Are we living in the last days?

[otseng]

From speaking with my brothers and sister, far from undermining our faith and causing confusion, the impact of coronavirus only serves to strengthen our conviction we are living in the last days and our resolve to preach the good news of the kingdom before the Lord tells us the work is complete.

For debate:
Are we living in the last days?

[2ndpillar2]

[Replying to otseng in post #1]

The last days, as in the days of Noah, will be when everyone goes around eating, drinking, and having Merry (Mary).(Matthew 24:38). Have you been watching all the eating/cooking and drinking wine TV programs, as well as all the dating programs? The "wicked"/tares, will have no hint, for they will be the first to be gathered up and burnt (Matthew 13:30). It will be like Sodom and Gomorra, when you won't have time to go back and get your coat (Matthew 24). Do you notice any similarities with our culture and the culture of Sodom and Gomorra? When you see me enter into my ark/room, and shut the door (Isaiah 26:20), it will be too late to prepare (Matthew 24:38).

[brunumb]

The Bible was clearly the Marvel or DC Comic book of its day, full of fantastic tales of superheroes, villains and epic battles between good and evil.

[Clownboat]

[Replying to otseng in post #1]

The last days, as in the days of Noah, will be when everyone goes around eating, drinking, and having Merry (Mary).(Matthew 24:38). Have you been watching all the eating/cooking and drinking wine TV programs, as well as all the dating programs? The "wicked"/tares, will have no hint, for they will be the first to be gathered up and burnt (Matthew 13:30). It will be like Sodom and Gomorra, when you won't have time to go back and get your coat (Matthew 24). Do you notice any similarities with our culture and the culture of Sodom and Gomorra? When you see me enter into my ark/room, and shut the door (Isaiah 26:20), it will be too late to prepare (Matthew 24:38).

I would imagine that it is empowering for a person to pretend and believe that they have info that escapes the rest of us.

Like how a flat earther has the correct info about the shape of the earth, thus elevating themselves beyond learned scientists. I would imagine it is empowering for people to convince themselves that they have knowledge that escapes the rest of us when it comes to our souls as well. Why would they want to relinquish said empowerment?

Do you, or the unknown author of Matthew claim to have knowledge that escapes the rest of humanity when you talk about this flood (for starters)?
(The Bible is no more an authority than any other holy book here, so the scriptures themselves hold little meaning).

[bluegreenearth]

[Replying to otseng in post #1]

The last days, as in the days of Noah, will be when everyone goes around eating, drinking, and having Merry (Mary).(Matthew 24:38). Have you been watching all the eating/cooking and drinking wine TV programs, as well as all the dating programs? The "wicked"/tares, will have no hint, for they will be the first to be gathered up and burnt (Matthew 13:30). It will be like Sodom and Gomorra, when you won't have time to go back and get your coat (Matthew 24). Do you notice any similarities with our culture and the culture of Sodom and Gomorra? When you see me enter into my ark/room, and shut the door (Isaiah 26:20), it will be too late to prepare (Matthew 24:38).

Fun Fact:
The culture of Sodom and Gomorra, according to the experts in the field, was a very xenophobic patriarchy that would humiliate suspected spies in their respective cities by forcing them to play the symbolically submissive role of women during sexual intercourse. Most men of Sodom and Gomorra who participated in this activity probably didn't identify themselves as having same-sex attraction but were acting in accordance with their xenophobic and patriarchal customs. At a time when most travelers depended upon the hospitality of local people as a matter of survival, the unjustifiably violent inhospitality exhibited by a number of Sodom and Gomorra residents would have been perceived as highly immoral by the ancient traveling Hebrews. The story of Sodom and Gomorra only makes logical sense in that context. Otherwise, it would be absurd to believe that all of the men in these two cities were hedonistic homosexual rapists. After all, if these numerous men from Sodom and Gomorra were known to be sexually immoral because of their insatiable same-sex attractions, there would have been no point in Lot offering up his two virgin daughters to them in exchange for ensuring the safety of his two male visitors.

So, while it might be too late for some people who have chosen to shut the door to reasoned discourse based on their irrational beliefs in unfalsifiable claims about arks and angels, the rest of us who value intellectual honesty are permitted to think freely and critically about our rational and falsifiable beliefs in the absence of fear and intimidation.

[2ndpillar2]

[Replying to otseng in post #1]

The last days, as in the days of Noah, will be when everyone goes around eating, drinking, and having Merry (Mary).(Matthew 24:38). Have you been watching all the eating/cooking and drinking wine TV programs, as well as all the dating programs? The "wicked"/tares, will have no hint, for they will be the first to be gathered up and burnt (Matthew 13:30). It will be like Sodom and Gomorra, when you won't have time to go back and get your coat (Matthew 24). Do you notice any similarities with our culture and the culture of Sodom and Gomorra? When you see me enter into my ark/room, and shut the door (Isaiah 26:20), it will be too late to prepare (Matthew 24:38).

