War, Ugh, (Good God), What is it good for...

[eggwards]

I have to say that the events in the middle east are troubling, but it's nice to see that some people are very, very happy about it, so I'm happy to link to Rapture Ready, the website that's just for those who think that the second coming is sometime between next week, and my birthday, two weeks from now.

What's really great are the people posting on the bulletin board who are giving out advice, looking at the signs, and trying to help people know where to leave a message for their left behind loved ones when they have left this earth. My favorite note hiding place is "in the liquor cabinet," because you know people are going to drink when all of these folks are gone.

Of course one of the threads on the bulletin board was deleted when some bloggers, like Andrew Sullivan, Jonathan Swift and Daily Kos started noticing the fact that the posters were getting just a little happy about the Mid East bombings between Israel and Hezbola. luckily they kept some of it around...here's a quote:

Is it time to get excited? I can't help the way I feel. For the first time in my Christian walk, I have no doubts that the day of the Lords appearing is upon us. I have never felt this way before, I have a joy that bubbles up every-time I think of him, for I know this is truly the time I have waited for so long. Am I alone in feeling guilty about the human suffering like my joy at his appearing some how fuels the evil I see everywhere. If it were not for the souls that hang in the balance and the horror that stalks man daily on this earth, my joy would be complete. For those of us who await his arrival know, somehow we just know it won't be long now, the Bridegroom cometh rather man is ready are not.

That's from poster Ohhappyday. Perky and ready to vanish. Good for the war, even though he/she feels bad about the suffering, because she's not going to have to deal with the aftermath, it's OK. Let's try another one:

If He tarries, I will just have time to get my hair and nails done (you know let all I come into contact with know of my Bridegroom and what He has/will do). So i am all spiffied up for Him when He does arrive to take me home. No disappointment, just a few last minute details to take care of to be more pleasing to look at. Sound the shofar! Let the Enemy know the alert has been sounded and Yeshua is stepping onto the battlefield.

This is another one that just makes me think of the people in the Heavens Gate group who were ready to die to get placed on a spaceship. I'm guessing that she's ready to go because she can't get a date, so why not save yourself for Jesus? The Kool-Aid waits for you.

It's fascinating, and troubling. These people are ready to give up on the world, and that's OK, i guess, but to me they just seem desperate hoping for more suffering that seems like a sign to them. I'll admit that I can't quote the Bible, but I remember something where God said that you won't know the time of my coming. I'm going to stick with that, and try not to mess up the world that we live in now, just because I'm not worried about those who will have to fix it later.

Still, I wonder...how many people might be trying to promote conflict thinking that they will bring on the rapture...it's been suggested that people in the Bush administration belive this, so what would they do, and how far would they go to make it happen?

These folks are dangerous, and a bit sad.

Comments

[slothel.livejournal.com]

Not to mention arrogant, assuming that they will be the ones taken. Wait a second...isn't PRIDE one of the seven deadly sins? And getting your hair and nails done so you'll be prettier for Jesus a touch vain?

One of my favorite books has something like this happening--a sect of southern baptists think that the world isn't ending quickly enough, so they decide to bomb the Temple Mount to make way for the Third Temple using the justification that "god helps those who help themselves." The author responds later with the line, "A life dedicated to the Afterlife is no life at all."

I think it's time to read that book again.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

Yes, I really would have thought that the Son of God would be somewhat non-judgmental when it came to things like race, looks and wealth, but apparently one who takes the time to do here hair certainly will see the favor of the Lord.

Something makes me think I should check out the Left Behind books, to try to see what these guys are thinking. Still, I'll take it that your book is probably better written - and more thought out.

[bigmacbear]

Just remember: George W. Bush will read no child Left Behind. (He prefers My Pet Goat, from what I've heard. ;-)

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

I belive that children are our future, unless they of course are all taken in the rapture. Hey, maybe we can cut education spending, since they'll never grow up, right?

[slothel.livejournal.com]

It's Skinny Legs and All by Tom Robbins. That isn't the main thing happening in the book, it's just something going on with the main character's uncle.

I have to admit to a little curiosity about the Left Behind books, too. I would worry about reading them in public because everyone I've seen reading them has a bible in a little zippered case next to them. I don't have one of those, so I think people would realize that I'm an impostor.

