Do many Rapture-ready people WANT to destroy the Earth?

[OneGrassRoot]

Is that the intention? I'm not knowledgeable about the whole Rapture thing, but I'm wondering if the uber fundamentalist religious types WANT to hasten the end of the Earth as we know Her, and thus promote such selfish, harmful environmental lifestyles and policies?

Is it a death wish, so they can move on to the next life as they envision it?

Seems like a typical murder/suicide tactic, taking innocents (those who aren't trying to rape and pillage the Earth) with them.

Why else would these people blindly support things that are obviously so harmful to every single living thing on the planet?

:shrug:

[Divine Discontent]

1. those who love Christ and believe in His teachings want to do nothing of the sort, however,

yes, I believe there are probably more than a few (on the right wing side of politics of course, the liberal Christians are too busy helping the poor, volunteering, etc) people who think it is their "calling" to do things which bring out calamitous events or who want war with the Muslims. The ones who want war with the Muslims I don't believe are crazy, they're just bigoted and live fearful lives because the past 3 decades of policies have taken nearly everything from them, so they lash out against things not like themselves (us Gays, different religions, skin colors). The ones who believe God is calling them to do things are just crazy or evil, whatever you want to believe.

To take a guess at the last question, propaganda and brainwashing.

best to you... rough times we live in, hoping they don't get worse.

[Jamastiene]

11. You said it better than I could.

Well said.

[Divine Discontent]

35. Thank you dear Jamastiene. Be well! :)

[Festivito]

30. Yes! And add that money and politics with money keep the rest in line.

The ministers are trying to take the middle of the road approach to left versus right, but succumb to the well funded memes: Abortion, Gays, and even earth's age that excuses oil usage, raises anti-environmentalism and okays our overuse of resources.

The Bible passage that says to replenish the earth is ignored. Or, quoted privately, not in a sermon.

[Goblinmonger]

31. And charlie wins the No True Scotsman

pool on this thread with a bold June entry of 1 post. I thought he was crazy, but it pays off. Congrats.

[charlie]

32. Squee!

Rubber chickens for everybody, on me!

[Divine Discontent]

34. meh...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_1xPqeSkGKZU/SXTV6HR2vrI/AAAAAAAAB68/pQ2K2OTbiOw/s400/obama+brushing+dirt+off+his+shoulder+3.jpg


anonymous insult.

and yes, what I wrote is the truth. not every teacher is knows how to teach. not every baker can bake. not every leader can lead. not every one who claims outwardly to be faithful truly is.

[Goblinmonger]

36. Something tells me that Obama didn't just commit

a fallacy right before that photo was taken.

You do know that there are people who feel they are just as Christian as you, who feel they have just as much knowledge of Jesus and the Bible as you that are saying the exact same thing about people like you right now, right? And they have just as many Bible verses to back them up as you do to back you up.

[Divine Discontent]

37. he might have!

And yes, I do know there are those that feel what you state.

The focus of the OP was to point out people who pursue actions that bring about Jesus' ultimate return. That's where I will redirect - Any action by those who attempt to bring about the rapture would be a meaningless attempt of futility. I pray that those who seek to bring about the rapture would spend their final days of life on this planet being a blessing to others. It is sad to see some crave war so badly.

[Hubert Flottz]

2. The rapture ready are smug knowing that

they were rolling before gasoline came along and they will still be rolling long after gasoline is all gone.

Edit for video...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWVHpm49tOU

[strategery blunder]

3. Yes. There is a substantial fundie contingent that condones this.

They read that little blurb in Genesis about man having dominion over the earth very broadly, and interpret it to mean that humanity's duty is to rape the earth of its resources.

Of course, when the worldwide human population was a few million, sustainability wasn't much of an issue...

A subset of this fundie contingent does take it even farther than this, seeing the Rapture as a Jeebus bailout (for them, of course; them heathens are goin' to HELL!) when the earth loses its ability to support life and those biblical plagues start happening.

