Biblical Conflict in Supernatural (television show)

[achanceofraine]

I’m currently taking a religion course in college, and mainly, the only contact I’ve really had with biblical stories is from the television show, Supernatural. I know that some of what they say is true in terms with the Bible, but I just was wondering if what they say about prophets, that there can only be one alive at a time is true? Like, has the show done their research? Also, they told the story of Cain and Able in one episode, did they tell that correctly? I just wanted to know if it was a source I could somewhat trust.

 

[dmar198]

I’m currently taking a religion course in college, and mainly, the only contact I’ve really had with biblical stories is from the television show, Supernatural. I know that some of what they say is true in terms with the Bible, but I just was wondering if what they say about prophets, that there can only be one alive at a time is true? Like, has the show done their research? Also, they told the story of Cain and Able in one episode, did they tell that correctly? I just wanted to know if it was a source I could somewhat trust.

It’s not true that only one prophet can be alive at a time. The prophets Daniel and Habakkuk were alive at the same time, both of them contributed books to the Bible, and they even met each other when Daniel was in the lion’s den for a second time in his life. See Daniel 14:31-42. I’m sure there are other examples, but that’s the first one that comes to my mind because I like that story.

I don’t know how they tell the story of Cain and Abel. The Biblical story is pretty short, only 16 verses: Genesis 4:1-16. I watched some episodes of Supernatural when I was on a mission trip in California once, because the leaders of the group really liked the show. From what I saw, I liked it a lot, but I’ve hardly watched any other episodes since then, and that was in 2008.

I definitely wouldn’t rely on Hollywood to tell Bible stories accurately, or any other piece of ancient history for that matter.

 

[Bonnie]

Also, they told the story of Cain and Able in one episode, did they tell that correctly? I just wanted to know if it was a source I could somewhat trust.

You could just read the Bible for yourself. If you don’t own one, they are cheap - even free - 2nd hand. I would suppose different translations are available on-line. The story about Cain & Abel is in Genesis (the first book), chapter 4.

I hope you don’t generally trust television and/or movie fiction for factual information.

 

[Linusthe2nd]

I’m currently taking a religion course in college, and mainly, the only contact I’ve really had with biblical stories is from the television show, Supernatural. I know that some of what they say is true in terms with the Bible, but I just was wondering if what they say about prophets, that there can only be one alive at a time is true? Like, has the show done their research? Also, they told the story of Cain and Able in one episode, did they tell that correctly? I just wanted to know if it was a source I could somewhat trust.

There were times when more than one prophet was alive. I can’t think of a specific example but it is not a question of any great importance.

You would have to relate the story about Can and Able that you are wondering about. Cane and Able really existed and Cane killed Able because God accepted Able’s sacrifice and rejected Cane’s. Cane killed his brother because this incident made him jealous. He blamed Able when he should have blamed himself, since his motives for making a sacrifice were insincere whereas Able was sincere.

You know you can get a Bible and read it for yourself.

Linus2nd

 

[Mintaka]

In the Old Testament, it was pretty common to have whole groups of prophets running around Israel together. There were also settlements of prophets, like “the Sons of the Prophets” in the stories of Elijah and his disciple Elisha.

In the NT, prophets were so common in the early Christian community that Paul gives rules for prophesying during Mass (Hold off until afterward is the basic rule) and guest prophets dropping by.

I suspect the thing in Supernatural was taking it off Elisha asking Elijah to ask God to send the same Spirit that was on Elijah twice as much onto Elisha. But Elijah didn’t die, per se; he was taken up by God on a chariot of fire.

So anyway… yes, there can definitely be more than one prophet alive and prophesying at one time.