Fun Fact:
The culture of Sodom and Gomorra, according to the experts in the field, was a very xenophobic patriarchy that would humiliate suspected spies in their respective cities by forcing them to play the symbolically submissive role of women during sexual intercourse. Most men of Sodom and Gomorra who participated in this activity probably didn't identify themselves as having same-sex attraction but were acting in accordance with their xenophobic and patriarchal customs. At a time when most travelers depended upon the hospitality of local people as a matter of survival, the unjustifiably violent inhospitality exhibited by a number of Sodom and Gomorra residents would have been perceived as highly immoral by the ancient traveling Hebrews. The story of Sodom and Gomorra only makes logical sense in that context. Otherwise, it would be absurd to believe that all of the men in these two cities were hedonistic homosexual rapists. After all, if these numerous men from Sodom and Gomorra were known to be sexually immoral because of their insatiable same-sex attractions, there would have been no point in Lot offering up his two virgin daughters to them in exchange for ensuring the safety of his two male visitors.

So, while it might be too late for some people who have chosen to shut the door to reasoned discourse based on their irrational beliefs in unfalsifiable claims about arks and angels, the rest of us who value intellectual honesty are permitted to think freely and critically about our rational and falsifiable beliefs in the absence of fear and intimidation.

Get out of the house and see where your "rational and falsifiable beliefs" have gotten you. As for "experts in the field" of Sodom and Gomorra, get real. Is that what you term "our falsifiable beliefs"?

Go back in history to the times of Mao's, and Stalin's atheistic "falsifiable beliefs", and see how well free and critical thinking will get you. Better yet, go to China today and see where your free and critical thinking will get you. Your freedom's are not based on your ideas and feelings. They were bought with blood and treasure. Your feelings, and "critical" thinking, are like "critical theory", and pretty much worthless jibberish whose final destination according to Matthew 7:13, leads to "destruction". Go to Seattle Washington to see where that road leads. If you live in fear, that is a problem based on your conscience, or vulnerability to be led by or bowed by snake oil men and women.

[bluegreenearth]

Get out of the house and see where your "rational and falsifiable beliefs" have gotten you. As for "experts in the field" of Sodom and Gomorra, get real. Is that what you term "our falsifiable beliefs"?

Go back in history to the times of Mao's, and Stalin's atheistic "falsifiable beliefs", and see how well free and critical thinking will get you. Better yet, go to China today and see where your free and critical thinking will get you. Your freedom's are not based on your ideas and feelings. They were bought with blood and treasure. Your feelings, and "critical" thinking, are like "critical theory", and pretty much worthless jibberish whose final destination according to Matthew 7:13, leads to "destruction". Go to Seattle Washington to see where that road leads. If you live in fear, that is a problem based on your conscience, or vulnerability to be led by or bowed by snake oil men and women.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/False_equivalence

[2timothy316]

That is why I have this thread bookmarked. So when everything I have been taught and I repeated here comes true you'll know what the true interpretation was. That is, if this forum is still accessible to us when these things take place. Folks are always looking for some miraculous sign, well they will get it when the things posted in this thread happen in order they were given.

You’re placing quite a heavy burden on this site, if it’s being taken as ‘the true interpretation’ of what the End Times will be like.

A Google search of “interpretation of the end times” suggested there are about three hundred and four million posts and articles on the subject. It is of course possible that what you’ve been taught and repeated is the most accurate and likely source of information, but then there’s this as well:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overconfidence_effect

Additionally, I wonder if all the varying opinions on the same topics by fellow believers, posted on this site, will come to pass.
Personally, if things happen as the poster thinks, this site would be the LAST place I'd come. Seems, to me, coming here wouldn't be productive and only allow for the elementary school "Nah nah nah na boo boo I told ya' so!" mentality.

"Told you so" is not the point. The hope is that some here might think like Rahab. https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2013809

A person that when she heard that the True God set His eyes on Jericho she acted in faith because of the reports she heard that happened to Egypt. It is my hope that when people hear 'peace and security' being proclaimed around the world, maybe they will remember this thread and act in faith too. I don't know if there could be is some direction as what to do. If there is and if I am allowed, then it could be found here. But there is a chance that I and all true Christians might be silenced from giving any direction. In which case, yes, coming back to this thread will be pointless. We will have to wait and see.

