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Prophecies, Predictions, and the Psychology Behind Belief

Photo:© Arvacsaba | Dreamstime.com

By Josh Longster

June 27, 2025
6:15 pm
Los Angeles, CA

As violence escalates in the Middle East following Israel’s June 13 strike on Iran’s nuclear infrastructure, a wave of religious figures and self-proclaimed prophets have reignited claims that the world is approaching the biblical “end times.” For some evangelicals and Orthodox Christians, the war marks a prophetic fulfillment. Others remain skeptical — not of the conflict, but of the predictions themselves. Evangelical leaders such as Sid Roth and John Hagee have pointed to the war as part of a divine timeline. Roth, whose show It’s Supernatural! has a global Christian audience, called the current moment “the last of the last days.” Hagee, a longtime proponent of apocalyptic prophecy, warned nearly two decades ago in his bestselling book Jerusalem Countdown that a nuclear showdown with Iran was inevitable. Some Orthodox

Evangelical leaders such as Sid Roth and John Hagee have pointed to the war as part of a divine timeline. Roth, whose show It’s Supernatural! has a global Christian audience, called the current moment “the last of the last days.” Hagee, a longtime proponent of apocalyptic prophecy, warned nearly two decades ago in his bestselling book Jerusalem Countdown that a nuclear showdown with Iran was inevitable.

Some Orthodox Christians, meanwhile, are pointing to the late Elder Theodoros Agiofarangitis, a Greek monk who reportedly said in 2019 that Israel would strike Iran’s nuclear program suddenly — while people were “sipping coffee.” With the recent Operation Rising Lion catching global attention, his words have circulated widely on religious social media, lending credibility, at least to believers.

But why do these predictions, so often vague or incorrect, continue to draw believers?

The Lure of Certainty in an Uncertain World

At the heart of prophecy lies a basic human need: the search for certainty and meaning in all the chaos. Catastrophic events like war, pandemics, and political upheaval naturally sow the seeds of anxiety. Predictions — especially those wrapped in religious or mystical authority — offer a narrative that brings order to the disorder.

What appears to be true is that people are hardwired to look for patterns. When faced with random or complex events, the brain tries to connect the dots, even where none exist. Prophecy offers a ready-made pattern — a story — and people find comfort in that.

Indeed, this pattern-seeking tendency is deeply neurological. Studies show that when individuals are exposed to stressful or threatening information, the brain’s amygdala (which processes fear) activates, while dopamine levels spike if a seemingly predictive or explanatory answer is offered. That’s part of what makes both conspiracy theories and prophetic teachings neurologically addictive.

A Lottery of Predictions

Another factor in driving belief in this realm is what could be called the prediction lottery. In an age of constant information, thousands of prophecies — political, scientific, religious — are made daily. Most go unnoticed. A few, by coincidence or broad phrasing, seem to hit the mark.

“A broken clock is right twice a day,” goes the old adage. When someone makes hundreds of predictions, one or two are bound to come close to reality. The few that stick are remembered, the rest are forgotten.

This is part of the phenomenon behind claims that The Simpsons predicted everything from 9/11 to Donald Trump’s presidency. In truth, a show that’s aired over 700 episodes across 30+ years will inevitably touch on real-world events — often coincidentally as fact, as they say, is stranger than fiction.

The same principle applies to religious prophecies. The Elder Theodoros prophecy, for instance, was vague enough to be flexible (“when you’re sipping coffee”) but specific enough (an Israeli strike on Iran’s nuclear program) to seem impressive when roughly aligned with real-world events.

The Risks of Evangelical Fanaticism

While many Christians interpret current events symbolically or metaphorically, others take them literally. This literalism, when combined with political power, can have real-world consequences.

Evangelical preacher John Hagee once stated that Jerusalem is at the center of the coming global war, and his words have reached millions. Such rhetoric isn’t just religious — it influences how followers think about geopolitics, foreign policy, and even war.

Religious fanaticism can become dangerous when it bypasses critical thinking and encourages fatalism. If you believe the world is ending, you’re less inclined to support diplomatic solutions or long-term strategies. You may even welcome catastrophe.

In the worst cases, this thinking can justify violence, political extremism, or a loss of personal agency. Events become part of a divine script, and those who question it are seen as blind or evil.

Why People Choose to Believe

So why, despite failed predictions, do many people continue to believe there to be some mystical truth behind any such predictions? Part of the answer lies in identity. For religious or ideological communities, shared beliefs — even questionable ones — reinforce belonging.

The fact of the matter is people would often rather be wrong with their group than right and alone. In some cases, believers double down after failed predictions. Psychologists call this cognitive dissonance reduction — when evidence contradicts deeply held beliefs, people adjust the interpretation rather than abandon the belief. Prophecies that fail are reinterpreted as symbolic, or as warnings that delayed divine action.

As war continues in the Middle East, and more voices claim to have predicted it, one truth remains clear: humans crave answers, even when the world refuses to give them. Whether rooted in scripture, superstition, or internet prophecy, the drive to explain the unexplainable is as old as belief itself.