Remember Harold Camping, who made international news by declaring that Judgement Day would occur on May 21st, 2011? Well, he is at it again.
For those who do not remember, or are a little fuzzy on the details, Camping claimed that Judgement Day would happen on May 21st, with massive earthquakes occurring all over the world at 6:00pm local time in each time zone. Then, all "true" Christians (i.e. those Christians who agreed with everything Camping said) would be Raptured into heaven, beginning a five month period of "fire, brimstone, and plagues" on Earth, culminating with the end of the world on October 21st. Family Radio spent over $100 million dollars on advertising in order to spread the word of the upcoming deadline.
Well, to the shock of almost nobody, May 21st came and went without millions of Christians disappearing, leaving their empty clothes behind (I guess heaven is a nudist colony) as an omen to all us sinful heathens of the horrible agony God was about to inflict upon us. Damn.
(Video via Unreasonable Faith. While I am not an atheist, it is an awesome blog. I recommend checking them out.)
Afterwards, in his typical delusional fashion (this was his third failed prediction for the end of the world; the others were in 1988 and 1994), Camping announced that the "judgement" had been spiritual, not physical. Instead, the Rapture of "true" believers will occur simultaneously with God's destruction of the Earth, which Camping still believes will occur October 21st. The only difference this time around is that Camping is not spending millions of dollars on advertising. While most believe this is because Camping spent all his money proclaiming his previous date, Camping says it is because there is no point, since May 21st was Judgement Day. Basically, if you were not saved by then, you are screwed. God will annihilate you when He destroys the Earth on October 21st.
Now that October 21st is approaching, he is back in the news again.The only thing I am grateful for is that, since Camping's last prediction failed, he is not getting anywhere near as much media coverage this time. At least, not so far. We can only pray it stays that way.
I have written about end-time prophecies and why they are so popular before. To put it bluntly, I think they are a bunch of crap. I am no more worried that the world might end on October 21st than I am worried that I might be abducted by aliens tomorrow. What does bother me, though, is the enormous amount of money spent because of these predictions. As I mentioned above, Camping's group spent $100 million dollars in the weeks leading up to May 21st. Think of all the good that money could have done. How many hungry people could have been fed? How many free or low-cost clinics could have been supported so that the uninsured could have access to desperately needed medical care? How many inner-city schools could have been renovated, giving kids a better chance of succeeding in the future? How much aid could we have sent to areas all over the world struggling to recover from natural disasters? How many teenagers from low-income families could have been put through college, giving them a better chance at breaking the cycle of poverty? How many houses could have been built for low-income families? How many shelters could have been built to help the homeless?
I could go on and on. The sheer waste of it makes me sick. Instead of being so obsessed with when the world is going to end, why can we not be obsessed with making this world a better place, with helping those less fortunate than ourselves?
To be honest, this is something I do not understand about many conservative Christian churches. In the Bible itself, Jesus reveals what is truly important:
When an "expert in the law" asked Jesus "what must I do to inherit eternal life?", Jesus said "Love the Lord your God will all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all you mind" and "Love your neighbor as yourself". Jesus then goes on the define "neighbor" as everyone around you (Luke 10:25-37).
In the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats, which is extremely popular with conservative Christians, since they take it as evidence for the existence of an eternal hell (as a universalist I obviously disagree, but that is a discussion for another day) Jesus determines who is a sheep (good) and who is a goat (bad) by asking whether they gave the hungry something to eat, gave the thirsty something to drink, invited the stranger into their homes, gave clothes to those who needed them, looked after those who were sick, and visited those who were in prison (Mathew 25:34-40).
Jesus did NOT say you needed to hold the "right" beliefs, or follow the "right" rules, or belong to the "right" denomination, or go to church every Sunday morning and Wednesday night, or anything like that. Jesus did NOT ask whether you knew the date of the end of the world, including the exact timeline of the events that will encompass it [e.g. the Rapture, the Tribulation, Battle of Armageddon, the Millennium, the Second Coming, the Resurrection, etc. (disagreements over the order in which these events will occur have actually caused churches to split apart, but, again, that is a discussion for another day)].
