God Told You What?

It's really too bad you can't see me going through my google reader. I'm sure it's quite entertaining, as I mutter and curse, throw my hands up in the air, smack a fist into a palm, slap the desk, and, occasionally, tilt my head to that quizzical angle dogs use when they're politely trying to indicate they don't actually speak any language, just give them the bacon.

This "explanation" of being a Mormon left me wordlessly tilting my head to the right, as if 25˚ to the right would make the following words understandable to me.

I have a new baby now. A girl. She came out of me layered in softness. I breastfed her religiously until one day I had a revelation that I was supposed to move her to the bottle. Not a bottle with breast milk, my breast milk, but a bottle of formula. I fought with this revelation for weeks. I prayed, I debated, I went to the temple. I ignored the whole idea until one day I was at Costco deciding which container of powdered formula to buy. That was the day I decided that God loves formula. I watched as the expectations I had known about me as a mother shatter and fall to the floor on the baby aisle at Costco.

What? In what way does that make sense? Why would god, presumably the same guy that gave you breasts that make milk just for your baby, tell you to buy formula at Costco?* Does god have stock in Costco?

I thought at first that she was having trouble breastfeeding (it can become very painful), or was just tired of breastfeeding (a little person on your body all the time, it happens) and looked to god to support her decision, but, if she is a reliable narrator, she did not want to formula feed, she wanted to breastfeed. God told her no. In Costco.

Even if I were willing to believe that god direct dialed your brain in the formula aisle at Costco**, why doesn't god give parenting advice to people who actually need it? Why doesn't god tell people who beat their children to stop? Why doesn't god tell people who starve their children to buy some damn food? God wants your baby to have formula instead of breastmilk, and it was so important you couldn't disobey, but god doesn't care at all about children being beaten, starved, raped and killed?

What makes you so fucking important?

*This is not an indictment of people who feed their babies formula. I support, fully, whatever decision you make regarding the feeding of your child.

**I'm not.

The Brick Testament Returns!

brick, testament, revelation, bible, religion, funny

Finally- the Book of Revelation illustrated with legos. Yes, it's the return of the Brick Testament. And all shall be joyful now.

Low Pressure Rapture System

The Rapture Index continues to fall! We've fallen 1 point to 155.

Mercy and Love

Let's start with the dictionary before I get into what mercy and love are.

mercy: compassionate or kindly forbearance shown toward an offender, an enemy, or other person in one's power; compassion, pity, or benevolence

ok, what's forbearance? an abstaining from the enforcement of a right

so, mercy is the compassionate or kindly forbearance of abstaining from the enforcement of a right toward an offender, an enemy or other person in one's power. i don't need to add to this one.

love: a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person well, love is hard to define, so i will add this. love is when what you admire, respect or like in another person outweighs what you dislike, are annoyed by or find contemptable in another person. love is when you find yourself not only willing to sacrifice for another person, but you do it without thinking, and without expecting anything in return.

my dog, for example. he is loyal and sweet and funny. he follows me around looking at me like i am the most wonderful thing he can imagine. he also eats out of the garbage, gets in the way, gets sick and pees (or worse) on the brand new carpet. he fights me when i cut his nails, he fights me when i brush him, and he's a pain in the ass to walk. i could do without all the negative stuff, but i would never get rid of him. i love him. i often don't eat lunch so he can have food, and i have put off my own doctor's visits to take him to the vet. he can't repay me. that's love.

this is why i find it amazing when fundamentalist christians tell me that god is love and mercy and then tell me about all the horrible things god does, and will do, to the people that he loves. you wouldn't believe me if i told you that i loved my dog after i set him on fire. i have to right to give him to the aspca anytime i want, but you wouldn't believe that i loved him if i did that simply so i didn't have to walk him anymore.

you can see why i am an atheist. i'm more inclined to worship my dog. (you can feel free to worship my dog.)

here's what fundamentalist christians think of god's love:

Everyone knows that Christ said that mens love will grow cold in the last days. i didn't know that. got a chapter and verse for me? We have a strong idea that we are in the last days by just looking around us and seeing those around us whose love has grown cold. i haven't noticed a downturn in loving . . . oh, prop 8. that would definitely qualify as "cold". One sign you do not hear hardly ever mentioned but that is in almost every church on every corner is an absolute sign of the days we are in. follow that grammar. i dare you!

That sign is the fact the Church has stopped teaching the judgment of God. Most people in "church" only talk about the wonderful love of God and the Mercy of Christ. Most teach that God would never "judge" does this poster just like quotation marks? i admit, they're quite festive, but really us because he loves everyone. apparently, this poster is a little torqued that god isn't as exclusive as the latest hot NYC club. He wants all to come to the knowledge of Christ and be saved.Yes the Love of God and the Mercy of Christ are wonderful, but the scripture is very clear that they have their limits.

why? god made us the way we are. free will aside, it's his own fault we are the way we are. he made the whole universe in 6 days. if he wanted us to be different, he could make us different. besides, you know that woman who killed her daughter, a little girl named Caylee? her parents are standing behind her. why? because they love her. she did the most awful, terrible, horrifying thing anyone could do, and they still love her. that's what love is. (if they helped her hide it, that's going beyond the exigencies of love, but you can't blame them for loving their daughter.) apparently, god is less capable of love, and his love is far lesser than the love of a human parent.

why am i supposed to worship this person again? oh, yeah, or he'll spank me. what an endorsement.

