We seem to live in a time of anti-religion, anti-God, and outright hedonism. What does this tell us?

Question

There seems to be so much hatred of The Church these days. Several major bestselling books have been released in the past few years that try to 'debunk' God, and cast doubt on everything spiritual. Indeed, there seems to be hatred of all religions these days.

Some of the critisism of the Christian chruches is well founded. There have been many abuses of children, a lot of fraud, and deceit. But these things have always happened in any human institution. People blame the church for everything these days - for past wars, rascism, violence. But I think that these things - while terrible in the past - would have been the same or even worse in the abscence of Christianity!

Along with the persecution of the Church today there continues to be rampant consumerism and greed, idolatry and lust.

What does all this tell you? Could we be living in the end times?

Answer 1

Every generation is sure they are living in the end of times.
I left Christianity because I never really believed it. It was just never something that spoke to my soul. I never bought any of it. But I can rep sect people who do. I know all about it, having practiced it for 17 years. What I don't like it my home being invaded, my soul judged, and my children frightened. I really think if Christians would try to repsect other people, people would respect them a lot more. All Christian? Of course not. Lots of my friends are Christians. But its the loud obnoxious ones that seem to get the most attention. They are making you guys look really bad.

Answer 2

Christians have been predicting "the end times" for over 2000 years. Odds are we will go on for awhile.

But I will answer your question about hatred of the Church anyway. To a significant extent, this is about improved communications. It is now possible for people living in Catholic countries, who were previously subjected to official or unofficial censorship of the media, now to communicate with people who have a very different point of view, and who have information that was suppressed before.

Lots of people dismiss The DaVinci Code as fiction, but the truth is much of the evidence presented is real. And there is no denying that we now know much more about what the Vatican has kept secret for centuries on the topic of Magdelene and other issues. It doesn't take a crackpot to see that Rome has in fact had the power to do things secretly, keep things bottled up, and that secrecy is being broken open by modern communications and investigative reporting.

You cannot dismiss the issues of pedophilia, massive wealth used without accountability, secret deals with powerful rulers, and so forth, as irrelevant. If God really keeps his church as his bride, she's been quite unfaithful, don't you think?

Anything that stains the Catholic church then creates further scrutiny of protestant churches as well. That, together with the insane insistence on "intelligent design" and anti-Darwinism, is killing the fundamentalist churches. And the more liberal churches have become mostly social organizations and social workers. The old boy network for businessmen, and the good works for their bored wives and retired parents.

Answer 3

2 Timothy 3:13 comes quickly to mind. Right along with 2 Timothy 3:1-5. It's like reading a newspaper or watching CNN.

Do this experiment: make a written list of the twenty or so attitudes that the apostle Paul lists at 2 Timothy 3:1-5 which he says would be manifested by man in the last days. Put little check off boxes next to them. Now, watch a major news station and see how many boxes you can check off in the space of, say, three news broadcasts.

Notice, Paul says all these attitudes will be displayed by man: in other words, this will be the NORM, not the exception.

You mentioned rampant consumerism, greed and lust. Okay, read verse 2: lovers of money (greed); verse 3: without self-control (rampant consumerism - gotta have everything, gotta buy everything, must have the latest gadget, invention, computer, t.v., dvd, cd, ipod, high definition, newest car, and on and on); verse 4: lovers of pleasure (lust). Now look at verse 5: having a form of godly devotion but proving false to its power.

All my little boxes have been checked. And they keep being checked - over and over again.
Hannah J Paul

Answer 4

The operative word here is "seem." Perhaps this "seeming" grows out of the abuses of the religious right, who have placed worship in a secondary position to political activity. Given that this particular political point of view is nationalistic in nature, and as Dietrich Bonhoeffer pointed out, "nationalism leads inevitably to war," people are rather disenchanted with the meddling.

The notion of "persecution" of the church is rather an interesting one, when one regards the "mega-churches" and high-profile evangelists raking in absurd amounts of money. Eric Hoffer suggested in "The True Believer," that one of the perceptions necessary to creating ardent "believers" is that of being persecuted.

