Why the obsession with the end of the world or rapture?

Question

Did you see these answers to this post...

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=ArLfW2aYhihjvHu_cYu891zd7BR.?qid=20070731141845AAWS4Nu

These so called Christians are very negative...they call the world a terrible place.

The world is God's creation...is it not?

These people are so obsessed with the end of the world it is unsettling.

Where is the joy and peace that God brings?

Are your sights so set on man that you do not see or appreciate the beauty of the world?

Have you ever travelled? Have you seen the mountains, the oceans, the plains?

Have you ever seen human kindness? The generosity of the human spirit...people who volunteer time and money to helping the less fortunate?

Haven't you witnessed a child giving flowers to an invalid, or a neighbor mowing his neighbors yard?

Good things happen every day...I am amazed that you so-called Christians do not see the good...but, only the bad....

Are you truly Christians?

Answer 1

Aloha G.C.,

I couldn't agree more with your sentiment that our lives here on earth should be lived to the fullest, not wasted on fantasies of another life.

Life should be lived so vividly and so intensely that thoughts of another life, or of a longer life, are not necessary.
— Marjory Stoneham Douglas

Millions long for immortality who do not know what to do with themselves on a rainy Sunday afternoon.
— Susan Ertz, American, (1943)

The average man, who does not know what to do w/ his life, wants another one which will last forever.
— Anatole France (1844-1924)

Everybody hates death, fears death, but only those, the believers who know the life after death and the reward after death, would be the ones who will be seeking death.
— Mohamed Atta (Infamous 9/11 terrorist hijacker).

Those who welcome death have only tried it from the ears up.
— Wilson Mizner (1876-1933)

Sacrificing the earth for paradise is giving up the substance for the shadow.
— Victor Hugo, (1802-1885)

Beyond the grave they will find nothing but death. But we shall keep the secret, and for their happiness we shall allure them with the reward of heaven and eternity.
— Fyodor Dostoyevsky; (1821-1881)

There is no cure for birth and death save to enjoy the interval.
— George Santayana (1863-1952)

Life is but a momentary glimpse of the wonder of this astonishing universe, and it is sad to see so many dreaming it away on spiritual fantasy.
— Carl Sagan

Happiness is to see the world in a grain of sand,
and heaven in a wild flower,
to hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
and eternity in a single hour.
— William Blake

Do not fear death so much, but rather the inadequate life.
— Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956)

Perhaps the whole root of our trouble, the human trouble, is that we will sacrifice all the beauty of our lives, will imprison ourselves in totems, taboos, crosses, blood sacrifices, steeples, mosques, races, armies, flags, nations, in order to deny the fact of death, which is the only fact we have.
— James Baldwin (1963)

Imagine there's no heaven; it's easy if you try
No hell below us, above us only sky
Imagine all the people living for today ...
Imagine there's no countries; it isn't hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for, and no religion too
Imagine all the people living life in peace...
— John Lennon, Imagine

Answer 2

Violence, fear and death are big sellers. Terence McKenna and Jose Arguelles are the ones who are insisting the end of the 13th cycle of the Mayan calendar is the end of the world. They have made truckloads of money off of it. They don't bother to tell you that the historic evidence says the Mayans had huge parties when one cycle ended and another began. They also don't bother to tell anyone that there are 20 cycles to the calendar. Supposedly, the Golden Dawn has 2010 pegged as the end of the world. Harold Camping is at it again and claiming May 2011 will be the Rapture and instead of a seven year tribulation, the planet dies in October 2011. He's made this prediction at least twice before. Yet people still believe him. Those who are waiting for the Rapture are the most afraid of death. They won't have to die to be taken up, they will be taken up bodily. That is fear of the natural aging process. Also, if the Rapture even was something that was going to happen, then once they've risen, they get to finally look down their noses at everyone else without having to tilt their heads back.

Answer 3

In life, there needs to be balance. It's not all bad here on earth, even for us gay people. God has given us a place of beauty and it's all around us in everything. Yes, we should think about the time when we will be in Heaven, but we also should not neglect the wonders and beauty we have all around us in life. God gave us eyes, ears, a sense of smell and hearing to use in living.


"By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control." (Galatians 5:22-23 )

Answer 4

Sir you have really casted a very positive light on the subject of man and religion in
a birds eye veiw.
Definetly need a rethink.
God put us here for far better reasons than to provoke the entire globe to the point of
not seeing all the happiness and good things that are in the world.

Answer 5

Yes--it is sad to witness Christians acting like the Pharisees & expecting some God to whisk them into heaven when he destroys the earth.What a pity they don't listen a bit more to Christs actual teachings!

Answer 6

why not? us so called christiand do not see the good but only the bad???!!!

really? so 100's of millions killed in wars since 1800 is a GOOD THing? how about the millions dead of various diseases? Another GOOD Thing? AIDS, CANCER etc...GOOD things? thousands of Aborted children daily? Another GOOD Thing?

Daily little girls raped and murdered. A GOOD THing? How about darfur? Rwanda? More Good THINGS?

Should I go on with the list of not so good things?


the End of the Age means no more death disease!!! How selfish of us to want such a wonderful thing as that for mankind! No more flesh, SUPERNATURAL BODIES!!! WHat exactly is wrong with that? IT"S GOOD!!!

so what EXACTLY Besides maybe critters and good food is "GOOD" Now about this God forsaken earth age? Not a hell of a lot. Stupid question from a very questionable and unthinking person.

Answer 7

the world seems such a mess that it's easier to expect someone else (god) to clean it up.

If one subscribes to the god-as-aprent metaphor, would not a parent be much more appreciative of a "child" who at least attempts to clean up his/her own mess?

I invite the Doomsday Squad to let go of the giddy smug righteousness and pitch in with the rest of us.

Answer 8

The very fact that they can't wait to die speaks volumes about their happy Christian lives doesn't it?

Answer 9

Good point. it really winds me up too.

Answer 10

amen to that.