Who is in control of this world?

[expos4ever]

Here is some more Data: Forcible Rape 1960 - 9.6 per 100,000
2015 - 28.1 Per 100,000

Where is this data from?

From The Globe and Mail Newspaper, reporting on the findings of Dr. Steven Pinker (Harvard professor) - I added bolding:

Rape statistics are never perfect, because many rapes aren’t reported. But Mr. Pinker’s data come from the U.S. Bureau of Justice National Crime Victimization Survey, and are the best there are. Even if the numbers aren’t exact, the general trend is clear. The incidence of rape has fallen faster than every other major crime, including homicide. (As Mr. Pinker points out, the rate of rape is now 50 per 100,000 people, which is several magnitudes removed from one in four.) Domestic abuse has plunged as well. Since 1993, the rate of reported violence against women by their intimate partners has fallen by almost two-thirds.

Where did you get your data on rape from?

 

[expos4ever]

Here is one by the FBI crime data center: 1960 Violent crime was 160.9 per 100,000 people in 2015 it was 380.2 per 100,000 people. That is a big jump in the wrong direction.

Please provide a specific citation. What is the precise source of the 1960 figure?

 

[Thedictator]

Where did you get your data on rape from?

From the FBI UCS Annual Crime Reports

 

[Thedictator]

Where is this data from?

From The Globe and Mail Newspaper, reporting on the findings of Dr. Steven Pinker (Harvard professor) - I added bolding:

Rape statistics are never perfect, because many rapes aren’t reported. But Mr. Pinker’s data come from the U.S. Bureau of Justice National Crime Victimization Survey, and are the best there are. Even if the numbers aren’t exact, the general trend is clear. The incidence of rape has fallen faster than every other major crime, including homicide. (As Mr. Pinker points out, the rate of rape is now 50 per 100,000 people, which is several magnitudes removed from one in four.) Domestic abuse has plunged as well. Since 1993, the rate of reported violence against women by their intimate partners has fallen by almost two-thirds.

Where did you get your data on rape from?

I'm sure rape may have gone down some in the past few years but if you take rape back 50 years or 100 years it has got worse, not better.

 

[Thedictator]

Please provide a specific citation. What is the precise source of the 1960 figure?

The FBI

 

[expos4ever]

This world is not getting better. Just look at the hatred and dissension between political parties. Sure, maybe its not always violent, but its dissension none the less. Dissension is a work of flesh. Satan would have us believe this dissension is ok, but its not. It doesnt glorify God.

These are your impressions, they do not necessarily reflect truth. For example, violent crime is clearly in decline in the USA - basically all the experts agree on this. But many, perhaps most, regular people believe violent crime is increasing.

 

[thesunisout]

I sometimes wonder whether God or Satan is currently in control of this world.

Let me give just one example: A famine in Africa. We’ve all seen the pictures on TV of people starving to death; even children. Now we could say that this is all man’s fault because if everyone worked together on the continent of Africa, it could be one of the wealthiest continents on the planet. Think about it – Africa has precious minerals like gold, diamonds, a desert area where sunshine could be turned into electricity, wetter areas to grow crops, wonderful beaches and game reserves for tourists, oil for fuel and so on. But instead of working together for the common good, we see corruption, fighting, barbarity in the name of a god called “Allah”, etc. So we could put the blame 100% on man’s actions. But what about if a significant cause could be attributed to lack of rainfall. It begs the question, why doesn’t God at least send rain to help people grow their crops and feed themselves? Or is Satan being allowed to wreak even more misery that he has already done since the fall of creation? Or (third option), is the planet running on autopilot and as such, these things are bound to happen? Has anyone any ideas on this that they could share?

God is sovereign and this world belongs to Him. Satan is ruling now over the Earth in a limited way. All of the unsaved belong to him, and he can influence their thinking and actions. He has limited power to do that, and effect the course of history on Earth. However, Gods power overrules and overrides him every single time. Satan can only act within the boundaries that God has set for him.

As far as the why doesn't God act, He is acting all of the time. As human beings we don't get to see 99 percent of what God is doing behind the scenes. God is always a million steps ahead of everyone else, and even with all of the evil, God can and does turn it for the good.

