In the USA, 40% of the current GOP supporters are christian evangelicals, fundamentalists and Pentecostals. (according to Kevin Phillips in American Theocracy). Many millions of these people are looking forward to WW3 beginning. They see the events happening now in the M.E. as part of the biblical prophecy of “rapture” and the “final tribulation” or “End Times”. One of the prophecies, Isaiah 17: An Oracle Concerning Damascus (destruction of Damascus) may just happen in a week or two. The rapture is when, all of a sudden, the true believers just disappear from the earth. It is explained as when Jesus comes down to “marry” his bride (the believers) and take them to heaven.
Other parts of the prophecy: A EU statemen (Javier Solana??/the anti-christ?) will bring a 7 year (false) peace to Israel. 3.5 years into that time period, Gog and MeGog (Russia and a coalition of Islamic/Arabs) will destroy Israel. Soon after a 200 million army will move into the middle east and will kill 1/3 of mankind (some believe it is the chinese, others think it is a plague). A general outline is here: final tribulation survival guide.
Note, I’m just making this post as a Friday afternoon, general interest read for those that have not heard about this subject yet. (has it been posted before? Sorry i only did a brief search).
Personally, the only thing that I really consider is that if the US gets sucked into a confrontation with Syria/Iran, I believe there is a good chance China will make a move on Taiwan. Did anyone else notice on TV yesterday all the local stations were covering military war games? I know, the display was preplanned, but still the coverage was excessive. (in addition to the recent large pacific fleet excersises and the #2PLA General’s recent trip to Omaha/Strategic command). I don’t think China necessarily needs to do anything drastic like a missle launch or invasion, all they really need to do is stop one oil tanker from reaching Taiwan. Once they cut off the power supply, Taiwan’s wheels will stop spinning. (no flights, airconditioning, food refrigeration or transportation, medical services, bank services/stock investment, etc. etc.). - Just a thought to consider.
That Rapture survial page would be pretty funny if like a billion people didn’t believe that stuff. Wasn’t there a series of books (novels) about the Rapture that were extremely popular and later made into a TV show?
The majority of Christian Americans identify themselves with a church that could loosely be called evangelical, charismatic or Pentacostal. Although Pentacostals make up only 2% of Americans and many counted Pentacostals can not vote. So that saying “In the USA, 40% of the current GOP supporters are Christian evangelicals, fundamentalists and Pentecostals.” may seem shocking to non-Americans but it is almost the same thing as saying that 40% of current GOP supporters are typical American Christians. In fact, support for Bush among Roman Catholics was almost as high people-press.org/commentary/disp … ysisID=103
I can produce about a hundred zillion more references for this one if you want. I’m not saying that religious voting isn’t important because every vote for Bush is a vote for a dangerous world, but they’re not the real reason he’s winning. He’s winning because the US has a flawed electoral system and the Republicans can take advantage of this by winning in rural states and counties.
The electorial system is “flawed” if your candidate does not win.
I don’t recall hearing complaints about the electorial system when Clinton* won 2x’s.
You seem to be mistaken about my nationality. I was comparing the American electoral system to the systems that exist in countries whose systems aren’t riddled with flaws - that being most countries in the world. The US may be a leader in nerve gas technology, but when it comes to elections, it should take a lesson from countires with properly organized voting systems - like Taiwan.
Zara -
No…my comment was not directed specifically at you. I apologize if I gave that impression.
It was directed at criticism of the electorial college system which has been a facet of the USA since its inception.
I also believe that the electorial college system may have run its course. However, it is the law and the procedure which is supported by the highest courts in the land.
Its change or deletion must come thru Constituitional Amendment and until a viable and agreed upon replacement is arrived at, it will stay as it is.
A much more acceptable change in the US voting system would be the elimanation of “gerrymandering.” This alone would remove much of the problems, real or imagined, that the electorial college critics level.
OOOPs!..I just read the rest of your post…
“nerve gas technology”…“like the Taiwan system”…Dude…what are you smoking?
I was just as ctitical of the whinning Democrates complaining after the fact that they lost because the election was “unfair”. Hogwash I told them. Every single piece of electoral machinary used in Florida or Ohio had been examined and verified as adequate by their party long before it was used in the elections. You don’t get to complain after the fact, except in the media. Fortunately, courts don’t listen to such drivel.
TC, I’m confused by one of your comments. You say that the electoral college, “is the law and the procedure which is supported by the highest courts in the land.” Is that an argument for or against my post that the system of voting in the US is far behind most other countries in the world?
[quote=“zarathustra”]TC, I’m confused by one of your comments. You say that the electoral college, “is the law and the procedure which is supported by the highest courts in the land.” Is that an argument for or against my post that the system of voting in the US is far behind most other countries in the world?[/quote]Zara -
Neither. I make no claim to comparison of the US system to that of any other nation state. Other countries have what they have evolved into. Or in most cases…“They have what they deserve.”
It is what we, in the USA, have. Its foibles included with its benefits.
