[The Beast1]

I wrote this when I was particularly buzzed. I hope you all enjoy it.

One of my favorite hobbies is reading apocryphal biblical texts. Dour I know. My favorite book of all in the bible is Revelations.

In my studies I've spent a lot of time pondering this book. Why was this book made part of biblical cannon instead of the handful of other books detailing such things? Like many people before me, I sometimes get the impression that our time is when we will finally see the return of Christ.

Many people before us prophesied that Christ's return was imminent. There were folks in the early 19th century who claimed Jesus was returning and to repent and whatnot. Personally, I think they're bunk for a bunch of reasons most notably Israel not being a real country, a lack of any "one world unified government", or folks being forced to use a special system to conduct commercial exchanges. Today however with cash being eliminated, there being a liberal pope, and Islam growing I think certain things are lining up.

During the Reformation, Martin Luther identified the Papacy (specifically the Pope) as where the anti christ will come from. I personally believe this is a correct assumption to make. Without delving too much into this, here's a great well cited wikipedia article explaining the whole argument: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reformation_Papacy

Fast forward to today, here is how I think the second coming of Christ will occur:

The Pope in Rome will continue on a liberal and leftist agenda as he has been doing today. Islam will continue to grow in strength and power in Europe, particularly in Rome.

The Pope will eventually convert to Islam after a series of liberalization acts within the catholic church. As he converts, he explains to the masses that Islam is the logical progression of Christ's church on earth and is a potent unifying force for all.

Islam will continue to grow unabated in both America and Europe as disillusioned Catholics convert to Islam. The Pope travels to the UN and encourages world peace under the name of Allah. Elites sensing a chance to eliminate world borders and unify currencies encourage the Islamic Pope to become the new UN chair. He is voted in.

The president at the time, being a newly elected Democuck submits to Islam and defers the great powers of the United States to the one world Islamic UN. Countries begin to fall left and right and unite under Islam.

The Islamic UN decides to eliminate cash and require everyone to carry around a cell phone to conduct payments. Cell phones begin to openly track and record conversations with people to be analyzed for later. People who refuse to have cell phones will end up having to use one to conduct basic business transactions. A massive technology build up occurs in places where cell phone coverage is lacking (3rd world, remote places)

Soon after, religious zealots for both the Jewish and Muslim sides in Israel will begin openly protesting and massive unrest occurs. A lot of angst between Muslims and Jews will occur. No direct fighting, but enough to get broadcast on international TV networks.

The UN Chair Islam Pope himself post conversion to Islam will broker a peace deal with Israel to "end the fighting forever" which will bring a peace to the middle east.

Soon after fighting breaks out in America as underground Christian militias fight for their independence as they want nothing to do with Islam and the Sharia law being placed over their country. They are utterly defeated by the Islamic UN military. A handful of world wide earthquakes massively damage the world's infrastructure at the same time. Millions are killed.

In a last ditch effort by underground Christian militias, a captured Cheyenne Mountain Complex facility launches nuclear missiles. The missiles don't touch down but are detonated in the atmosphere after hackers with the UN crack the missiles but an anti tamper device causes them to explode mid-flight. This causes most of Earth's water to be poisoned and undrinkable. Millions of people go thirsty and hungry as famine gripes the world.

At this point, a young man emerges from the Israel and begins preaching a message of love.
______________________________________________

At this point, I get too tired and fell asleep as my ability to connect the dots fell apart. Probably one of the looniest things I have ever written. Syrianguy made a post about Islam being a marker for the end of days. I've seen this mentioned elsewhere and I think several people are getting this sentiment as well. The whole proclamations about European nations eliminating paper cash and going digital had this pop up in my mind as well.

[Saweeep]

I reckon you have the basis for a book there (fiction).

Either way, can you get me some of those drugs?

[The Beast1]

Thanks CBW. The drug of choice is luke warm English beer. Crazy stuff.

The thing I wrote about is slightly mirrored off of the "Left Behind" series of books which take a fictional account of the end times.

I don't think there will be a "rapture" before Christ reappears as there is no basis for this in the bible. This came from the second great awakening in the early 19th century from Baptists and Methodists. The rapture will occur after Christ returns.

With that in mind, remember even Christ himself said he doesn't know when the end of times will occur. I do these sorts of mental exercises for pure fun.