People in "churches" struggle with the concept of a loving God letting bad things happen. wouldn't any thinking person? A question frequently asked of me is, "How can a loving God allow something like 911 happen and how can he let innocent children die?" good question. possible answers: no god, not omnipotent, no god, not omniscient, no god, god is a sadist.These questions are from churchgoers professing to be Christians! how dare they think and question! true christians don't think, they pray! you think i'm being funny, don't you? This is the lukewarm church of Laodacia if I ever saw it!!

now witness the most amazing cognitive dissonance in the world. it's right up there with, "my husband beats me senseless on a regular basis because he loves me."

God is love but He is not complete without judgment. It's possible that the poster did not mean what he said here. I think the poster meant "He is not completely without judgment", which is entirely different from "he is not complete without judgment." If the poster did mean to say that god is incomplete without judgment, then he is saying that god isn't just love, god is love . . . and judgment.

God DOES HATE! god is love, god IS love, yet god hates. hatred is the most destructive thing of which humans are capable. hatred feeds itself on every good thing in your soul. hatred is corrosive and consuming, and if you let it fester, you will find within yourself nothing else. how do you suppose people end up blowing up office buildings filled with innocent victims?God HATES His enemies and will judge any who choses to directly disobey him. We in the USA are heading for a major Judgment right at our doorstep, so, are we away from home or are we inside our homes and will find it when we get to the front door? and yet our churches are dead silent to it. "to" it, or "on" it? God will be more merciful to Ninevites than to us because of this. god will give more mercy to the Iraqis than to us? Sort of an odd position to take. "You, you don't worship me properly at all, yet I will show you more mercy than those who do worship me properly because . . . well, just because." Most "Christians" in "Churches" just stop with the fucking quotation marks. will be like this

this message board allows for an endless variety of annoying, juvenile smileys. the smiley here is shocked, shocked! or a smiley big john doll.

when they find out that the wrath of God is what is going to destroy the USA, nothing more, nothing less. what would be more than that (at least from our perspective)? Why is he destroying us again? Will the destruction stop exactly at the borders with Mexico and Canada? What about US protectorates such as the Virgin Islands or Puerto Rico? May our churches begin to actually seek the truth and speak it from the pulpit before His wrath comes!!! if his loving, merciful wrath is guaranteed, why bother? but I doubt that it will happen....since their love has truly grown cold... God have mercy on those of us who believe His TRUTH! why are you being punished by your loving, merciful god? this is just so bizarre. if you have 5 children and one of them broke a vase, do you punish all 5 of them severely? of course not. who does that? god, that's who!

kays couldn't agree more: Excellent. I agree so much.

frankly forgiven agreed with a smiley face and: I agree 100%

honestly, I feel like sneaking onto this board and posting things like "whoo! god's loving, merciful vengeance! yeah, wrath!" I was going to say that i'd get kicked off, but i bet nobody would notice the sarcasm.

refocus doesn't seem quite as happy about the loving, merciful wrath: I think we are living on borrowed time in the U.S., but i know there are faithful here. Just read these posts. Keep shining your light! I pray that God will not judge the forgiven, and sanctified, with the rest. Like in Lot's day, may he take us before his wrath comes. didn't someone get turned into a pillar of salt for the enormous sin of turning around? In the meantime, lets stand firm against the enemy's wrath. His time is short, and he knows it. so, satan is the enemy and he is wrathful. god is wrathful. what the hell's the difference? i'm getting wrathed either way.

The Millenial Reign

Ok, if you're not familiar with premillenial dispensationalism (I linked you to wiki to keep the crazy from seeping in too far), the basics are thus: faithful are whisked up to heaven (naked!), 7 years of really bad shit for the rest of us, then satan's rebellion is crushed for a 1,000 year reign of the Psychochrist(tm), then satan is allowed to rebel again (yeah, I dunno) and then . . . something.

So here's the charming visions of the 1,000 year reign of the Psychochrist(tm) from the RaptureReady message boards.

I have often wondered what everyday life on Earth will be like during the Millennial Reign of Christ. How different will it be? How similar? Will there still be fast-food restaurants? Banks and credit unions? Or will there even be a need for money anymore? Would there still be entertainiment in the form of television, movies and theater? exactly what television and movies would be considered godly by these people? Touched by an Angel? as for theater, no. too many gays in the theater, and they're all in hell at this point, so, nope, no more theater. If so, what sorts of shows would people see? Only religious fare *gagging sounds*, or would some of the classics such as the works of Rodgers and Hammerstein or the operettas of Gilbert & Sullivan still be performed? What sort of work will those of us who have been raptured be expected to do? Teach? Inspire? describe the job of "inspiring" to me, please Gardening? Physical labor? in a freakin' utopia? i live a life of repression and boredom and all i get to show for it is 1,000 years of physical labor? satan sounds better all the time. I have no doubt we will have a degree of supernatural power (instant teleportation from place to place perhaps?) uh, yeah. sure. watch me back away slowly., so how will those abilities be utilized?I don't expect anyone to have any sort of definitive answer. The Bible is totally silent about this (save for the final outbreak of disobedience at the very end when Satan is once more set free still not sure why). I just find it fascinating to speculate on such things, even though I'm sure I'm dead wrong about everything I've ever come up with in my mind's eye.Any thoughts? Or am I treading on thin ice here? god forbid you question or imagine. it's wrong. it might lead to sex and sex leads to dancing!

