The End is Near

[mercyngrace]

After reading a news article about a Christian band roving the nation with a warning that the apocalypse/rapture is imminent, I started wondering what other LDS believe about the "end times".

I imagine that most don't see a Tim LaHaye post-rapture period marked by death, destruction, and the rise of an Eastern European political anti-Christ, but I could be wrong.

So what do you foresee and why?

[Bill “Papa” Lee]

After reading a news article about a Christian band roving the nation with a warning that the apocalypse/rapture is imminent, I started wondering what other LDS believe about the "end times".

I imagine that most don't see a Tim LaHaye post-rapture period marked by death, destruction, and the rise of an Eastern European political anti-Christ, but I could be wrong.

So what do you foresee and why?

Everyone in every age think the end is near. Also there is no "Rapture", seven years before the second coming.

[mercyngrace]

Everyone in every age think the end is near. Also there is no "Rapture", seven years before the second coming.

Pa Pa,

You told me what you don't believe. Tell me what you do believe.

I'm with you on both of those points, btw.

[Deborah]

I think our country will face more dire circumstances if we don't get back to God and protecting the Constitution and our God-given freedoms. I do think there is still hope that sufficient people worshiping God will keep us from complete collapse but I think areas of the country will be unlivable as more of the righteous flee to those areas that are safer and more in line with God.

[frankenstein]

I think our country will face more dire circumstances if we don't get back to God and protecting the Constitution and our God-given freedoms.

what freedoms? and whose interpretation of what those freedoms mean? Is it my freedom to where a shirt that has "%K the Draft" printed on it? Is a protected freedom burning of the Nations flag?

I do think there is still hope that sufficient people worshiping God will keep us from complete collapse but I think areas of the country will be unlivable as more of the righteous flee to those areas that are safer and more in line with God.

if this were to happen, I believe it would factions, each faction with its own interpretation of what the Constitution means.

[thesometimesaint]

I have no idea when the end is. But I do know the name of the Church.

[mledbetter]

Everyone in every age think the end is near. Also there is no "Rapture", seven years before the second coming.

Agreed.

We Christians, of all flavors, worrying all the time about the end of the world, must look so silly to the rest of humanity.

[mledbetter]

Pa Pa,

You told me what you don't believe. Tell me what you do believe.

I'm with you on both of those points, btw.

Our sun will become a red giant in a couple billion years and consume the earth. Or a supernova could occur in a star too close for comfort (that can happen at any time). Or a star could collapse into a black hole and suck us in. If humanity hasn't killed itself off before any of those events, hopefully we will have found a quick and safe way to travel through space and found a new home by then.

Or we could just run out of oil, but that would only wipe out about 5 billion or so people, if we can't find another fuel source to mass produce and distribute our food supply by then. Then the survivors would sport the latest styles in mohawks and spiked-leather and drive around fighting each other over the limited remaining fuel. We would have sporting competitions in a thunder dome.

Or aliens could come, and treat us the same way our forefathers treated the native Americans. That would suck.

Or the internet could get taken over by a powerful AI that would create super robots bent on human destruction.

I know, I watch too much scifi. :-(

-Matt

[SilverKnight]

So what do you foresee and why?

Much of our end-times eschatology comes from the Book of Revelations which I believe to be highly symbolic at best, insane ravings at worst.

Given this fact, I put very little stock in any of the apocalyptic calamities of scripture and campfire folk stories of old mormon men.

However if you forced me to gaze into my Nostradaman scrying bowl and fortell a dire end of the world scenario that considers my LDS faith, I would tell you:

Overpopulation, starvation, and the destruction of the earth's resources will continue - there are just too many people for the earth to support.

Islam will continue to grow into an even greater menace, killing millions more each year and they will eventually switch from dynamite vests to nuclear devices.

The West will rot from the inside out like the Roman Empire of old - finally collapsing under the crushing weight of socialist insolvency and illegal immigrants.

The earth will finally pass away by the 'fires' of some terrible distant holocaust and the sun will become a dim red orb of blood.

Ultimately, our insatiable greed, corrupt governments, overbreeding, religious fanaticism, tolerance of evil and loss of liberty will destroy humanity.

And when the last pitiful starving bands of humans perish, I truly hope Christ will be there to collect the last remnants of his flock.

[mercyngrace]

Matt -

I was thinking more along the lines of a toxic spill turning most of humanity into zombies.... I'm preparing to wait out a long siege (once I find my way to Will Smith's house ).

MnG

What actually got me thinking was that my initial reaction to the news blurb was to chuckle at the thought of me chicken littling up and down the coast in a bumper sticker covered Honda Civic. Then it occurred to me how hypocritical it was to laugh at the notion since our prophets have warned of cataclysmic disasters befalling the world preparatory to the Second Coming. I know members who are looking for THE anti-christ and others who believe that the same Bible verses are historical and have been misapplied to our day. So I'm wondering where the mainstream of the church is on these issues.