As to the end times, I submit the following: http://www.abhota.info/end1.htm

Answer 5

No. Just recognizing that we are human beings, growing up. Obviously the humanity is in some "adolescent" stage refusing some (imaginery) patronat, finding ways to rely in it self, also identifying the church and the religion as pollitical tools. The religion is "invented" to fill the gap of when the science was not very developed. What it turned to...I guess the most of humanity do not agree.
Me, personally, I respect Jesus, Buda (and some other prophets) as extraordinary and very generous, wise humanists.

Answer 6

Yes, signs are fast fulfilling to tell us we are living like "in the days of Noah."

Sin is the main problem, though. There was NO ATHIEST before the flood (they could see the angel guarding the entrance to Eden).

It was the religious bigots that killed millions during the dark ages; that crucified our Savior, and who will usher in a NWO to counter corruption, sin, and terrorism, as the wound heals in the Beast (Revelation 13:3).

It is those who know the righteous decrees of God and sin that brings God's wrath, and a last-day Bible code tells us the main culprit:
www.revelado.org/revealed.htm

Blessings, One-Way

Answer 7

Yeah!, they start blaming Christianity for all those things, which is weird, and why do atheists, really need to keep fighting them?, do they die if they don't question God?, and if Christianity was never introduced, then men would keep killing each other in the roman coliseum since, it was Christianity's brotherly love that stopped it..

And without Christianity lots of bad things would happen like people degrading others, and there won't be any churches? can you believe that? those huge beautiful structures, all gone! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 8

End times? Perhaps, but each generation seems to believe they are in the end times. The only thing I know is that Jesus will return before man can completely destroy himself. Due to the technological advances, this is becoming more and more a possibility. As such maybe we do not have that long to go.

Answer 9

It tells us that people are starting to think for themselves.

They are realizing that the man in the pulpit is not God and has no more connection to him then they themselves do.

You said it yourself in your own question "Would have been the same or even worse in the abscence of Christianity."

People are realizing that you don't need a church to get to God.

There is enough to fear in life, that fearing your own god should not be one of them.

Answer 10

Are we Living in the End Times?

What will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age? This was a question the disciples asked Jesus.
Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. (Matthew 24:4-8)
Signs
Many will go here and there to increase knowledge. (Daniel 12:4) Right now technology increased so quick every thing in our houses is out dated in about half a year. We have so much knowledge available through the Internet; we will never be able to view it all on just one subject.
On that day, when all the nations of the earth are gathered against her, I will make Jerusalem an immovable rock for all the nations. (Zechariah 12:3) Just about everyone in the world is now against Israel. No one is able to destroy Israel once they become a nation again.
They will say, "This land that was laid waste has become like the garden of Eden; the cities that were lying in ruins, desolate and destroyed, are now fortified and inhabited." (Ezekiel 36:35) Before Israel came back to their promised land, the land was desolate. Now they are one of the biggest traders in the world in produce. Israel has rebuilt the entire city that was ruins. Israel has everything they need to rebuild the temple right now.
He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth. (Isaiah 11:12) This prophecy has already happened. Israel was scattered in 70AD. Now Israel has become a nation again.
He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:15) this prophecy can now take place. We now have computers that can keep track of everyone in the world. The world is already trying to form a one world government and currency.
Their bodies will lie in the street of the great city, which is figuratively called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified. For three and a half days men from every people, tribe, language and nation will gaze on their bodies and refuse them burial. (Revelation 11:8-9) Now this prophecy can happen also. Everyone can now watch these people on TV. We now have satellites that can show everyone in the world what is happening in a single place.
They will fall by the sword and will be taken as prisoners to all the nations. Jerusalem will be trampled on by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. (Luke 21:24) The time of the gentiles was 70A.D. until June 7, 1967. The 1967-generation is the generation that will see the Lord return. The bible says, "Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened. (Matthew 24:32-34) The fig tree is the symbol of Israel. The leaves coming out of the fig tree is the Jews becoming a nation again. Summer is referring to the days when Jesus will come back for the second time. The generation that sees this prophecy happen will not pass away until the Lord returns.
But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with them. (2 Timothy 3:1-5) This prophecy is happening today. This describes just about everyone today.
Friend we are living in the end times right now. If you were to die today would you go to heaven or hell? If Jesus were to come back tonight would you already be right with him?
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