[Thomas the Rhymer]

[ScrapperTL]

(04-14-2016 07:59 AM)The Beast1 Wrote:  

I wrote this when I was particularly buzzed. I hope you all enjoy it.

One of my favorite hobbies is reading apocryphal biblical texts. Dour I know. My favorite book of all in the bible is Revelations.

In my studies I've spent a lot of time pondering this book. Why was this book made part of biblical cannon instead of the handful of other books detailing such things? Like many people before me, I sometimes get the impression that our time is when we will finally see the return of Christ.

Many people before us prophesied that Christ's return was imminent. There were folks in the early 19th century who claimed Jesus was returning and to repent and whatnot. Personally, I think they're bunk for a bunch of reasons most notably Israel not being a real country, a lack of any "one world unified government", or folks being forced to use a special system to conduct commercial exchanges. Today however with cash being eliminated, there being a liberal pope, and Islam growing I think certain things are lining up.

During the Reformation, Martin Luther identified the Papacy (specifically the Pope) as where the anti christ will come from. I personally believe this is a correct assumption to make. Without delving too much into this, here's a great well cited wikipedia article explaining the whole argument: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reformation_Papacy

Fast forward to today, here is how I think the second coming of Christ will occur:

The Pope in Rome will continue on a liberal and leftist agenda as he has been doing today. Islam will continue to grow in strength and power in Europe, particularly in Rome.

The Pope will eventually convert to Islam after a series of liberalization acts within the catholic church. As he converts, he explains to the masses that Islam is the logical progression of Christ's church on earth and is a potent unifying force for all.

Islam will continue to grow unabated in both America and Europe as disillusioned Catholics convert to Islam. The Pope travels to the UN and encourages world peace under the name of Allah. Elites sensing a chance to eliminate world borders and unify currencies encourage the Islamic Pope to become the new UN chair. He is voted in.

The president at the time, being a newly elected Democuck submits to Islam and defers the great powers of the United States to the one world Islamic UN. Countries begin to fall left and right and unite under Islam.

The Islamic UN decides to eliminate cash and require everyone to carry around a cell phone to conduct payments. Cell phones begin to openly track and record conversations with people to be analyzed for later. People who refuse to have cell phones will end up having to use one to conduct basic business transactions. A massive technology build up occurs in places where cell phone coverage is lacking (3rd world, remote places)

Soon after, religious zealots for both the Jewish and Muslim sides in Israel will begin openly protesting and massive unrest occurs. A lot of angst between Muslims and Jews will occur. No direct fighting, but enough to get broadcast on international TV networks.

The UN Chair Islam Pope himself post conversion to Islam will broker a peace deal with Israel to "end the fighting forever" which will bring a peace to the middle east.

Soon after fighting breaks out in America as underground Christian militias fight for their independence as they want nothing to do with Islam and the Sharia law being placed over their country. They are utterly defeated by the Islamic UN military. A handful of world wide earthquakes massively damage the world's infrastructure at the same time. Millions are killed.

In a last ditch effort by underground Christian militias, a captured Cheyenne Mountain Complex facility launches nuclear missiles. The missiles don't touch down but are detonated in the atmosphere after hackers with the UN crack the missiles but an anti tamper device causes them to explode mid-flight. This causes most of Earth's water to be poisoned and undrinkable. Millions of people go thirsty and hungry as famine gripes the world.

At this point, a young man emerges from the Israel and begins preaching a message of love.
______________________________________________

At this point, I get too tired and fell asleep as my ability to connect the dots fell apart. Probably one of the looniest things I have ever written. Syrianguy made a post about Islam being a marker for the end of days. I've seen this mentioned elsewhere and I think several people are getting this sentiment as well. The whole proclamations about European nations eliminating paper cash and going digital had this pop up in my mind as well.

Very entertaining read.

If Patriarchy struggles to recruit & train an aggressive rebellion,
some of this could be a pathetic possible reality for the human race.

[cascadecombo]

Quote:

A handful of world wide earthquakes massively damage the world's infrastructure at the same time.

The jump here jarred me back into reality.

Everything up to that I could see happening fairly easily though. Interesting story.