wvborn56 replies: I don't even have a clue what I would like to do if I even had the choice. In fact I am hoping I don't have a choice. I trust the Lord to assign my duties much better than to choose myself. because what i want most in life is not to ever make a decision again, forever. surely someone who reads my blog can hook me up with satan's email address.

mswilso says: One thing I know for certain will be different. Instead of a Democracy, it will be a Theocracy, with Jesus the King as ruler of all! whoooo. Just thinking of the implications of that make makes. makes! my heart soar. For example, you know how people can go for years while they wait for trial and sentencing. the wheels of justice and all that. No more with that. no more justice? Jesus will "rule with an iron scepter" you'd think with everyone getting golden mansions that the Psychochrist(tm) could have a nicer scepter, and you can bet that any necessary justice will be meted out faster than Chuck Norris ever could when chuck norris jumps into a lake, he doesn't get wet, the water gets norrised. Very quickly, IMHO, people will start to get used to God's idea of "fair and balanced"...hheheheh yeah, i don't like the sound of that.

Not long after the beginning of the Millenium, I believe that people will start to live up to their true potential, unhindered by greed i very rarely engage in greed, except when it comes to pistachios. i cannot control my love of pistachios., lying i tell white lies, cheating nope, stealing never!, or any vices such as gambling i'd rather spend the money on clothes or video games, drinking to excess not in 9 years, prostitution whoa!, or organized crime uh, what?, or sin in any shape or fashion. mind you, the people in heaven, or wherever, at this point are god's chosen people. this is how mswilso sees his fellow christians. Yikes!

It will be a truly utopian society, in my opinion. what, without prostitutes and organized crime? That doesn't mean that sin won't be present isn't Jesus roaming around with an iron scepter?, but sinful actions won't be tolerated in Jesus' Kingdom. don't like the sound of that, either. But I believe Grace will still abound she is kinda fat, huh?, and it will be amazing to see in action Grace/Mercy/Justice as provided by the Prince of Peace. who's walking around with an iron scepter.

Not Perfect But Forgiven apparently can't wait for his turn at middle management: Very true. With our new bodies and sinless natures if i'm not going to be engaging in really hot, totally amazing [censored] with [censored] what do i need the new body for?, we wil be much wiser than in our earthly forms or just really boring, and we will know MUCH more from our 7 years spent in Heaven waiting for the Psychochrist(tm) to get with the exploding of the rebellious. When the Millenium starts, I think alot of raptured people will be in admisitrative roles, teaching, counseling, etc. that's my reward for the most boring, repressed life ever lived? middle management? seriously? Some glorified people new bodies? may be sent to help build, since they will most likely be much stronger than normal people and can lift and carry more so middle managment or pack mule. The thing is, we won't be living on the job site who does?, but will be commuting back and forth from the New Jerusalem where our mansions are the golden ones. with 82.5 rooms. The views we are going to see on the way to work will be stunning! I can't wait! i can.

RRuth is obssessed with the inane: It's always refreshing to hear people ask questions like this. or something. I've spent my entire life, asking these questions and have gotten the strangest looks from professing Christians i bet. Many act surprised at the thought of Heaven no, they're surprised at your amazing stupidity and probably insanity. there isn't a christian alive surprised by the idea of heaven. Some seem to not care about Christ coming, or where we're spending eternity. more like, they have actual things to think about, like paying the electric bill, and how much wood would a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? My most recent questions to a surprised Christian was, "So, WHAT KIND OF FOOD why was she shouting?, do you think we'll be eating at the Marriage Supper?" Think there will be CHOCOLATE?

RRuth also has peculiar hopes for the cuisine of the future: Before man's fallen state, we (including beast just the one?) had feasted upon HERB why Herb and not Charlie? What about Bob? I think she means "herbs" or possibly vegetables. Either way, hell sounds better and better. I bet they got steak down there. I haven't seen any indication to us eating flesh in our glorified bodies. The lion will be feasting upon herb herbs, godamnit, herbs! again too. Ooops, sorry, I hope you don't mind hearing for eternity, "eat your vegetables!" ;-) they'll be the only thing available, apparently.

