ABSTRACT
The prophetic tradition derives from God's promises to his Chosen People. It demands perfection from his people. Amos, Hosea, Jeremiah, and others claimed to be speaking for the Lord, proclaimed what he expected in exchange for his promises to his nation, and condemned the people to extreme punishments for their shortcomings. The prophets established a model emulated by modern critics. Our contemporaries may not claim to be speaking for the Lord, but they are unreserved in demanding righteousness, finding fault, and predicting dire consequences on account of wrongdoing. Many who express these themes in modern Israel are not religious. Some are anti-religious, but nonetheless they express a cultural trait that demands perfection and threatens great harm if reform does not occur.