[AnonymousBosch]

No offence to anyone's beliefs. Here's a Thought Experiment of my own:

Say I was evil, and trying to remake society to serve my own interests. I'd know a huge roadblock in my path was any religion based on Objective Morality, so I'd naturally want to avoid open-conflict with them.

Instead, I'd target their natural tendency for passive submission.

As such, I'd work to put in places structures in society that mirror the 'end of days' myths in their scripture.

A large component would then see no need to fight, because the same scripture says their saviour is coming, will sort everything out, and they will be rewarded for their faith.

By the time they realise he's not coming, their religion is subverted and the power it held is scattered to the winds.

If I was writing a Conspiracy Thriller along those lines, it would leave open the possibility of a Twist Ending where the apparatus was put into place for cynical motives, but actually did bring about the Second Coming. Of course, this means you'd never get mainstream publication, where the non-twist version would be guaranteed a movie deal with major stars attached.

[MiscBrah]

(04-14-2016 07:59 AM)The Beast1 Wrote:  

I wrote this when I was particularly buzzed. I hope you all enjoy it.

One of my favorite hobbies is reading apocryphal biblical texts. Dour I know. My favorite book of all in the bible is Revelations.

In my studies I've spent a lot of time pondering this book. Why was this book made part of biblical cannon instead of the handful of other books detailing such things? Like many people before me, I sometimes get the impression that our time is when we will finally see the return of Christ.

I love Revelation and I'm currently making my way through Beale's Tome on Revelation (have been for some time and it will likely take me at least another year to fully get through it)

I'm fully convinced that I will see Christ return in my lifetime. I've considered making a thread like this before but knew if I didn't approach it correctly it wouldn't end well.

Frankly, this is one of my favorite topics. I don't post on religion much because my theology skills are lacking but I'm looking forward to the replies in this thread

A couple quick reasons why I believe what I do

-Israel is once again a state
-Mankind has the ability to exterminate itself
-Technology for Mark of Beast now in place (I think its going to be a chip implanted into the skin. Some companies are already doing this to their employees)
-Gospel preached throughout all the world
-Rapid increase in technology/knowledge
-Emergence of Russia as a superpower. Putin will continue to increase the power and influence of Russia.
-A 200 million man army can finally be fielded either by China or a joint force between nations ie. China/India etc.
-Depravity is celebrated (Homosexuality, Transgender, Feminism, SJWs)
-Genetic engineering advances and is abused. God's creation becomes defiled and unholy

Its interesting that all of this has occurred since the 1940s when Israel became a state again. The Bible mentions that things will happen quickly near the end times.

These are some excellent resources for those interested. (Ichthys is a fantastic website. Credit to Scorpion for first telling me about the site)

http://ichthys.com/Satans-Rebellion-Part5.htm
http://www.thepropheticyears.com/comment...coming.htm

[debeguiled]

(04-14-2016 05:01 PM)AnonymousBosch Wrote:  

Say I was evil, and trying to remake society to serve my own interests. I'd know a huge roadblock in my path was any religion based on Objective Morality, so I'd naturally want to avoid open-conflict with them.

Instead, I'd target their natural tendency for passive submission.

As such, I'd work to put in places structures in society that mirror the 'end of days' myths in their scripture.

A large component would then see no need to fight, because the same scripture says their saviour is coming, will sort everything out, and they will be rewarded for their faith.

By the time they realise he's not coming, their religion is subverted and the power it held is scattered to the winds.

In the Christian tradition, the real point of all the end times stuff is to get people to treat God's Word, as well as their own lives, seriously.

In the Bible you have many hints at when the end times will come, and what the signs are, but you only have a couple clear statements on the subject and these are when Jesus says that only the Father knows when it will happen, and he doesn't even know himself.

The message here, not overtly stated, is this:

The Second Coming could be any minute.

The point is to create a mental and emotional framework in the believer of heightened urgency, without the drastic level of panic that certainty would entail.

This is the difference between an intellectual work and a spiritual work. The spiritual work is not only concerned with the overt and reasoned meaning of the text. It is concerned with the welfare of the soul, and as such, is willing to use direct commands, guilt, confusion, entreaties, insinuations, whatever it takes really, to get through to people.

The purpose of getting people to think that the second coming could be any minute is to rid them of their moral complacency. Even people who have had legitimate spiritual experiences, meaning direct experiences of God's existence, can be ground down by the monotony of day after day life. It can lead you to forget what you have experienced and live as if God isn't really there, and nothing you do really matters.