No Bandwagon Here seems to be conflating the reign of the Psychochrist(tm) with several bad scifi movies and the Cthulu mythos: I think meat will still be eaten, but it would come from the sacrifices that will still be done.why would sacrifices be done during the millenial reign? and what does he mean by "still"? I'm not performing sacrifices, are you?...I am not a big veggies guy, but I could handle the fruit. Just think, if we can teleport apparently, anything you say on this board becomes fact. i wish i had such a superpower. , that would reduce the need for heavy equipment such as trains and aircraft to transfer materials. Also I think our jobs would be related to our peculiar ? perception of how the world works now. I am not sure how to explain it but imagine our Lord pairing up believers from different time/technology periods to overcome a problem encountered while rebuilding the earth why is the lord having a problem rebuilding the earth? he made in 6 days, right?. The implications make my head spin! right there with ya! Imagine working under or with Adam with his pre-programed knowledge base uh, what? Adam didn't know jack shit until he ate from the tree of knowledge, and after that, his sole contribution to the world was a loincloth. what wondrous technology!, and him asking us our opinion based on our modern day knowledge base....what an honor! oh, yeah, that's right. Einstein won't be available. he'll be with me in hell. apparently with the xboxes and the gays. Personally, this melding of technologies is where I believe the solution to the energy crisis will come from for the millinium. Why. Would. There. Be. An. Energy. Crisis. Imagine being in the audience of the new food channel show Cooking with Eve ok, that would be kinda cool. She will have recipies for foods we have NEVER heard or seen!! Wow....I am sooo looking foward to this.

Immeningen says: Why would life be much different? because it's freakin' utopia! Except perhaps for what the Bible does say, that the King will rule with a rod of iron where is the good here?, and there will be a population explosion ouch!, man will still have to work tell me again why i lived such a boring life for this, there will still be the seasons, and a time for planting and harvesting, etc. a time for sorrow a time for joy, a time for a girl and a time for a boy, a time for silver and a time for gold, a time for a secret that's never been told. Basically very similar. Yet somewhat unknown to us. you'll notice the gays when they're gone.

AbidingHope commits the cardinal sin of english with: Some of you guys have some wonderful ideas! You’ve made me smile while reading this thread. But in my view I see the world reverting back going back back? that drives me crazy to what God intended it to be in the first place. all powerful god couldn't keep the world the way he wanted it? really? he creates the whole freakin' universe in 6 days and he can't maintain a fucking . . . . garden. I don’t think there’ll be planes, automobiles, modern cities and technology and all that stuff anymore. I think it’s going to be VERY different than what it is now.

BelovedChild has quite the unusual checklist: I think that it may be a more agricultural type of society. Remember the passages about planting your own vineyard etc. Ancient Israel was very largely agrarian. prior to the industrial revolution ALL SOCIETIES WERE AGRARIAN. hello! So was the Garden of Eden. no, it was a fucking garden. I think that people will be very much into arts and crafts done by hand. be still my beating heart. This would be fun. if hell is the opposite of heaven, i really want to be there. Imagine learning to weave your own designs in material, make you own pottery. no, that doesn't turn me on. There could be a barter system. you know, or not.

I would imagine the arts too would flourish, and be available to everyone. like they are now? it's called the interwebs. you want to see picasso paintings? type in picasso. Music, painting, scupture, dramatic arts no theater, the gays are all in hell. Possibly good and excellent musicals which exist now not without the gays, or the great Oratorios by the great music masters like Handel, maybe some composed by great Biblical heroes. who were known for their Oratorio skills? Who knows? hopefully not you.

I would like to think that communities would be small enough that we would all know each other everyone who ever had an impure thought is in hell. i think you'll all know each other. all two of you., somethings like old villages or small country towns. There would have to be lovely gardens, etc.I am also pretty sure that we will be following the Jewish calander and worship festivals. why, aren't you christian? I wonder if we will be able to keep a version of Christmas, but celebrated on His real birthday. in heaven, with jesus? i would think so. healthy sports too would flourish. unhealthy sports being? Maybe the great cricket team with all the heavenly greats v the living. oh flying spaghetti monster, the madness has infected england! Must have the cricket.I would also like to have beautiful long hair, with floral ornaments and red shoes. yeah. why don't you just buy red shoes now, grow your hair long and put some flowers in it? seems like you don't have to wait for the rapture for any of those things.

The Lone Soldier asks: I wonder is the world will be oxidized, like it probably was before the flood? If it is then that means we could grow to be giants and never get tired. ummmm . . . oxidation is a chemical reaction ranging between metal rusting (slow oxidation) and fire (fast oxidation). how would that make us grow to be giants and never get tired? If he is referring to a higher concentration of oxygen in the atmosphere, that wouldn't make us taller. I mean, i've gotten straight oxygen up the nose at the hospital a couple of times, and i'm still short.

That's exactly as much of that crazy as I can take, but I do have to say, no video games in heaven, no heaven for me!

The Math of the Insane

This has to be the most horrifying view of god ever. See that picture above? That's from Gears of War 2. I love- LOVE- the game, it's beautiful and it is crazy violent. I enjoy snipering Locust in the head, which creates a fountain of blood, accompanied by the sound of a melon exploding. And I consider the below horrifyingly violent. I can only hope this guy isn't exposing children to this. He probably is.

OP is Armageddon. What will we be doing in this "war"? What is up with these people and inappropriate quotes? Do they airquote in face to face conversations? What do you think it will be like? Where will we fight? Anyone know? Or have an idea?