 

[W2L]

These are your impressions, they do not necessarily reflect truth. For example, violent crime is clearly in decline in the USA - basically all the experts agree on this. But many, perhaps most, regular people believe violent crime is increasing.

Your opinion that the world is getting better, this is not necessarily the truth either. There is plenty of sin in the world. We accept many sinful things that we never use to accept. That doesnt sound like things are getting better. It sounds like moral decay.

 

[Ron Gurley]

OP: "Who is in "control" of this "world"?

The ALL spirit God is ALL everything and His SOVREIGN power is above ALL.

Psalm 103:19
The Lord has established His throne in the heavens, And His sovereignty rules over all.

Daniel 7:27
Then the sovereignty, the dominion and the greatness of all the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be given to the people of the saints of the Highest One; His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all the dominions will serve and obey Him.’

Spirit BEINGS: Satan/aka devil/dragon/serpent/Lucifer/prince of the power of the air/ETC...and his demons/followers/fallen...
are ALLOWED to attack Mankind on planet earth (aka "world" aka "cosmos") to which they fell when cast from "heaven"...ALL to God's Glory! They have been dealt a death blow. Their heads have been crushed, yet they writhe about like a snake so wounded.

1 John 3:8
the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.

Genesis 3:15(NASB)...Curse on the "serpent"
15 And I will put enmity
Between you (serpent/devil) and the woman,
And between your "seed" and her "seed"; (immaculate conception prophesised!)
He (Jesus!) shall bruise you on the head, (DEATH BLOW!)
And you shall bruise him on the heel.” (bloody temporary death)

Ephesians 6:12
For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

John 16:11
and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

 

[buzuxi02]

Crime statistics can be deceiving for a number of reasons. For example from 1970-2000 over 40,000 people were murdered on the streets of NYC. Since then it's been extremely low. Of course since then the city has seen a renaissance with wealthy people parking their money in penthouse apartments a higher standard of living due to Wall Street the crack epidemic subsided, the Mafia was severely downgraded by law enforcement etc. Also medical technology has saved many lives in violent crimes while in the 1970's they would have died on the table.
There is NO WAY that war dead have decreased, weapons capabilities continue to improve. The MOAB killed 96 people and all the wildlife in the area (according to Indian governmemy it killed over 500 people). Last century more people have died than any other century. Even if there is calm it will only take one serious war to kill more people than 400 years of crusades.

 

[Ron Gurley]

The "world" (cosmos) is going to hell in a hand basket!

Matthew 24...Jesus' prophecy and SIGNS of the "end of the (CHURCH) age" of Grace

QUESTIONS:
3 As He (Jesus) was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the DISCIPLES came to Him privately, saying,
“Tell us, (prophesy!)
1. WHEN will these THINGS happen, and
2. what will be the SIGN(s) of "Your (Second) COMING", and
3. (what will be the SIGN(s)) of "the end of the (Church) age"?”

ANSWERS:
1. v. 36 "But of that day and hour no one knows, (WHEN tribulations / things BEGIN)
not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.
3.. v. 2-28...THINGS / SIGNS of .."birth pangs"...tribulation...great tribulation...to the brink...THEN
2. v. 29-31... Jesus' Glorious Return from Heaven!

BIRTH PANGS = NOW!

4 And Jesus answered and said to them,
“See to it that no one misleads you.
5 For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ (a savior)
and will mislead many. (Believers AND UnBelievers?)
You will be hearing of:
1. wars and rumors of wars.
See that you are not frightened, for those things must take place, but that is not yet the end. (of tribulation)
For:
2. nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom,
and in various places there will be:
3. famines and
4.earthquakes.
But all these things (signs) are merely "the beginning of birth pangs".

The Seven years of Tribulation / Great Tribulation described in Daniel ~11-12 have not begun!

