Can anyone answer this ??

Originally posted by SkyWay
By the looks of things going on in the world at this time, I am quite certain the human race does not need to wait another 4000 years for the fulfillment of Biblical prophecies pertaining to the return of Christ. In fact, I think these prophecies will occur within 10 to 20 years. But then, again, this involves my interpretation of evidence in the world which you may interpret differently. Time will prove who is right. The clock is ticking.....

The clock IS ticking as you say but hasn't the 'end of days' scenario been about to happen for nearly 2000 years? Every generation thinks that their generation will see the 2nd coming of christ (which never happens), what makes this generation the one? Things happen all over the world every day - earthquakes, accidents, wars etc so why NOW, why didn't it happen during WWII? or AD78 ? In about 1000 years there will still be people saying the end of the world is nigh and nothing will ever happen. Although I think that this way of thinking is a cop out because it cannot be proven - the timescale bounderies are always able to be pushed forwards. The biblical prophecies are so vague that they could be interpreted by anyone to mean anything. Even so called jesus might have fullfilled some prohecies because he knew how and how people would react to him doing a specific action.
So I really have to disagree that jesus is about to return even if I was a christian.


G

Originally posted by shihulud
The clock IS ticking as you say but hasn't the 'end of days' scenario been about to happen for nearly 2000 years? Every generation thinks that their generation will see the 2nd coming of christ (which never happens), what makes this generation the one?

All the more reason to consider this to be THE time since it hasn't happened for 2000 years. The day is 2000 years closer!....can't be much longer.

Things happen all over the world every day - earthquakes, accidents, wars etc so why NOW, why didn't it happen during WWII? or AD78 ?

One of the interesting things about our present generation is that there are even non-Christians who sense that a major global change is imminent. Many people feel as though the world can't continue for much longer the way that it's going. I think that even you, shihulud, can see the that the world is teetering on the edge of natural and man-made calamity, if you carefully assess the appearance of new and more lethal strains of diseases....the wars and rumors of even bigger wars, including nuclear....bizzare weather where you have flooding in areas that are supposed to be desert...and the general moral decay of humanity.

In about 1000 years there will still be people saying the end of the world is nigh and nothing will ever happen.

I think you are being VERY optimistic! Even if we set aside Christian prophecy, and weigh things purely on natural and practical considerations, we are hard put to find any reason for believing the world that we are familiar with will survive intact for much longer. Something's gotta give.

Although I think that this way of thinking is a cop out because it cannot be proven - the timescale bounderies are always able to be pushed forwards. The biblical prophecies are so vague that they could be interpreted by anyone to mean anything. Even so called jesus might have fullfilled some prohecies because he knew how and how people would react to him doing a specific action.
So I really have to disagree that jesus is about to return even if I was a christian.
G

Inadverdently, non-believers such as yourself are a part of Biblical prophecies about the endtimes....for....as it was in the time of Noah so shall it be in the endtime.

That time may come sooner than even Christians think. Though I don't expect these prophecies to manifest for a decade or more, there is no way for anyone, including myself, to know for certain that they won't happen sooner. Every moment that day draws nearer.

Originally posted by SkyWay

All the more reason to consider this to be THE time since it hasn't happened for 2000 years. The day is 2000 years closer!....can't be much longer.

Why? The world has been here for millions of years, humans have been here for around 150,000 years - and in that time we've had huge Ice Ages, skelped by asteroids and or comets, massive volcanic eruptions and mass extinctions of the worlds population(maybe not in human timescale). So 2000 years is basically nothing in the whole scheme of things.

One of the interesting things about our present generation is that there are even non-Christians who sense that a major global change is imminent. ...and the general moral decay of humanity.

I think you are being VERY optimistic! Even if we set aside Christian prophecy, and weigh things purely on natural and practical considerations, we are hard put to find any reason for believing the world that we are familiar with will survive intact for much longer. Something's gotta give.

Nothing has to give at all! The only way that any end times prophecy will come true is if someone deliberately makes the prophecy come true - you know, like what 'supposed' jesus did. And even then I doubt that any of the stuff in revelations would come true.

Inadverdently, non-believers such as yourself are a part of Biblical prophecies about the endtimes....for....as it was in the time of Noah so shall it be in the endtime.

That time may come sooner than even Christians think. Though I don't expect these prophecies to manifest for a decade or more, there is no way for anyone, including myself, to know for certain that they won't happen sooner. Every moment that day draws nearer.

I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.


G

Originally posted by shihulud
Why? The world has been here for millions of years, humans have been here for around 150,000 years - and in that time we've had huge Ice Ages, skelped by asteroids and or comets, massive volcanic eruptions and mass extinctions of the worlds population(maybe not in human timescale). So 2000 years is basically nothing in the whole scheme of things.

