Thursday, September 9, 2010

the problem with end times theologies, or why no one should count on jesus coming back

because it gets you off the hook.

people who think the world is coming to an end and jesus is coming back don't have any reason to make things better. if you truly expect the world to end any minute - or even within a generation - why waste the time and energy? if you don't see any long term future, how can you be expected to have a stake in it?

since it's clear to me that these kinds of beliefs can lead to such short-sighted, narrow-minded world views such as those espoused by Phlegm Fleck, it's equally clear (to me at least) that these beliefs are better off consigned to the dust-heap of history. because these beliefs mostly evoke fear, this becomes a path easily manipulated by those false prophets jesus himself warned about - especially if you lack the critical and analytical thinking skills that used to be encouraged in education.

or, in the alternative, we can always hope they'll be raptured out of existence.

and furthermore, the war will end. blessed be.

3 comments:

Unknown said...

Indeed. How many times in history has it been "predicted" that the rapture is coming, and it didn't happen? I recall a time in the late 80s, being on the phone with a friend who was convinced the rapture was coming the very next day! And she wanted to know what I planned to do about my soul! I don't recall what I'd told her at the time, but as we can all see, it didn't happen. Heh.

rose AKA Walk in the Woods - she/her said...

I realized this Truth during the Reagan administration when James Watt said, "We don't have to protect the environment, the Second Coming is at hand.”

And the man was sincere.

Kim said...

how true, my cousins decided not to have children because the second coming is near. If only all of those who felt that way would stop reproducing...