WilliamBlue

I have this disturbing thought that has been bothering me for years. Because so many people believe that the End of human kind (biblical, others?)is destined to happen that through their collective subconsciouses, society(as we know it) has no choice but to destroy itself(non-biblical, just real Bad). We believe it will happen, therefore it will happen. I am not talking about a quantum scale that when enough people believe, then it happens, although that could be a possibility, but more of a subconscious guidance toward the ultimate conclusion.
Are we doomed because of religion? Thoughts? Opinions? Christians? I not sure you'll make me feel better about this but I am still interested.

Bill

__________________
When you dance with an elephant it's up to you to not get stepped on.
How can we be so arrogant and egotistical to believe that the whole Universe was created just for us?

The An-Jel

You know the thing that gets me is that (and this is what I think is happening now somewhat) the religious folk who constantly believe the end is coming soon and that they will be in the Kingdom of their God and want so bad to be there because they can't stand to be on this Earth a moment longer. They will initiate Armageddon. As science shuts down all religious phenomena as natural or manmade derivations. It's scary and ludicrous!

__________________
"And let there be Light!" said the Blind man.

Life is simple, people make it complicated - Basilisk

Nulli Expugnabilis Hosti - Royal Gibraltar Regiment

George

Hi WilliamBlue,

First of all welcome to this board. Seems I haven't met you yet

On topic: I would say no.... Religion has predicted many things in the past that we today are living proof that they have never happened and are not likely to.

If the end of days comes it will come not because so many believe it will come (in a biblical sense) but because we made it happen unintentionally. No religion involved. Of course there will be religious leaders frantically searching for passages in the bible to relate the events to. Desperately trying in their last hour to have been "right all along". But the sad truth for them is it will be just that. Them searching for a way to unnaturally graft current events on to ancient text.

In the end I believe we will evolve beyond the fear of armeggedon once intergalactic space travel becomes a reality ala Star Trek. Because really, what is armeggedon? The end of life as we know it on earth right? Well what happens when we leave earth?

__________________
What's that? You haven't Gone Green yet? What are you waiting for?
Got a question? Need help figuring out how something works here?
Send me a Private Message.

WilliamBlue

This is exactly my fear, as you say, it could be a conscious act, with the rest of crowd following along. Very.

Bill

__________________
When you dance with an elephant it's up to you to not get stepped on.
How can we be so arrogant and egotistical to believe that the whole Universe was created just for us?

WilliamBlue

Hi George, we met briefly, I posted a short message several weeks ago and thanks.

As to your reply, there will (probably) be no way to prove it, i.e. intentional/unintentional, when/if it happens. But call me paranoid (I am), it makes me extremely nervous having hundreds of millions(billions?) of people wishing for the end of days.

I would be much happier if they just try to celebrate life and human accomplishment. Also try not to be so short sighted. But I fear that religion is actually a heavy cross(metaphorically speaking) that humankind is carrying and may crush us before we can reach the stars.

I hope you are right.

Bill

__________________
When you dance with an elephant it's up to you to not get stepped on.
How can we be so arrogant and egotistical to believe that the whole Universe was created just for us?

icer

I think it's not so much that they will bring on 'Armageddon' but that they will not bother trying to prevent events leading in this direction because they think it doesn't matter. For example, some Christians believe that humans shouldn't try and do anything to fix environmental problems like global warming, but expect that God will magically save us by changing the atmosphere or something. [And of course, most wars have some religion involved somehow.]

mister_lister

I don't think we are doomed because of religion. First of all, not all religions have end times prophecy, and even those that do have different takes on it. Some parts of religions contradict the end times prophecies. What I think is important is for those that do not believe in these end times scenarios to be vocal and active. Those that believe in the scientific method and spread the message of science as a way to derive fact and even truth of many matters. I think education goes a long way in preventing ignorance which is great factor in why people believe in sociopathic gods, religions, and the teachings that are associated with them.

__________________
________________________________________________

"The trouble is not with what we don't know, it is with what we think we know that just ain't so". ~ Mark Twain

antarctic

We will eventually overpopulate. We all know that. Procreaction is the enemy of natural resources. Human greed....for that matter even anamalistic greed has and will always exist. It has never turned out pretty and as technology advances, we will surely one day look at the sky full of nukes and say "Look at that!" But if given enough study, I'm sure I could biblically relate some reason for a bird crapping on my mailbox the other day. So will teh end come at the hands of an invisible superpower of the universe. I hope not cause that would be proof that this planet is an ant farm.

The An-Jel

I told my college Professor something like this and all he could say ( he was a damn good Philosophy Professor despite being Protestant Minister he taught each philosophical position as if he was of that distinct philosophical position) was that we must have hope. He told me that privately when we had lunch in the Cafeteria one time.

__________________
"And let there be Light!" said the Blind man.

Life is simple, people make it complicated - Basilisk

Nulli Expugnabilis Hosti - Royal Gibraltar Regiment

JerryAgent

Personally, I do not know a single Christian that WANTS the end to come. Christians must wait and be ready, but they should not bring it forth.

I think we are mistaking Christians that don't fear the end with them WANTING the end. Nobody wants it, but we aren't afraid of it.

There will always be those screaming out "THE END IS NEAR! REPENT!" but you must not expand that stereotype to all Christians.