People over look the fact that the book of revelations is not the only prediction of apocalypse in the Bible.

Most prominently, there is an entirely different apocalypse predicted in the Book of Daniel. (Actually, if you read carefully, you will find that there are in fact two separate and mutually-exclusive chronologies presented within the Book of Daniel. Alas, most biblical literalists don't read carefully.)

In fact, the Revelation to John (St.Johannes) was long thought to be apocrypha, or even pseudepigrapha. It was for many centuries excluded from the cannon, and some Eastern Traditions still consider the book a heresy rather than prophecy. Furthermore, not only has it's authorship be...

People over look the fact that the book of revelations is not the only prediction of apocalypse in the Bible.

Most prominently, there is an entirely different apocalypse predicted in the Book of Daniel. (Actually, if you read carefully, you will find that there are in fact two separate and mutually-exclusive chronologies presented within the Book of Daniel. Alas, most biblical literalists don't read carefully.)

In fact, the Revelation to John (St.Johannes) was long thought to be apocrypha, or even pseudepigrapha. It was for many centuries excluded from the cannon, and some Eastern Traditions still consider the book a heresy rather than prophecy. Furthermore, not only has it's authorship been disputed, but so has its theology. Dionysius of Alexandria, for instance, rejected the book as incompatible with Christian beliefs.

What is more, it is ironic that one need not be particularly literate to be Biblical Literalist. Most people with enough education to be interpreting the bible know that the characters of the apocolypse are NOT modern characters waiting to be identified in the world today. They were apostolic code for the Roman Empire and its various potentates, most prominently, the Emperor Nero. Many churches hold the view that the only prophecy in revelations that has yet to be fulfilled is the Second Coming of Christ.

It is frustratingly typical that fundamentalists with little or no formal education on the issue nevertheless interpret with divine authority, assigning Biblical significance to every mundane issue in the world around them. (The Antichrist is Kofi Annan / Hillary Clinton / Willie Nelson / my neighbor Ted...)

I'll make a bet with anyone who believes in Dispensational Eschatology: if you believe the apocalypse is eminent, then wait and see. If you reach the end of your life and it hasn't come, I win and you renounce your fundamentalist faith. If you win and the apocalypse happens, then I'll gladly go to hell.

Actually, what will happen to me? Will I go to hell? Or just get tossed into a lake of sulfur? Will I get a cool, fully featured hell like in the Divine Comedy? Or will it just be a cold and lonely limbo forever removed from the light of God? (This is the one most Christians tell me about when they are trying to be nice.) Or will I simply be anhilated on the spot? Or will my eternal soul be entombed in my mortal body? I've heard them all.

My point? Christians have no consistent theology. Even when one Church or another may have an official position, it is almost never consistent between different sects. What is more, most of the adherents don't actually understand the official dogma. After ...

Actually, what will happen to me? Will I go to hell? Or just get tossed into a lake of sulfur? Will I get a cool, fully featured hell like in the Divine Comedy? Or will it just be a cold and lonely limbo forever removed from the light of God? (This is the one most Christians tell me about when they are trying to be nice.) Or will I simply be anhilated on the spot? Or will my eternal soul be entombed in my mortal body? I've heard them all.

My point? Christians have no consistent theology. Even when one Church or another may have an official position, it is almost never consistent between different sects. What is more, most of the adherents don't actually understand the official dogma. After all, many Christians think we go to heaven when we die, rather than wait in the grave for the resurrection, after which they will be dispatched to the New Jerusalem.

Whether the Bible is literal or literature, it's a fairly safe bet that nobody understands it. The arrogance of presuming otherwise is, in my opinion, one of the most dangerous sins.

Ow,
Hal Lindsy systematically went through the apocalyptic scriptures, mechanically transcribing every phrase and image into the vocabulary of Pentagon strategists. If anyone thought that "prophecy beliefs" were material for unconcern, they should have know better and thought again. During the Reagan administration, Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger said:

I have read the Book of Revelation and yes, I believe the world is going to end--by and act of God, I hope--but every day I think time is running out."

There is a Christian fundamentalism in America and it's ideologicial lust for imminent human slaughter and cosmic catastrophe, which has a vision of a violent God and, abo...

Ow,
Hal Lindsy systematically went through the apocalyptic scriptures, mechanically transcribing every phrase and image into the vocabulary of Pentagon strategists. If anyone thought that "prophecy beliefs" were material for unconcern, they should have know better and thought again. During the Reagan administration, Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger said:

I have read the Book of Revelation and yes, I believe the world is going to end--by and act of God, I hope--but every day I think time is running out."

