What IS the world coming to? Really.

What IS the world coming to? I mean, are these really the so-called "end times?" Will the earth really be destroyed?

That's what many on the "Christian" Right say, and they also claim that only "born again" and "saved" Christians will survive and be delivered to their heavenly reward.

Religious zealots are not the only ones, either. A 2003 TIME-CNN poll found that more than 33 percent of Americans say they are paying more attention now to how the news might relate to the end of the world, and have talked about what the Bible has to say on the subject. At least 59 percent of Americans say they believe the events in the Book of Revelation are "going to come true," and nearly 25 percent think the Bible predicted the September 11, 2001, attack on America.

Those on the Christian Right also claim that God is on their side in the partisan political power struggle, and a lot of them have been able to gain positions of political power largely because of their claim of "religious" justification. In fact, their claim that God is on their side has gone a long way in garnering support from enough voters to put them in power and keep them there.

However, I've recently learned the truth, which is that Judeo-Christian prophecy actually foretells the end of the age and the beginning of a new age, when a new "kingdom" will be established on the earth, which shall last forever, never to be destroyed.

The truth is also that most right-wing conservatives who pretend to be religious are hypocrites who serve "mammon" (material wealth), to use an appropriate Christian term. And that goes for George W. Bush and Pat Robertson, and all others who agree with and support them.

The problem has been that no one has successfully exposed their hypocrisy. They’ve gotten away with it because of the acquiescence of faithful, good people (who tend to be kind, humble, non-judgmental, non-aggressive and forgiving), and also because of the apathy of too many others. That has enabled proud, aggressive, militant hypocrites to gain and hold political power. And that, frankly, is a large part of the reason why Republicans rule.

Well, now someone has articulated the truth very well and turned the tables on the Religious Right and all others on the New Right (Reaganites and Bushies). The author’s work is supported not only with scriptural evidence that completely exposes them, but also with researched-based statistics and documented facts that expose the divisiveness, corruption, inequity and unfairness of our whole political-economic system.

The work is titled Real Prophecy Unveiled: Why the Christ Will Not Come Again, And Why the Religious Right Is Wrong. The title refers to the fact that the word Apocalypse actually means "lifting of the veil."

This three-volume work speaks with such authority that it will render the greedy rich and the proud and the militant powerless, and it will enable the humble and the meek to inherit the earth. In fact, it"s about the fulfillment of real prophecy and it exposes the false beliefs and myths that have caused so much conflict and division and led so many people astray.

The anonymous author says that when enough people get the message, a new reformation will enable all religions to reach consensus and enable the people to finally establish government that is actually of, by, and for the people, so we will never again be ruled by a partisan pretender to the "throne." Instead we will share it as equal joint heirs. And that, the author submits, is what real prophecy is all about ... the empowerment of the people and the end of ANY form of monarchy (including the presidency).

If you would like to read a summary of the book, visit:
http://realprophecyunveiled.netfirms.com
You can read a shorter summary and some reviews on Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com.

Looks interesting.

Welcome to DU.

being. I feel like in thousands of years they will look back on these times as a sort of dark ages, where science was ignored and where beliefs in different religions commonly were used to cause needless bloodshed, oppress women, and enforce classism. I think that works of John Lennon, Bob Marley, Mother Teresa, Ghandi, and MLK will be the considered the difinitive philosophy for this new age. I hope i see it in my life time.

Consider what is happening here in Imperial Amerika. Vlad Putin has already put the Bushevik Plan into effect with full-force, up to and including the controlled Pravda-style media used to deny the liberals (in Russia, they are on the Right) their point of view disseminated.

Electoral tampering, just like in Florida.

Sadly for the Russians, they have no longstanding traditions of Liberty or Free Elections, so in a wink, Putin has already set them to a point which Imperial Amerika won't reach until at least 2020 and may never reach, due to the old illusions of the Old Republic having to be maintained. For this reason I expect even George P. caligula will step down after being on the Imperial Throne for 8 years.

No, my belief is that as Amerika goes, so goes the world. Jimmy Carter helped spread fledgling democracy to many Third World Nations during the Last Days of the Old Republic because under Clinton, we were respected and people actually believed in America as Leader of the Free World, Beacon of Freedom, and all that stuff.

Of course, we can lay claim to none of that now. Hell, I don't think we even belong to the Free World anymore, technically, and eventually the other shoes will all drop and confrim what we few now know.