About 3 posts like this: I'm pre-trib, so I believe we'll be "watching" this battle from a heavenly perspective. I believe we'll be giving glory to God for His righteous judgment. Yeah, that would be some good time there. Wheeeee!

Here's where we stop the kiddies from reading:

The thing is, we won't be doing any fighting at all. That sounds good, right? As we sit on our white horses other colors are evil? behind Jesus, we will witness the armies of the anti-christ dropping dead and basically exploding at the words from our Savior's mouth *jaw drops* At least the Locust have a chance of evading my shots. (Frequently they do. I'm not all that good at the game, I just enjoy it.). It's going to be bloodbath, wait for it a righteous one who enjoys that? In a video game that would sicken me. In real life, happening to real people, my last thought would be "righteous". more like, Jesus, stop it! Please!. We, the resurrected ones, will do nothing more than bear witness to His righteous judgment on the rebellious masses. Sit there and watch Jesus turn people into hamburger. Even if they are rebellious, they don't deserve that.

This event will take place in the Valley of Megiddo so if you're going to be rebellious, stay the hell away from the Valley of Megiddo, that's roughly where we will return to after our 7 year departure. The entire world will see Jesus and us us, the righteous ones, with Jesus, on white horses! coming in the clouds *spews tea all over keyboard* that was just unfortunate. I thought god was against that sort of thing. The sun and stars will go black, as if a light switch in the heavens was shut off c'mon, turn the damn sun back on, oh, sorry about that *click*, pitch black. Suddenly, piercing beams will shine on the earth light a spot light, the rainbow colored glory of our Lord will permeate everything. HAHAHAHAHA when taken with "coming in the clouds" this is way funnier than it should be. plus, I wonder if "permeate" is really the word this asshat is looking for. Then the clouds will part these clouds are getting so much action! and the world will see Him.

This "war" isn't really a war, but a one sided slaughter of those who chose to rebel against our Savior and fight for anti-christ. why would I worship someone willing to engage in a one-side slaughter? He gave us free will, he saw this coming, he is love-- he is the Terminator on crack. Although, it makes it easy to see why people like the poster support unjust wars and torture. If that's how you see your savior, it must be easy to think that making people scream for no reason is just. In our resurrection bodies i'm not touching that, we will be able to take in the entire battlefield, we will see men and women screaming and runnig for their lives in a frenzied terror as Christ rides across the plains of Jezreel again, why would i want to see this?. Millions of bodies will lay strewn and broken everywhere weren't they just exploded? so, really millions of bits of bodies and a whole lot of blood will be stewn everywhere. those won't be white horses for long. It will be a sobering moment in history. yeah, no fucking kidding. how about "horrifying" or "sickening" for starters?

The wicked will get what they deserve i deserve to be exploded and strewn about. nice., and the Church, saved by the Blood, will see what they deserved had they not turned their hearts and lives over to the Man on the white horse out in front. is this a western, or the apocalypse? He is as loving as He is just did you just read above?, and with our new bodies, we will appreciate that at levels unknown to us presently. uh-huh In that moment, we will see His justice executed after 7 years of pure bliss in Heaven. if I fucking know that is what happens next, how could I possibly enjoy the time in heaven? unless my new body comes without a conscience? One day to God is as a thousand years to man the bible says. Perhaps our time in Heaven will feel like a few thousand years, who knows? yeah. I'm feeling old after 33 years. Surrounded by the celestial splendor of the Father's House, we may hardly be mindful of the tribulations happening on he first heaven below us. what? Our world will be filled with enormous golden mansions enormous golden mansions do not turn me on. lots of other things do, though I doubt i'd get any of that in heaven., angels and the physical presence of Christ Himslelf, he explodes people! i'd rather he not be there! but all must come to past pass, jackass, and we must return with him to rule and reign on the earth. ruling and reigning doesn't do it for me, either. can i have some really hot sex with [censored] and kill myself before the exploding starts? (and it would be really hot sex. really, really hot. really, really, really . . . sorry, muscle relaxants make me . . . um . . . imaginative)

We will return to our world after 7 years (earth time HST, heaven standard time?), perhaps overcome by the memories it held we're blissful, and then we're not, shocked at how far it has deteriorated under anti-christ's reign. We will witness Jesus put out more lives in moments than all other wars over a period of many months. why am I supposed to enjoy this? What is wrong with this asshole? With our new bodies and minds we will be ever more appreciative of our status as His bride, His Beloved. no sex with [censored], i guess. maybe the antichrist is . . . sorry.

next post totally ignores the FREAKING SLAUGHTER to talk about clothes: We will be watching dressed in our white linen robes from the marriage supper. now we're pro-polygymy?

this guy scares me, too: Not perfect but forgiven, that was beautifully written. beautiful? seriously? what part of SLAUGHTER and EXPLODING was beautiful? I've never thought much about this war. I wonder what we will feel for those that are slaughtered. hopefully sorrow. regret. sadness. no, wait: Maybe we won't feel much for them if anything at all. because that's the godly way to feel, apparently. SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE WILL BE FAMILY MEMBERS, SICKO! I bet we will be able to see their souls leaving their bodies too. just what I always wanted to see. I wonder if there will be any people that at the last minute regret the decision to take the mark. Or if at that point everyone left with the mark is 100% without morals and truly truly evil. or maybe they're just people who don't enjoy fucking slaughter, and would rather be on the losing side than support psychochrist!

