Being pushed by religion since the 17th century. My question is WHY ?
The End of The World Delusion
by cassuk11 23 Replies latest watchtower bible
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sir82
Being pushed by religion since the 17th century.
Actually, it's pretty much been pushed ever since there has been such a thing as"religion".
Check out a book or 2 on 1st century Palestine, for example. Every 3rd guy was walking around proclaiming the "end of the world".
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cassuk11
good point
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milola
My personal feeling was simply to instill fear to exact obedience to whatever authority was in charge at any given time.,
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LostGeneration
That dude Jesus bears a lot of responsibility.
Telling your peeps you are coming back within a generation and then disappearing for 2,000 years isn't cool.
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Xanthippe
When I was studying for my history degree came across a few end of the world cults in the last 500 years or so. Think in the Reformation the Protestants thought biblical Babylon the Great was Roman Catholicism. There was another one too in the middle ages, they went to the top of a mountain to await the end, that's all I remember.
Why? Life is hard! It would be lovely if a powerful person came and fed the hungry, removed poverty, war ect. Sadly the longer we keep waiting for this mythical person the longer the suffering continues. We have to do it ourselves. We need to stop waiting for the Golden Age. (Google that phrase, very interesting).
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sporece
I cannot paste the info but google "dates of end of the world predictions" you will find that mankind has been talking and giving dates when it will happen for 1000's of years.
JW's are mentioned about ten times.
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Watkins
Yes, I was amazed when I first googled it, sporece - since the beginning of recorded human history mankind has feared the future. Every time a volcano erupted or an earthquake shook; every time there was an asteroid shower or an eclipse; every political upheaval and every period of societal peace. So many superstitions were born from those fears.
Why? Follow the money! It's proven to be a very lucrative business. VERY rewarding for the top ranks. Would God rather the lucre be used for grandious cathedrals.... or feeding and housing the poor? Religion is a hot crooked mess.
~watkins
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keyser soze
As opposed to the Jesus and God delusions of mainstream Christianity?
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steve2
Well, Christianity was more explicitly premised on "the second coming" and the Jews before that lived in hope of the Messiah's arrival on earth - and they still do.
Whilst we may think "the end" is a recent religious obsession, believers have long harped on about it. Come quickly Lord Jesus indeed! Thank you Revelation for painting believers into a perpetual corner of imminence. Well done!
Lacking is any strength of character to simply face the disturbing reality that each group that preaches 'the end is near', experiences its own end long before the expected end of what they were wishin' and hopin' for. Fools.
For believers a disturbing reality - particularly for those juvenile-minded believers who put their lives on hold because they believe the end is so very near. Um, actually it's your end that is near, honey. Thisright now is your one life - what a shame to put it on hold waiting for a new world that never arrives...