In this kind of case, then, faith is not a blind belief in something you have no evidence of, but a hedge against amnesia.

The real purpose of the Second Coming story, and this should be totally evident if you have read the New Testament, is to strengthen the faith and the character of the individual believer. That is what everything in the New Testament is in service of, the strengthening of character of each believer.

Since this is the case, most of the speculation having to do with the prophecies and signs of the Second Coming, as enjoyable and engaging as it is, are a spiritual red herring. If you have truly internalized the message of Jesus, then you will focus on his main message, which is to love God and love your neighbor.

God doesn't just give us direction and encouragement, he also, always, gives us enough rope, so that we can rationalize and say that whatever tangent we are going off on, we are doing because God wants us to.

Or, to put it as I heard a Christian writer put it once:

"The Book of Revelation is often used as a happy hunting ground for people with strange ideas"

(I am using this quote in reference to people who obsess over the book constantly, and not normal inquiry, like in this thread.)

So I guess what I am saying is that, as reasonable as your thought experiment is on secular grounds, it doesn't really have any meaning for someone who has determined, to their own satisfaction, that God is real and Jesus is the best way to reach him.

You couldn't really be tricking them into passively submitting to a false end time in order to gain power over them, because the whole idea of the Christian mindset is ultimately to strengthen yourself in Faith and Love, and encourage others to do the same.

This works equally well whether or not your external circumstance is a legitimate end time, or an illegitimate one, since God is smart enough to figure out if you are (or are not) doing the best you can with what you have in the context of how you perceive things.

This is not a passive submission to a hostile force in hopes of a divine intervention in the near future. If you read the Bible, and you take it seriously, and you have an active prayer life, then you have a pretty good idea of what your own spiritual work should be. This isn't passive, it is work, and it is cut out for you.

The power religion has, or should have, and particularly Christianity, is in the example of loving your neighbor, and I am well aware how seldom this is true.

That is the only overt power Christianity has. It is hard work. Almost impossible to achieve.

And it doesn't change in any way, whether or not there is a legitimate Second Coming or some sort of mass social manipulation.

[Barry Scrotada]

(04-14-2016 05:01 PM)AnonymousBosch Wrote:  

No offence to anyone's beliefs. Here's a Thought Experiment of my own:

Say I was evil, and trying to remake society to serve my own interests. I'd know a huge roadblock in my path was any religion based on Objective Morality, so I'd naturally want to avoid open-conflict with them.

Instead, I'd target their natural tendency for passive submission.

As such, I'd work to put in places structures in society that mirror the 'end of days' myths in their scripture.

A large component would then see no need to fight, because the same scripture says their saviour is coming, will sort everything out, and they will be rewarded for their faith.

By the time they realise he's not coming, their religion is subverted and the power it held is scattered to the winds.

If I was writing a Conspiracy Thriller along those lines, it would leave open the possibility of a Twist Ending where the apparatus was put into place for cynical motives, but actually did bring about the Second Coming. Of course, this means you'd never get mainstream publication, where the non-twist version would be guaranteed a movie deal with major stars attached.

I have had the same thoughts - if people think the best of times (the second coming) is only preceded by the worst of times (apocalypse) then why fight the signs of a decline?

Bring on the antichrist because all us good folk will be saved! People have been so sure of the end of the world multiple times before (can you imagine the suspense of Dec. 31, 999 A.D.?) and, look, here we still are.

What prompts a person to 'welcome the rapture' as opposed to fighting tooth and nail for the reality in front of you?

[AnonymousBosch]

(04-14-2016 06:39 PM)debeguiled Wrote:  

That is the only overt power Christianity has. It is hard work. Almost impossible to achieve.

And it doesn't change in any way, whether or not there is a legitimate Second Coming or some sort of mass social manipulation.

Great comment, mate. A girl I talked to a few weeks back told me "They can take away my comforts, or even my life, but they can't take my faith."

This is something I struggle with. My instinct is to fight tooth and nail before it comes to that. I get frustrated when people I know get this beatific look on their face and tell me 'Christ is coming, and it will all be all right'. Meanwhile, I'm seeing a six year old boy writing letters to a lawyer begging him to make the lesbian who sexually-abused him 'go away' whilst the courts and police still grant her access because she's a victim class and they're terrified of being called homophobic.

