# Polycarp did you forget to take you pills? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [December 3, 2003, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640 "2003-12-03T03:54:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Genghis\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/45deac/32.png) [@Genghis\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genghis_Bob)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/101 "2003-12-03T23:22:25Z")
> [@](#): > > I did not claim that this person is the Second Coming – only that my hunch, my speculation was that he’d be the person to fill that role. I’m sorry, I don’t understand this at all. How can a person _fulfill the role_ of the second coming of Christ, without _being_ the person of Christ? **Polycarp** , can you expand on your understanding of the “Second Coming”? Do you see it as the once-for-all apocalyptic event of Revelation, or is it provisional, until the “real thing”? If you are indeed claiming that the second person of the triune God physically walks the earth today clothed in human flesh, then that’s, \, pretty radical indeed. You’ve gone and narrowed my four “possibilities” to numbers 1 and 4; having started us down this road, I sure hope you intend to expand your explanation enough to help us reach the end. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/102 "2003-12-03T23:33:23Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by Truth Seeker_ > > I have to say that this really puts a serious hole below the waterline of your take on Christianity. It really makes it hard to take your other assertions based on your religious scholarship at all seriously. No offense to you, **Truth Seeker** , but this argument is seriously flawed. Thanks for the heads-up, **Darkhold**. Oh, and **Beagle** : aren’t _you_ a clever sod? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Truth\_Seeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Truth\_Seeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truth_Seeker)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/103 "2003-12-03T23:51:35Z")
I disagree, **Mr. B.** The same scholarship that infuses his interpretation of what Jesus “really” meant causes him to conclude that Justin Timberlake is God. Assuming Justin Timberlake (or whoever it is) is not actually god, there’s most definitely a flaw somewhere. It’s an example of reductio ad absurdum. This, however, is a bit off the main point here. I don’t really want to re-hash charges of whether **Polycarp** selectively inteprets the new testament. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/104 "2003-12-03T23:51:59Z")
> [@](#): > > The second coming of Jesus is supposed to be a non-stop flight from the right hand of the father. He’s not supposed to be re-born and do the whole humanity schtick again – that seems quite clear. Per the bible, the figure of the anti-christ, will, though. The Bible says no such thing about the the “figure of the antichrist.” “Antichrists” (plural) is a term which appears only in the Epistles of John and it is a descriptor for individuals who are either Christian apostates or who are otherwise enemies of the Christianity. It is not a title for some futuristic super-villain. ---
**Author:** ![Truth\_Seeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Truth\_Seeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truth_Seeker)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2003, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/105 "2003-12-03T23:56:44Z")
I disagree, **Mr. B.** The same scholarship that infuses his interpretation of what Jesus “really” meant causes him to conclude that Justin Timberlake is God. Assuming Justin Timberlake (or whoever it is) is not actually god, there’s most definitely a flaw somewhere. It’s an example of reductio ad absurdum. This, however, is a bit off the main point here. I don’t really want to re-hash charges of whether **Polycarp** selectively inteprets the new testament. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/106 "2003-12-04T00:21:00Z")
I’ve got to run, but **Polycarp** ’s interpretation of the New Testament is _precisely_ the point, as per the OP. Separately, let me ask you this: Just because I happen to personally lean toward Hinduism, \<--------- my hard-fought study of Christianity is somehow invalidated? I think you are being overly harsh with someone who exhibits a great deal of compassion, strength, tolerance and erudition in his chosen religion. Oh. And what **Diogenes** said. There’s no such thing as Damien. ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_of\_the\_CC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/58956e/32.png) [@Earl\_of\_the\_CC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_of_the_CC)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/107 "2003-12-04T00:31:56Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Revtim \* > \*\*Wouldn’t whatever he was talking about, by definition, be Jesus (in his mind)? \*\* Good question. I wasn’t clear what I meant. I meant that if he were joking it would be a form of blasphemy. Were he serious (as it turns out) that would merely be lunacy. ---
**Author:** ![Beagle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@Beagle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beagle)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 12:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/108 "2003-12-04T00:46:25Z")
> [@](#): > > Oh, and Beagle: aren’t you a clever sod? [smilie edited for hamster cardiofitness – WINK] Well, I reckon I _need_ some sod. What with two beagles and a slowing growing season… What parta England you from **Sir B**? This is why I’m a unitarian agnostic. I tend to disbelieve somewhat in every concept of the supreme being I’ve heard so far. Paraphrasing Bill Murray in Stripes, “but willing to learn.” I generally think science is more interesting. They really can turn lead into gold today. It’s just cheaper to mine gold. Maybe God is in the gaps. We always seem to find more gaps. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/41988e/32.png) [@El\_Cid\_Viscoso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Cid_Viscoso)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/109 "2003-12-04T02:12:37Z")