Ofc, this view represents more the RW extreme of Christianity; there are also many Christians (like me) who DO believe in environmental sustainability and who view Jeebus Bailout Theory as dubious at best. (The LORD condoning wanton negligence and destruction of His creation? Really?)

I went to college in a heavily religious/majority fundie area, so I saw a pretty wide spectrum of Christians, from the occasional UU at the college to the aforementioned fundie contingents.

[liberal N proud]

4. There are those that want it to happen while they are still alive

I know many who expect it to happen while they are alive and will do what they can if it would bring it on.

[unhappycamper]

5. Hey dude, can you leave me the keys to your Lamborghini?

St. Pete won't let it thru the pearly gates.

[MineralMan]

15. Ah, the number of owners of those cars who are rapture

believers approaches zero. Now, if you asked them for their double-wide, you might get some takers.

[unhappycamper]

23. :rofl:

[onager]

27. Make your selection!

Mullet optional...

Almost every trailer park in the South (and Midwest, and Upstate New York) seems to come with a lawn decoration of a classic GM Trans-Maro - a Firebird or Camaro from the "Malaise Era," like this fine example. Hey, it's a restoration in progress:



Here's a nice rolling chassis found in a trailer park. I think those bumpers are original equipment:



More at Trailer Park Limo:

http://trailerparklimo.blogspot.com/2010_01_01_archive.html

[charlie]

28. These digs are *mine*

It's even got a cee-ment pond! C'moooooon RAPTURE!

[The2ndWheel]

6. "promote such selfish, harmful environmental lifestyles and policies"

Cheap energy is about as greedy as you can get. Is it just the rapture people promoting cheap and theoretically limitless energy for every human being on the planet, or is that everyone?

[OneGrassRoot]

7. True, yet...

the "Rapture" crowd seem to do so without hesitation, even with glee. Many contribute to it through our own selfishness and/or apathy, but aren't actively SEEKING to destroy the Earth (even though the end result is the same. :().

The ones of whom I speak seem to take pride in their pillaging of the planet's resources, with no remorse whatsoever. It dawned on me that many of them may truly feel they're ushering in their End Times prophecy with this attitude and actions, and they are looking forward to it.

[SkyDaddy7]

8. It is a combination of things...

According to the Bible god gave MAN dominion over the Earth and every living thing on it...Nothing was said about protecting it just use what MAN wants.

There is a growing hatred for science especially in America...After all science says and has proven beyond any doubt that the earth is BILLIONS of years old and that all life on Earth evolved including human beings. This enrages most Christians in America! They think science is just a group of people who make things up just to try and debunk their religion...Unless they need a Dr. or have to get on a plane or use a computer, etc. So, whether it is curbing greenhouse gases or protecting wildlife many Christians refuse to listen.

Today's right wing media lead by FOX "News" that knows religion is the most powerful tool to use to control what people think and do! So, the Republican Party controlled by the corporations & the wealthy know they can use religion like a carrot & stick to get almost half the population in America to vote how they want. They play on the utter ignorance and lack of proper education to control people like religious leaders have done for thousands of years! And it works!

The bottom line is "WHO CARES" when you know your demi-god will return in your lifetime to save you from all the destruction & suffering!

The question I have is why people who claim to be Liberal Christians have such an attachment to the Bible? They know what is written in the Bible and they know why it was written that way! So, why spend all this time making excuses for it, trying to modify it, and picking & choosing certain parts to follow & others to ignore? Why not just adopt a new age religion because that is basically what they are left with after shredding most of the Bible in an effort to make it compatible with their world view. The more people who drop the Bible and shed the name "Christian" the less cover the crazies have to spread their insanity!

To call yourself a "Christian" means you follow Christ and Christ made it clear he is not all inclusive...Those who do not accept him as their savoir are doomed to hell fire. So, to scrub this from your belief system means you are not a Christian so why keep the name?

[OneGrassRoot]

10. Is it only fundamentalist Christians?

I assume all religions have their version of the Rapture, with a similar careless and even harmful approach to being on this Earth. I wasn't intending to single out Christians, but rather asking if this extreme religious view, and focus on the next life versus THIS life, is at play with those who seem intent on destroying the Earth with no regard.

