it resonates as a TV show with me. But it also really resonates with the 8th century prophets. Thanks for helping me make these connections!