Discerning The Times

Originally posted by yoctobyte
I do on some level and there are some key things that have happened and are happening that bolster that belief.

Are you willing to explain what those are?

Originally posted by twhitehead
Are you willing to explain what those are?

Sure, I would... might take a couple of days though.

Originally posted by yoctobyte
I have not put a "time" as to when things will be. Whether today, tomorrow or 20 years from now. All I am asking is do you see any correlation between the events today (current events) and what the bible speaks of as it relates to the last days? Any at all? There is no wrong answer.

Feel free believe, guess or pretend to believe, (y)es or (n)o wold be an acceptable answer.

I could point to possible correlations 20, 50, 100, 1000 years ago. There will be more possible correlations 20, 50, 100, 1000 years from now.

You are claiming that we are living in the last times now. Clearly you are either guessing, pretending or making it up as you simply do not know. Your claim is pointless if you calibrate the "end times" as being from 1000 years ago to 1000 years in the future.

So, when did the end times start?

Originally posted by sonhouse
Suzianne, if you believe the end days are coming in your lifetime, doesn't that argument get weaker as time goes by? As you get closer and closer to YOUR end days, don't you have to rethink the end days coming in your lifetime concept?

That plus I would imagine there are probably at least a billion people now dead who thought the same thing in THEIR life ...[text shortened]... t, what makes you sure THIS TIME you are right and it is going to be within say, 50 years or so?

As in Daniel, we should all be able to see the handwriting on the wall and discern that the season is nearly upon us. The signs foretold in Matthew are evident.

Originally posted by yoctobyte
I do believe we are seeing the end times, as to how many years however remain? Well that remains to be seen.

Perhaps one of the most important reasons I believe that the end times is the period in which we live is the miracle of the nation of Israel and its rebirth. In the bible there are references of the fig tree being synonymous or a representation ...[text shortened]... phetically that suggest we are in the last days. So yes I believe that we are in the last days.

Well done.

However, "end times" is a phrase like a fuse. It sets people off on flights of fancy. I would consider the true "end times" to only comprise the last seven years after the Rapture and leading to the return of Christ, and in this regard, this is why I say we are not in the "end times" yet, but very nearly so, I'd be surprised if we have even 50 years, given the state of our "fig tree".

Originally posted by FMF
Are you doing anything specific in order to address what is going to happen? Are you doing anything to try to help save any family, loved ones, friends, colleagues or neighbours who are non-believers?

If you have children, are you telling them that they will [possibly] be destroyed and that they should not worry as it will be divine "justice"? If you're youn ...[text shortened]... give up your job so that you can spend more time with your family in the run up to destruction?

Sure, make him out to be like Marshall Applewhite.

Typical.

Originally posted by FMF
That you are reading the Bible is taken as a given. I was looking for evidence from your life that you are doing specific practical things in order to address the real life consequences of what you say is going to happen. You basically dodged my questions.

In fact, I cannot remember any of the 'end is nigh' Christians in this community fielding any serious q ...[text shortened]... l. Curious behaviour, time and time again. Should people take your claims seriously? If so, why?

"Serious" questions. Yeah, right.

And oh yeah, while I'm at it, it's not "doomsday" as you allege. It's only going to be "doomsday" for those who reject Christ.

Why should we take your attempts to paint us as 'whack jobs' seriously? Because that's all you're doing. "Serious" questions. Give me a break.

Originally posted by Suzianne
As in Daniel, we should all be able to see the handwriting on the wall and discern that the season is nearly upon us. The signs foretold in Matthew are evident.

Are you willing to explain what signs you see?

Originally posted by divegeester
I don't believe it is in the Bible.

I have no idea, which is why you will rarely, it ever, hear me pontificating on when the end will come, where we are now in relation to the end, who will experience the end and whether the end involves some kind of pre or post apocalyptic thousand year reign of Christ accompanied by a pre or post tribulation rapture ...[text shortened]... who is pretending they know is just pretending they know. Including you, if I may be so blunt.

All who can read, can know. Except, you know, for those who refuse to know.

One can also use your same argument ("You don't know, you just pretend you know!" ) and apply it directly to the question of "eternal torment" that you claim to know all about.

I personally think that argument fails on both counts, but still...

Originally posted by Suzianne
All who can read, can know. Except, you know, for those who refuse to know.

One can also use your same argument ("You don't know, you just pretend you know!" ) and apply it directly to the question of "eternal torment" that you claim to know all about.

I personally think that argument fails on both counts, but still...

What has my challenge to you not knowing whether we are not in the last days or not, got to do with you and I both believing that God will NOT torture the lost in burning flames for all eternity?

Originally posted by Suzianne
"Serious" questions. Yeah, right.

And oh yeah, while I'm at it, it's not "doomsday" as you allege. It's only going to be "doomsday" for those who reject Christ.

Why should we take your attempts to paint us as 'whack jobs' seriously? Because that's all you're doing. "Serious" questions. Give me a break.

Your refusal to talk in detail about the details of your prediction makes you seem not serious and makes your beliefs seem perhaps insincere - it's just stuff you say on message boards, but you don't take any serious questions on them. It is you who has introduced the term "whack jobs", not me.

Originally posted by Suzianne
Sure, make him out to be like Marshall Applewhite.

Typical.

I have no idea who Marshall Applewhite is. The only person who makes yoctobyte to be like anything or anyone, is yoctobyte himself. I am trying to gauge how serious he is when he claims that the world will end in his lifetime. He reacts in a strange way when anyone asks him genuine head-on questions about his belief in this matter. So do you. You almost always deflect with personal remarks aimed at the questioner.

Originally posted by sonship
If all your hope are vested in this fallen sin stricken world then you may think only of Christ's coming as the doomsday end of it all.

I prefer that I view Him more as the bright dawning of a new day for the world.

The problem is that, as the saying goes, "It's always darkest before the dawn."

The period of time leading up to His return will see more humans perish on this earth than at any point in history.

"And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." -- Matthew 24:22

But these are the wages of sin. That is why they call it "doomsday".

But the rest of us remember these words from the end of Revelation: "I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." -- Revelation 22:16

So I concur.

Originally posted by FMF
The prophecy can just sit there for another ten thousand years just like it's sat there for the last one or two thousand years. Christians have been predicting the end of the world since Christians first walked the earth. A smattering of reasonable questions soon undoes you and reveals that you are not really serious and you're making no effort to convince anyon ...[text shortened]... ting a Bible verse with the word "fool" in it when you want to suggest that someone is a "fool".

"Proper" discussion? You sitting back laughing at us is "proper" discussion? No, thanks.

Originally posted by Suzianne
The problem is that, as the saying goes, "It's always darkest before the dawn."

The period of time leading up to His return will see more humans perish on this earth than at any point in history.

"And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." -- Matthew 24:22

But ...[text shortened]... nd the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star." -- Revelation 22:16

So I concur.

As I pointed out to checkbaiter, making up stuff, presuming, pretending one knows absolutely and passing this things off as truth, brings the gospel into disrepute.