There is a Christian fundamentalism in America and it's ideologicial lust for imminent human slaughter and cosmic catastrophe, which has a vision of a violent God and, above all else, at the biblical roots it claims for that vision of a terrible future consumation. Should they put their faith claims into future rapture, global tribulations, apocalypic vision, divine violence, and the entire Left Behind scenario? Or should Christians relentlessly oppose and refect discrimination and oppression, homophobia and patriarchy, injustice and violence, force and empire?

The article mentioned John Hagee and ,yes, he is a doomsday prophet right along side all the others. He also wrote a new version of "Countdown" which adds a few more tidbits to scare the hell outta everyone. His book "The Coming Economic Meltdown" predicts much the same as many economists are saying today about America's greed machine.
"The Seven Secrets" is a good read if you need to be reassured that you won't burn in hell, along with more predictions and a good helping of his ideas (or interpretations). There are others such as "What Every Man Wants in a Woman/What Every Woman Wants in a Man'. Lots of impossibles in that one.
Me? I try to be open minded and I side somewhat with the possi...

The article mentioned John Hagee and ,yes, he is a doomsday prophet right along side all the others. He also wrote a new version of "Countdown" which adds a few more tidbits to scare the hell outta everyone. His book "The Coming Economic Meltdown" predicts much the same as many economists are saying today about America's greed machine.
"The Seven Secrets" is a good read if you need to be reassured that you won't burn in hell, along with more predictions and a good helping of his ideas (or interpretations). There are others such as "What Every Man Wants in a Woman/What Every Woman Wants in a Man'. Lots of impossibles in that one.
Me? I try to be open minded and I side somewhat with the possibility that the "Last Days" just may be upon us. People (believers and non) have been predicting this final battle and the bitter end ever since humans have left their caves. In any case just because there is this huge consensus out there I'm thinking it may be a good thing to be prepared.

OK heres my two bits-
The anti-christ will appear to a savior and be pleasing to the world before he/or she will ultimately enslave it- or words to that effect. George just doesn't strike me as a peacemaker or pleasant. so it can't be him, besides you expect the anti-christ to be smarter than this guy right?
I'm not gunna break a sweat- I can't stop it if it comes, I'll just try to get along with people and treat them like I would want to be treated- I might get smoked, but I'll try to be civilized about it-
Anyway- good article and I really enjoyed reading you guys, you're all pretty smart about stuff like that- But really George may be a lot of things, but anti-christ? I think thats like s...

OK heres my two bits-
The anti-christ will appear to a savior and be pleasing to the world before he/or she will ultimately enslave it- or words to that effect. George just doesn't strike me as a peacemaker or pleasant. so it can't be him, besides you expect the anti-christ to be smarter than this guy right?
I'm not gunna break a sweat- I can't stop it if it comes, I'll just try to get along with people and treat them like I would want to be treated- I might get smoked, but I'll try to be civilized about it-
Anyway- good article and I really enjoyed reading you guys, you're all pretty smart about stuff like that- But really George may be a lot of things, but anti-christ? I think thats like saying Kim-Jong-Ill's barber is "clever" in some way.
Peace to all of you my good brothers/sisters, from all over the world- Try some good karma, and maybe something good will come of it. Like the mass suicide of the current political system.
Randall Wallace- He wrote the movie "Braveheart"- He says that a leaders position exists to provide its people with freedom (or security) not the other way around, and until we have leaders that put the good of all people, before the good of their families pride ( or financial status ) we will have "end of days" scenario's everywhere all over the world. Am I naive or stupid or something? or does this seem obvious to everybody else? OK I'm naive, no doubt- but maybe thats what we need.
Thanks again for this great topic and have an uneventful, terrorist, and nuclear device free day !

Those who wish to hasten the Armageddon are bankrolling what they see as the last condition necessary to its deployment:

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, a charity that funnels millions of dollars in evangelical donations to Israel every year, is promising $10,000 to every Iranian Jew who comes to Israel, said the group's director, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein.

The project is another example of the alliance between the Jewish state and evangelical American Christians, many of whom see the existence of Israel and the return of Jews to the Holy Land as a realization of biblical prophesy that will cu...

Those who wish to hasten the Armageddon are bankrolling what they see as the last condition necessary to its deployment:

The International Fellowship of Christians and Jews, a charity that funnels millions of dollars in evangelical donations to Israel every year, is promising $10,000 to every Iranian Jew who comes to Israel, said the group's director, Rabbi Yechiel Eckstein.

The project is another example of the alliance between the Jewish state and evangelical American Christians, many of whom see the existence of Israel and the return of Jews to the Holy Land as a realization of biblical prophesy that will culminate with Christ's Second Coming.

It's no joke. Learn how to "help fulfill biblical prophesy" yourself at the IFCJ's website.