In many religions it is virtually a sin to question the worthiness of prophetic instruction, let alone the accuracy of the records of their words. The longer the time that has passed between the words of a prophet and the present, the more sacred that their words become. This leaves one to wonder, "Where are the prophets of today? Will anyone alive in our time be considered a prophet a thousand years from now?"
The truthful answer to that question is, of course, no. We are for the most part a literate and educated people who are not very likely to fall for the hypnotic influences of some charismatic icon beyond the e-talk glitz of celebrity status afforded those superficially known ones who populate the tabloids which occupy the magazine shelves of the corner convenience store today. They no doubt possessed the very same physical attributes that make one a popular Hollywood celebrity: a photogenic, physically healthy specimen with a sensuous disposition and a personality that might be construed as "magnetic".
Their only draw was the intangible, ethereal essence of that medium of the unknown that was needed to fill the same vacuous void in the thirsty hearts of teeny-boppers today - the yearning for a spiritual fulfillment associated only in those days with that domain wherein God dwelt because they knew of nothing else that offered respite from the primeval urges of lustful procreation - "Go ye forth and multiply!", and which in today's complicated society is represented by the yearning for a sensual fulfillment ostensibly realized by the heroes and heroines of the chintzy glamor of Hollywood gossip rags which represent the goal that all young hearts today want either fulfilled in some way or also realized.
Religions have accommodated doubt over the many centuries with rationalizations that have transcended even common sense. Sigmund Freud taught that religious doctrines were illusory, "the universal obsessional neurosis of humanity". He would say much the same today over the fanatical attention afforded to the likes of Miley Cyrus or David Bowie, that they occupy a niche in the hearts of a thirsty generation demanding expression of their ideals beyond what is real.
Everything has its place in the historical scheme of things. The prophets of old have inspired the institutions that have molded civilized progress. The Catholic church is a supreme example of the positive effects of tithing, for if its market capitalization were measured as the combined net worth of only all of its members who give to it ten percent of their income, then it can lay claim to being a richer institution than Royal Dutch Shell with its market capitalization in excess of twelve trillion dollars. The money that this rich church receives goes toward good works. Thanks be to God.
One must rethink the idea that the great prophets of yesterday could possibly be construed as role model. Buddha was obese and an idler, living on handouts. Abraham invented circumcision and almost killed his son. Moses was a fugitive from justice, escaping prosecution for having murdered an Egyptian guard. Jesus Christ was impoverished, living on handouts, and was crucified by the Romans. Muhammad turned from a peace-loving and considerate person into a spiteful and vindictive war monger. These are all accurate depictions of real people. Are they role models? I don't think so. Better to accept that the ways of the Lord are strange and to concentrate on the good works that those servants of His have left behind.
What was right for yesterday is not right for today. Today, we know how to be. We know how to conduct ourselves with propriety. We understand the moral and ethical requirements of a responsible citizenship. We should realize that we are in danger of becoming panderers to God by our genuflection and praise and worship and idolatry. We should retain our religions for the example of the good deeds and righteous behavior that they instruct and demonstrate, and attend religious services to honor those ancestors who have passed on and for the communion, not as a contingency for our possible entry into heaven, in the case that heaven really exists. We are demonstrating by our humility that we have doubt, and I think that we know enough now to be certain about things. Love God and go in peace.