Yet all those things are what conservative Christian churches pay the most attention too! A couple of years ago, I was having a conversation with an acquaintance with mine who was a fundamentalist Christian. I brought up a similar argument and his response was that there was no point on spending all there time attempting to "fix" the world since the world was going to end soon anyway. Better to work on saving souls before it is too late. While I know that my acquaintance was a good person, his answer disgusted me. All of this "End Times" crap disgusts me. I can only hope that when October 22nd dawns and the world is still here, people will recognize that Harold Camping is nothing but a fraud and maybe begin to realize that we have more important concerns to focus on than attempting to predict the end of the world.
Apologies both for the long post and a month long disappearance. I have been struggling with terrible writer's block, but hopefully that is ending.
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jesus. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
It's the End of the World!
Or, at least, you'd think it was by listening to the countless groups warning us that the end of days is almost upon us.
A little research is enough to show me that these kind of pronouncements are nothing new. Humans have been predicting the end of the world for thousands of years. Yet, recently, it seems that Armageddon prophecies have become mainstream. It's not just some odd preacher on the street corner commanding you to "Repent for the End is Nigh!". It's a pop-culture phenomena and our insatiable appetite for the last days is fed by books, documentaries, TV shows, and even big budget Hollywood movies.
It began with the Y2K craze in 1999 as people panicked about the imminent failure of all computers when the clocks rolled over to the year 2000. After the new millennium came in with a glaring lack of catastrophes, our fervor only grew. Soon, word spread about the supposed "end" of the Mayan calendar on December 21/22 , 2012. This time, the end of the world is being portrayed through a more religious lens, rather than a technological one. Although exact dates vary, a multitude of Christian groups are preaching that Jesus' Second Coming will occur within the next few years and true Christians must be ready for His return and the chaos of Armageddon. A group of Christians in Nashville, Tennessee is proclaiming that Jesus' return is scheduled for May 21st, 2011, only 4 months away. They believe Christ will then shepherd all true Christians up to Heaven and leave the rest of us to face the horrors of Armageddon, culminating with Judgment Day on October 21st, 2011.
The point of this post is not to disprove these dates. To be blunt, I think they are all BS. There are numerous reasons I believe this, but that is also not the point of this post. The point of this post is to ask a question.
Why are we so obsessed with the end of the world? The end of the world is not just a curiosity, it is a multi-million dollar business. People don't just want to know when it is, they want to know what it will be like, what to expect. When it becomes an element of a religious belief system, they want to be reassured that their group will be saved and all the "others" will be punished for their lack of faith. A few groups even believe they can hasten Armageddon by helping to fulfill certain events the Bible mentions must occur before Jesus can return. The best example of this are Christians lobbying for the government of Israel to destroy the Dome of the Rock and rebuild Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, an act they presume must transpire before Christ's Second Coming.
Honestly, I think part of the answer is simple: laziness. Our world has countless problems, a majority of them man made. Fixing them is an overwhelming (and sometimes seemingly impossible) task. Wouldn't it just be easier if the world ended? Why should we worry about how our carbon dioxide emissions are warming up the Earth? Or be concerned about the increase in poverty everywhere, from the poorest villages in Africa to the must affluent cities in the US and Europe? Why anguish over the growing racial and religious tensions on an ever more connected globe? Or be anxious over dwindling food and water supplies? These complications will vanish when Jesus returns. He'll fix everything! No need for us to lift a finger.
Except, I do not believe God works that way. The Bible itself says in the first chapter of Genesis that humans were given dominion over the Earth and the living things which inhabit it. This means we are the guardians and caretakers of this planet and the life which we share it with. We can't walk away just because the clean-up job is difficult.
