Is the Antichrist about to rise?

[Big Mouth Nana]

Merely playing Devil's Advocate... so to speak.


Tee hee... if you read my posting history, you'd know that scare tactics don't work on me.

And since a horde of Christians have already told me I'm going to die in my sins and Go to hell anyway, why would I refuse the mark? Sounds like I've already been judged and found guilty.

"If this be treason, let us make the most of it!" --Patrick Henry

I really don't think that the devil needs an advocate. He's doing pretty good on his own. No, I'm new on here, so haven't read your post history. I'm not judging you. Only God is the judge of a persons heart. I just thought it odd that you stated what you did, and then I noticed your agnostic icon. Like you were fence sitting, and can't decide which way to go .

 

[tulc]

I think the point Nathan was making was: some Christians seem to take a very...gleeful attitude about unbelevers and the world God created (according to their beliefs, not Nathen's) ending with them being proven right and everyone else proved wrong (with lots of destruction for everyone else!)
tulc

 

[NoDeity]

[shrug] It seems that every generation of Christians have thought themselves to be the last. Their score so far: 0

Way, way back when I was wasting my youth in a post-secondary Bible institution instead going out to raise heck in the clubs as a proper young man should, I wrote an essay about this for the student paper. The president of the school liked it so much that he incorporated part of it into his sermon the next Sunday.

I'll try to remember what my main points were.

1) All the really important stuff in the Bible is pretty clear, laid out in a straightforward manner (so it seemed to me at the time). The stuff about the end times, the rapture, the antichrist, etc., is all rather unclear and kind of muddled. Intelligent and sincere Christians studying the text come up with a wide variety of interpretations and sequences of events and they each can make very good cases for their view being the biblically correct one. Studying them all, it's very difficult to come up with a really good reason to pick one view over the others.

If it was really important for us to know about it, don't you think it would be laid out a little more clearly?

2) (see the statement with which I opened this post)

3) So what is fuelling the constant stream of "end times" books? (at the time I wrote the essay, it was mostly Hal Lindsay) Well, it's a "sexy" issue (meaning that it grabs readers' attention very quickly and effectively). Why do writers love sexy issues? Because people love to read that stuff and that translates into $$$. It is my opinion that the Mighty Buck is the fuel behind this trend, as with so many others.

4) Really, what's the point? What is the value of all this "end times" speculation? It seems like a singularly useless exercise. If the basic tenets of Christianity are correct, then Christians should be living every day as if Jesus was returning any second. The way I saw it back then, that should be the normal Christian life. If so, then what is the point of all these elaborate scenarios? So you'll know when to get ready? You should be ready now and always!

...or something like that. It's been a few decades.

 

[DJ B.K.]

I agree nodeity that we christians worry to much about the end times. I don't care how or when it's going to happen I just feel like it's going to happen sometime. I try to live like every days my last before Jesus comes, while I ain't perfect I try. Oh no I agreed with an atheist! Seriously though you have a better handle on christianity then a lot of christians, but I've seen that a lot unfournately. I'm not saying I'm perfect but some things christians do just make me wonder.

 

[NoDeity]

Oh no I agreed with an atheist!

If I were still a Christian I would assure you that it's okay because if God is capable of speaking through a donkey, surely he can use an atheist.

Seriously though you have a better handle on christianity then a lot of christians, but I've seen that a lot unfournately. I'm not saying I'm perfect but some things christians do just make me wonder.

Many atheists understand Christianity well because they used to be Christians. I was a Christian for a long time.

 

[Just a Child]

You could be correct. But let's say the E.U. goes in camouflaged (here is where the deceit comes in) saying instead of the Palestinians or the Israelis patrolling the occupied land in question, why not allow the E.U. (military) to come in for a short period and patrol and assist (THAT IS A BIG ASSIST) in keeping the peace, saving lives, restoring the economy and creating a Palestinian State.

Something to think about.

YSIC,
JAC

Here is an update. Maybe the deceit is going to come from us after all. I pray not. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,104081,00.html

 

[Nazarene77]

1. Israel would not "stomp" the EU - in fact, the EU outguns Israel in every conceivable category: economy, population, military, nuclear weapons delivery systems, total number of warheads, etc.

2. The US would not "stomp" Europe as a result of any (highly unlikely) attack on Israel. The US has far too much to lose - economically and militarily -- in such a scenario. I doubt you even thought that through, before posting it.

3. The EU does not send "billions to Arafat". Care to try again?

If the EU attacks Israel (although I believe Russia will attack Israel and not the EU), then God himself will stomp the EU; no need for America to get involved. Just read Ezekiel 38 (Gog War) for more info.

 

[InnerPhyre]

Look folks........if you want the answer.........when Jesus comes, He will be like a thief in the night and NO ONE Is gonna know when that will be......period. Stop worrying about it and just live. Even if you could know the exact date and time there's not a thing you could do to advance or delay it. Be the best Christian you can be. I don't think God would want us spending this much time or energy worrying.

 

[Silvio Dante]

This is Looney Toon stuff. The EU and/or Russia will not invade Israel, eventhough the Zionist State is reprehensible in many ways.

Now get out of this mentality from the Dark Ages of Prophecies and other such nonsense....

 

[27D4]

The easiest way to achieve peace in the middle east is to glass the region and shoot the survivors.

The Nation Of Islam is the closest thing to anti-christ...
We need another Crusades...

Can't you just feel the Christian Love? And they wonder why we don't want to be Christians...

Neither Damien N. or BurnBook are listed as Christians. Could be Celtic Witches for all we know.

 

[WanderingMagi]

If the EU attacks Israel (although I believe Russia will attack Israel and not the EU), then God himself will stomp the EU; no need for America to get involved. Just read Ezekiel 38 (Gog War) for more info.

The Romans did pretty well at Jerusalem. As did quite a few in the Old Testament. God only fights on the side of Israel when they are acting truly and completely as his people, and put their faith in him.

WanderingMagi

 

[WanderingMagi]

Many atheists understand Christianity well because they used to be Christians. I was a Christian for a long time.

Only the case if Christianity is false: otherwise what you had is at best some book-learning

1 John 2:19

They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.

WanderingMagi

 

[NoDeity]

If the EU attacks Israel (although I believe Russia will attack Israel and not the EU), then God himself will stomp the EU; no need for America to get involved. Just read Ezekiel 38 (Gog War) for more info.

Nothin' like an End Times discussion to bring out the ol' blood lust, eh?

 

[Blemonds]

Ironically, Iraq is where Babylon used to be.

Ironically? I think not. Try prophetically

 

[NoDeity]

Only the case if Christianity is false: otherwise what you had is at best some book-learning

1 John 2:19

[shrug] The Bible is wrong about a lot of things. Why shouldn't it be wrong about that too?

 

[Kathy]

The Bible is not wrong....

 

[NoDeity]

The Bible is not wrong....

Well, you certainly told me!

 

[Ampmonster]

what's it wrong about?

 

[lunachick]

The Anti-Christ.

 

[Inspired]

what's it wrong about?

Do you want to dicuss that here? I think it might derail the thread, but if you start another one, PM me the link. This "anti-christ" is off to bed.