9 “THEN they will deliver you to tribulation,
and will kill you, and you will be hated by all nations because of My name.
10 At that time many will fall away (APOSTASY) and will betray one another and hate one another.
11 Many false prophets will arise and will mislead many.
12 Because lawlessness is increased,
most (BELIEVING) people’s love will "grow cold".
13 But the one who endures to the end, (OF THE TRIBULATIONS)
he will be saved.(FROM DEATH OR WORSE)
14 This gospel of the kingdom (Jesus the Divine Messiah) shall be preached in the whole world
as a testimony to all the NATIONS,
and THEN the end (OF THE TRIBULATIONS) will come.

 

[timewerx]

I sometimes wonder whether God or Satan is currently in control of this world.

Let me give just one example: A famine in Africa. We’ve all seen the pictures on TV of people starving to death; even children. Now we could say that this is all man’s fault because if everyone worked together on the continent of Africa, it could be one of the wealthiest continents on the planet. Think about it – Africa has precious minerals like gold, diamonds, a desert area where sunshine could be turned into electricity, wetter areas to grow crops, wonderful beaches and game reserves for tourists, oil for fuel and so on. But instead of working together for the common good, we see corruption, fighting, barbarity in the name of a god called “Allah”, etc. So we could put the blame 100% on man’s actions. But what about if a significant cause could be attributed to lack of rainfall. It begs the question, why doesn’t God at least send rain to help people grow their crops and feed themselves? Or is Satan being allowed to wreak even more misery that he has already done since the fall of creation? Or (third option), is the planet running on autopilot and as such, these things are bound to happen? Has anyone any ideas on this that they could share?

It's a pretty optimistic view of Africa.

Well, Africa used to be relatively peaceful and nice place otherwise. It was the Western and Islamic culture/values that ruined the continent.

The primitive tribes used to not care about the oil and the diamonds. They used to be fine! And then the West taught them the value of oil and diamonds and then the Islamic Religion. Goodbye Africa!

The ONLY way to fix Africa is build the time machine, go back in time, and prevent the Western peoples from teaching the peaceful nation about money, gold, diamonds, oil, Islam, etc.....

You cannot fix the problem with the Gold and diamonds around for that is what corrupted them in the first place.

 

[Ron Gurley]

"The ONLY way to fix Africa..." (or ANY "place")
is to let God fix Africa...save lost souls/spirits.

The true missionaries of the world should heed the" Great Commission" !!

Note the ORDER!:

Matthew 28: 16-20 ...The Risen Jesus' last Words?...The Great Commission
16 But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated.
When they SAW Him, ( in His "spirit body" form) they WORSHIPED Him;(as God!)
but some were doubtful (of what they were SEEING!).
18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, (I don't require WORSHIP...I require FOLLOWING!)
“All (spiritual) AUTHORITY has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.
(a) GO therefore and
(b) MAKE DISCIPLES of ALL the NATIONS,
(c) baptizing THEM (believing followers) in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, (TRI-UNE GOD)
(d) TEACHING them to OBSERVE all that I commanded you; (example and precepts)
and lo, I am with you always (spiritually), even to "the end of the (CHURCH) age".” (age of GRACE)

BUT Christ-following is difficult to live and explain!

2 Corinthians 5:20
Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ,
as though God were making an appeal THROUGH us;
we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.

 

[Colter]

I sometimes wonder whether God or Satan is currently in control of this world.

Let me give just one example: A famine in Africa. We’ve all seen the pictures on TV of people starving to death; even children. Now we could say that this is all man’s fault because if everyone worked together on the continent of Africa, it could be one of the wealthiest continents on the planet. Think about it – Africa has precious minerals like gold, diamonds, a desert area where sunshine could be turned into electricity, wetter areas to grow crops, wonderful beaches and game reserves for tourists, oil for fuel and so on. But instead of working together for the common good, we see corruption, fighting, barbarity in the name of a god called “Allah”, etc. So we could put the blame 100% on man’s actions. But what about if a significant cause could be attributed to lack of rainfall. It begs the question, why doesn’t God at least send rain to help people grow their crops and feed themselves? Or is Satan being allowed to wreak even more misery that he has already done since the fall of creation? Or (third option), is the planet running on autopilot and as such, these things are bound to happen? Has anyone any ideas on this that they could share?

