Originally posted by Heselbine: Christians - do you believe in the 'end times' (this should be an easy one!).
If you do, should you act in a way which helps to bring on the end times? Would this be aiding god's plan for the world?
Or, does it not matter how you act, god will bring the end times when he wants to?
In a rush: Can't just think of the exact verses, but I understand that basically, the end times don't come until everyone on earth has had the opportunity to hear the gospel: So, by spreading the word, I suppose that we're helping the end times along? Seems to me that we're getting pretty close, and things couldn't have happened much sooner, as we only now have the communications technology, etc to reach all of mankind.
But your latter statement also rings true. God will do it when He's ready. No warning.
What time is it, Mr Woolf? Time to mend your ways, for the end is nigh.
But there are people in parts of the world who still havent even heard of jesus, plus people are being born every day, so its going to impossible to have a time when everyone knows about it.
Originally posted by leafar: But there are people in parts of the world who still havent even heard of jesus, plus people are being born every day, so its going to impossible to have a time when everyone knows about it.
Originally posted by leafar: ... its going to impossible to have a time when everyone knows about it.
Brilliant! as you say, "impossible!"
Actually, all you need is a 16-year period(*), where no one at all has ANY children whatsoever. Then make sure that everyone has a copy of the bible (/ a laptop with internet access and at least one website with said bible on it) and we can look forward to the skies raining fire/ dragons killing everyone and only 12,000 people from the 12tribes of Israel being saved.
Since it's technically possible (& it'll finally prove it one-way or the other), let’s go for it...
(Fairly sure that this in the Book of Revelations, though in their defence I’ve met plenty of Christians who think that this is just bizarre load of nonsense.)
* - or 12/ 18/ 21, depending on your opinion on how old one must be to "hear" the gospel; I'm assuming just shouting it at a baby before it can speak doesn't count.
--------------- "The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas-covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be" D Adams
So could Durex be in on this? The Pope will make sure that it never happens.
Clearly it's not just the Pope that's an agent of Satan, it's old english sheep dogs as well.
--------------- "The fact that we live at the bottom of a deep gravity well, on the surface of a gas-covered planet going around a nuclear fireball 90 million miles away and think this to be normal is obviously some indication of how skewed our perspective tends to be" D Adams
If you do, should you act in a way which helps to bring on the end times? Would this be aiding god's plan for the world?
Heselbine - No and No. End times theology makes me really mad. It is based on over interpretation of apocalyptic literature which is neither prophetic or historical in its purpose. End-timers have gone so far as to suggest that we should be doing our best to promote war between Israel and her enemies to bring on the day of judgement. This is frankly evil and profoundly anti-Christian.
Heselbine - No and No. End times theology makes me really mad. It is based on over interpretation of apocalyptic literature which is neither prophetic or historical in its purpose. End-timers have gone so far as to suggest that we should be doing our best to promote war between Israel and her enemies to bring on the day of judgement. This is frankly evil and profoundly anti-Christian.
But how do you know it's "over interpretation"? What is your yardstick? How do you know it's not prophetic? Did god tell you - because he seems to have told a bunch of other people something quite different.
When a large number of people who are in the same religion as you are doing things you consider evil, does this not ring large bells in your head?
But how do you know it's "over interpretation"? What is your yardstick? How do you know it's not prophetic? Did god tell you - because he seems to have told a bunch of other people something quite different.
When a large number of people who are in the same religion as you are doing things you consider evil, does this not ring large bells in your head?
Of course it does (although this is a minority Christian view).It's an example of ideology triumphing over morality - analagous to what Stalin, Mao and Pol pot did when they used Marx's communist ideas to justify persecution of theists!
End times theology makes me really mad. It is based on over interpretation of apocalyptic literature which is neither prophetic or historical in its purpose. 