[mtnkodiak.livejournal.com]

That crap is scary, and yeah, fascinating. At what point does it become self-fulfilling?

It's just weird to see what the human mind is capable of. To me (I'm pretty much a Bright), these "rapturists" are a fine example of irrational thought. As I understand it, they think a supernatural being is going to make them disappear at some point, along with all the other "good" people, magically transporting them into an infinite-sized location called "heaven". Thinking like that should put you in the nuthouse, methinks. Same goes for claiming that an invisible ghost gives you direct, verbal guidance and instruction. That's schizophrenia, innit?

As far as I'm concerned, our life here is just too short to be killing fellow humans (especially because your invisible god is better than their invisible god). Haven't we had enough of that in the past? Obviously, I'm a suburban American, so I can't really fathom the seething hatred that is born into these middle-eastern people over the ages.

All I can come up with is the tired old question: "can't we all just get along?" And that ain't enough, obviously.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

I'm wondering if someone might be able to sell them some "special" water that will hurry the rapture up for them, sort of like the Heaven's Gate pudding. Something tells me these folks could be easily swayed.

I just think it's irresponsible for any human to wish for the destruction of others, and the destruction of our world just because you think you're entitled to use it up. Besides, didn't you love those who weren't saved, and wish for them to have a world to live in? What happened to being a good steward of the Earth?

[dedos.livejournal.com]

Wow, I hadn't actually thought of powerful forces that might be in favor of bringing about rapture / annihilation. Scary, very scary.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it makes you look at some of the policies from the folks currently in power. So are we trying to stabilize, or de-stabilize? Run our economy and ecology into the ground? It becomes really interesting.

[musicbearmn.livejournal.com]

I knew there was a reason why we are good friends.

Your post hit on the nail EXACTLY what I have been thinking the past few days...someone sent me that link and I've been pondering what that guy said.

I'm getting more and more concerned every day with the right-wing conservative crowd. It was pounded into our heads in Bible college that WE WON'T KNOW THE TIME AND PLACE of Christ's return. That there will be many who say "there" and "here", etc, who are false prophets. There are a lot of people who don't know their Bible very well. (today's Bible lesson in a nutshell).

It scares me to death that the Dobson crowd thinks destroying the environment is ok, because it brings us closer to the end. It bothers me that the right thinks its ok for Israel to do what they are doing. Let's just chuck the New Testament all together, it seems.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

Yes, I won't claim myself as a Christian, but I do know enough that all of these crazy people who continually try to predict doomsday tend to find themselves laughed at a day after. Still there's obviously money to be made, so your Robert Van Impe's will be happy to sell the message to find the scared and impressionable following him. It's sad that there are so many of these guys who have found themselves star preachers, rather than those who truly serve the people who believe.

Truly, nothing sells better than a threat, and if getting away from the threat is to give all of your money away, and wait for your reward, there's plenty of people who will buy it.

[standardtom.livejournal.com]

I've been watching lately as it seems there are more and more people who are true wingnuts of this nature out there.

People for whom even conservatives aren't conservative enough.

Things are going to get really interesting for the Republican party as a result.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

The question is, will the Republicans end up being divided, find that they have many people who just stay home on voting day, or have defections to the Democrats.

I think the Dems will do OK this year in the midterms, but they certainly could make their case better than just being the other party. Still, it will be interesting to see if they can provide a strong and popular Presidential candidate in 2008.

[gmjambear]

Some of us can only hope for a divided Republican Party.

You brought up some very interesting ideas that, sadly, seem very valid. Scary.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

Well, i first heard about the Rapture scenario about a year ago, and in some ways, I can really see that these guys really are working toward it...I hope not, but I really do wonder about some of these folks.

[standardtom.livejournal.com]

It wouldn't surprise me to see both major parties eventually fracture, as the far right and the far left each become increasingly exasperated with the political center.

I'm not sure that those left in the center would necessarily coalesce into one centrist party, but... both parties (and the nation as a whole) are headed for upheaval, and perhaps even a complete reset.

[eggwards.livejournal.com]

The problem is, the people in the center usually aren't motivated as they see the choices are rather bad on either side of them. Hince why many candidates try to run in the center, to capture what they can. So far a "center party", such as the Reform party hasn't really gotten off the ground, and may never since it's far too hard to get funding and publicity trying to fight against the establishment.

Really, only the extremes seem to get anyone motivated these days.