However, I do not believe this is the full picture. There is another dimension to the desire for hastening the end-times: fear. Fear is a powerful motivator because it bypasses reason and logic. Churches preach the end of the world to scare people either into converting or, if they already belong, not sliding into "immoral" behavior. If an individual is truly convinced the world is coming to an end and all he/she is required to do in order to receive a free ride up to Heaven before everything goes down the drain is join a particular church and follow their rules, fear of being "left behind" can quickly overpower you. The thought of being trapped in a hell-on-Earth scenario is terrifying. Combine that with the common images of an angry and vengeful God who wants nothing more than to harshly punish your tiniest sin, and who wouldn't want an early exit?
Please forgive me for being repetitive, but again, I do not believe God works that way. He did not put us here so we can dig ourselves into an enormous hole and sit around waiting for Him to teleport us directly to paradise while billions of other people on this planet suffer. God did not intend for us to live like nothing matters because the "End is Nigh!". I believe He intended us to live like every single day is a new opportunity to ease the suffering of others and learn to become better people. Instead of paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars on billboard guessing yet another "exact" date of Christ's return, those churches should be feeding the hungry, ministering to criminals in prison, and comforting the sick in the hospital, to name only a few more worthwhile activities.
The reason we do not know our end, whether is be our own personal death or Armageddon, is so that we may focus our time and energy to helping those less fortunate. It is a goal we all should strive for every day, no matter if we are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, pagan, atheist, Buddhist, or anything else. We should not obsess over our end either, or be afraid at our lack of knowledge, because we have nothing to fear. God is not the vengeful, judgmental old-man in the sky, counting down the days and hours until He can punish us severely for the smallest missteps. He is our Father Who loves us unconditionally and Who created us out of that love. He put us on Earth so that we may learn the Golden Rule. As God, He knew we would make mistakes along the way, but He offers us His instant forgiveness, just as any human parent forgives their wayward child. He does not eagerly await our deaths, either as an individual or as a species, in order to punish us, but lovingly awaits the homecoming of the children he adores.
Fear of Armageddon is nothing but a distraction to living our lives and making the world a better place. Because, who knows how much time we have remaining? :P
A little research is enough to show me that these kind of pronouncements are nothing new. Humans have been predicting the end of the world for thousands of years. Yet, recently, it seems that Armageddon prophecies have become mainstream. It's not just some odd preacher on the street corner commanding you to "Repent for the End is Nigh!". It's a pop-culture phenomena and our insatiable appetite for the last days is fed by books, documentaries, TV shows, and even big budget Hollywood movies.
It began with the Y2K craze in 1999 as people panicked about the imminent failure of all computers when the clocks rolled over to the year 2000. After the new millennium came in with a glaring lack of catastrophes, our fervor only grew. Soon, word spread about the supposed "end" of the Mayan calendar on December 21/22 , 2012. This time, the end of the world is being portrayed through a more religious lens, rather than a technological one. Although exact dates vary, a multitude of Christian groups are preaching that Jesus' Second Coming will occur within the next few years and true Christians must be ready for His return and the chaos of Armageddon. A group of Christians in Nashville, Tennessee is proclaiming that Jesus' return is scheduled for May 21st, 2011, only 4 months away. They believe Christ will then shepherd all true Christians up to Heaven and leave the rest of us to face the horrors of Armageddon, culminating with Judgment Day on October 21st, 2011.
The point of this post is not to disprove these dates. To be blunt, I think they are all BS. There are numerous reasons I believe this, but that is also not the point of this post. The point of this post is to ask a question.
Why are we so obsessed with the end of the world? The end of the world is not just a curiosity, it is a multi-million dollar business. People don't just want to know when it is, they want to know what it will be like, what to expect. When it becomes an element of a religious belief system, they want to be reassured that their group will be saved and all the "others" will be punished for their lack of faith. A few groups even believe they can hasten Armageddon by helping to fulfill certain events the Bible mentions must occur before Jesus can return. The best example of this are Christians lobbying for the government of Israel to destroy the Dome of the Rock and rebuild Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem, an act they presume must transpire before Christ's Second Coming.
