Thread: Why do people think, that Christianity states, that one day the world will end?

Ever since I was a child, I seem to remember people saying, that the bible states, "one day, all life on Earth will end."

But when I read the book of Revelation, to me it states, that in the end there will be a new Earth, with no more death, mourning, crying, or pain.



The following was taken from biblegateway.com, bellow is a link,

Revelation 21 NIV - A New Heaven and a New Earth - Then I - Bible Gateway




Revelation 21
New International Version (NIV)

(The following is only part, of Revelation 21.)

A New Heaven and a New Earth
21 Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”
5 He who was seated on the throne said, “I am making everything new!” Then he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.”
6 He said to me: “It is done. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. To the thirsty I will give water without cost from the spring of the water of life. 7 Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children. 8 But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars —they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”





The above does talk about there no longer being a sea. And in verse not posted above, it says "the city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it."

But the book of Revelation, speaks of this new place as being, (the Holy City, of Jerusalem.). It also describes the new city with measurements.

And it says, "there will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."



It does state that, the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars —they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

But it says (nothing) about the good people (Gods people) being taken off Earth.



To me Revelation clearly states that, all life on Earth will (not) end, but rather it will be a new world. And in this new world, there is no more death, mourning, crying, or pain.



Were do people get the idea that the bible says, all life on Earth will end someday?

I think that (maybe) these ideas, come from certain priests and religious leaders.

I think these priests, may twist up certain Bible verse, and then say "the world will end someday."


I think there have been several priests, in the somewhat recent past, that have told their followers "God spoke to me, and said the world will end on a certain day." And then him and his followers would go to a field, and wait for the end of the world, but it never happened.

Just like some people are currently thinking, that the mayan calendar says, the world will end some time this year.



I would love to know, what some of (you) think, the ending of the book of Revelation means.

I would love to know, what some of (you) think, the ending of the book of Revelation means.

What I think? Too much isolation and too many magic mushrooms lead to mushy incoherent writing.

There is no meaning in the conventional sense of the word.

Originally Posted by adelady

I would love to know, what some of (you) think, the ending of the book of Revelation means.

What I think? Too much isolation and too many magic mushrooms lead to mushy incoherent writing.

There is no meaning in the conventional sense of the word.

Yes, or people thinking their dreams mean anything.

Chad, I think what people might mean is that the end of the word as we know it is coming. That ties up with Revelations I think. Do I believe it? No, not in a biblical sense.

Originally Posted by KALSTER

Chad, I think what people might mean is that the end of the word as we know it is coming.

For all of history, and presumably longer, people have been saying, "things ain't what they used to be. The way young people behave now. I'm telling you, if it carries on like this it'll be the end of the world. Soon come."

I vaguely remember reading about a Sumerian book on grammar, one of the earliest examples of writing, that started with something like, "I'm writing this because it seems people nowadays just don't know how to use our language any more..." Sound familiar?

Originally Posted by Strange

Sound familiar?

Yep. As pertains to language; Perhaps as a symptom of this, my English is probably a lot better than my Afrikaans, even though I don't speak English very often. My English vocabulary is derived mostly from books and forums (two of them ), while my Afrikaans vocabulary has mostly developed from normal day to day interaction. I also often feel I have to dumb down my English when I do use it in order to avoid coming across as aloof and to avoid misunderstandings.

You often hear people talking about signs of the end times when they mean the rapture and Armageddon.

For a variety of reasons, people tend to think their dreams has some meaning or predictive value of future events.

There are other Apocalyptic Stories:
1. The Book of Daniel
2. The Apocalypse of Peter
3. The Apocalypse of Paul
4. The Gnostic Apocalypse of Peter.

I think these stories are an expression of the writer's dissatisfaction of their societal status given other claims of prosperity they believed (e.g. The occupation of Judah by Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans ).

Originally Posted by KALSTER

my English is probably a lot better than my Afrikaans,

You know, it's exactly the same with me.

For some reason, people want to believe in end of the world scenarios. Look at all the fascination with 2012 and the Mayan calendar.

The new world implies the death of the old one--the real one we live in. And if we both to look at some of the specifics of the prophesy -- many of the events (e.g. earthquakes, dying oceans, pestilence, wars, a major asteroid impacts) all happening in short time frame across the planet would indeed be considered the end of the world.

