The End Times Part: Signs, Prophesies, and Current Events

[SpartanDem]

The poll that half of Christians think Jesus will come back in their lifetime reminded this article. Premillienlist are Christians that believe in the the rapture, etc which is most conservative protestants. Anyway it goes a long way on explaining these people views on things like the environment and other matters

Instead of detailing these prophesies, I’m going to address seven specific ways in which searching for the signs of the end times affect Premillennialists’ perception of current events: Israel, natural disasters, wars, persecution, spreading the gospel, one world government, and the Antichrist.

Point 1. Israel, temple

The nation of Israel is supposed to play an important part in the end times. Some Premillenialists hold that the temple just be rebuilt in Israel before the Tribulation will begin, while others argue that it will be rebuilt during the first half of the Tribulation.
Furthermore, the signs of the end times indicate that as the Tribulation approaches Israel will be under threat from those around it. In fact, as the Tribulation begins, in fact, the nation of Israel is supposed to be surrounded by its enemies, and the first step the Antichrist will take as the Tribulation begins following the rapture is to make peace with Israel.

This helps explain why so many Premillenialist Christians were so excited when the nation of Israel was established after WWII. For these Christians, this was the first tangible sign that we were truly living in the end times. Similarly, many Premillennial Christians watch the contest over the original site of the Jewish temple, which currently houses a mosque, with keen interest, believing that the temple must be rebuilt before the Tribulation will begin, and that that is the next step.

In addition, Premillennial Christians don’t believe that peace in the Middle East is possible. They believe that there will be only more and more conflict, leading up to the rapture and Tribulation. The continuous conflict that has wracked the Middle East since Israel was founded appears to confirm Premillennial Christians’ beliefs and the immanent nature of the end times. As part of this, many Premillennialists don’t believe that peace between Israel and Palestine is even possible.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/lovejoyfeminism/2012/02/the-end-times-part-v-signs-prophesies-and-current-events.html

[Phillip McCleod]

1. interesting read.

craziest thing is this has been going on for at least 1000 years. just citing (#1) from your OP.. uh.. peter the hermit and the 1st crusade. the al-asqa mosque has a christian-made facade (knights templar no less).

then of course there was the expectation of the dead sea scrolls' authors for the apocalypse in *their* lifetimes, more than 2000 years ago.

someone's always expecting the end times and looking for the clues. sir newton himself played that game while hypocritically ridiculing others who did the same.

i like the rastafarian attitude.. the 2nd coming has came and went with haille sellasie so it's time for that 1000 year peace we've been hearing so much about for 2000 years.

[goldent]

2. "In addition, Premillennial Christians don’t believe that peace in the Middle East is possible."

I'm with them on this one.

[Phillip McCleod]

3. from part vi of that series.. on 'rapture anxiety'..

I was very afraid the rapture might occur and I might be left behind. One morning when I was ten or twelve I woke up and couldn’t find anyone in the house. Before I realized that my mom and siblings had simply gone outside to enjoy the beautiful morning, I completely freaked, convinced that the rapture had occurred and I had been left behind. That fear was real and palpable.

Sometimes one of my siblings would change in the morning or later in the day and just leave a pile of clothes on the floor rather than putting them in the hamper. Sometimes I would come upon just such a pile of clothes and take fright, fearing that maybe my sibling had been raptured and I had been left.

but indoctrination into such beliefs isn't child abuse..

nah.

[SpartanDem]

4. Yeah no kid should be put throught that

before really I started studying what these religious right people believe I had know idea how stressful an environment it could be.

[Phillip McCleod]

5. too true..

..it's good perspective for us atheists and 'anti-theists' (tongue planted firmly in cheek) and liberal believers to keep in mind as well as we move forward in dialog.

i was baptized methodist age 11 and never had to experience that level of fear, though i had devil anxieties sure, but when the fundies came knockin i didn't listen. if my parents had been those fundies coming knockin though? dragging me in tow? it's a powerful persuasion. i love and trust them. my parents are my advisors and friends and more..

nonbelievers are usually former believers still. maybe i should try to remember what it's like especially when my own indoctrination was pretty milquetoast. i don't have those kinds of demons to wrestle with.

similarly it might be helpful if believers could keep it mind too that sometimes there's a reason a particular atheist has a chip on their shoulder. it doesn't help to poke them in the chest about it.. they may have *triggers*.