Yes, I know God will judge her, but, damn it, why can't we protect people now?

[Aurini]

Alternative thought experiment: End Times as asymptote.

For those of you who've been out of High School for a while, the asymptote is an imaginary line which a parabolic equation constantly approaches, but never reaches. 1/x, for instance, will constantly approach the 0 mark, but no matter how large x becomes, it will never quite reach it.

I sometimes think of the End Times in a similar manner; the Apocalypse is where society is always heading, getting closer by the minute, with more and more signs appearing - but never quite reaching it. It is something both true and fictitious.

That said, I wouldn't be surprised if the second coming happens in our lifetimes - I just try not to anticipate it.

[Disco_Volante]

The Pope would be the false prophet, not the anti-Christ.

If the Pope was the anti-Christ, then who was the false prophet? John Paul ii? Obama? You can't have the anti-Christ without also identifying the false prophet.

Russia and Cheeeyna would never go along with the world government thing, either. Yea maybe they have less freedoms for their citizens, but they despise the west.

If an anti-Christ got USA-EURO Union to take over the rest of the world (which they could), their only competition would be China and Russia. The anti-Christ would have to make war against them.
I believe Pope Francis, at 79, is too old for this to all unravel during his life. The foundation is set but it would take years for it to materialize.

Obviously Trump would have to lose the election. His success would at minimum delay this unraveling for many years.

If Hillary wins, though, I'd have to say I'd start preparing for shit to hit the fan.

Plus, Like you said Jesus would just be a normal man who would start preaching post-apocalypse scenario. But what about defeating the anti-Christ? It's not like we'd physically see a bunch of angels and shit taking down western militaries. Would China be doing God's work?

[WeFuckGoats]

You're being silly, we all know who the real Antichrist is...

[HectorLavoe]

The book of revelation is an esoteric treatise on the process taken by initiates of the holy mysteries in order to ascend to the divine, the process is in internal. The Beast of revelation Is the Demiurge, the false creator worshiped as "God" by exoteric christians, the Abrahamic God known as Yahweh, ruler of the material world and symbolic of mans lower self, 666 is his number. Jesus can't return because he never left, he is the divine seed that lies hidden within all men.

[BIG BOSS]

I'd never thought The Second Coming would take place in my life time. Looking at world today, I'm surprised it hasn't happened already.

[Comte De St. Germain]

I feel apathy and hedonism will take the world before the coming of Christ. It's not going to be an Islamic takeover as open hedonism is the last thing that will happen under Sharia Law(although other issues will occur).

Not to mention the Anti-Christ has to perform the miracles to get people to follow him as well as the coming of the Beast. Although peace in the Middle East may be one of those miracles.

[The Beast1]

(04-14-2016 07:20 PM)Barry Scrotada Wrote:  

(04-14-2016 05:01 PM)AnonymousBosch Wrote:  

No offence to anyone's beliefs. Here's a Thought Experiment of my own:

Say I was evil, and trying to remake society to serve my own interests. I'd know a huge roadblock in my path was any religion based on Objective Morality, so I'd naturally want to avoid open-conflict with them.

Instead, I'd target their natural tendency for passive submission.

As such, I'd work to put in places structures in society that mirror the 'end of days' myths in their scripture.

A large component would then see no need to fight, because the same scripture says their saviour is coming, will sort everything out, and they will be rewarded for their faith.

By the time they realise he's not coming, their religion is subverted and the power it held is scattered to the winds.

If I was writing a Conspiracy Thriller along those lines, it would leave open the possibility of a Twist Ending where the apparatus was put into place for cynical motives, but actually did bring about the Second Coming. Of course, this means you'd never get mainstream publication, where the non-twist version would be guaranteed a movie deal with major stars attached.

I have had the same thoughts - if people think the best of times (the second coming) is only preceded by the worst of times (apocalypse) then why fight the signs of a decline?

Bring on the antichrist because all us good folk will be saved! People have been so sure of the end of the world multiple times before (can you imagine the suspense of Dec. 31, 999 A.D.?) and, look, here we still are.

