I was listening to a TV program concerning the traditional prophecy about the end of the world and was interested to discover several things.
The concept of the antichrist came from a very bright German Nun, who, in going with the times, hated Jews and correlated the birth of this monster as aligning itself with them.
Revelations, the book concerning the end of the world, and the rising of the dead can be traced somewhat back to Ezekiel, who had a vision, where he was taken to a valley filled with dry bones. These dry bones came to life and were restored to humanity, thus bringing on the theory that the dead shall rise at the end. In actuality, it was a vision concerning the rise or return of the Israeli nation.
Apparently, apocalypse signs have been observed before, but the end never arrived.
In some Orthodox churches, the book of Revelations either has been removed from the bible or is being considered as being dumped.
It seems that Agomendon/ the apocalypse comes mainly from the beliefs of prophets, who were living in ages of persecutions and who ‘figured it all out.’ It seems that the first calculations, 1260 as the end of the world, flopped.
From what I determined, the end of the world seems to be created by pissed off fanatics who are steeped virtually in nothing but their religious views, interpreting visions and bad dreams they have.
In the Jewish side of it all, there apparently is a sect today actively trying to bring on the Apocalypse by attempting to rebuild the great Temple.
The program was interesting, tying in all sorts of points of known happenings, connecting historic religious occurrences, including breaking the hold of the Catholic Church by making the Bible available to all to read and interpret instead of having religious leaders doing it for them. Martin Luther, who did this, apparently was not real happy about including the Book of Revelations in the Bible because he doubted it.
I thought about the ongoing squabbles in the Middle East by several forms of similar religions, what with the Jews trying to get back the site that their ancient temple sits on, rumored to have the Ark of the Covenant under it – supposedly found by some modern Jewish archeologists who found an ancient, back filled tunnel, cleaned it out and discovered the relic sitting in a buried chamber. The current government made them stop, back filled the dig, marked it as off limits for any further archeological investigations and keep an eye on it. Then the Muslims and the Dome of the Rock, which some bright religious fanatic years ago decided would be a good corner stone for the new Temple, tried to take it and started a 300 year Holy War. (Man! Now there was a bright bulb. Go tell a bunch of believers in a strict, violent religion that you’re going to take their Holy of holies and use it as a brick to honor your own God and just expect them to hand it over! Ancient religious fanatics were real short on brains.)
Plus, every time they have some documentary concerning ancient churches of various beliefs Over there, they seem like a million years old, cold, harsh, strict, usually in not real pleasant chunks of land, staffed by people who have no sense of humor, have fanatical beliefs and seem to cling to traditions like 3000 years old. To me, this doesn’t make the religions look real friendly, warm, loving or cozy.
Plus, they’ve been fighting with each other for a few thousand years.
William Miller, the founder of the Seventh Day Adventists, ‘reinterpreted’ various chapters of the Bible to determine the arrival of the Apocalypse. It was supposed to end around 1844 at the latest. It seems that every time someone ‘reinterprets’ the scriptures, the end is always just ‘a few years away.’
Such deep ruminations should not be left in the hands of the fanatics. Each time the end failed to arrive, someone else reinterpreted the scriptures, came up with a new modified theory, and a new date. Currently, a British preacher developed an open ended theory that it’s going to arrive, but when is unknown, so all Believers should just be ready.
America, surprisingly, seems to have come up with the most theories concerning the end of the world, and pushed them on others, thanks to our major supply of mouthy, powerful and fanatical Television preachers. It seems that literature on the Apocalypse is a multibillion dollar a year business, generated especially by writer Hal Lindsey.
It all gives me a headache.
I think it was a big mistake to ever allow organized religion to become not only a major political power, but to gain enormous financial influence. Individuals, no matter who they are, just cannot handle massive amounts of power well without being corrupted.
You’d think we’d have learned this by now. Ancient history has shown that high priests and religious rulers usually become dictators over their followers, living in riches, commanding life and death, making laws and wiping out unbelievers.
Now a Pentecostal sect believes that Christ will not return until the Jews rebuild the Temple – talk about a compromise. I think the site of the original Temple is in Muslim hands, who might protest the rebuilding just a touch, which ought to generate still another war over there.
Aspirin anyone?