I am to live to see the second coming, or so I was told by a blind patriarch. Years after leaving the church I woke up to the realization that I still had an end of time mentality. As it turns out most people and cultures have a feeling of having reached a pinnacle of knowledge and achievement. If you want evidence for this just look at how seriously some posters are about their view’s of reality; how seriously they take themselves. I seek deliverance from this mentality by holding to the role of the fool, a realization that my thoughts are not reality.

Have you faced an end of time mentality in yourself or a belief that your understanding of existence is on the cutting edge of human thought?
Here is a good TED talk related end of time and pinnacle thinking:
http://www.ted.com/talks/dan_gilbert_you_are_always_changing

Even long after the next major period of extinction, the earth will continue to spin on some sort of axis and probably support some form of life. Jesus will not be returning, and people's sins will not be shouted from the rooftops.

>> a belief that your understanding of existence is on the cutting edge of human thought? <<

I sometimes think about this concept with regard to the evolution of societies and the concept of ‘progress’. I find many people I encounter simply assume human kind today is always at the bleeding edge of evolution, and that we are smarter today than we have ever been in history. While this might be true regarding raw scientific discovery, I don’t think this necessarily holds true regarding our social evolution.

I think societies can regress, and that they can devolve too. Tibet could provide an example. Forget about their religious beliefs and lack of technology for a moment, and just consider that many observers marvelled at how they stood out as an example of one of the most peaceful societies ever encountered in modern times. Now, with the eradication of their culture, that example no longer exists for us. Their society has now devolved and will quickly become more like everywhere else on earth.

Sometime in the future, we may completely forget that this society ever existed as it did, and assume no one has ever achieved peaceful coexistence. Yet, these future thinkers will no doubt mistakenly think that their current society is doing the best job yet of working toward this ideal, and assume that all past civilizations were just stupid knuckle-dragging barbarians far worse of than the current society of the day.

Yes, most people I know assume we are all a current example of the best we can possibly be yet, as if knowledge and human behaviour can’t possibly regress or devolve. I think this is where things like nationalistic feelings come from too … everyone wants to think they are the ‘smartest’ and most ‘intelligent’ …now. I think it has to do with the part of our brain called the ‘ego’.

Yes ab, I try (and I admit …try) to be the fool too.

End of time thinking is a huge part of being mormon. Every mormon who makes out a simple grocery list has it on their mind. There's a lot of time spent shopping, storing, prepping, and rotating all the things one might need in the event of an apocalypse. It's a colossal waste of time and resources. It's also a huge waste of mental energy. So many(if not all) mormons live in fear every moment of their life. It can become their normal to the point they don't realize they are living that way.

When I left the church, that was one thing I decided to eradicate. I was sick and tired of living in fear. There's nothing wrong with being prepared for an emergency, but in mormonism it gets taken too far. I threw out old food storage, and donated the rest. I got rid of the books that tell you how to make Christmas ornaments out of your stored wheat. I grew up with Esther Dickey in my ward. Talk about the constant drum beat of end times. It was her religion all the way. She died never seeing what she'd spent decades getting ready for. What a waste of a life.

It's been very freeing to unload end time thinking. I still catch myself once in awhile. That indoctrination runs deep. My mother is extremely fearful of that kind of thing, so I spent my growing up years in a house that was filled with fear.My parents moved out in the country so they could have a milk cow, chickens and a huge garden. My mother unnecessarily worked herself to the bone trying to manage the food supply and 7 kids. She ground her own wheat, made bread, tended the chickens, milked the cow and a goat, and had about 1/4 acre garden of vegetables to can. It was too much for one person. She was convinced she had to do all of that though. It was all done out of fear. She got a lot of attention and encouragement from people at church. She couldn't allow herself to pare it down or cut back. It became her life. One that didn't make her all that happy. She seemed angry, exhausted, and resentful most of the time. Thats what living in fear can do to a person.

If you care about future generations, end of time thinking gets in the way of making positive changes related to human population, resources and sustainability.

The Mormon view is: "Who cares if all the resources are used up, and we each have 8 kids. Jesus is a comin soon. Besides, God created it all just for us. Eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow Jesus will be here, and you better get yours before he comes."

Reasons to reject end of the world thinking. We have waited 2000 years and each generation is told they are chosen ones. Okay, would someone please get Jesus a new watch.

The universe is 13.8 billion years old, earth is 4.5 billion years old and humans have only been around for about 200,000 years. God created the world just for us - yeah, right..

Some native american cultures wouldn't implement a decision until the ramifications had been considered for seven generations into the future. I have heard religious people say “don’t worry about it, god's got it covered…” We (with our big brain and two hands) are the stewards of this planet; at least we should be acting that way.

I think the Lord wants us to be stewards of his vineyard. It is not easy seeing as how most of the world does not feel the same way.