What prompts a person to 'welcome the rapture' as opposed to fighting tooth and nail for the reality in front of you?

You'd want to fight it because the amount of suffering would be worse than the suffering seen in any major war.

Essentially all of Christendom would be under attack. Openly professing Christ's message would lead to imprisonment, torture, and death.

I mentioned it above, but the idea of a rapture occurring before the antichrist wasn't a traditionally held belief in what the end of times would be like. It was an early 18th-century re-interpretation of the bible by baptists and methodists. It's a lie and if such end of days events were to start occurring this would rattle and destroy the faith of so many of these "followers" by them thinking, "I didn't get saved, i must not be worthy."

The only thing that would happen would be eternal peace after a massive amount of people on this planet suffer first. It's sort of like a war, you won't be thinking of eternal happiness when christ returns when you're being chased down by people who want you dead.

(04-14-2016 09:01 PM)Disco_Volante Wrote:  

Plus, Like you said Jesus would just be a normal man who would start preaching post-apocalypse scenario. But what about defeating the anti-Christ? It's not like we'd physically see a bunch of angels and shit taking down western militaries. Would China be doing God's work?

That's why I stopped my story above. It went from being plausible to fictional. I didn't have the energy to think out what a 21st century Jesus would look like.

[debeguiled]

(04-14-2016 07:48 PM)AnonymousBosch Wrote:  

This is something I struggle with. My instinct is to fight tooth and nail before it comes to that. I get frustrated when people I know get this beatific look on their face and tell me 'Christ is coming, and it will all be all right'. Meanwhile, I'm seeing a six year old boy writing letters to a lawyer begging him to make the lesbian who sexually-abused him 'go away' whilst the courts and police still grant her access because she's a victim class and they're terrified of being called homophobic.

Yes, I know God will judge her, but, damn it, why can't we protect people now?

I hear you bro.

That beatific look is a real pisser.

I would never take that glassy look of certitude as a sign of heightened spiritual development.

It is hysterical empowerment pure and simple.

Unfortunately for you, as an sensitive intelligent dude, you have zeroed in on the central problem of Christianity:

The absolute depths of depravity and evil we come face to face with in our lives in a concrete and unequivocal way is in direct opposition to the fleeting glimpses and faith based promises that are supposed to sustain us in turning the other cheek and all of that seemingly impossible Christian shit.

I doubt very much that anyone can easily resolve this contradiction through argument or faith or anything else. We just have to struggle with it I guess.

Sometimes I have trouble not bringing down a hammer of wrath when someone walks into my path on the sidewalk for no reason. I am not very close to having transcended this opposition of forces.

I would imagine that one answer would be that the Christian command to love your enemies is not given to us as a reasonable standard, but as the highest possible standard, and that God knows in advance that we will not live up to it, hence we need to confess our sins sometimes, and doing this keeps us humble, and it keeps us from slacking off in that department too.

I think God knows we will do wrong, and try to right wrongs in our own clumsy human ways, and holding us to the higher standard of loving our enemies is a pre-emptive strike against convincing ourselves that we are committing acts of physical or emotional violence with the full blessing of God, because that way lies some of the worst sinning.

Or, to quote a redneck Evangelical Christian with a mullet I once heard preach,:

"I am doing my best to control my temper and find a peaceful resolution here, but when I backslide, it is going to be all over your face."

[scorpion]

(04-14-2016 07:48 PM)AnonymousBosch Wrote:  

Great comment, mate. A girl I talked to a few weeks back told me "They can take away my comforts, or even my life, but they can't take my faith."

This is something I struggle with. My instinct is to fight tooth and nail before it comes to that. I get frustrated when people I know get this beatific look on their face and tell me 'Christ is coming, and it will all be all right'. Meanwhile, I'm seeing a six year old boy writing letters to a lawyer begging him to make the lesbian who sexually-abused him 'go away' whilst the courts and police still grant her access because she's a victim class and they're terrified of being called homophobic.

Yes, I know God will judge her, but, damn it, why can't we protect people now?

The Bible teaches that the world currently exists in a fallen state, and is essentially dying a slow death due to the corrosive influence of sin. The gradual corruption and decay of all matter (entropy) is inevitable, and spiritual destruction (evil) will increase correspondingly, especially as the end of time approaches. That being said, Christians are not tasked to roll over and die in the face of evil, but rather to knowingly fight what we believe to be a losing battle, with the belief that when all hope seems lost, Christ will return and claim victory. This victory will be not only material (over the armies of Antichrist) but primarily spiritual (the victory over death itself).