The prophecies were delivered to human beings and so have been set on a human timetable, rather than a cosmic one. They present the course and pace of human events which are to serve as signposts and which will intensify as the end of the age draws near. Those signs are all around us and have intensified to the near boiling point, but like the proverbial frog in the pot, things have heated so gradually that the "frogs" don't realize what is happening.

Nothing has to give at all! The only way that any end times prophecy will come true is if someone deliberately makes the prophecy come true - you know, like what 'supposed' jesus did. And even then I doubt that any of the stuff in revelations would come true.

As I said, you are an optimist almost to the point of pollyanna. Look around you. You don't have to be a Christian to know that the world is in dire straits. But you can tell yourself that everything is just fine if you want to. If things were fine we wouldn't be sending men off to war...not only us but many other countries are doing the same.

I think we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.
G

You won't be disagreeing much longer. Many things will start happening long before the actual culmination in the return of Jesus Christ. Remember, the tribulation PRECEDES the end of the age. Those prophecies have begun to be fulfilled already in diseases such as AIDS and famines and the increasing depravity of man. These things are signs for those who have eyes to see, and understand what they are seeing.

Originally posted by SkyWay
As I said, you are an optimist almost to the point of pollyanna. Look around you. You don't have to be a Christian to know that the world is in dire straits. But you can tell yourself that everything is just fine if you want to. If things were fine we wouldn't be sending men off to war...not only us but many other countries are doing the same.

You won't be disagreeing much longer. Many things will start happening long before the actual culmination in the return of Jesus Christ. Remember, the tribulation PRECEDES the end of the age. Those prophecies have begun to be fulfilled already in diseases such as AIDS and famines and the increasing depravity of man. These things are signs for those who have eyes to see, and understand what they are seeing.

The world has been in dire straights before. You do not even need to read to find that out. Just talk to someone who lived through the Depression in the Midwest, or World War II, or the drought of the 1940s, or to someone from Bangladesh or from almost anywhere in Africa. Talk to someone who grew up in China or Cambodia.

Or read some history. Things tend to look bleak rather routinely over huge chunks of the world. While I do not dispute that it is the end of an age, I do not see it as any more disconserting than any of the great weather or technology changes in the past were to those people, except in terms of how easily one can get information.

I think that if I had lived in Europe in the 1350s, I would have thought the end was at hand. Everything looked bad. But here we are now.

Originally posted by Moon Pie
The world has been in dire straights before. You do not even need to read to find that out. Just talk to someone who lived through the Depression in the Midwest, or World War II, or the drought of the 1940s, or to someone from Bangladesh or from almost anywhere in Africa. Talk to someone who grew up in China or Cambodia.

Or read some history. Things tend to look bleak rather routinely over huge chunks of the world. While I do not dispute that it is the end of an age, I do not see it as any more disconserting than any of the great weather or technology changes in the past were to those people, except in terms of how easily one can get information.

I think that if I had lived in Europe in the 1350s, I would have thought the end was at hand. Everything looked bad. But here we are now.

Yes, there have always difficult times since the fall of Adam, but they have expanded like becteria in a petri dish, and shroud practically the entire globe. There is hardly any place on Earth big enough to set your toe that isn't entangled in some conflict or ruin or epidemic. The age of anxiety has degressed to the age of terror, and anyone who is honest with themselves will have to admit that things are going to get much worse before they get any better. The stage is set for the arrival of antiChrist. Watch and pay attention.

LOl We are in the end of times. But the end of times is most likely going to be a long period. Were in the beginning. Revelations is predicting history if any has'nt notic is.Besides who are we to question when God will come. God knows best. He'll know we it is time to come. Your job as a slave to God is to be holy and save souls.

[edit on 8-9-2006 by slymattb]

Ok Skyway, give us your timeline predictions of when stuff should happen?
And hopefully ATS will be around when your predictions DONT come true and we can then badger you about being an idiot for thinking the end of days are near.

You give no credible evidence for any of your ramblings. Your the one who is like Pollyanna, believing all sorts of nonsensical whims that you've probably invented yourself.
So come on give us dates and times/ people and places - put your money where your mouth is!!!! You like to tell us that we are wrong and optimistic about the world ( although optimistic is not a word I would use). Tell us why we are wrong without resorting to some fabricated notion of the end of days.

You want us to believe - Tell us why we should?


G

Originally posted by shihulud
Ok Skyway, give us your timeline predictions of when stuff should happen?
And hopefully ATS will be around when your predictions DONT come true and we can then badger you about being an idiot for thinking the end of days are near.

