The only group of people I know of who have been predicting Armageddon are Jehovah's Witnesses. Way back in 1881, they claimed that by 1873 humans had been on the earth for 6,000 years and, according to their interpretation of the Bible, Jesus Christ would come after that to destroy all wickedness and evil (Armageddon). Pastor Russell said "Well, 1873 came, the end of 6,000 years, and yet no burning of the world, etc.... But prophescies were found which pointed positively to 1874 as the time when Jesus was due to be present..." (Zions Watch Tower February 1881, p188).
Not a lot of Jehovah's Witnesses know that (mainly because they are now dead). However, the current intake furiously deny any such thing. They have been saying (since the 1874 date came and went without the hoped for battle of Armageddon) that Christ's second coming happened invisibly in 1914 and that the generation alive then would see Armageddon in their life time. Not so. My parents believed all this but they died disappointed.
Now the organisation is changing its tune, yet again. At their annual meeting this year, it was announced that the generation of 1914 is not literal but is a representation of those who have a heavenly hope. That the sealing of the anointed (the 144,000 who say they will go to heaven) did not end in 1935 as previously claimed. This will be published in the January 2008 edition of the Watchtower. In other words, the date has had to be extended because all their previous prophesies were false.
Now you and I know that no man knows the day or the hour, and also that it does not matter providing we are already in the new covenant inagurated by Jesus 2,000 years ago. Sadly, all those millions of Witnesses who think they do not have a heavenly calling (they hope to live forever on a paradise earth) are not in this new covenant and so they have no assurance of salvation. Let's all hope and pray Armageddon does not come until the Holy Spirit opens their eyes to the true gospel message.
2007-10-24 06:05:29
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answer #1
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answered by Anonymous
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Maybe there are two questions here. The first is to wonder how long we humans have been thinking of the end of the world...We began to think of the end of the world shortly after we became aware of mortality. (btw - elephants are also concerned about mortality)
The second question is more interesting and personal, and it might be, "How seriously do we need to take all the recent talk about armageddon? Is worrying about it something we have always done, or are there current reasons to be concerned?" It boils down to the essential question "Am I safe?"
I grew up at a time when our teachers would shut heavy blinds and we would practice drills for when the Russians bombed us. My father used to tell me; "Honey, the first time a man threw a stone and killed another man, someone predicted the end of the world through this mysterious ability to kill at a distance." He was telling me I was safe; safe enough to grow up.
Thinking I was safe changed nothing - no one could predict that the arms race would drive the Soviet Union to its knees and the Berlin wall would come down.
Thinking I was safe changed everything - it gave me courage to look at this amazing world, I gave me time to risk loving impermanent things.
Safety, of course, is an illusion. Everything which is born, dies. If armageddon kills you or if you choke on a bagel it really won't make much difference to you one minute after the event.
The "how" of the ending is much less important of the "how" of the part between. I would encourage us all to do, believe and move into whatever makes us brave, loving and alert.
2007-10-23 13:19:36
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answer #2
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answered by thenwhen 5
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Probably for as long as we've been thinking of anything. Heck, maybe even our monkey ancestors wondered when the world would end. Btw, the next best date for the end of the world, from what I've heard, is Dec. 21, 2012.
2007-10-23 12:27:36
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answer #3
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answered by Anonymous
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Well over 2000 years now.
2007-10-23 12:30:13
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answer #4
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answered by Jess H 7
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It's been in the bible for thousands of years. Read Revelations, regarding the 7 horseman of Apocalypse.
2007-10-23 12:27:39
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answer #5
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answered by jay k 6
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I am not 'we'. I am me.
I can't answer for you. I am far too few!
God began it all. It started with the fall.
He keeps us on our toes. But the Almighty only knows.
Whenever it comes will be fine - not a second before it's time.
2007-10-23 16:15:07
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answer #6
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answered by Annsan_In_Him 7
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Who knows? Goat herders have a wild imagination.
2007-10-23 12:28:45
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answer #7
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answered by Anonymous
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4000 years and counting
2007-10-23 12:27:32
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answer #8
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answered by Arthurlikesbeer 6
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since biblical times, pal.
2007-10-23 12:29:10
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answer #9
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answered by Captain Galactic 6
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Not long enough, apparently.
2007-10-23 12:36:24
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answer #10
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answered by Open Heart Searchery 7
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