The Most Highs have always ruled and always will. Lucifer's greatest and most delusional lie was that he could EVER be God. Satan was defeated, he is gone, he never had the powers people feared he had and God NEVER gave Satan permission to mess with people! They had given Satan time to repent but he didn't so he's done.

 

[Ron Gurley]

POST #94: "God NEVER gave Satan permission to mess with people"

OOPS...not quite. The oldest Book of Job is to the contrary. Satan was the serpent in Eden. Genesis 1-3

1 John 3:8
the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil.

The devil and demons, evil spirit beings, are ALLOWED by the Sovreign GOD to His GLORY to attack the Body/Soul/Spirit of Man....TODAY!

Ephesians 2:2
in which you formerly walked according to the course of this world, according to the "prince of the power of the air" (satan), of the spirit that is now working in the "sons of disobedience".(demons)

Luke 7:21
At that very time He cured many people of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and He gave sight to many who were blind.

Matthew 10:1
[ Jesus Sends Out the Twelve ] Jesus called his twelve disciples to him and gave them authority to drive out impure spirits and to heal every disease and sickness.

 

[section9+1]

Good and evil are both increasing alongside each other. I think overall, though, evil is growing faster. I see evil as perverted good, so it has more material to pervert than it used to have.

 

[Ron Gurley]

God did not create anything but "GOOD". He did not create evil spirit beings nor "evil". Evil is THE absence of a GOOD God. God created Man and Angels with the "free will" to spiritually REJECT Him. Jesus' Matthew 24 prophesy and Revelation explain how evil beings / evil END!!

 

[Norbert L]

I sometimes wonder whether God or Satan is currently in control of this world.

Let me give just one example: A famine in Africa. We’ve all seen the pictures on TV of people starving to death; even children. Now we could say that this is all man’s fault because if everyone worked together on the continent of Africa, it could be one of the wealthiest continents on the planet. Think about it – Africa has precious minerals like gold, diamonds, a desert area where sunshine could be turned into electricity, wetter areas to grow crops, wonderful beaches and game reserves for tourists, oil for fuel and so on. But instead of working together for the common good, we see corruption, fighting, barbarity in the name of a god called “Allah”, etc. So we could put the blame 100% on man’s actions. But what about if a significant cause could be attributed to lack of rainfall. It begs the question, why doesn’t God at least send rain to help people grow their crops and feed themselves? Or is Satan being allowed to wreak even more misery that he has already done since the fall of creation? Or (third option), is the planet running on autopilot and as such, these things are bound to happen? Has anyone any ideas on this that they could share?

I like to believe if it weren't for God who has all authority here on earth as well as heaven MATTHEW 28:18, things would be a whole lot worse. Conditions would have led to pressing that big red self destruct button a long time ago.

The book of Job has something say about how God's present actions and judgment work in this world. He challenges Job with the question, "Will you even put me in the wrong? Will you condemn me that you may be in the right?" Job 40:8 ESV.

I have learned from that book that we don't know everything that happens in God's heavenly throne room when He deals with what is happening here on the Earth now. To think that I could do a better job at it by supplying rain is at best being over confident with my wisdom or at worst being insolent against the living God that does intervene in our affairs under these present evil conditions when He deems fit. I believe the following report is absolutely authentic. To save time the testimony begins around the 4:47 minute mark.

 

[expos4ever]

Your opinion that the world is getting better, this is not necessarily the truth either.

Of course, but I suspect the actual data supports my position. I am prepared to post actual data - not opinions - supporting the view that life is generally improving for most people:

- less violence
- better heathcare
- less poverty
- better prosperity
- better education

This has been my point from the beginning. Whether the world is "decaying morally" is not exactly what I am talking about but the two are closely related.

And I would venture to guess that, again despite common belief to the contrary, humanity is generally getting more "moral" as time progresses.

 

[expos4ever]

There is NO WAY that war dead have decreased, weapons capabilities continue to improve.

Obviously the fact that weapons have gotten better does not mean more war dead. The weapons need to be used. And better weapons can mean fewer civilian deaths since weapons can be accurately directed at military targets.

In any event, war deaths per capita are clearly going down. I hope to post data later.