[nobspeople]

That is why I have this thread bookmarked. So when everything I have been taught and I repeated here comes true you'll know what the true interpretation was. That is, if this forum is still accessible to us when these things take place. Folks are always looking for some miraculous sign, well they will get it when the things posted in this thread happen in order they were given.

You’re placing quite a heavy burden on this site, if it’s being taken as ‘the true interpretation’ of what the End Times will be like.

A Google search of “interpretation of the end times” suggested there are about three hundred and four million posts and articles on the subject. It is of course possible that what you’ve been taught and repeated is the most accurate and likely source of information, but then there’s this as well:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overconfidence_effect

Additionally, I wonder if all the varying opinions on the same topics by fellow believers, posted on this site, will come to pass.
Personally, if things happen as the poster thinks, this site would be the LAST place I'd come. Seems, to me, coming here wouldn't be productive and only allow for the elementary school "Nah nah nah na boo boo I told ya' so!" mentality.

"Told you so" is not the point. The hope is that some here might think like Rahab. https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2013809

A person that when she heard that the True God set His eyes on Jericho she acted in faith because of the reports she heard that happened to Egypt. It is my hope that when people hear 'peace and security' being proclaimed around the world, maybe they will remember this thread and act in faith too. I don't know if there could be is some direction as what to do. If there is and if I am allowed, then it could be found here. But there is a chance that I and all true Christians might be silenced from giving any direction. In which case, yes, coming back to this thread will be pointless. We will have to wait and see.

I'd hope 'told ya so' isn't the point, but I think most 'Christians' here would do exactly that, based on their interactions with others.
I'd also put good money on that fact that most (at least 51%) of 'Christians' in the world would do just that. Many seem to be more about 'being right' than 'being just'.
It would be 'nice' to think this isn't the case, but based on my interactions with 'Christians', I'm not holding my breath.

[2timothy316]

That is why I have this thread bookmarked. So when everything I have been taught and I repeated here comes true you'll know what the true interpretation was. That is, if this forum is still accessible to us when these things take place. Folks are always looking for some miraculous sign, well they will get it when the things posted in this thread happen in order they were given.

You’re placing quite a heavy burden on this site, if it’s being taken as ‘the true interpretation’ of what the End Times will be like.

A Google search of “interpretation of the end times” suggested there are about three hundred and four million posts and articles on the subject. It is of course possible that what you’ve been taught and repeated is the most accurate and likely source of information, but then there’s this as well:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overconfidence_effect

Additionally, I wonder if all the varying opinions on the same topics by fellow believers, posted on this site, will come to pass.
Personally, if things happen as the poster thinks, this site would be the LAST place I'd come. Seems, to me, coming here wouldn't be productive and only allow for the elementary school "Nah nah nah na boo boo I told ya' so!" mentality.

"Told you so" is not the point. The hope is that some here might think like Rahab. https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2013809

A person that when she heard that the True God set His eyes on Jericho she acted in faith because of the reports she heard that happened to Egypt. It is my hope that when people hear 'peace and security' being proclaimed around the world, maybe they will remember this thread and act in faith too. I don't know if there could be is some direction as what to do. If there is and if I am allowed, then it could be found here. But there is a chance that I and all true Christians might be silenced from giving any direction. In which case, yes, coming back to this thread will be pointless. We will have to wait and see.

I'd hope 'told ya so' isn't the point, but I think most 'Christians' here would do exactly that, based on their interactions with others.
I'd also put good money on that fact that most (at least 51%) of 'Christians' in the world would do just that. Many seem to be more about 'being right' than 'being just'.
It would be 'nice' to think this isn't the case, but based on my interactions with 'Christians', I'm not holding my breath.

Those that just want to be proven right what do they gain? If a person wins the argument but loses the person's heart then it's a loss.
But, I agree there are many that call themselves 'Christians' that are not concerned with the life, just concerned that they are right. But there's reckoning coming for everyone, including myself. And where I'm wrong I will have to be humble and adjust. Psalms 37:11 says the humble will take possession of the Earth. Those that are not humble well, everlasting cutting off. One can't tell someone dead, "I told you so." as the dead have no thoughts of remorse or anything at all. (Ecc 9:5)

[Diagoras]

But there's reckoning coming for everyone, including myself.

I will concede that at some point in the future, I’ll die. And that’s true of every human. Do you mean that this ‘reckoning’ will happen at the point of death, or before?

If at the point of death, then it’s essentially unprovable, and if you meant ‘before’, then it’s not much better unless you provide something specific and measurable.

We all know the current score for accurate ‘end of the world’ predictions, and it’s not good.