Honestly, I think part of the answer is simple: laziness. Our world has countless problems, a majority of them man made. Fixing them is an overwhelming (and sometimes seemingly impossible) task. Wouldn't it just be easier if the world ended? Why should we worry about how our carbon dioxide emissions are warming up the Earth? Or be concerned about the increase in poverty everywhere, from the poorest villages in Africa to the must affluent cities in the US and Europe? Why anguish over the growing racial and religious tensions on an ever more connected globe? Or be anxious over dwindling food and water supplies? These complications will vanish when Jesus returns. He'll fix everything! No need for us to lift a finger.
Except, I do not believe God works that way. The Bible itself says in the first chapter of Genesis that humans were given dominion over the Earth and the living things which inhabit it. This means we are the guardians and caretakers of this planet and the life which we share it with. We can't walk away just because the clean-up job is difficult.
However, I do not believe this is the full picture. There is another dimension to the desire for hastening the end-times: fear. Fear is a powerful motivator because it bypasses reason and logic. Churches preach the end of the world to scare people either into converting or, if they already belong, not sliding into "immoral" behavior. If an individual is truly convinced the world is coming to an end and all he/she is required to do in order to receive a free ride up to Heaven before everything goes down the drain is join a particular church and follow their rules, fear of being "left behind" can quickly overpower you. The thought of being trapped in a hell-on-Earth scenario is terrifying. Combine that with the common images of an angry and vengeful God who wants nothing more than to harshly punish your tiniest sin, and who wouldn't want an early exit?
Please forgive me for being repetitive, but again, I do not believe God works that way. He did not put us here so we can dig ourselves into an enormous hole and sit around waiting for Him to teleport us directly to paradise while billions of other people on this planet suffer. God did not intend for us to live like nothing matters because the "End is Nigh!". I believe He intended us to live like every single day is a new opportunity to ease the suffering of others and learn to become better people. Instead of paying hundreds or even thousands of dollars on billboard guessing yet another "exact" date of Christ's return, those churches should be feeding the hungry, ministering to criminals in prison, and comforting the sick in the hospital, to name only a few more worthwhile activities.
The reason we do not know our end, whether is be our own personal death or Armageddon, is so that we may focus our time and energy to helping those less fortunate. It is a goal we all should strive for every day, no matter if we are Christian, Jewish, Muslim, pagan, atheist, Buddhist, or anything else. We should not obsess over our end either, or be afraid at our lack of knowledge, because we have nothing to fear. God is not the vengeful, judgmental old-man in the sky, counting down the days and hours until He can punish us severely for the smallest missteps. He is our Father Who loves us unconditionally and Who created us out of that love. He put us on Earth so that we may learn the Golden Rule. As God, He knew we would make mistakes along the way, but He offers us His instant forgiveness, just as any human parent forgives their wayward child. He does not eagerly await our deaths, either as an individual or as a species, in order to punish us, but lovingly awaits the homecoming of the children he adores.
Fear of Armageddon is nothing but a distraction to living our lives and making the world a better place. Because, who knows how much time we have remaining? :P
Sunday, September 12, 2010
Universalism and Christianity: My Perspective
I grew up in a Christian family. I have attended many Christian churches (although most considered themselves Southern Baptist). I celebrate Christian holidays. It is the religious tradition I am most knowledgeable about and the tradition I am closest too. I knew little about any other tradition until high school, and it was not until I was in college that I extensively studied another religious tradition.
Despite this, Christianity is the religion I feel the most isolated from. I know that many universalists practice this belief through the eyes of Christianity, believing that all people will be saved through Jesus Christ. While I take no issue with this, I do not. My early experiences with Christianity were extraordinarily negative. It was in a Christian church I was taught to hate myself and to fear God. Even with my conversion to universalism, those ideas still haunt me at times. I am not free of the damage that has been done.
