It was not a factor in my leaving, but I did notice that the closer we came to Y2K, the less church leaders spoke about Christ’s return being nigh. The second coming had been a successful scare tactic for decades, but I think they realized that it had become a “boy who cried wolf” kind of thing.
It certainly signaled a major change in Christianity. The Bible never says the exact date, so there is some wiggle room. But the big day is getting more and more implausible. A lot of people have given up. But a big contingent has responded by digging in and getting more and more militant. The big kicker, in their minds, happened when the USA elected a non-white person to the Presidency. Then that president's party nominated a (gasp!) female as their favorite. Those two events made the believers really lose their minds. That's how we ended up with Jan. 6. And yes, the main driving force was their conviction that they had/have a divine mandate to usher in Armageddon.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/26/2023 12:40AM by slskipper.
Heartless Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Latest from my Christian friend, 2033. > > 2000 years after his resurrection.
Never mind that... why are the ruling class so obsessed with the year 2030?
To be fair, I never heard that. I did hear it from other churches. I also heard it would be "soon" in the LDS. But never heard anything in class or officially to suggest 2000.
The LDS does keep saying the Millennium is soon but it isn't like the JWs that way. At least since JS and BY died.
You never heard it because you were born too late. In the sixties nobody had to say it- everybody just "knew"it would happen on or about Dec. 31, 1999.
The operative word here is "Catholic". Catholicism has never been big on the whole Armageddon thing. I was referring to the Mormon experience. We all "knew" that the Big Day would be 2,000 years after Jesus was born. Yes, there was a little leeway because we all knew about calendar discrepancies and so on, but especially due to Ezra Benson/Cleon Skousen we all "knew" that the world's history was limited to seven thousand years. Take away 1000 years for the millennium, four thousand from the time of Adam and Eve, and you are left with simple arithmetic. Jesus was definitely on his way.
The signs were all around us. There was Soviet Communism which was portrayed as Gog and Magog (look it up). We all had our food storage and bomb shelters. Now, nuclear attack was a very real possibility, but Mormons all "knew" that any such event would end with Jesus splitting open the Mount of Olives. There was the "attacks on the family", which really meant attacks on absolute white patriarchy exemplified by such evils as easier divorce for battered women, gay rights and the Equal Rights Amendment, and the Civil Rights movement that was absolutely targeted at Mormons. I am not exaggerating. Trust me when I say that I know what I am talking about.
Oh, I believe you. I'm just stating that it was not a part of my RC experience, and I never heard anything from my mainstream Protestant friends either. It must have been more a Mormon and possibly Evangelical/Fundie thing.
Perhaps Jesus is hesitant to come back with the current climate of humanity for fear of being double crossed?
I have often wondered how long this can go on. In the year 2525 for instance--will this Jesus thing still be going strong?
When I am struggling with a painting that just isn't working it is such a relief to just rend the canvas. With the planet headed the way it is I would say Jesus would be wise to just cut his losses. Or, perhaps he already has?
>> In the year 2525 for instance--will this Jesus thing still be going strong?
That's a good question that I've sometimes pondered. Any given religion has to meet people's needs, and be better than any available alternatives. IMO Hinduism has had staying power due to its cultural relevance and adaptability (which could put Christianity to shame.)
I knew I'd be about 40 that year and so I kept that in mind. I've said it before, my life was a total catastrophe and with Y2K and everyone going nuts about it--even my "husband". I think I still have the big blue barrel of water in the laundry room that he put there just before 12/31/1999.
As it was, I was home with the dog. My kids were staying at a friend's house. I HOPED, I really did, that it was the end, but I KNEW it wasn't. Sure enough as I was sitting there on the sofa counting down, midnight came and went and life went on. At least my life got better after that. Maybe it ended after all!?!?
I left the church over how they handle the gay issues. There are very few things they are as wrong over as they are about gays.
Many stakes ramped up their Be Prepared for Disasters campaigns.
While some members didn't care, there were more Saturday Emergency Preparedness "fairs". I was part of the obligatory correlation to ensure various presenters were indeed committed to showing up to teach members how they could be prepared for possible disasters. I was responsible for calling both the presenters and those who had pledged to attend.
They were having these workshops every 3 to 4 times a year. While they were not specifically called Jesus is coming because the computer systems will have crashed and you will be out of luck, this was a big topic discussed at church~ the 2nd coming. The stake wanted members to be prepared and not rely on the church for their needs.
Some members pooled their monies and purchased two grain trucks worth of wheat. They even contracted two truck drivers to be available to make deliveries if needed. I have no idea what became of the wheat.
I'm the bad guy who wanted Jesus to come and destroy everything. My house had burned down, and church leaders told me to count my blessings and pound sand when I asked for help.
I was angry and would have welcomed being destroyed.
Did Jesus masturbate on the millennium? I'd rather not know thanks. Can resurrected people be sexually stimulated? I'd rather not know. I guess he was "raised form the dead" but that is only half way there. Did he finish? I'd rather now know.