Christ's injunction to turn the other cheek and to love one's enemies are commonly misunderstood. This does not mean to love evil people and allow them to harm you. These commands apply to the day to day interactions we have with friends, family, neighbors and strangers. There's a difference between a bad neighbor and a man who wants to murder and cannibalize your children. There's a distinction between a man who insults you in a fit of anger and one who actively seeks to destroy Christianity and undermine all of its teachings. Christians are perfectly within their rights (and indeed, their obligations) to resist evil in every capacity available, and certainly to avail themselves of all means of self-defense and preservation of their Christian beliefs and ways of life. Christians who lay down in the face of Islam and Marxist godlessness because they think it un-Christlike to resist are utter fools and worse than useless.

The entire Sermon on the Mount essentially lays out an impossibly high standard of morality, the purpose of which was not to say, "This is how you are expected to live," but rather, "This is why you need forgiveness of your sins." The Christian life is an ongoing battle against sin and evil - some of that battle is internal, and some is external. Both battles, however, will ultimately be lost. We cannot win. We cannot redeem ourselves and this world, no matter how hard we fight. The evil will eventually overtake us all - but in the meanwhile, we resist. We act. We fight on, with the faith that when inevitably we do fall, Christ himself will secure the victory.

The people who just toss their hands up in the air and say, "Well, it's all up to Jesus!" completely misunderstand Christian theology. That is not faith. That is indifference. That's sitting on the sidelines. The true Christian resists evil to the best of his ability, knowing that in doing so he will face incredible opposition and persecution from this world as his thanks. But because he has faith in the promise that Christ will claim ultimate victory over sin, death and evil, he fights on. Indeed, the fight is the entire purpose. This world is a battleground against evil. We are here to fight. The entire purpose of our existence is understanding what and why are are fighting (sin, evil, death), recognizing that we are incapable of winning this battle alone (being sinful creatures ourselves), and reaching out and having faith in the only one who can secure the victory over sin and death (Jesus Christ).

Ephesians 6:10-20
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God

John 16:33
These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world.

[AnonymousBosch]

The churches in my hometown were more concerned with diversity, homosexual tolerance, female priests and broadcasting degenerate pop music across the neighbourhood at high volume. I've overheard uniformed children who couldn't be more than ten discussing degeneracy like smoking weed and blowjobs on the way to the Catholic School around the corner. I find it hard to reconcile what the Church has seemingly-become with the kind of solid, intelligent theological discussion the men here are posting.

The Church needs more men like you.

[Spectrumwalker]

Revelation 13:7 "And it was given unto him to make war with the saints and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds and toungues and nations".

Scripture is very clear, that Christians will suffer mass persecution and be killed by the armies of Antichrist. Like the OP said, this idea of a pre tribulation rapture is nonsense. Most of the pastors or priests you see preaching pre trib are megachurch types with American and Israeli flag pins on their three thousand dollar suits. Bolshevik Christians.

If a Biblical doctrine is pushed and supported by Hollywood, that alone should make you think twice that it may be a false teaching.The second coming will not come at any moment. In Jesus's own teachings in Matthew, Mark and Luke, he makes it abundantly clear of what times will be like for the saints. For the believers.

Every generation has always thought, or perhaps wanted to think they were living in the end times. People of old however, may have looked to scripture in Revelation and not understood how any of what was written could be possible. For us it's easy to believe. We have the technology, and political and financial systems in place to usher in a world government. However, I still believe we have a long way to go to bring about the final culmination. Because the world will worship the Antichrist under a global religion. This could not be pulled off anytime soon.

2nd Thessalonians 2:3 "Let no man deceive you by any means, for that day shall not come except there come a falling away first and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition."

The falling away is talking about a great apostasy of the Christian faith. Which, true to form the Roman Catholic Church is already working on on behalf of Satan. This then affects most other denominations as they follow the principals of the mother ship in the Vatican which are established by the desires of the carnally minded world.

