bts@unc.UUCP (11/07/83)
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Now, for some Christian answers about the end of the world.
Bruce Smith, UNC-Chapel Hill
decvax!duke!unc!bts (USENET)
bts.unc@CSnet-Relay (other NETworks)
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To set the context for the following: I am a Christian; I
am *not* a fundamentalist, although I do take the Scriptures
seriously; I try to base my beliefs on the teachings of the
Scriptures when there are teachings relevant to the issue
being considered. With that said:
1. I do not expect the world to end within the next 40
years. The apocalyptic literature in the Bible is nei-
ther specific enough nor literal enough to allow us to
predict the date of Christ's return and/or the end of
the world, and indeed we are discouraged in the Gospels
from making such predictions.
However, I would not be particularly surprised if mank-
ind, at least, did come to an end in this century. The
bases for this speculation are 1) that we are taught to
expect the return of Christ/Judgment/ "end of the
world" at any time, and 2) it seems entirely possible
that we will enter into a major nuclear war sometime
soon that will destroy most, if not all, of human
civilization. (#2 is based not particularly on reli-
gious beliefs, but simply on the observation that
humans seem to get into a war every generation or so,
and tend to use available technology in order to win
said war.) But this *is* mere speculation.
3. I am fairly tolerant, I think, of those who disagree
with me on eschatology, in that I recognize (I hope we
all do) that eschatology is a highly speculative field,
based on the interpretation of difficult and ambiguous
symbolism in apocalyptic literature and on rather
sparse bits of evidence. It thus involves more uncer-
tainty than nearly any other branch of theology, and
accordingly we must allow for differences.
However, because my fellow Christians are involved (I
wouldn't care so much what a Buddhist believed or did),
I feel responsibility toward the "imminent end of the
world" groups you mentioned, in two ways: 1) I would
urge them to interpret the Scriptures in a scholarly
and responsible manner. 2) I would *plead* with pre-
millennialists *not* to abandon the world, even if this
is the "last generation". The witness of the Prophets
and the Gospels is that we are to work hard to care for
the needy and to bring justice, mercy, and peace to the
world, here and now. The Church must not avoid its
present responsibility in favor of its future hope.
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Do I think the world will end in the year 2000? Can't
say. Depending on your doctrine of last things (eschatol-
ogy), Earth should be around for at least another 0-7 years
(my particular eschatology is 7 years; however, I will be
disappear at the beginning of the last 7 years). After that,
can't guarantee anything, so I can't guarantee 1991, much
less 2000. If we make it to 1999 and I am still here, we
still might not make it to 2000, because the other main
school of eschatology (0 years) could be correct. Even if
I'm right, I wouldn't want to be around during the last
seven years.
Am I tolerant of those who say it will end in 2000?
"Boast not thyself of tomorrow, for thou knowest not what a
day may bring forth."
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I do not believe the world will necessarily end in
2001. I've been a Christian for a while and never heard
anyone put that theory forward until now. Needless to say,
I have no idea what it could be based on.
I would be tolerant of a person who believed that, but
I think I would like to ask them why and try and point out
one or two of the scriptures about not knowing the times...
I don't believe the world will continue forever, but I
don't know when it will end. There are some things happen-
ing that fulfil prophecy about the end times, but...
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Since, in a broader sense you seem to be interested in
others' beliefs about the end of the world, I'll try to sum-
marize mine. I don't want to go into too much depth here
since this is not your primary area of concern; however, I'd
be glad to discuss them further if you'd like.
I believe that the world as we know it will come to an
end sometime within the next 50 years or so. By "as we know
it", I mean that the current world order will change drasti-
cally.
Why I believe the world will end: I base this belief
on several Biblical pro- phecies. The first says that the
current world order will end at some time in the future.
The world will be taken out of the hands of Satan and given
to Jesus to rule for 1000 years, following which a new world
will be created and the old one destroyed. So strictly
speaking, I don't believe the world (Earth) will end for
more than 1000 years.
Why I believe it will be soon: The 1000 year period
(The Millenium) will be ushered in by the return of Christ
(The Second Coming). Prior to Christ's return, a number of
prophecies must be fulfilled. One is that there will be a
seven year period of judgment (The Great Tribulation).
Another prophecy is that Israel will again become a nation.
Speaking of this (in a parable subject to interpretation)
Jesus says that all these things (including His return) will
take place before the generation that sees the rebirth of
Israel has passed. (Many people thought that this referred
to a generation of 40 years; hence all the strange activi-
ties of 1981 [= 1948 + 40 - 7]. I myself believe that a
"generation" is the alternate dictionary definition: all the
people living on the earth at any given time; thus that gen-
eration will end around 2070 or so.)
Another reason, though speculative, is that God speaks
of a "sabbath rest" for His people, and a verse in the New
Testament says that 1000 years are as a day in His sight;
thus The Millenium seems to me to be the sabbath rest, and
if the Jews were reasonably close in his calculations of the
date of the beginning of the world then we're pretty close
to the end of 6000 years, so The Millenium should be pretty
close.
In a nutshell, I believe it because I believe the Bible
is God's revelation to men, and because so many of the signs
are pointing that way.
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I have no belief concerning the time of the End of the
world. I think that people should believe what they like.
However even if the world were known to be ending that year
beyond dispute, I would not believe that it would be right
to ruin or waste natural resources.
Comment--- Let me say that I do believe that there is a
finite lifetime for the world as we know it. And just
because that I do not know when the end will come, I
believe that it will come.
I base this belief on the scriptures and on my own
knowledge of why the world exists and what is mans purpose
for being here.
I believe (but do not know for sure) that knowing that
the world will some day end has very little impact on my
behavior. I would like to think that I live my life well
and independant of a punishment affixed to my actions, how-
ever, I am influenced by the possibility of receiving a just
reward for my actions as adjudicated by a wise and loving
Father.
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The Bible teaches 7 years of tribulation before the
Lord returns to rule the earth. The world (earth) will never
cease to exist. Prior to the tribulation is the occurance of
the Rapture, which is the removing of the Church from this
planet. Could the recent events involving KAL 007, Grenada,
Central America be a sign of the times??? If the Rapture
occurred on 10/26/83, that means that approximatly 7 years
later, or 10/26/90 the Lord returns for the final conflict
against the beast. But if the "world ends" in 2000 as some
believe, then we have about 10 more years till the Rap-
ture...
But this is all relevant. The Bible says:
"watch therefore...be ye also ready: for in such an
hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh" (Matt
24:42-44)
Some people actually believe this verse to mean in the early
morning hours!!!!! (Isn't it early morning somewhere in
the world 24 hrs/day?)
If people want to believe that the world will end in
the year 2000, fine. But I have no idea the exact year, how-
ever the things happening in the world seem like the signs
talked about in the New Testament. (you know, "....as in the
days of Lot, as in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the
days of the coming of the Lord...")