Harold14370. True. Mainly looking for a new experience. We should celebrate what we have now. Our opportunity is with us every moment. Perhaps this is not the best Thread to say this, but it is my belief that we procrastinate much to much. In our own lives, so much otherwise useful time wasted. Set the rules. If you have spent one night turning things over in your mind, vow to put an end to it immediately. Make the decision, for better or worse. Show some moral character, some self belief, stop stuttering with your life. Always cut your losses and disappointments and move on to the next Project. If the World does come to an end, then at least you haven't had a lot of down time. And there is this other aspect, if you have borrowed a lot of money from the banks, if the World comes to an end, you will be in front. westwind.

Why do people think, that Christianity states, that one day the world will end?

The reason Christianity states the world will end is because they want to show science that in principle, they agree with at least one thing.


All the more reason for me to take a week off at the lake. Time to get some R&R. So if the end takes place in the next 8-9 days all I can say is it's been fun.

For all Postes. Perhaps sincere Christians are saying that the wicked world is coming to an end. They are disappointed in what they observe going on around them. All the fornication. What exactly is Fornication? All the cheating and grasping and selfishness. They want this type of World to end. I am guilty of all of these, probably guilty of Fornication too, whatever it means. It is certainly a good way to start off the new World, population densities will be blown to Hell, there should be more resources available to start the sincere Christians on there way. westwind.

I think that, perhaps, it is a sort of affirmation for their faith. It means that they were right for choosing to believe the way the did because The world is destroyed and it proves them right when it happens.

For some reason, people want to believe in end of the world scenarios.

I have a rather cynical view of this. At a gut level, we all know that we will die one day. We also suspect that the world will end one day, either as we know it, or totally.

Even though most people think of handing over the world to their children and letting history or fate take its course, they still hanker for that last bit of control or influence to be involved right to the end. I see it as the self-centredness of the toddler or the teenager that people arrogantly presume that they have a personal invitation to be there, especially entitled to see it happen with their own eyes.

For adelady.. Best Poste today. Ask MeteorWayne for two smilies. westwind.

Originally Posted by Harold14370

For some reason, people want to believe in end of the world scenarios. Look at all the fascination with 2012 and the Mayan calendar.

Mayan calander showed the end of the fourth sun of 26,000 years (approx) when begins the 5th sun. No big event just a new galactic calendar.

Are we going to survive ourselves? The truly inferior seen to rule/ruin the planet and it's peoples. If they would only extrapolate they'd see the end results include themselves as most likely to go. Scum rises to the top of the pond choking all life beneath it. It is already dead and decaying.

Everyone will experience the end of the world. Their own.

Perhaps,with our sciences learning how to teach emotional developement to a next generation who's brain capabilities are allready surpassing all preceding generations, a unified international theology based on science could replace the world's egocentric, ignorant faith based thinking. A new age for mankind focusing on how to value diversity, and thinking a search for knowledge is mankinds purpose for being.

[QUOTE=ewynn;335292]Perhaps,with our sciences learning how to teach emotional developement to a next generation who's brain capabilities are allready surpassing all preceding generations, End Quote.

Dear ewynn. No. You don't mind if I refute your statement Quoted above? Do you understand the meaning of refute? Good. Now I would like you to return poste with evidence supporting your Quoted statement above. westwind.

westwind you haven't refuted his statement. You have simply implied that you believe it to be incorrect. I also believe it to be incorrect. I have no intention of refuting it, since ewynn is the one making the claim and the onus is on him to provided evidence. I doubt he can do this in sufficient quantity and quality to be convincing.

Off topic: why do you keep spelling post as poste?

Dear John Galt. This is a sensible off topic question. It has taken almost six months for this question to arise. I thank you for your politness, your forbearance, and your goodwill. Truth is when I have had another look at my Dictionary, I see that it is fly droppings I have looked at, they really do look like an e. Another problem I have is not knowing how to employ the word speller with my input to The Science Forum. But the main reason John I wanted someone with an analyitical mind, intelligent, and curious to ask this Question. The senior generation have this capacity, and this proves that we can match it with the best of them. In the meanwhile I'll go on Posting my Postes because you and I are Poets. westwind.

Originally Posted by westwind

Dear John Galt. This is a sensible off topic question. It has taken almost six months for this question to arise..

