Ok - Bible scholars

[Conservative Hippie]

Matthew 24:42-44

Exactly. It's useless to try to predict when Jesus will come, because He said so Himself--He'll come like a thief in the night, when no one will be ready. So if you think that Jesus will come when the EU reaches 25 countries, you are automatically wrong.

 

[RoyalCanadian]

Yes, it was fiction. No one disputes that. However, it was based on intensive study of prophetic Scripture.

That's even funnier.

The whole millenialist supposition put forward in the Left Behind series has no basis at all in the Holy Bible and wasn't even thought of until a Scottish milk maid considered it in the mid-19th century.

 

[Buckalew11]

I have no idea when jesus will return. I do not know whether there with be a rapture of the church or not. If there is one, I do not know if it is pre or post or what. There are many different thoughts on end times.
I *know* there will be a second coming of Christ (which is different than the rapture) and we are to be ready...not predicting or guessing dates but watching signs (from the bible) and being ready (making sure we are at peace with god whether we die first or are raptured or live to see the second coming itself).
The Wisemen knew about the birth of Christ because they watched for the signs and knew it was time. We are told to be aware that it will happen at the end of the age.

 

[rie'smom]

The Anti-Christ will be known by the numbers 666-Nero was the anti christ because his name in Greek = 666. John was writing iin code to fellow Christians who would understand his meaning.

 

[Diva of Dragons]

For the record. I do believe in God and am actually a spiritual person working on a Doctor of Divinity. I think people can believe what they want. I just don't get "blind faith", so and so said it from a pulpit so it must be true etc... I'm just the kind of person who feels a little discernment and research goes a long way before choosing a whole belief system...or a car...or a house.

I reiterate....Revelation is about a war that already happened.The Bible was never meant to tell the future!! It was documentation of the times. A prophet was someone who speaks "for God", meaning in favor of, promoting etc... It was not supposed to mean someone who tells the future.

The Bible was an Anthology for the few people who were literate. Like an ancient Reader's Digest for the elite. It contains parables, history, lessons in life and guidelines. It was simply called "The Book". Holy was slapped on much later. The "Old" Testament was meant to stand alone and has nothing to do with Christianity. The whole end times rhetoric was just a giant game of blackmail-for-your-soul to gain the masses' obedience and money. Even Popes have said as much in the past.

It bothers me that so many people are so focused on "end times" and not the now, and how we can make the world a better place; instead of the judgement and fear tactics that so much religion relies on to recruit people, so the that followers feel the sense of security they get by "knowing" they are right.

It's like the biggest fairy tale ever told and yet so many of the believers poo-poo much less fantastical happenings or automatically say those things are evil.

Frighteningly, if any of it happens, it's because the world is being run by people who do believe it and could create a "self-fulfilling prophecy". What you focus on you get etc... Dubya and Condoleeza have actually been caught saying things to the effect of, "it doesn't matter if we blow everything up because Jesus will fix it." Seriously???? No personal responsibility?

Oh, that's right, we have a scape-goat should we accept him as such.

 

[Diva of Dragons]

The Anti-Christ will be known by the numbers 666-Nero was the anti christ because his name in Greek = 666. John was writing iin code to fellow Christians who would understand his meaning.

Exactly. And then scholars realized a little while ago that they messed up and it should have been 616! Now that's a scary looking number, huh? LOL!!

 

[Diva of Dragons]

I keep trying to edit my long post but it's not working.

I just want to say that I am not anti-Jesus or Christians or anyone. I don't for a minute think I have all the answers. I believe that no one has the answers and the world and beyond are more vast than we can imagine. All possibilities exist even if not probable.

I ask a lot of questions and try to make senseof the answers. And, as blabber mouthy as I can be on this topic. I am always open to new info. I don't want to spread mis-information either.

 

[jimmiej]

What do you believe? *sigh* I really don't have the energy for that today. Let's just leave it at I'm non-Christian.

What does your church teach about the end times? N/A, I don't attend church.

What do you believe this Scripture means? Not really up to getting in to that either.

Should we be concerned with these things? Well, I'm definitely not.

Then why am I arguing with you? My mistake.

Exactly. It's useless to try to predict when Jesus will come, because He said so Himself--He'll come like a thief in the night, when no one will be ready. So if you think that Jesus will come when the EU reaches 25 countries, you are automatically wrong.

I don't know if you're responding to me or not, but I was NOT attempting to speculate on the date of Christ's second coming, but rather the end time events spoken of in Biblical prophecy & how they will play out.

That's even funnier.

The whole millenialist supposition put forward in the Left Behind series has no basis at all in the Holy Bible and wasn't even thought of until a Scottish milk maid considered it in the mid-19th century.

I'm not going to attempt to debate Scripture with a minister. However, I would love to know your thoughts on this if you're willing. Specifically, where do us pre-millenialists go wrong? I really don't want to be around during the tribulation!

 

[RoyalCanadian]

I'm not going to attempt to debate Scripture with a minister. However, I would love to know your thoughts on this if you're willing. Specifically, where do us pre-millenialists go wrong? I really don't want to be around during the tribulation!

There are four "competing" millenialist views -- and keeping them all straight really does require a program in trying to keep track of the thousand years, Satan's return, the rapture, tribulation, etc., etc.

If you will be so kind as to let me pull together my resources, I will be glad to share them with you. The best part is the chart explaining the different millenialist vews -- if only I can figure out how to pull that out of a 40+ page PDF to share it.

I think figuring that out is scarier than the tribulation.

 

[ShesAPirate]

I thought this guy was the Anti-Christ. He doesn't look like Obama to me..

hahahahaha, I've been thinking "The Omen" the whole time I've been reading this thread. This was the worst movie in the trilogy, but still - that's awesome, thank you for the laugh

btw - I'm not a supporter of Obama (or anyone else, honestly), but I, too am completely sick of getting negative/ignorant mass emails about him... just totally ridiculous!

 

[jimmiej]

There are four "competing" millenialist views -- and keeping them all straight really does require a program in trying to keep track of the thousand years, Satan's return, the rapture, tribulation, etc., etc.

If you will be so kind as to let me pull together my resources, I will be glad to share them with you. The best part is the chart explaining the different millenialist vews -- if only I can figure out how to pull that out of a 40+ page PDF to share it.

I think figuring that out is scarier than the tribulation.

RC, you may have heard this before. My pastor says he is a pan-millenialist. It'll all pan out in the end. Now that's a view I can support!

 

[RoyalCanadian]

RC, you may have heard this before. My pastor says he is a pan-millenialist. It'll all pan out in the end. Now that's a view I can support!

I'm just counting on it being God up there -- and not Buddha or Ganesh. I would hate to get to heaven and find out I've been working for the competition all along.