You give no credible evidence for any of your ramblings. Your the one who is like Pollyanna, believing all sorts of nonsensical whims that you've probably invented yourself.
So come on give us dates and times/ people and places - put your money where your mouth is!!!! You like to tell us that we are wrong and optimistic about the world ( although optimistic is not a word I would use). Tell us why we are wrong without resorting to some fabricated notion of the end of days.

You want us to believe - Tell us why we should?
G

Believe because it's true. The whole world will learn this.

Unfortunately, I was not blessed with the gift of prophecy so I can't provide any dates when things will happen but from the looks of things I would estimate 10 to 20 years will see the fulfillment of the prophecies on the Bible. However, there is no guarantee that these prophecies couldn't come true sooner. Only God knows for certain. So...REPENT shihulud!

Originally posted by SkyWay

Originally posted by shihulud
Ok Skyway, give us your timeline predictions of when stuff should happen?
And hopefully ATS will be around when your predictions DONT come true and we can then badger you about being an idiot for thinking the end of days are near.

You give no credible evidence for any of your ramblings. Your the one who is like Pollyanna, believing all sorts of nonsensical whims that you've probably invented yourself.
So come on give us dates and times/ people and places - put your money where your mouth is!!!! You like to tell us that we are wrong and optimistic about the world ( although optimistic is not a word I would use). Tell us why we are wrong without resorting to some fabricated notion of the end of days.

You want us to believe - Tell us why we should?
G

Believe because it's true. The whole world will learn this.

Unfortunately, I was not blessed with the gift of prophecy so I can't provide any dates when things will happen but from the looks of things I would estimate 10 to 20 years will see the fulfillment of the prophecies on the Bible. However, there is no guarantee that these prophecies couldn't come true sooner. Only God knows for certain. So...REPENT shihulud!

REPENT HA HA LOL - somehow I dont think so, No I would rather go to Hell lol
I think its time for your medication friend! We should all believe because YOU say its true, so thats a 1 in 6.5 billion chance that you are right - you get better odds playing the lottery.
So in 10 - 20 years time if none of your predictions have come to pass what will you do then? Give it another 10 -20 years like every other fruitbat that predicts the end of days. Go on tell everyone again how the worlds so buggered up and the end of days is nigh, I like a funny story.

G

Originally posted by shihulud
REPENT HA HA LOL - somehow I dont think so, No I would rather go to Hell lol
G

I guess you're one of those people who like it hot. CONFESS your sin Shihulud!

Originally posted by SkyWay

Originally posted by shihulud
REPENT HA HA LOL - somehow I dont think so, No I would rather go to Hell lol
G

I guess you're one of those people who like it hot. CONFESS your sin Shihulud!

The hotter the better in the Church of ME and no sins committed to confess to!!!!!
Even if christianity was the right way then I'm quite positive that I still would denounce it.


G

lol if you dont see the signs, how will u know when he comes, the bible is predicting histiry, Dianal chapter two predict kingdom falling and rising, Roman ist the kingdom falling. The next is God world comeing. read scritpure.

Originally posted by slymattb
lol if you dont see the signs, how will u know when he comes, the bible is predicting histiry, Dianal chapter two predict kingdom falling and rising, Roman ist the kingdom falling. The next is God world comeing. read scritpure.

What signs would they be? The signs that YOU have decided mean something.
The bible is not predicting history, (how can you predict history anyway?). So gods world is coming ? Is that a new super mario game? SUPER MARIO 5 - GOD'S WORLD LOL.


G

WOW, Blind ar't u. IF the bible says something going to happen (writin in the past) And it comes to pass its predicting future. The BIBle is predicting the future, u just dont want to face the fact that it is.How many phrophicies have to come to pass, for u to realize God's is watching. How about locus comeing to get u. Fire from the sky. LOL dont it u still wont believe.

Originally posted by slymattb
WOW, Blind ar't u. IF the bible says something going to happen (writin in the past) And it comes to pass its predicting future. The BIBle is predicting the future, u just dont want to face the fact that it is.How many phrophicies have to come to pass, for u to realize God's is watching. How about locus comeing to get u. Fire from the sky. LOL dont it u still wont believe.

YOU said the bible was predicting history not me!!!!!
And just what prophecies have came true? Ones that cannot be taken in fifty different directions and be as vague as the vaguest thing ever to be vague. Ones that cannot be influenced by outside circumstance. You tell me ONE prophecy that has came true beyond a shadow of doubt????
Why would a point in space come to get me? Oh do you mean locusts? That would be hard I live in Scotland, the biggest thing like that we get is a small grasshopper. Now fire from the sky would be interesting. Tell your god to bring it on!.