Mind the gap. 1st Generation American, thought to have been conceived on a train from Chatham, Kent. Would turn down a KBE, if it were possible. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![E-Sabbath](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e19adc/32.png) [@E-Sabbath](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-Sabbath)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/110 "2003-12-04T03:34:43Z")
I think I get it. Jesus fufilled the need for the Messiah, without fufilling all the prophecies in the way everyone expected. Jesus then left new prophecies that he would come again. Therefore, say, a _new_ messiah could show up as the Second Coming… but not in the way everyone expected. Mr. Kennedy-Timberlake is Poly’s personal choice for the example of a messiah, in the same way that Robert Heinlein was (without my meeting him), my guru in the ways a person may choose to think about things. I tend to favor, mind you, the Church of Subgenius concept of a Short Duration Personal Savior. Someone who _is_ your teacher, right now, for this reason. ---
**Author:** ![badchad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b77776/32.png) [@badchad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badchad)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/111 "2003-12-04T03:43:35Z")
Lord Ashtar: > [@](#): > > Hey, badchad. Just what is your gripe with Polycarp anyway? So what if he believes he knows who the messiah is? How exactly does that effect you? Well, aside from the personal gratification of putting the smack down a hypocritical and arrogant know it all who, when not speaking from a false position of authority, frequently uses self degradation as his formula to bring about complements to fuel his selfish pride (IMO), there is always this: > [@](#): > > Quoted from Darkhold > I always equated religion with stupidity/fanaticism until I read some of the intelligent posts by a few of the believers around here. It made me wonder if I might have not become an Atheist if there had been people like them around where I live (it certainly would have slowed my disbelief) As Darkhold points out his arguments sound good, real good if you don’t think about them too much. Still as intelligent as his posts sound they are still complete rubbish tied in with a bunch of “love” talk to tug at the emotions of some who would otherwise make rational decisions. Irrational decisions IMO lesson ones quality for life, not only for the person holding them but often for those surrounding them. > [@](#): > > Quoted from Darkhold: > I’m blown out of the water. Religious people are insane. Told ya.😉 ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/112 "2003-12-04T03:51:35Z")
yawn 😛 ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/113 "2003-12-04T03:53:08Z")
Okay, so it’s not a whoosh. Yet I’m not shocked, awed, stirred or shaken, just surprised. As in, “Oooo…Kayyy… that’s one very unusual belief, figure that! Guess you really never know!” **Polycarp** is professing a peculiarly heterodox (as in “fuckin’ far out”) interpretation of the Second Coming. If he’s serious it doesn’t _automatically_ disqualify him on _everything_ related to Christian theology, but it’s something we need to take into account when reading him – and conversely if he is making sense and putting forward good points on-topic, we should acknowledge that. Doesn’t make him a psycho who needs to be medicated, either. Hell, the Scripture itself warns that even many sincere, smart, well-meaning, believers will get smoked by the false prophets. I guess it’s a good thing we gave up on the whole burning of heretics thing, though! Don’t you think? Or at least the real churches did, we’ll see if SDMB did too… **Nonetheless** … I just realized it’s going to be interesting and maybe even fun to see (and I will in NO WAY begrudge **badchad** the well-earned satisfaction) how various so-far pro-Poly members of this board will react to this latest statement from Polycarp. Will they continue to hold him up as the _“if only more Christians were like him”_ example? Or will they start nervously backing away upon realizing \*“hey, waitamminnit, he really DOES believe a \*“Really Weird Thing”\”? Or will there be wailing and rendering of garments and beatings of breasts and wearing of sack and ashes and the gnashing of teeth and/or offers of counselling over how sad/disappointing/tragic this is? Look out for _that_, chad m’man. You’ll have material galore. Since I’m currently of the opinion that Christian(or Muslim, or Hindu) is as Christian(or whatever) does (“by their fruits ye shall know them”), my opinion of the Polycarp character inhabiting these message boards is minimally affected by information that he is convinced of something that would be considered heresy by the establishment churches, in fact I almost expected that he would (if not exactly THIS). Call it a hunch. Doesn’t lessen MY quality of life, not one bit. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/114 "2003-12-04T04:07:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by gobear \* > \*\*. . . and they have never forgotten this. \*\* You’re not kidding. I have five little goddesses running around, knocking ornaments off of the Christmas tree. ---
**Author:** ![MrVisible](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@MrVisible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrVisible)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 4:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/115 "2003-12-04T04:17:27Z")
Even more fascinating, I think, would be if **Poly** gradually revealed the identity of his candidate for Christhood, and the SDMB was the flash point for a whole new religious movement. With **Poly** as John the Baptist. ---
**Author:** ![badchad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b77776/32.png) [@badchad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badchad)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/116 "2003-12-04T04:47:13Z")
Polycarp > [@](#): > > I have a hunch that I know the identity of the person who will fulfill the role in our time. Now it’s a hunch, a few days ago it was a “very strong hunch.” Just wanted to make sure you remember. > [@](#): > > I did not claim that this person is the Second Coming – only that my hunch, my speculation was that he’d be the person to fill that role. I intentionally did not put a name to him, as I believe that he deserves to maintain his anonymity until he is ready to act, whenever that may be – and, as noted, his surname would identify precisely who he is to almost every American. He is himself not famous. I plan to do another post that tells virtually everything I know about him and his companion. Why not just save the drama and just drop the name? You know you want to. Besides why would Jesus want to remain anonymous anyway? And if he does want anonymity, why are you spilling some of the beans with them details? And while were at it, what’s a whoosh? ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/117 "2003-12-04T05:00:43Z")
