More from the lunatic fringe, (I know your out there)

[Bill R.]

Here

[Hallmark]

I am a Christian fundamentalist and I believe some of what he talks about. But he has added so much garbage (represented as fact) that the story has become absurd. The scary part is that some people apparently buy into the tale he spins.

Bill, it is obvious you are not a republican, consevative, lover of the Bush administration...whatever. Don't agree with the ideas of the administration for real reasons, that is your right. But don't get caught up in fantastic stories like this, they weaken us all.

[Bill R.]

republicans and she agrees with about 90% of this article.

I am a Christian fundamentalist and I believe some of what he talks about. But he has added so much garbage (represented as fact) that the story has become absurd. The scary part is that some people apparently buy into the tale he spins.

Bill, it is obvious you are not a republican, consevative, lover of the Bush administration...whatever. Don't agree with the ideas of the administration for real reasons, that is your right. But don't get caught up in fantastic stories like this, they weaken us all.

[Hallmark]

but the part that isn't is so skewed that it's almost bizarre.

[Bill R.]

any of it makes much sense to me...

but the part that isn't is so skewed that it's almost bizarre.

[Brian C.]

....an unrepentent, heathen sinner who's going to burn in the fires of Hell for all eternity.

Not to mention your liberal tendencies.


Brian C.

[Bill R.]

....an unrepentent, heathen sinner who's going to burn in the fires of Hell for all eternity.

Not to mention your liberal tendencies.


Brian C.

[Hallmark]

True:
In ancient times God made promises to Abraham that included 1. a land, 2. a people, and 3. a nation. The Bible is clear that Abraham died without realizing the fulfillment of these things in his natural life, but God reaffirmed them to his son and grandson (Issac and Jacob). Jacob was renamed Israel and was the father of the original twelve tribes under that name.

Christ lived, died, and arose from the dead. He then ascended to heaven saying he was going to prepare a place for His followers and that he would return for them. This lead to the inauguration of the "Church age", a time we are still experiencing. Remember that the original followers of Christ were all Jews, but in modern times they are the minority of believers in Him. Modern Israel, by and large, rejects Christ.

Both Old and New Testaments describe the time immediately before Christs return (the end of the age) as a time of increasing evil leading to God's pouring out His wrath on the earth. Israel, specifically, is mentioned as having to endure this time because she has turned away from God so consistantly.

One who claims divine power will rise up as a ruler over many of the nations by deception and lies. This one is referred to as the "Anti-christ". During this time armies of non-believers will go to war against Israel. This takes place over a seven year period referred to as "the tribulation".

Now the Apostle Paul wrote that God had shown him that none of those "in Christ" would have to endure the wrath of God. Also, in the Revelations concerning the end times we get right up to the point of the beginning of the tribulation period and find that the church suddenly is no longer mentioned. The idea that we get from this is that Christ takes them away suddenly and without warning before the tribulation begins. The word "rapture" was coined to describe this event in the 19th century, but the idea is as old as scripture.

During the tribulation God reveals to Israel that Christ was indeed their messiah and many of them believe. Christ returns and miraculouly delivers Israel from the invading armies. This is all part of the final return of Christ and His establishing His literal kingdom on earth and fulfilling all promises to Abraham and etc.

Bizarre:
What I've written above is a simplified summary of huge portions of scripture. It is laid out in a methodical way with much more detail.

The writer of the article in question has embellished these events with ideas of people flying through the air naked, Christians getting off on watching the unbelievers get theirs, and the idea that this is all the result of some "immigrant preachers" who managed to start something over a hundred years ago that is being perpetuated by crazed republicans in Houston.

He then supposedly documents the bizarre nature of these beliefs by referencing instances of the .001% who think they can somehow make all this come about by blowing up the Dome of the Mosque or starting an all out war between Israel and all the Arab world. Finally he assigns all fundamental Chrisians the position of waiting eagerly to see if some current political figure (or possibly Walmart...nah, Bill Gates) will rise up any day as the Anti-christ.

If there was a truth that I didn't want to be listened to (and believed), I guess I'd do my best to make it sound ridiculous too.

[Brian C.]

[Mitch90535im]

"One who claims divine power will rise up as a ruler over many of the nations by deception and lies. This one is referred to as the "Anti-christ"."

The first sentence certainly describes George Bush, but I wouldn't go so far as to call him the Anti-Christ.