To paraphase the great intellectual Popeye - “It am what it am!”…<toot! toot!>…
[quote]
Anybody asked you
If anybody asks you where I’m going
Where I’m going
Where I’m going soon
If you wanna know I beg you wanna know
Where I’m going,
Someday soon.
Oh, oh
[Chorus:]
I’m going up yonder (going up yonder)
I’m going up yonder (going up yonder)
Going up yonder to be with my Lord.
Oh
I can take the pain, yes I can
The heartaches that it brings, it’s gonna hurt
The comforts in knowing I’ll soon be gone.
Soon then there is God gives me grace
To run this Christian race,
'Til I see my Savior, I see him face to face.
Oh, oh
[Chorus:]
I’m going up yonder (going up yonder)
I’m going up yonder (going up yonder)
I’m going up yonder to be with my Lord.
Oh, oh
Then I’m going up yonder
I’m going up yonder
Yeah, yeah, I’m going up yonder to be with my Lord[/quote]
zara - i was not trying to be misleading. If you look at the comment, I mentioned …many millions of these people… implying that not everyone believed in the rapture. On the CNN piece by Paula Zahn, there is a priest that discusses why some people see it one way and others see it a different way.
Lastly, talking about prophecy, that story in the paper today about the 800 year old bible found in Ireland gets even more interesting. “The book was found open to a page describing, in Latin script, Psalm 83, in which God hears complaints of other nations’ attempts to wipe out the name of Israel.”
Back in the 80’s my grandma,a bible reader from sun up to sun down, would always say that the end of the times would begin when there was a war starting in the East. Now, given that I’ve live thru 2 wars that have started in the east, I’m still wondering when it’s gonna end. As a semi-devout Catholic, I welcome no relish the thought of Christ making his 2nd coming. I don’t want to be one of those people who disappear, but rather I would like the assholes who don’t know how to live in peace to disappear. This planet is pretty beautiful when it’s undisturbed.
[quote=“zarathustra”]Namahottie, since you’re one of those urban Christian Americans, what’s your feeling that Americans are a devoutly religious people?
And just remember, the touch of death beats an arm bar, any day.[/quote]
First what makes you think that I’m a “urban Christian American”? Sorry but I’m bit elitist when it comes to Christianity. I’m Catholic and see myself different from “Christians.”.
Second, my relationship with God is personal and my own. While I would love for the world to experience their own personal relationship with God, and believe in God, I keep it to myself and share my own thoughts, BUT I truly believe in God’s creation of free will. I think that the overzealous religious Bible followers use the Bible to control and exert power. IMO I think that if one was a ‘true’ Christian, one would follow the teachings of Christ, which is very universal.
God bless you kisses Because at the end of the day Christ was all about L-O-V-E…
In 1971 I was taken by some Fundie Christian friends to a lecture by Hal Lindsey himself (“The Late Great Planet Earth”), and being a naive teenager, was greatly impressed by some of his arguments- “The Beast with Ten Heads” was an obvious reference to the Eurpean Union, due to expand from the original six with the addition of Britain, Ireland, Denmark and Norway- and all the references to the horsemen of Gog and Magog were accompanied by charts showing the number of actual horse cavalry inthe Soviet Union- Armageddon would obviously disrupt gas supllies…
Alas, Norway rejected EEC membership, so the Beast only had nine heads, and as for the Soviet Union…
The alliance between the Israelis and these guys is bizarre- they regard Israel’s founding as a sign of the End-Times, and support Israel in it’s wars against it’s neighbours, but believe all or most of the Jews will be killed and go to Hell. The Israelis regard them as useful idiots for their own more practical purposes influencing American politics and money flows.
Most sensible reaction? “Come the Rapture, Can I Have Your Car?”
Most people think Great God will come from the sky,
Take away ev’rything, and make ev’rybody feel high.
But if you know what life is worth, you will look for yours on earth,
And now you see the light, you stand up for your rights.
[quote=“Toe Tag”]Most people think Great God will come from the sky,
Take away ev’rything, and make ev’rybody feel high.
But if you know what life is worth, you will look for yours on earth,
And now you see the light, you stand up for your rights.[/quote]
all this talk about the bible and armageddon…
don’t forget, the jews were polytheistic (Elohim is plural) and didn’t have an eschatology and ultimate good/evil until the Babylonian captivity where they were influenced by Zoroastrianism and Ahura Mazda. Early Christianity may have been hijacked by Paul(?), because several of the new testaments, Jesus talked about spreading the news only to other semites, specifically not to the gentiles (although when he “converted” Roman soldiers, there’s no commentary). Also, many early Christians were waiting for an immediate armageddon. When that failed to materialize, then they began building a Church on earth. religion is a funny thing.
[quote=“Toe Tag”]Most people think Great God will come from the sky,
Take away ev’rything, and make ev’rybody feel high.
But if you know what life is worth, you will look for yours on earth,
And now you see the light, you stand up for your rights.[/quote]
