Christians ought to be citizens of the world, with a steady-as-she-goes attitude. (Revelation 22:11) There are various ways in which this may be taken in discussion. During recent months (2011) there have appeared numerous references, from varied sources relating to fields of prophecy. Synonyms include guesses, ancient views, trend interpretations, and others. A few deal with idealism, but more suggest either unhappy circumstances, or that the future will be ended with the close of time and the dissipation of energy. Some include the disappearance of necessary elements in the support of human life, such as the end of fuels, of necessary metals, or the inability to feed the population. This last will already be a serious problem, say the computer models, in the 22nd century when the world’s population is projected to be in excess of ten billion persons, and some problems of nature suggest serious problems in forests, watersheds, climate change, and minerals. Life as we have it is not sustainable. Some changes are under way.
Stephen Hocking, the eminent theoretical physicist, was quoted on the internet: There is no heaven. This fits the context of those who believe that God is dead. The genre has had numerous adherents during the centuries. They were called atheists. God is dead can be said in several ways, some softened to comfort faith persons. To say that there is no heaven is to say that there never has been one. It says that man never will be with a god, and never has been. The baldness of the language was made popular in the mid-20th century, but faded a bit. It has recovered somewhat with new, sometimes crude, language. A better God is proposed by some, more generous and universal. However, God is dead developed to mean, for others, that the old God faded away. If he was, he is no longer. So there is no heaven, no hope of immortality. Hocking pronounced that the brain is a living computer, shutting down at death. There is nothing to fear. Hocking has had a debilitating disease during his years, is in his seventies at this edit review, and near the end. He may feel he has no desire to extend this trying form. Could he find health? Recently, he has been reported to have visited an exotic center in Nevada. Is that where any real comfort may be found?
More doubters belong to the team of figment religion, like the philosopher Frederick Nietzsche, whose ideas have influenced society. Nietzsche even composed Christian music as a teenager, but by twenty years of age abandoned the idea of God. However he formed a civil religion growing out of ancient Greek search, making angels of better human beings. A secular religion, said Nietzsche, with a list of mortal, effective persons, would serve man for religious values and meaning. At the time of this writing we are facing quite a large world contingent that feels 2012 is a defining year. It was prognosticated long ago in Mayan lore to be the date for a great cataclysm related to mankind. At this writing the date is just a year or so away. Adherents say we now should prepare for the holocaust. It will affect all things including life processes perhaps bring an end to all things human. The preoccupation has even alerted the Christian community. A Wall Street Journal article, The Enduring Appeal of the Apocalypse begins with the prediction by Harold Camping that Jesus will return on May 31 – just four days before my first edition of this Page. I have met with Mr. Camping, and talked with him at length. He is a devoted Christian gentleman, caught up in an oddity, in violation of Scripture. (Months after his date of apocalypse, he apologized for presumption, asking forgiveness.) All of this guessing, by atheists or theists, finds no biblical base. God is at work in daily life offering redemption in Christ. Following end time description, the Apostle John wrote, in summary: Let be. (Revelation 22:11) It was counsel applied by John Wesley in his faith when challenged about the end times. It is good counsel for sensible life context – faith and peace.
I turned to this Page for editing after 2012. The Mayan prediction passed with no cataclysms. We did have some storms in Congress. Americans have been engaged in a countdown on a Fiscal Cliff. Congress has not solved the tension on taxes and spending. The tension between the Senate (controlled by Democrats), and the House (controlled by Republicans) is at stand-off, leaving the nation uncertain on important various issues that ought to be addressed by insightful leaders. (Sigh) God forgive. From the outset of the narrative Scripture instructed readers not to set dates or seasons for his events. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020