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Originally Posted by Liminal Chris  That's the bibles teachings on the anti-christ? In 12 years of religion class, they generally stayed away from the Apocalypse and focused on more morality and such. In general, it seems extremely pessimistic to me, but much of Christianity does to me. The idea of original sin seems like a pretty negative view of human nature. The inability of people to unite unless they are decieved by an anti-christ figure seems pretty negative as well. |
There is wide disagreement in Christian circles about "things to come". Premillenialism, Postmillenialism, Amillenialism, Dispensationalism, Hyperdispensationalism, and so on. The detailed prophecies that Nightspirit is talking about are in my view more embellishments in the vein of Tim LaHaye's
Left Behind series of novels than from the Bible. Some Christians even believe that the events she discusses happened already and identify whatever Roman emperor presided over the sacking of the Jewish temple in Jerusalem (I forget his name) as the Antichrist (if I recall correctly, that group would be the Christian Reconstructionists).
As an example of all the confusion, there is a verse in the Bible to the effect that "when you see the abomination that causes desolation walking in the temple" you will know the end is nigh. So what is the "abomination that causes desolation"? The Bible never really says. Various interpreters are convinced they know, and they disagree with one another. Vague, ominous statements produce vague, ominous beliefs.
And on it goes ... will we be resurrected bodily or not? Are the dead conscious or in "soul sleep"? When, chronologically, does the thousand year reign of Christ occur, always assuming of course that there will literally be such a reign? (the debate about whether a passage is literal or figurative, and if figurative, what it's a metaphor for, is often crucial in such debates) Will there or will there not be a literal "rapture" in which "true believers" will simply vanish from the earth?
All of this is great fodder for sermons but generates way more heat than light. Some of these teachings are based on single verses or even phrases. Nowhere, in my view, do the teachings of the church become more muddled (and often self-serving) than in the area of prophecy.
This happens even outside the realm of prophecy; most of you have probably heard about the "unpardonable sin" or the "sin unto death" which has been hotly debated for two thousand years as to what it is because although the apostle Paul said there is such a sin he coyly did not mention what it was. This has permitted it to be "identified" through the centuries as whatever bugaboo various teachers most wanted to scare people sh_tless about. Premarital sex, lust, and masturbation are favorites. Which brings you to the whole disagreement about "eternal security of the believer" ... can you lose your salvation? The free will of man vs the sovereignty of God ... Oh, on and on and on it goes ...
--Bob
(among other not-his-proudest-moments, a one-time inmate of a theological cemetery ... uh, seminary).