Whatever is going on in this forsaken world of ours....

[Tanemon]

Originally Posted by Lorelyen

Interesting. Over a meal the other day a friend was telling about how the Jehovah Witnesses used to claim that the "rapture" would happen within one lifespan of 1914 (not quite sure about rapture but the idea is the world as known would end and JWs would be snatched away and go to the "new heaven" mentioned in the closing chapters of Revelations).

Anyway, even allowing a hypothetical lifespan of 100 years the prophecy failed. But said friend checked up on the JW's "working out" and came to 1918. So on that hypothetical lifespan time will be up in 2018......and looking at the state of things....who knows?

We have JWs here in Canada, as well. Over time, a meager outline of their history has seeped into my awareness. Apparently, the man who founded the Witnesses (a Mr. Russell, I believe) was quite active and had a following (around 1900). He prophesied that the end of the old wicked system amongst humans would occur in 1914, and the beginning of World War I seemed to be playing out the vision.

But when the world problems didn't get solved, he altered the prophesy to an interpretation that now had 1914 as the starting point for a "one generation" wait. That's when the human lifespan figure of 70 years came into play, and so they were expecting the cataclysm and cleansing to occur by 1984!

Well, their dates keep missing the mark, so they keep reinterpreting and recalculating. I guess now they're figuring the end of WWI in 1918 was the actual significant date, and (given a potentially longer human lifespan), they'll add 100 years to that date. Hence - you're saying - 2018.

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Badger1777

Two things.

1. "Our world" is not ours
2. The world is not forsaken, only a few species that inhabit it are.

Ooo, good one!

[Miss Hepburn]

Originally Posted by Baile

Yes, and let's also include all fear-based separation-consciousness ideas born of religious dogma. .

Baile, you must stop holding back.

and I agree.

Originally Posted by Tanemon

We have JWs here in Canada, as well. Over time, a meager outline of their history has seeped into my awareness. Apparently, the man who founded the Witnesses (a Mr. Russell, I believe) was quite active and had a following (around 1900). He prophesied that the end of the old wicked system amongst humans would occur in 1914, and the beginning of World War I seemed to be playing out the vision.

But when the world problems didn't get solved, he altered the prophesy to an interpretation that now had 1914 as the starting point for a "one generation" wait. That's when the human lifespan figure of 70 years came into play, and so they were expecting the cataclysm and cleansing to occur by 1984!

Well, their dates keep missing the mark, so they keep reinterpreting and recalculating. I guess now they're figuring the end of WWI in 1918 was the actual significant date, and (given a potentially longer human lifespan), they'll add 100 years to that date. Hence - you're saying - 2018.

Isn't it so, that the priests always find a way to keep power over their "flock"?!

:)

[Honza]

Originally Posted by Tanemon

Honza, given the interest your OP expesses in this topic of human/planetary condition, I think you might like reading through this previous discussion, if you haven't already...

http://www.spiritualforums.com/vb/sh...ad.php?t=47968

Thankyou.....

[Morpheus]

Originally Posted by Tanemon

We have JWs here in Canada, as well. Over time, a meager outline of their history has seeped into my awareness. Apparently, the man who founded the Witnesses (a Mr. Russell, I believe) was quite active and had a following (around 1900). He prophesied that the end of the old wicked system amongst humans would occur in 1914, and the beginning of World War I seemed to be playing out the vision.

But when the world problems didn't get solved, he altered the prophesy to an interpretation that now had 1914 as the starting point for a "one generation" wait. That's when the human lifespan figure of 70 years came into play, and so they were expecting the cataclysm and cleansing to occur by 1984!

Well, their dates keep missing the mark, so they keep reinterpreting and recalculating. I guess now they're figuring the end of WWI in 1918 was the actual significant date, and (given a potentially longer human lifespan), they'll add 100 years to that date. Hence - you're saying - 2018.

Well, this is true. And, this situation doesn't just involve the Witnesses, either. It is wrong to set dates, per Jesus' instructions and statements. However..?

He tells us to watch, because He comes as a, "Thief in the Night".
(Another indication of "The Rapture".)

The signs also, are upon us both in the sky, in the environment, and in human affairs.

Re: Mathew 24. Luke 21, 1 Thessalonians 5:2, and other.

Luke 21:34-36 "Be on guard, that your heart may not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day come on you suddenly like a trap; for it will come upon the face of the earth. But keep on the alert at all times, praying in order that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."

Though, I understand many of you feel all of this is just, "silly".

Originally Posted by Honza

However many false religions there are; I'm still pretty sure that a "God" does actually exist. That there actually IS order in the world/cosmos.

I'm pretty non denominational - I'm Interfaith in many ways. I believe that one way or another some order will rise out of the chaos.

They have. There is no interfaith---Jesus taught---Enter through the narrow gate, for cramped is the road that leads off into life( eternal) FEW will find it. For many have entered the broad and spacious path that leads to destruction.
There is but 1 path to life, obviously hard to find--Few have.

[Honza]

Originally Posted by kjw47

They have. There is no interfaith---Jesus taught---Enter through the narrow gate, for cramped is the road that leads off into life( eternal) FEW will find it. For many have entered the broad and spacious path that leads to destruction.
There is but 1 path to life, obviously hard to find--Few have.

In your opinion.

[Morpheus]

The point would be this, that anyone who is "of the truth", will have no problem in believing in Jesus. This doesn't mean though that there is not alignment between the various Faiths, and evidence has been found that Siddartha the Buddha may have been the grandfather of the prophet Ezekiel, who we read of in the Old Testament.

Either way, Buddha is the one who sought, with great pains, the Truth.
God is Truth.

He taught the same regarding the Almighty, and that which doesn't change. These are things taught in the bible also, the Lord Himself, "I change not".
Buddha lived, (and died), for some 300 years before Christ was incarnate, in another land and country, and he fulfilled the requirement we read of in Jeremiah, where the Lord stated,
"If you seek me you will find Me , if you seek Me with all your heart." - Jeremiah 29:13

He ought to be regarded, then, as like one of the Old Testament prophets which we read of in the Bible.