From what I hear about Europe it's already spiritually dead. The actual Bible believing churches are as quiet as cemeteries. But the rest of the world I feel isn't completely open to a grand deception. The forces of iniquity, the spirit of Antichrist, I feel has to keep chipping away at the Bible and western civilisation for quite some time.

If anyone doubts the ambition of world government, look at upcoming events at a local university. See if there are any Marxist or radical left leaning seminars, discussion, whatever. If you can stomach handing over money for a ticket entrance to leftists and going incognito you will be astonished at what you will hear and learn. You will clearly see the pursuit of world government. You will hear and see Muslims praised and coddled one moment, while snickering and scoffing at Christianity the very next minute. Leftoid idealogy is ushering in a world that corresponds to bringing forth the Jewish Messiah and all that they believe entails. If a worldwide socialist dictatorship is achieved like the left wants, the world will be brought into conformity with Judaism. Christians will be hunted like stray dogs.

This shit is absolutely 100% real.

If ever I find myself in doubt about God or the accuracy of the Bible, I think back my useless lefty professors, or the degenerate left as a whole. "Ye shall know them by their fruits", Jesus said. I look at fruits of atheism and Marxism, and my faith is instantly restored. If they tell us Christians we are wrong, surely we are right.

To the poster above who mentioned the reformation of Israel as being a sign of the end times, careful man. That's an idea that the John Hagees and Joel Osteens of the world put forth. It's not Biblical. The Jewish right to the promise land was always conditional on their obedience to God. Needless to say the Jews, at the time, killed God. Thus their temple was destroyed and God dispersed them from Israel. Biblically they have not earned it back.

King James Only. All the way.

[sylo]

(04-16-2016 09:38 AM)Spectrumwalker Wrote:  

If ever I find myself in doubt about God or the accuracy of the Bible, I think back my useless lefty professors, or the degenerate left as a whole. "Ye shall know them by their fruits", Jesus said. I look at fruits of atheism and Marxism, and my faith is instantly restored. If they tell us Christians we are wrong, surely we are right.

But these people are useless according to your own words. Then you say since they are the opposite of your views, which must be inherantly correct, because you view them, they are deceiving people so actually do the opposite of what they say.

These people are heretics, so do not pay any attention to them. But, they are fully aware of what they are doing, so pay attention to them and do the opposite. But still, they are bad and I am good. This arbitrary thought process is one of the precise annoyances people like me have with blind faith. It is literally interperated in any way that makes the Christian right, and everyone else wrong.

[Spectrumwalker]

(04-16-2016 10:53 AM)sylo Wrote:  

(04-16-2016 09:38 AM)Spectrumwalker Wrote:  

But these people are useless according to your own words. Then you say since they are the opposite of your views, which must be inherantly correct, because you view them, they are deceiving people so actually do the opposite of what they say.

These people are heretics, so do not pay any attention to them. But, they are fully aware of what they are doing, so pay attention to them and do the opposite. But still, they are bad and I am good. This arbitrary thought process is one of the precise annoyances people like me have with blind faith. It is literally interperated in any way that makes the Christian right, and everyone else wrong.

I think most us here are smart enough to not put "blind faith" in anything. Blind faith would be letting a stranger on the street borrow all of my money. Everyone has faith. We all have faith our money will still be in our bank accounts tomorrow. Regarding this thread, what one man perceives as evidence for the ecxistence, another perceives as evidence not for the existence. At the end of the day, these questions have been asked for thousands of years with the same arguments repeated time and time again. Around and around we go. Only in death will will there be an answer. Or not. But one thing is for certain, the book of Revelation speaks of a world government under one ruler. Along with a world cashless currency, and world religion. This can not be denied. And it can also not be denied that there is ineed a secular push towards that direction. Coincidence? Divinely inspired prophecy? We'll see.

And yes I do hold the political and cultural left largely useless. Again, based on their fruits. Save for the entreprenurial types. When there's effeminate Dawkins worshipping men in tights, makeup, and colored hair shrieking at me and telling me I'm a fool for believing in Christ; their opinion does not hold much weight. These same people are the first ones to say the Bolshevik Revolution was the greatest event in human history and are working towards worldwide revolution on the same principals.

[lex the impaler]

It is the end times indeed. Russian jetssimulating attacks on US ships. 2 major earthquakes. The Saudi involvement in 9/11.