All of these people are psychopaths! Not Perfect, But Forgiven's poster of the "beautiful" description description is my understanding of the battle as well. About the only thing I would add is that the dead will be made into a nice meal for the birdies! yeah! you are making light of the slaughter of millions! WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!

This guy seems to think he might feel something- for all the wrong reasons: AMEN to us not doing the killing. I'm sure all of us we'll have someone we know still 'left on the ground' - let alone a loved one, or 2! It will be hard enough just to watch.What about those who we see slaughtered that happened across our path in life and we did nothing to be a witness for Christ - that brings a tear to my eye in shear guilt, blame, & embarassment. God's just such a nice guy, ain't he? Why is he punishing the chosen? Think about it- you do everything right, deny yourself a lifetime of pleasures (mmmm [censored]) and your reward is to watch loved ones slaughtered? Great.

Monday Madness!

What is it about Monday that makes the crazies crazier? *checks wikipedia* Aha! Monday means "day of the moon". Got it! (I sincerely hope the fundies don't read this site, because then we will have to endure some ridiculous movement to change the names of the days of the week to nonpagan words. (Christday, Jesusday, Godday, Bibleday, Goodnewsday, Raptureday and Heavenday, no doubt.)

Today's Israel Watch (God's Prophetic Clock!) by Jim Fletcher just ratchets up the crazy!

He Knows You

If you’ll be kind enough to indulge me, I want to continue this week with the theme from last week. God will provide blahblahblah The subject I’d originally chosen can wait awhile. The feedback I got convinces me more than ever that we need to encourage each other. True, but I have yet to feel encouraged.

Like you, I continue to hear stories that are beyond sad. Me, too. I’m not going to dwell on stories like this, but you know how it is. Economic gloominess, outrageously exemplified by our incoming “leader,” why the quotes? The President is, by definition, the leader of the US. Barack Obama (“the economy is going to get worse.” Merry Christmas! Truth is bad? Should he lie and tell us it will all be puppies and sunshine come January? Sheesh.) has gripped folks like that horrible movie I saw last year, “The Mist.” I like Stephen King. Stop the hating.

However — for the Christian, there is always a however Worship the Lord or burn in hell, however . . . nope, no however there. I think he's trying to say that Christians have forever. — we will once again this week explore God’s provisions for His people. I have always felt there is a direct correlation between Bible prophecy, and the lives of individuals around the world. Be prepared to show your work.

I almost feel like this is the jump-off point. Ummm . . . that's not puppies and sunshine. That sounds like a call to suicide. There's a hotline (1-800-273-TALK) for that. That my whole life has built to this moment, in which predictive prophecy what other kind of prophecy is there? the definition of prophecy is the foretelling or prediction of what is to come. Could we please stop being redundant? is coming so sharply into focus that it doubles as a personal faith-builder. Oh, my.

If I can’t rely on my portfolio, or the government, or other human inventions…who can I turn to? I'm still all about the Suicide Hotline. There is a woman who saved my friend's life, through the simple kindness of listening to a stranger cry. I hope she knows she helped more than one person that night. His children will celebrate another Christmas with him this year through her grace alone. I will turn to the God who has supernaturally proven Himself to me through His provision for the Jews. Huh?

Go with me now to a place you’ve heard about all your life. Disneyland?

In Bethlehem today, and in the surrounding Judean countryside, the air is clean. So the Israelis are doing more for the environment than we are. Good for them. Dianna and I were there last year, on our own little pilgrimage to Manger Square and the Church of the Nativity. Actually, I do want to see Israel. It's a place of such history. Driving over and around the hills that become progressively more bare as one heads south, toward the desert, we noticed just how much the whole place still looks like it did on that special night 2,000 years ago. How would you know? Shepherds still tend flocks, Arab men travel on donkeys, and sheep and cattle graze on the hills. Other than the Arab men on donkeys, I can see all that in Ireland, to name just one place. Tell me what's special.

Unlike liberal Christians those nonhomophobic bastards will rot in hell! and atheists like Richard Dawkins and me! (what does he do for Christmas?)

STOP. Just stop it. I'm betting Mr. Dawkins does what I do for Christmas: hang lights and wreaths, cook lots of food, and put up a PAGAN Christmas tree. He probably exchanges gifts and enjoys the time with his family. We don't believe in god, it doesn't make us less than human.

, I believe Jesus was actually born in this place, that he grew up, began ministry, then fulfilled the prophecies by dying and being resurrected in Jerusalem. There was an actual, historical figure. Oh, I'll buy that. There is too much evidence that some person existed named Jesus too deny that he was an historical figure. I just don't believe he was the son of god. Explain to me again why god had to sacrifice god to god to change a rule god made? And also explain to me why dying, when you know damn well you won't be dead for long, is such a sacrifice? The soldier who jumps on a grenade to save the rest of his squad sacrifices more.

