I don’t know if he had originated the idea, but I do know he had such a Bible and stressed the importance of what Christ Himself said.
VictoriaRose, welcome to the board. There does seem to be a fair amount here of attacking the individual more than the arguments. There is a certain tendency to do that, I’ve noticed on this board, with the devout. Don’t let that put you off. I am an atheist myself, but remain willing to hear your interpretation.
I believe the idea that these prophecies are indicative of anything significant is mistaken. The reasons have already been stated, but I disagree with some of the details of those explanations. So here is my own account of the mistakes you need to patch up to make this idea revelatory (so to speak).
-I will let you and tomndeb debate the specifics of Biblical interpretation on most of these, since I’m at work and don’t have a Bible in front of me, but the following questions remain.
- The events are not independent. For example, the exiles have returned to Israel because it was reestablished as a political entity (#1,3,and 4). What is the probability they would have returned without the rebirth of Israel?
- I am unaware of any increase in rainfall in the Levant, or an increase in earthquakes anywhere else outside the range of ordinary statistical clustering.(#6 and 19)Could you give me a reference from meteorologists/seismologists?
- As for the Roman Empire reviving, I have absolutely no clue what you’re thinking of. Outside of some brief adventuring in North Africa fifty years ago, I don’t know of Italy controlling any territory outside its current borders since the 18th century.(#7)
- A global arms race has been going on for centuries, since there was any kind of global vision on anyone’s part. (#14) Put another way: was the build up of the British Navy and its use as an instrument of conquest, bringing war throughout the world in the 19th century and other nations response to this not a global arms race? Only if we attach modern definitions to the term, which opens us to the charge that we are merely rationalizing the prophecies to apply to our own time, rather than rationally examining how they might have applied to other times.
- False messiahs, false prophets, and heresies, though they have always been around, may in fact have increased in our generation. I grant you these, and disagree with the scoffers on this one. The legal and social strictures on religious freedom have never been more lax. I consider this generally a good thing, but it certainly does open the doors for the proliferation of cults, sectarian crackpots, and others who would certainly be labeled false messiahs, prophets, etc. by the writers of the Bible.(#20,21)
- Anti-Semitism began in earnest in Europe around the time of the first crusade.(#22) The Jews have maintained their cultural identity through the diaspora by holding themselves somewhat apart from the societies they were living in, when those societies were not themselves holding them apart. This has not always made them beloved. To say anti-Semitism is rising specifically in our generation (compared to, say, the last one! [using your 40-year scale, that is]) strikes me as a bit untenable.
- #23 is just a tad vague. What specifically are you thinking of?
- According to the CIA World Factbook http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/ch.html#mil ,
the number of males in China 15-49 who are physically fit for military service number about 200 million. But this is not their standing army. That number, while still very large, is surely much smaller although the CIA doesn’t give the exact number. India’s men of “servicable” age and fitness number about 160 million. So I’m not sure exactly how this prophecy has come true.(#24) - #27 is not unique to our generation, nor is #28. Ecological devastation began long ago (check out the assarting laws in England, for example, in the middle ages), though it has reached especially critical proportions in our time.
- #30-33 seem to me to be a single prediction. Are they supposed to be independent? I saw some rancher from the American midwest on tv who was trying to breed a red cow. He claimed that the red referred to was the red of the river clay in Israel. In other words, a reddish brown. He pointed to a lot of reddish brown cows (the color that would be “roan” on a horse) and said they were just the right color (yippee!). He was quite certain of this. He was trying to get together with some group in Israel that wants to bulldoze the Dome of the Rock and rebuild the temple. Needless to say, his plans hadn’t gone very far at the time the program was shot. Is that maybe what you’re thinking of?
- In #34, are the 9 directions by any chance N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW, and up? My point being, how many cities aren’t growing in these nine specific directions? Nine is kind of a lot, you see, and doesn’t really narrow it down.
- Human wealth has been growing more-or-less since we domesticated fire. The current period of very rapid growth began with the industrial revolution over a century ago.(#35)
- Having already joined the apostate church, I look forward to the fulfillment of #36.
- Uranium was postulated as an unknown component of pitchblende in 1789, and was isolated only in 1841. I seriously doubt the Bible made specific reference to it.(#38) Heck, atomic theory only dates to about 1803 so what is meant by “elements” in this context?
Looking forward to hearing your answers.
Hi folks! Just thought I’d show up and expose my ignorance! Can someone tell me what exactly the LBBB mentioned here and in other posts ive seen is? Thank you in advance.
Cecil said it. I believe it. That settles it.
If this posts twice, Mea Culpa! I posted and it wasn’t there. came back, still nothing. grrrrrrrrr. anyway: Can someone tell me what the LBBB is. I have seen several references to it, but have no idea what it is. Where can I get one? What color is it? How do you say it in latin?
Thanks
Dave
Cecil said it. I believe it. That settles it.
ARRRRRRGGHHHHHHH! see? I told ya I was ignorant!
Cecil said it. I believe it. That settles it.
38? Is that all? Heck, I myself have seen dozens of fortune cookie fortunes fulfilled, and untold multitudes of horoscope predictions come true!
Confucius rules!!!