Actually, the question arose a long time ago. I just never bothered asking it publicly till now.

My post was meant to inspire a positive view. The next generation being so much more capable is based on learning how the brain developes with triggers from the enviroment and how much more trigers there are now. In a class at Rice University on Einstien the professor talked about this mental capabilities thing (obviously with better english) being generationally political. The older prffessors would only allow in the new information that they could understand.One professor said he doubted Einstein would be able to process modern Quantum Science if he where here today. This is why some science theory you read 30 years ago are just now finding their way into the science world. The rest was wishful thinking!!

What you appear to be describing is the difficutly that may exist for older people to absorb new ideas. This does not support your contention that this is because the younger people are more capable of more complex cognitive processes than the older people were when they were young. do you have any evidence to support that?

Also, I have no idea what you mean by generationally political. Perhaps that's because I'm old and can't absorb new ideas, or perhaps it's beacuse I find definition of new terminology helpful and in its absence suspect I may be in the presence of word salad.

Fornication it is having sexual intercourse without being married to that person or other???? Not to worry as I didn't know untill I was 30 y/o as no one told me, just expected me to have been born knowing things that were not talked about. Humans can be really strange.

Originally Posted by westwind

For all Postes. Perhaps sincere Christians are saying that the wicked world is coming to an end. They are disappointed in what they observe going on around them. All the fornication. What exactly is Fornication? All the cheating and grasping and selfishness. They want this type of World to end. I am guilty of all of these, probably guilty of Fornication too, whatever it means. It is certainly a good way to start off the new World, population densities will be blown to Hell, there should be more resources available to start the sincere Christians on there way. westwind.

WOW!!! I should be so lucky. westwind.

Originally Posted by MrMojo1

For a variety of reasons, people tend to think their dreams has some meaning or predictive value of future events.

There are other Apocalyptic Stories:
1. The Book of Daniel
2. The Apocalypse of Peter
3. The Apocalypse of Paul
4. The Gnostic Apocalypse of Peter.

I think these stories are an expression of the writer's dissatisfaction of their societal status given other claims of prosperity they believed (e.g. The occupation of Judah by Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans ).

I wonder if any of the (4) apocalyptic stories, that you listed above, ACTUALLY speak of (all) life on Earth, one day ending?
(or) like the book of Revelation, do they only speak of a new world, were there is no evil?



The following definition of "apocalypse" came from, merriam-webster.com

Definition of APOCALYPSE
1 : one of the Jewish and Christian writings of 200 b.c. to a.d. 150 marked by pseudonymity, symbolic imagery, and the expectation of an imminent cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the ruling powers of evil and raises the righteous to life in a messianic kingdom
2 : something viewed as a prophetic revelation b : armageddon
3: a great disaster <an environmental apocalypse>



I did not have the time, to study the Book of Daniel, the Apocalypse of Peter, the Apocalypse of Paul, or the Gnostic Apocalypse of Peter.
But the word "apocalypse" appears, in (3) of your above listed Apocalyptic stories.



And the word apocalypse, does (not) seem to mean "the end of all life." But rather apocalypse means "an imminent cosmic cataclysm in which God destroys the ruling powers of evil and raises the righteous to life in a messianic kingdom."

And this above definition of apocalypse, also seems to fit (my) translation, of the book of Revelation as well.



It sure would be strange, if (no) part of the Bible, speaks about "all life on Earth, one day ending." But instead the Bible speaks of, "one day all life on Earth, will live in total righteousness."

And even though (no) part of the Bible, speaks of "all life on Earth one day ending". Many Christian people still actually believe, the Bible says "all life on Earth will one day end."

Apocalypse means Revelation. The Book of Revelation within the Christian Bible is also known as The Apocalypse of John (whoever he was), it reports John's vision. Armageddon, which is discussed within Revelations, is final battle between "Good and Evil"where the forces of the Messiah will defeat the forces of the Anti-Messiah (Anti-Christ) and Satan. It is Armageddon which is commonly interpreted by many Christians as when the destruction of present day Earth.

MrMojo1. Quote '' The Apocalypse of John (whoever he was ) " End Quote. Well, I wasn't there you understand, but I believe the Quoted work came out of the Isle of Patmos. And John the Author of this work, who else but Jesus. Be incredulous if you will, be gobsmacked, but above all, be curious. westwind.