Bethlehem today, controlled by the Palestinian Authority, is still small and compact. Palestinian merchants virtually beg tourists to shop. Capitalism! Manger Square — a large plaza area — was not overly crowded.
Stooping to enter the small door in the Church of the Nativity, Dianna and I emerged into a huge room, sandwiched between rafters and floor mosaics that date from Byzantine times. There were quite a few scenes reminiscent of, say, a Catholic church yeah, because the Catholic church was the original church. In fact, there was no other church for what? oh yeah, 1000 years.: candles, icons, elaborate alcoves of rich artifacts. rich artifacts? gold statues, perhaps? 2,000 year old urns? what?

Descending into a cramped space underneath the floor basement? catacombs?, we were surprised to find ourselves at the traditional place of Jesus’ birth. We quickly had our picture taken while an annoyed fellow tourist waited her turn.
At least for me, I think it’s important to know that these places actually exist. They are tangible. yeah, and I can check out all the places in a Ludlow novel as well, it doesn't make the book fact.

Upon returning to the King David Hotel I don't know why, but I find that hilarious! Last in the line of King David . . . Hotel! later that evening, we made plans to visit the Garden Tomb and Calvary the next day, which we did. Could we just move directly to your description of the Garden Tomb and Calvary? I don't need a minute by minute description of your travel plans. That put an exclamation point on our visits to these holy sites. !

My point? The Bible is not a collection of myths. Oh, yes it is. Find me some manna out in the desert, buddy. It is a vibrant, full-color description of real people and places. There is a 6 page description of the Tabernacle and how it was to be built, right down to the exact embroidery on the priests' robes. It's like a cross between Extreme Home Makeover and What Not to Wear. It describes the place where Jesus was born, died, and rose again. The complete story, that gives breath to our faith. sentence fragment.

It is this whole story that we all need now, more than ever. The comments that I hear from readers confirm this in a big way. Just this morning, I heard that a friend died of cancer; she was only diagnosed just before Thanksgiving! This is, sadly, a terrible time for many people. Sad, but how does one person dying of cancer relate to the current troubles in our country? Unless this is a call for Obama to move quickly on health care reform.

But folks, this is where the rubber meets the road. hee hee We have heard about our faith, and heard about the last days all our lives. We have hoped for it, this great desire for the end of world can only be described as disturbing in the extreme. Don't enjoy life, just wait for it to be over. but let’s be honest: it still seemed far away, didn’t it? hopefully. If you can do nothing else positive this season, run your finger over the Holy Land maps in the back of your Bible. or donate to charity, volunteer at a soup kitchen, smile at a stranger You might not get there in this life, but you can know that they are there. who? Jesus was born there, walked there, died there, and rose to life there. He is alive now. He promised that He would hold us close (Matthew 11:28). He promised us that He had already overcome this sorry world (John 16:33).

The actual quote is but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. note the conspicuous absence of "sorry". You know what drives me crazy about these people? When you keep your eyes to heaven, you ignore the earth. There is so much each and every one of us can and should do to improve our world. You don't have to be MLK or Ghandi or Mother Theresa. You can recycle, put a dollar in the Salvation Army thingy or just refuse to participate in hatred and bigotry. These rapture freaks aren't doing any of that. They're so focused on the end of the world, they're ignoring the suffering now. It's shameful.

You can depend on that. Yeah, I'll depend on me and go from there. Whatever your problems, I urge you to simply tell Jesus about them. "My daddy is raping me, Jesus" see how little that accomplishes? It really is as simple as our old Sunday school faith, the faith of a child. We are all children, whether we pretend to be tough or not. No, we're not children. We're adults. It's not about pretending to be tough. It's about the incredible changes the brain undergoes as we age. Biology! We are children of the Most High God, and His tenderness is available to you this Christmas season. Wheeee.

My prayer is that you will be blessed and comforted quit with the praying and go do something!

The Rapture Index Falls

Apparently, a low front has swept into the prophetic activity storm, because, yet again, the rapture index is down another point.

We are currently at 156: Heavy Prophetic Activity

Get Out Your Tin Foil Hats . . .

and your bible!

Nobody on the sites I normally trawl (don't try this at home, kids. I think my IQ has gone down about 10% so far) is posting anything sufficiently crazy to respond to, so it's back to the RaptureReady message boards.

Here's from a post about the False Prophet. (Again, like the Antichrist, there are lost of mentions of false prophets, in the plural, in the bible. Perhaps they are referring to Mark 13:22 For false Christs and false prophets shall rise, and shall shew signs and wonders, to seduce, if it were possible, even the elect. I dunno.)

OP: Who is the False Prophet? What does he do for the AC antichrist, not Atlantic City? When does he show up? From where?

No one ever talks about this sinister character hahahahahaha. Does he show up before the AC or after? What is his role in all this?

I think he shows up about the same time as the AC. His job is to organize the one world religion, then later to perform false miracles so that the OWR is then dismissed so his job is to create the one world religion and then . . . destroy it? Seems sort of, I dunno, pointless? and the world is made to honor the AC so . . . we all join the one world religion, then we all leave the one world religion, and then we all worship the antichrist? has this poster ever met an actual human being?. He's part of the false trinity that will be thrown into the Lake of Fire really cool song at the end of the Tribulation.