All over the world, people are doing what Putin did, which is look at Imperial Amerika, scratch their heads and say to themselves, "Why did we EVER believe in their bullshit? Free Elections? Hah! No Secret Police taking note of Political activities? HAH! A Free Press? HAH! I'd rather read the British Press than Amerikan Pravda any day!"

They are looking at Amerika, as Putin did, and wondering if they, too, should begin clamping back down on their pathetic loser Serfs.

If the Busheviks are not stopped, I believe it is very possible that as is happening in Russia and Italy (that we know of), the Age of Democracy is OVER.

But that is the way history goes. It is somewhat dissapointing in that Democracy was supposed to stop this cycle, but really it is quite foolish to think that human nature could be changed in such a short period of time.

we've never had it... the land of the free? the land of hypocrisy is more like it... how can there be a cycle when it's the same shit, just on a different day.

He can't be worst than his only real opponents: One sounds like Hitler and the other sounds like Brezhenev.

(Mind you, I'd feel dirty after doing it.)

Suppositions:
- The "end times" are to bring about 1000 years of Christ's reign on Earth
- All who are "saved" will be "raptured" to heaven when Christ returns
- The "end times" can be brought forth by creating the situation in which it they are to be set (strife in the Middle East, Armageddon, etc.)

So, why, exactly, would God "rapture" those who brought about the "end times"? Is it because they're good Christians? Or is to punish them for being dumb asses and inflicting war on the world?


Flame away.

First point: correct, IMO.
Second point: There is no rapture. The bible does talk about a resurrection, but these people are deceiving people if they think they are magically going to be whisked away. Nowhere in the bible does it say anything about a rapture.

Third point: They are trying to create the situation right now. (Violence in the Middle East, rampant materialism, wars and rumors of wars, etc.) God will not look kindly upon them.

- This question has nothing to do with belief in God. How do we know that those saying this aren't simply making it up? They can't prove it and I'm not willing to take their word on it.

- I wouldn't trust anyone who says they've been 'chosen' by God or presumes to 'know' what God wants. This is the stuff of charlatans, snake oil salesmen and false prophets.

for thousands of years... there was a fascinating piece on PBS last night about the Dead Sea, and the Dead Sea scrolls were mentioned. Apparently the sect that wrote them also expected "the end" was quite near... and strangely enough... we are still here. I can think of numerous other sects (there are, well WERE, many here in Western PA where I live) who thought the same thing.

:-)'s

Wouldn't that be a slap in the face to George and pals. Hello, the rapture is here and it's your worst nightmare.

I'm also an atheist, and have spent considerable time debating biblical literalists on the net. For all the supposed prophesies in the bible, none have come true, and most were written after the fact. This has been determined by linguists, and historians and biblical scholars.

First and foremost of biblical gaffes, when Jesus said " All these things will happen before this generation is gone." Duuhh, I don't see many 2,000 year old people walking around. But you'd be amazed at some of the mental and linguistic contortions that Fundamaniacs, and apologists will go to to make it sound like it doesn't mean what it clearly says.

They've been saying the end is at hand for 2,000 years, by interpreting signs in fairy tales. One of my favorites, also a contradiction, of 2 prophesies of the city of Tyre. One says it will be destroyed and never set foot upon for 40 years. The other says it will be utterly destroyed, and never inhabited again. Thus sayeth the Lord. Well the last time I looked, it never was destroyed, and it even has an airport. But, thats probably just for alien astronauts.:evilgrin:

:wtf:

:nuke:

I would ask them about the "thousand years of peace" that is coming. Or did they forget about that? Maybe they don't want peace.

You're right about them praying to thier god of mammon, which makes them not christian at all.

As a christian this hypothesis doesnt fit for me. I feel that the bible is vague for a reason, but that there are indeed signs and that what has been prophesized will come to pass.

As for some of the others in this thread, I wont force you to believe it. But, the messiah is coming back. Will it work out like Pat Robertson and Falwell say? I dont think so. This incarnation of the church - Letters to the church of Laocidea- was forcasted in revelations. It is the final church. How long will it last? Who is to say?

If you are a Christian and have committed your faith to this belief, have felt the lord in your life, disbelief seems just as ignorant as faith does to the nonbeliever.

I think that the danger lies in the thought that we are all gods, that we can do it on our own, that we dont need the messiah.

This is not the board to get into such debates on, Ive learned from the past... but just because I believe in Christianity doesnt make me not liberal.. and sad for you, it could make me a swing voter.