G

Originally posted by Winefried
Skyway you say: The Supreme Being is a disciplinarian. He doesn't spare people from suffering so that they can learn, through experience, the consequences of ignoring His instructions. Humanity has brought upon itself the miserable condition that the world is in.

So that must mean that you believe that the Supreme Being has not allowed us to have free will? This confuses me, how can God grant us free will then discipline us when we do not make the 'right' choices? I believe that this is how a human organised religion works - but not the Supreme Being. She/He is beyond and greater than the need to punish/discipline us.
It's like a kid you beat for not doing as you say. Some kids take the beating, and retaliate. No free will was taken; they got a very harsh example of what's going to be tolerated.

It's like the laws of this land. You can break them....but if you are caught, they will try to break you of wanting to break laws.

Originally posted by shihulud

SO where is god the parent? At least my parents are here and have taught me things. God hasn't been to see me or tell me anything, and why should I believe the people who preach about god when NONE of them have spoke to or seen god. We are just supposed to take you at your word?

Well, he's not judging the children as they are blamelss, even if they suffer from consequences in this life. He's aiming at the adults. If you learn that there are consequences, as a child, your adult life is much easier. An arsonist who never burned himeslf as a kid, or who never rebelled in that way, as a kid, will take the consequences as an adult, which has always been harder.

Besides if you never hurt, you won't think to want to end the hurting....a primary reason of people searching for God.

He said to test him. Experiment time:

Take a commandment from the text, something you can do :like no lying, no desiring something of someone elses' so badly that you are willing to wrong them, go around church and be around church, don't sleep around, etc, and have a talk with God, and explain your doubts. Ask him to show you the direct reward of following the command, for, let's say, a month. Talk to him about the mistakes you make in trying to follow your end of the test, and ask him to clarify his response when you don't get it.

I do this, as I need to. I haven't lost faith.

See, faith is not about only lsitening to someone else, it's about finding it for yourself. If it isn't your faith, then you are as lost as if you had no experience with it, anyway.

Originally posted by jlc163

Well, he's not judging the children as they are blamelss, even if they suffer from consequences in this life... ... who never rebelled in that way, as a kid, will take the consequences as an adult, which has always been harder.

So you dont believe that we're all born sinners then? If we're all sinners then the kids aren't blameless!!

Besides if you never hurt, you won't think to want to end the hurting....a primary reason of people searching for God.

Be that as it may i.e primary reason, BUT I dont need to search for a god even when I'm hurting or feeling low and depressed or whatever. For me religion and the gods that go with it are untrue, so no need for a god

He said to test him. Experiment time:

Take a commandment from the text, something you can do :like no lying, no desiring something of someone elses' so badly that you are willing to wrong them, go around church and be around church, don't sleep around, etc, and have a talk with God, and explain your doubts. Ask him to show you the direct reward of following the command, for, let's say, a month. Talk to him about the mistakes you make in trying to follow your end of the test, and ask him to clarify his response when you don't get it.

I do this, as I need to. I haven't lost faith.

You could do as many tests as you pleased but you still wouldnt be able to provide evidence either way for a god - if you could then we wouldnt be having this conversation.

See, faith is not about only lsitening to someone else, it's about finding it for yourself. If it isn't your faith, then you are as lost as if you had no experience with it, anyway.

Faith is the belief in something that cannot be proven and the belief is an omniwhatever deity just smacks of absolute bull$ so no it isn't my faith an will never be me faith, I would rather be 'lost' as you put it.



G

Originally posted by tommy1979
I'm was a roman catholic for the first 20 yrs of my life. So i'm aware that many people especially christians await the return of Christ. I don't want to hear about the " end of days", or nuclear war, etc..... How about the everyday misery and suffering in the world. The millions of depressed people, hungry, alone, etc. Wouldn't now be a good time for God to show up and help his people........

Their own fears prevent it. Their internal fears prevent it. Since they fail to address the fears within their own mind, their subconscious mind has no other recourse but to vent it out somehow, so their cells suffer, and their fears are manifested by them in our shared reality.

If the subconscious mind can not delete, or send to the "trash bin" their accumilated files of fear, they get depressed (cells become addicted to the neuro-peptides created by the hypothalmus), and pretty much all the other bad stuff you mentioned.

besides, they don't really take to heart the words of the bible. If they did, they would not be seeking anything, they would already have the truth they seek.

They would not be waiting for their savior, if they knew their savior had already come.

the "end of days" can be prevented if we collectively choose to "say undo the foe which is in our dna"


[edit on 17-9-2006 by Esoteric Teacher]