Yay! It’s sort of like we’ve got our own prophet on SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 5:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/118 "2003-12-04T05:06:28Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by JRDelirious \* > \*\*Okay, so it’s not a whoosh. Yet I’m not shocked, awed, stirred or shaken, just surprised. As in, “Oooo…Kayyy… that’s one very unusual belief, figure that! Guess you really never know!” > > **Polycarp** is professing a peculiarly heterodox (as in “fuckin’ far out”) interpretation of the Second Coming. If he’s serious it doesn’t _automatically_ disqualify him on _everything_ related to Christian theology, but it’s something we need to take into account when reading him – and conversely if he is making sense and putting forward good points on-topic, we should acknowledge that. Doesn’t make him a psycho who needs to be medicated, either. Hell, the Scripture itself warns that even many sincere, smart, well-meaning, believers will get smoked by the false prophets. > > I guess it’s a good thing we gave up on the whole burning of heretics thing, though! Don’t you think? Or at least the real churches did, we’ll see if SDMB did too… > > **Nonetheless** … I just realized it’s going to be interesting and maybe even fun to see (and I will in NO WAY begrudge **badchad** the well-earned satisfaction) how various so-far pro-Poly members of this board will react to this latest statement from Polycarp. Will they continue to hold him up as the _“if only more Christians were like him”_ example? Or will they start nervously backing away upon realizing \*“hey, waitamminnit, he really DOES believe a \*“Really Weird Thing”\”? Or will there be wailing and rendering of garments and beatings of breasts and wearing of sack and ashes and the gnashing of teeth and/or offers of counselling over how sad/disappointing/tragic this is? Look out for _that_, chad m’man. You’ll have material galore. > > Since I’m currently of the opinion that Christian(or Muslim, or Hindu) is as Christian(or whatever) does (“by their fruits ye shall know them”), my opinion of the Polycarp character inhabiting these message boards is minimally affected by information that he is convinced of something that would be considered heresy by the establishment churches, in fact I almost expected that he would (if not exactly THIS). Call it a hunch. Doesn’t lessen MY quality of life, not one bit. \*\* I’m one of those **Poly** defenders and to be honest, I don’t see why a belief that Christ would reemerge as a seemingly normal human is any more inherently incredible than a belief that Jesus will appear out of the sky with a host of angels (and what part of the sky would that be exactly? Over what country? How much of the world would he be visible to? Since the earth is round, the notion that “all eyes” could be on him at the moment of the parousia is literally impossible. That in itself allows for a metaphorical (and slightly less fantastic) interpretation of how Jesus could reappear. I know, I know what the New Testament says but Jesus did not fit the OT expectations of the Messiah the first time so why would a reappearance have to fit the NT expectations. If the Bible was wrong once it can be wrong again can’t it? To actually nominate a real person is rather bold to say the least, and I’m just writhing with curiosity to know who Poly’s talking about. I guess it would have to be the son of a famous person who is not well known himself but I have been able to hatch no worthy candidates despite much wracking of the brain and even a google search for children of celebrities. Personally, I don’t believe in any of this stuff anyway so one person’s expectation of the endtimes is no more absurd from my point of view than another’s, but I would like to just make the point that there is nothing mean or malicious or evil about Poly’s ideas. I think people will still like him and I at least like the _idea_ of a new “Jesus” who would set the Christian world on its ear. I mean how great would it be if Jesus returned as a gay man? That would seriously fuck with some heads would it not? You couldn’t buy that kind of entertainment. ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/119 "2003-12-04T05:12:08Z")
Hey **JRDelirious** : now it’s necessary to believe in an orthodox fashion in any religion you may care to discuss? When did that come around? I guess it’s wrong for me to discuss the Bible now, since you guys already know I’m Wiccan. How exactly does this work? ---
**Author:** ![Darkhold](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/90db22/32.png) [@Darkhold](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darkhold)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2003, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640/120 "2003-12-04T05:12:08Z")
**badchad** , I heavily object to the line > [@](#): > > his arguments sound good, real good if you don’t think about them too much. Some of his arguments are just fine no matter how long you think about them. I don’t appreciate the implication that I didn’t think about them. I’m not a warm fuzzy love thy neighbor type of guy and I don’t swallow that type of stuff without considering the implications. Neither did I say I agreed with him. I was saying his manner was above reproach. (certainly compared to the people I meet that tell me I’m going to burn just for not believing in what they believe) and when I said ‘intelligent posts by a few of the believers around here’ I was talking about more then just him. However he is now (in my mind) connected to every idiot that ever declared the end days are coming/messiah has risen I’ve ever talked to…and that saddens me. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/polycarp-did-you-forget-to-take-you-pills/216640.md?page=7)