Why are the wormhole aliens called "Prophets"?

[JirinPanthosa]

And most of Eastern medicine has either been proven not to work or has been proven it has a physical reason why it does work. Just sayin.

The Prophets may live in a physical place but they exhibit powers that we attribute to divinity. Why shouldn't the Bajirans then attribute them divinity? I'm sure there exist atheist Bajorans, they just weren't part of the story.

 

[Christopher]

And most of Eastern medicine has either been proven not to work or has been proven it has a physical reason why it does work. Just sayin.

Which is totally irrelevant to the point I was making, which is that different cultures have different ways of defining the spiritual and thus an alien culture -- or a human culture, for that matter -- wouldn't necessarily dismiss the divinity of a thing just because it was provably physical.

I'm sure there exist atheist Bajorans, they just weren't part of the story.

Ro Laren was one, evidently.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

One other point don't know if it's been mentioned but isn't the word 'Prophet' in English just a transaltion of a Bajoran word. So perhaps Prophet is just the closest word rather than an exact translation.

To be fair, their perception of time and their ability to control the wormhole are their only exceptional abilities, and the former is the only one to have affected Bajor for most of its history. Although there are references in the show about the Prophets granting people good fortune, digging deeper it seems that what they grant is knowledge of the future, wherefrom fortune can be drawn.

 

[Christopher]

To be fair, their perception of time and their ability to control the wormhole are their only exceptional abilities, and the former is the only one to have affected Bajor for most of its history.

Also their ability to make, control, and communicate through Orbs, their ability to possess humanoids (as seen in "The Reckoning" and in the Sarah Sisko backstory), and their ability to modify the course of time in unusual ways (as seen in "Accession"). That last one is the most godlike thing they were ever shown to do.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

To be fair, their perception of time and their ability to control the wormhole are their only exceptional abilities, and the former is the only one to have affected Bajor for most of its history.

Also their ability to make, control, and communicate through Orbs, their ability to possess humanoids (as seen in "The Reckoning" and in the Sarah Sisko backstory), and their ability to modify the course of time in unusual ways (as seen in "Accession"). That last one is the most godlike thing they were ever shown to do.

Perhaps I wasn't precise, but the wormhole aliens are primarily known to the Bajorans through their unique temporality.

 

[Dream]

The Prophets may be gods to the Bajorans, but to me they don't meet the criteria of being gods.

To be a god, they need to be the creator of a race, have great powers, and be immortal.

They didn't create the Bajoran people.
They have great powers, but that can be explained as very advanced technology
They might live forever, but they definitely aren't immortal since can be killed by certain types of radiation.

If I was a character in the series, I would respect the Bajoran beliefs, but would continue to think of them as wormhole aliens.

 

[Bad Thoughts]

Now that the Neo-Platonists have spoken ...

 

[Christopher]

The Prophets may be gods to the Bajorans, but to me they don't meet the criteria of being gods.

To be a god, they need to be the creator of a race, have great powers, and be immortal.

That's how modern Western civilization on Earth tends to define gods. But other cultures have differed. In most polytheistic mythologies, for instance, only one or two gods are attributed with creating humanity, while others play different roles. And in Egyptian mythology, gods could die, although they could also be resurrected (see Osiris).

 

[Silvercrest]

A "god" is simply a being that's acknowledged as worthy of worship.

I didn't realize there was question on this - Christopher's explanation has been the obvious one to me all along. They are Prophets... because they prophecize.

"Prophecize" is not a real word. The verb, or act of making a prophecy, is to prophesy (with an 'S').

Sorry, but it drives me up the wall when people say that.

 

[Tosk]

To be fair, their perception of time and their ability to control the wormhole are their only exceptional abilities, and the former is the only one to have affected Bajor for most of its history.

Also their ability to make, control, and communicate through Orbs, their ability to possess humanoids (as seen in "The Reckoning" and in the Sarah Sisko backstory), and their ability to modify the course of time in unusual ways (as seen in "Accession"). That last one is the most godlike thing they were ever shown to do.

They're also able to alter the fundamental personality of humanoids, as seen in Prophet Motive.

 

[Christopher]

^Oh yeah. Basically they had whatever power the episode called for.

 

[iguana_tonante]

The Prophets may be gods to the Bajorans, but to me they don't meet the criteria of being gods.

At least you admit that the criteria for being a god are totally arbitrary and subjective.

To be a god, they need to be the creator of a race, have great powers, and be immortal.

Under this criteria, Wesley Crusher might be a god. Think about it.

 

[Dream]

To be a god, they need to be the creator of a race, have great powers, and be immortal.

Under this criteria, Wesley Crusher might be a god. Think about it.

Wesley only created a race through an accident.

Also nothing pointed to him being immortal. He died pretty fine when he got bayoneted through the back.

 

[Christopher]

^But that was before he became a Traveler. A number of mythic characters started out as mortals (or demigods) and then became elevated to godhood, e.g. Herakles.

 

[Edit_XYZ]

And most of Eastern medicine has either been proven not to work or has been proven it has a physical reason why it does work. Just sayin.

Which is totally irrelevant to the point I was making, which is that different cultures have different ways of defining the spiritual and thus an alien culture -- or a human culture, for that matter -- wouldn't necessarily dismiss the divinity of a thing just because it was provably physical.

Religions and spirituality, without exception, were/are expected to perform an objective function, to influence the physical world - with everything from good luck/health, good harvests to life after death. The belief is they actually work - this is the reason they are given worship.

Many definitions of 'spirituality' are based on demonstrably untrue assumptions - the eastern medicine not working, for example.
And the rest are created/evolved specifically to make confirmation/refutation impossible.

And that's why eastern medicine not working/similar assumptions proven false DO matter in defining the spiritual.

 

[iguana_tonante]

Wesley only created a race through an accident.

That could be the same for any god. We only know their side of the story. "I totally meant to do that! I swear!"

Also nothing pointed to him being immortal. He died pretty fine when he got bayoneted through the back.

^But that was before he became a Traveler. A number of mythic characters started out as mortals (or demigods) and then became elevated to godhood, e.g. Herakles.

Yep. With their power on space and time, you'll be hard pressed to find a reason for them not being immortal.

 

[Christopher]

Wesley only created a race through an accident.

That could be the same for any god. We only know their side of the story. "I totally meant to do that! I swear!"

Yeah, you'd think if a god had created humanity on purpose, they would've done a better job...