Why are Christians so universally ignorant about Revelation?

Question

Why do so many buy into the absurdly cartoonish superhero fantasy scenarios for Revelation invented by people like Tim LeHay?

There is historical context to the book. Why do none bother to research it?

heh, I'm not a Christian. To those who assumed so, thanks for making an ****** of yourself.

Why do so many simply (falsely) assume to know my position on the book. I have not stated it within the bounds of this question.

Revelation 9:3 is not about helicopters or airplanes. Thanks for proving my point.

I would think it obvious the question does not say "ALL" christians. The obvious implication to the nonpedantic is "vast vast majority". Pedantry is fear disguised as an argument from ignorance.

Answer 1

Many are ignorant about the whole bible. It is a book written by men. Men, with their own agenda. I do not believe that the bible in any way reflects what the man Jesus would have said.

Answer 2

With regard to the historical context of Revelation, I don't see any reason why it could not refer to both the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. and the events that followed, and the events at the very end of time. Having said that, I don't buy the whole "Left Behind" pre-tribulation rapture in the first place. I've come to the conclusion that the rapture is after the tribulation but before God's wrath, which would petrify most Westernized Christians who think that the fact people don't like them means they're being persecuted, which is a crock. The first link below is an article a friend of mine wrote regarding a post-tribulation, pre-wrath rapture.

Answer 3

Because life is dull and the world is long. Who wants to die before all the supernatural fireworks? Just think, the bad guys all get theirs, the good guys all win the prize (and can't get hurt) and the special effects are literally out of this world! And the world is ALWAYS the worst it's ever been. This HAS to happen now, right? To realize that the book was written for actually suffering Christians of 1900 years ago is such a downer.

The odd thing is, I keep thinking of the part about the anti-Christ (maybe it's the Beast or its spokesman), who will lead many Christians astray, pretending to represent God. It sounds so much like someone I know that I sometimes wonder if maybe there IS something to this stuff....

Answer 4

I have bothered to research it, and I believe it's a hard book to understand.
Let me ask you something friend, if you're so into the truth (or telling people what you believe to be the truth anyway), why do you ask this question with hidden (or rather open) insults, implying that the Christians who believe Revelation literally are only caught up in an "absurd" "fantasy" with "superheroes" and such.
Aren't we instructed in the Bible to gently correct our fellow brethren? "But avoid foolish and ignorant disputes, knowing that they generate strife. And a servant of the Lord must not quarrel but be gentle to all, able to teach, patient, in humility correcting those who are in opposition....." 2 Timothy 2:23-25 instead of starting a fight?
Can't we all just get along?
"Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you. Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind." Philippians 3:15-16

God bless :)

Answer 5

Because the book has so much symbolism that there are many different interpretations. I think sometimes many people hear these different opinions and just leave it alone. They trust God, so what ever happens, happens. Of all the different opinions out there, I wish a different one had become popular than the Le Hay/Left behind idea. Of course equally ridiculous is the matrix and several other movies which, while not exactly religious, did have a lot of religious symbolism as well.

Answer 6

Sad to say, but Christians can't even all agree on Jesus' teachings in the Gospels , so it shouldn't be surprising that a book that uses symbols, numbers, and signs would have so many different interpretations. The Bible is a living book that can read hearts and minds. ONly a spiritual person can learn to understand it.

1 Corinthians 2; 14- 15 " But a physical man does not receive the things of the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot get to know them because they are examined spiritually. However the spiritual man examines indeed all things , but he himself is not examined by any man."

Answer 7

Revelation is certainly open to more than one interpretation.

I think some things in revelation such as the letters to the churches at the beginning are historical although the advice given can be applied today although I believe a large part of the book is prophetic and I have bothered to research. Much of the prophecy is also supported by old testament prophecy.

Answer 8

Most don't even bother with studying their Bibles let alone a book like revelation. Most preachers will tell their parishioners that the book just wasn't meant to be understood (by lay people). I recently went to two seminars given by two people who have studied not just revelation but the entire Bible for decades. One of those people was Pastor Doug Batchler who was interviewed by National Geographic as a leading authority on Bible prophecy. You can find his seminar at www.mostamazingprophecies.com

Answer 9

Catholics know that the Book of Revelation is about three things:

1) Nero and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70AD.
2) The Catholic Mass aka the Bridal Feast of the Lamb in Heaven.
3) The Second Coming, the Antichrist, and the End of the World.

Answer 10

Because Revelation was written by a man living in Bible times who was doing his best to describe the futuristic things he saw.

"And out of the smoke locusts came down upon the earth and were given power like that of scorpions of the earth."

Revelation 9:3 (New International Version)

This verse makes no sense when taken literally. But how would a man in Bible times describe a helicopter or an airplane? This verse sounds a lot like he was trying to tell us about helicopters and airplanes firing weapons.

Revelation - when it comes to life - will be greater and more incredible that any cartoon or superhero fantasy scenario could ever come close to. No way we can fully grasp that.

Answer 11

Yes Revelation has a lot of historical content. The book is divided into three parts. The things that were(historical), the things that are(present, at the time of Johns writing) the things that are to come(future events, today).

Maybe you need to read more then just the beginning of the book.