But it is not only past events influencing this feeling of isolation. Almost everyday I see Christians who claim they love everyone isolate and condemn those whom they feel do not fit into their tiny little box of what they believe constitutes a "good person". Two of my best friends are homosexual. Neither of them would ever hurt another person, yet they are told what they do is evil. One of them is about to marry her partner of 3 years and she is told that her love is sinful. I have seen Muslim and Buddhist friends threatened with damnation because they do not follow Jesus Christ. I have seen how much this hurts them. Because of this, Christianity continues to leave a bad taste in my mouth.
However, I am not blinded by hate. I know this view of Christianity is not fair. I know most Christians are not so hateful and work tirelessly to practice the love that they preach. I know there are Christian churches which are inclusive and accepting of all people.
I also know this view is not fair to Jesus. Although I have not decided for myself exactly what he was (whether Son of God, a prophet inspired by God, or just a normal human), I do believe his ideas are immensely valuable to humanity as a whole, as well as individuals, regardless of the religious tradition they follow. It is because of this that I do not equate Jesus with Christianity since Christianity does not, and cannot, claim monopoly over him. Muslims consider him a prophet and people from every walk of life have been inspired by his teachings, including myself.
Even with this knowledge, however, I cannot bring myself back to Christianity, even a Christianity framed with universalist ideals. I still have much bitterness and anger towards Christianity that I must work through. How long this will take is anyone's guess. I might not ever be able to return to the tradition of my childhood. Even if I am able to work through the negativity Christianity has left me with, that is no guarantee I will want to return. Forgiving does not mean forgetting. I also have my personality working against me. I am an independent person, and prefer to study and worship God on my own terms. I am not criticizing those who prefer to do those things in a community setting. I just feel differently.
Overall, I do believe Christianity is a positive force in the world. But until I can heal from the wounds inflicted on me from one sect of Christianity, I do not feel comfortable claiming myself to be a Christian in any way.
Despite this, Christianity is the religion I feel the most isolated from. I know that many universalists practice this belief through the eyes of Christianity, believing that all people will be saved through Jesus Christ. While I take no issue with this, I do not. My early experiences with Christianity were extraordinarily negative. It was in a Christian church I was taught to hate myself and to fear God. Even with my conversion to universalism, those ideas still haunt me at times. I am not free of the damage that has been done.
But it is not only past events influencing this feeling of isolation. Almost everyday I see Christians who claim they love everyone isolate and condemn those whom they feel do not fit into their tiny little box of what they believe constitutes a "good person". Two of my best friends are homosexual. Neither of them would ever hurt another person, yet they are told what they do is evil. One of them is about to marry her partner of 3 years and she is told that her love is sinful. I have seen Muslim and Buddhist friends threatened with damnation because they do not follow Jesus Christ. I have seen how much this hurts them. Because of this, Christianity continues to leave a bad taste in my mouth.
However, I am not blinded by hate. I know this view of Christianity is not fair. I know most Christians are not so hateful and work tirelessly to practice the love that they preach. I know there are Christian churches which are inclusive and accepting of all people.
I also know this view is not fair to Jesus. Although I have not decided for myself exactly what he was (whether Son of God, a prophet inspired by God, or just a normal human), I do believe his ideas are immensely valuable to humanity as a whole, as well as individuals, regardless of the religious tradition they follow. It is because of this that I do not equate Jesus with Christianity since Christianity does not, and cannot, claim monopoly over him. Muslims consider him a prophet and people from every walk of life have been inspired by his teachings, including myself.
Even with this knowledge, however, I cannot bring myself back to Christianity, even a Christianity framed with universalist ideals. I still have much bitterness and anger towards Christianity that I must work through. How long this will take is anyone's guess. I might not ever be able to return to the tradition of my childhood. Even if I am able to work through the negativity Christianity has left me with, that is no guarantee I will want to return. Forgiving does not mean forgetting. I also have my personality working against me. I am an independent person, and prefer to study and worship God on my own terms. I am not criticizing those who prefer to do those things in a community setting. I just feel differently.
Overall, I do believe Christianity is a positive force in the world. But until I can heal from the wounds inflicted on me from one sect of Christianity, I do not feel comfortable claiming myself to be a Christian in any way.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)