[CA Steve]

I have no idea when the end is. But I do know the name of the Church.

Maybe we we should think of a name change. How about Church of ...... of Latter-Years Saints? If we wait 20 years to change it then it could be Latter-Centuries Saints.

[Zakuska]

Last days fulfilment?

More birds fall from sky

[Deborah]

Last days fulfilment?

Which is referring to this: birds and fishes dying

Canaries in the mine?

[Zakuska]

Which is referring to this: birds and fishes dying

Canaries in the mine?

The article says they seem to have run into each other after getting scared by fireworks or something.

Or perhaps they ran into one of these...

http://www.jerrypipp...oenix_ley97.jpg

2012 is fast approaching.

[ERayR]

Last days fulfilment?

More birds fall from sky

[Gordon]

After reading a news article about a Christian band roving the nation with a warning that the apocalypse/rapture is imminent, I started wondering what other LDS believe about the "end times".

Ah...the Open Forum with Harold Camping.

He has already predicted the end once...but, I do listen to him more than I should.

[mfbukowski]

I once had an Alpaca sweater and it was great, but I never thought too much about an Alpaca's lips. I guess they help them eat and stuff.

Mea culpa, mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. I couldn't help myself.

[ELF1024]

After reading a news article about a Christian band roving the nation with a warning that the apocalypse/rapture is imminent, I started wondering what other LDS believe about the "end times".

I imagine that most don't see a Tim LaHaye post-rapture period marked by death, destruction, and the rise of an Eastern European political anti-Christ, but I could be wrong.

So what do you foresee and why?

My Boss tells me I'm allowed to take a day off for the end of the world... but only once....

[Jeff K.]

After reading a news article about a Christian band roving the nation with a warning that the apocalypse/rapture is imminent, I started wondering what other LDS believe about the "end times".

I imagine that most don't see a Tim LaHaye post-rapture period marked by death, destruction, and the rise of an Eastern European political anti-Christ, but I could be wrong.

So what do you foresee and why?

I was once asked by my son the difference between flatulence and flagellants. I told him once stinks up the room, and the other stinks up the doctrine. Going around and whipping people into a doctrinal frenzy about something only the Father and Son know (with the idea that we mortals or rather some of us are somehow privy) reflects a certain arrogance. There were bands (of a different sort) roaming around 1000 AD pretty much emphasizing the same. I don't see a difference between the two time periods. Mankind is no wiser, and flatulence and flagellants still seem to be pretty common.

[mercyngrace]

I was once asked by my son the difference between flatulence and flagellants. I told him once stinks up the room, and the other stinks up the doctrine. Going around and whipping people into a doctrinal frenzy about something only the Father and Son know (with the idea that we mortals or rather some of us are somehow privy) reflects a certain arrogance. There were bands (of a different sort) roaming around 1000 AD pretty much emphasizing the same. I don't see a difference between the two time periods. Mankind is no wiser, and flatulence and flagellants still seem to be pretty common.

LOL. You don't even have to go back to 1000 a.d. Just look at Fin de si

[Nathair/|\]

If this works:

[Vex]

I saw this and had to respond to some of them. Sorry if they already have.

Our sun will become a red giant in a couple billion years and consume the earth. Or a supernova could occur in a star too close for comfort (that can happen at any time).

I doubt it. I would be more concerned with a gamma ray burst than a supernova.

Or a star could collapse into a black hole and suck us in.

No. Not unless it's gravitational field suddenly increases beyond the limits of a super massive black hole.

If humanity hasn't killed itself off before any of those events, hopefully we will have found a quick and safe way to travel through space and found a new home by then.

Debatable, but if I have my way space travel will become fairly easy.

Or we could just run out of oil, but that would only wipe out about 5 billion or so people, if we can't find another fuel source to mass produce and distribute our food supply by then.

Oil depletion would be sucky, but good news on that front; genetic bioengineering of singled cell organisms.

Then the survivors would sport the latest styles in mohawks and spiked-leather and drive around fighting each other over the limited remaining fuel. We would have sporting competitions in a thunder dome.

Great movie.

Or aliens could come, and treat us the same way our forefathers treated the native Americans. That would suck.

Or we could sneeze. Remember they would have the same immune deficiency towards our bacteria, germs, etc that we would to theres. It's why I laugh whenever I see full on invasion forces of aliens romping around earth. It makes no sense. Independence day was fairly close to how I envision an alien invasion force, though I doubt very much they would hover in the atmosphere blowing things up.

Or the internet could get taken over by a powerful AI that would create super robots bent on human destruction.

Eh, doubt it.

I know, I watch too much scifi. :-(

-Matt

Eh, you seem normal enough.

[evangelist]

On many websites and prophecy is saying the end of the world is next year in 2012!

one love