Bash on.

Swing voter? Liberal? ARe you okay?

Yes, are you pompous?

Christians can be liberal. Christians are a large part of the demographic that makes up swing voters.

It isnt a hard concept. It's also been documented. So let me know if you need any phonic help or reading comprehension assistance.

kinda sounds like it.

Woo ah, mercy mercy me
Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no
Where did all the blue skies go?
Poison is the wind that blows from the north and south and east
Woo mercy, mercy me, mercy father
Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no
Oil wasted on the ocean and upon our seas, fish full of mercury
Ah oh mercy, mercy me
Ah things ain't what they used to be, no no
Radiation under ground and in the sky
Animals and birds who live nearby are dying
Oh mercy, mercy me
Ah things ain't what they used to be
What about this overcrowded land
How much more abuse from man can she stand?
Oh, na na...
My sweet Lord... No
My Lord... My sweet Lord
-- Marvin Gaye

personally, I don't think a major nuclear armageddon would be such a bad thing... maybe human civilization needs to start over and rebuild.

But I'm retired and don't want another job rebuilding civilization.
It's all I can do to help rebuild the Democratic Party.

the rich and powerful in Revelation are all on the side of the anti-Christ. There are no good guys who dominate the earth in the last days. So I don't get how the Pat Robertson-style Christian can reconcile *'s plans for global domination with being on God's side. If the neo-cons are planning to bring about the end of the world to pave the way for Christ's return, * would, by default, be on the side of Old Scratch. I think this is a conundrum that needs to be posed to these people particularly by good, liberal Christians who understand the concepts of love, peace, humility and charity. If * is planning to kick-start the end times, his plans for world dominion clearly put him on the wrong side of the apocalypse.
Carol

Maybe we can get the talking heads to brand him as the anti-X

Think about it. He's supposed to be the Great Deciever. I can't think of anyone who does it better.

Jesus Christ!!!! (Just for emphasis, not a declaration of faith.) I never thought I'd miss the good old days of Richard Swine Nixon.

I mean, I am sick of it. And the religious right is the worst of the worst.

whenever I get around to updating it, hopefully this week

the earth will come to an end soon. The end will come with fire and floods. All poles get melted, waters will rise and overflow cities and countrysides. Many people will die in the floods, and many more will starve. Brothers and sisters will kill each other in fury, and survival of mankind is not granted.
All this will happen as a punishment for mankind. Punishment for having ruined the atmosphere.
Ever heard of the Kyoto protocol?

at the very end Neo gets that lecture on Cause and Effect. When you do something good, you will receive a good benefit from that action--not just in terms of money, but more importantly, good karma, goodwill, etc.

Look back at US foreign policy back during the Cold War--we have been buddies with some of the worst mass killers and dictators in centuries--Saddam, Marcos, The Shah of Iran, and countless more in Africa and Central/South America. (just remembered Noriega from Panama) That's te main cause, and now look at what kind of culture we're shoveling out to the world to view us--Paris Hilton, reality tv, hyper commercialism, godawful music "artisits", overpaid, oversexed, and over here sports stars who do things much worse then Playmakers...that's alot of serious bad karma we're making. Imagine what ET would say if he saw us now--"holy shit, we'd better try someplace else!"

So is this the so called "End Times"? I do think the US as the world's most influencal country and superpower is gone. But right now too many sheeple are like those plugged in the Matrix and don't even know it yet. When they find out the truth--and it's going to be very soon--this country is going to fall to pieces. So we liberals will have to 'The Ones' so to speak. Because the rethugs and fundies sure as hell aren't trying to stop it.

I thank you for all the positive and kind comments, and I understand the others.

Regarding the suspicion that I'm just trying to help sell a book, I must say that I am merely trying to help spread a message. The anonymous author of Real Prophecy Unveiled is depending on readers to spread the word about it. He has no other way to do that.

And, speaking of readers, the only negative comments I've seen about the book have been from those who haven't read it. Those who have read it are usually enthusiastice about it, and the most negative comments about it have been that it spends too much time on the critique of the Religious Right and the New Right in general. And while that's valid for readers who are already well read and informed, for most people this book will be an eye-opener.

I think the most important thing about it is that it empowers the people as no other movement or event could do, and it totally exposes bad leadership in both religion and politics. And best of all, it suggests how we can rise above it and progress toward a much brighter future.