After typing it out, it seems pretty obvious. A "duh" moment for me. OF COURSE, that's what's going on...

:hi:

[AsahinaKimi]

24. As a Buddhist

with Shintoist leanings, I can assure you we have nothing at all like this Rapture or self destructive tendencies towards the earth. I really wish people would stop lumping all Religions into one sloppy pile.

[OneGrassRoot]

25. Oh goodness, that definitely was not my intention...

my apologies.

I was not trying to denigrate religion in general whatsoever. It's my impression that most religions can -- as with any group -- have more fanatical elements. There are radical Christians, radical Muslims, etc. (though indeed, I've never heard of radical Buddhists!) :)

I'm not knowledgeable about religions in general and just assumed many had their own "end time" scenario which could be abused by some followers to excuse their actions.

I was trying to make sure my OP wasn't an unintentional slam on Christianity in general, recognizing that most religions have followers who corrupt any original good intent.

I really shouldn't have posted this OP at all...lol.

Again, my apologies.

:hi:

(mods, maybe it's time to move this?) :hi:


edit for clarity

[AsahinaKimi]

26. The only radical

Buddhists I ever heard about were those who set themselves on fire in protest during the Vietnam war. Thats about as close to violent as you are going to get.

[cali]

9. it's simply an expression of something quite common in most human cultures.

Destruction myths are nearly as widespread as creation myths.

[a la izquierda]

16. Well said!

I think the difference lies in views of time (this isn't necessarily for you, Cali, as I'm sure you know this). Indigenous Mexicans, for instance, saw/see time as cyclical. Christians (and Jews and Muslims) see it as linear.

[cali]

21. exactly. in fact, that's the split- linear/cyclical

[OneGrassRoot]

19. Yes, I understand. I was asking...

if this worldview actually causes them to seek out the Earth's destruction, rather than simply having a careless disregard for the environment, which is how I used to interpret their attitude.

To destroy things in order to usher in the End Times, as they see it, that's what I'm seeing...

:hi:

[LeftinOH]

12. Do you rememer James Watt, Reagan's Secretary of the Interior?

Anti-environment fundie of the first order:

....Watt periodically mentioned his Christian faith when discussing his approach to environmental management. Speaking before Congress, he once said, "I do not know how many future generations we can count on before the Lord returns, whatever it is we have to manage with a skill to
leave the resources needed for future generations."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_G._Watt#Secretary_of_Interior

[struggle4progress]

29. I am ashamed to say I was overjoyed by that jackass's legal problems

[tanyev]

13. Sure, why not?

They'll be safely gone, and watching the suffering and misery of those left behind will keep them tremendously entertained in that long, boring afterlife.

[Ezlivin]

14. They are taught these things in seminary

I know: I'm a graduate of a conservative seminary in Fort Worth.

Here's what they are up to: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=263x40851

[OneGrassRoot]

17. Wow....thank you. n/t

[slackmaster]

18. Isn't there a Religion forum for this kind of subject?

:argh:

[OneGrassRoot]

20. Yes, and I should have placed it there....

I'm sure it will be moved. Quite frankly, I didn't expect many to respond. I was thinking out loud at DU in the wee hours. My bad.

:hi:

[JerseygirlCT]

22. I think it's less that than a conviction that it doesn't matter much, since

they don't plan on being here very long.

And to be fair, a number of the more conservative/fundie Christian groups have recently begun to take a renewed interest in the environment. They'll call it stewardship of God's earth or something, but it's a good development anyway.

[Vampire Knight]

33. Probably not.

It's probably more accurate to say that they just don't care. They don't think that the world is going to be destroyed by massive environmental disaster. They think that it's pretty possible that Jesus will come back while the world is still in decent shape environmentally. In fact, many of them think it's possible that Jesus will come back during their lifetimes. So they don't think that the world will be around long enough to be destroyed by the consequences of mismanagement.

Now Islam, on the other hand...states (if I understand correctly) that the coming of their important religious figure (and thus the end) will only come when they have subjugated the world entirely...