From Events to Take Place Soon:

1. When Obamah finally gets to be president, January 21st? he will find himself so far in the red well, actually the country will be in the red that most likely he will find it impossible to give anyone any tax cuts. As for my opion your what?, I think tax cut for everyone including the super rich would do more to get out of this mess than anything else. Just a guess, but I bet you're not an economist Bush tax cuts resulted in the total money comming wheeee! into the government to be far about above? what was raised before the cuts. No, it didn't. Actually, the country had a surplus thanks to Clinton, and we haven't run even a balanced budget since. Welcome to reality. The two wars are the cause of the deficit. definitely not an economist Then the morgages mortgages that many couldn't afford in good times not really the issue with the toxic mortgage, but I'll let that pass, when they crashed the mortgages crashed? even a few minutes spent watching cnn would give you a better understanding of the economic crisis than that, brought on everything else because the whole world was so tied up in them thinking to make a killing. I'd really like to see one thought that made sense.

2. If Obamah fails to suppord how does one suppord? Israel, look for major natural desaters natural deserters? natural desserts? what? in the US. Especially if he tries to force Israel to give up their land. We could have a masive massive earthquake in California, the Mississippi river area on the New Madrid fault, or even along a fault that we don't know about now. yes, there are so many of those.

Ok, let's stop to consider this view of god. God is wonderful and loves you and forgives you, he gave up his only begotten son to wash away your sins (actually, god sacrificed god to god to change a rule that god made, but whatever), and if somebody you don't know, and have no control over, does something that pisses god off, you're going to pay! Why would anyone want to worship this person? Honestly, if I kill a few babies, should you, the reader, be punished?

Also GOD could allow a terrior West Highland terriors or Scottish terriors? attack by nukes or chemical or even possibly emp. If a nuke I would look for it stop hurting the english! it did nothing to you! at one of our great championship arenas when they are full of people. championship arenas? like where football teams play? Lincoln Financial Field, perhaps?

3. Then we could also have Isaiah 17 , Psalm 83 leading to Israel becoming a far larger and stronger nation. So, let me get this straight. Obama continues on the peace accords between the Israelis and the Palestinians. This involves giving land to the Palestinians. A massive earthquake takes out, I dunno, Puerto Rico, and then Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia is destroyed by a nuke, or possibly an EMP. That leads to Israel becoming a far stronger nation? That would probably cause oil prices to go out of site, offsite? Why would Israel being a stronger nation cause oil prices to go up? I'm pretty sure they're not an OPEC nation. at least for a time. Also Israel would then be able to take out Iran without having to worry about attacks all around her. I thought it was Philly that was taken out, not Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. Iran would probably beg Russia to come help why Russia? They've got their own problems, and Jordan, Syria and Lebanon are much closer and hate Israel way more. and Ezekiel 38 would be here. Israel would have no chance against that great army of Russia and the muslems muslims? that would come why are the muslims and russians teaming up again? Does this poster not know about the former Soviet Union and the stans?, and we know the result of that war, 5/6 83.33333333333%, huh? of them die because our GOD will help Israel and they won't have to do a thing except watch GOD at work. good luck with that.

4. Also and most important for Christians cause who cares what happens to Jews?, I believe that the Rapture will probably happen just before Isaiah 17, Psalm83 or between Ezekiel 38 and what?. Whenever the Rapture happens, the whole world will be changed forever.

5. My personal thoughts are that all the above could come about very soon, possibly by January 20 didn't the poster say at the beginning that it was Obama's not supporting Israel that caused all this? wouldn't that have to happen after he was inaugurated?, and if not early in Obama's first year in office. With the problems already in hand or the bush, the world doesn't need any more but I believe that the world will soon have many more problems to go with what we already have. uh huh.

This reply says it all:

William, I am pained when I think about what this world will be like during the tribulation. With what we see happening around us now, it just blows my mind to think about how this sin will continue to blossom at such an exponential rate. But I have to admit that I also have been hoping and praying of late for the rapture to be as close as you have mentioned above. I want my family and I to be in our Father's house, plain and simple. Gee, it's sad to think of all the suffering, but please god, could you make that happen now, cause I'm just sick of my sad little life filled with all the things I cannot do and all the things I cannot think and all the people I hate, and billions of people suffering is a price I'm willing to pay to get out of it.

In Case You're Wondering . . .

What the lunatic fringe has been up to recently . . .

The RaptureReady bulletin boards are the scariest place on the planet. Seriously, seriously scary. I could dismiss these people as idiots or crazies, but they are so very sincere . . . and they vote! THEY VOTE! . . . and children. They have lots of children! I highly suggest watching Idiocracy if you're up for a good scare.

From Revived Roman Empire:

I found this on one site and it said that the Muslims will make a peace agreement with the "Romans", and it also says that the Romans should be interpreted as Christians or the West. Obviously, we can't go by the Koran, huh? but I was wondering if anyone thought that we could possibly interpret the revived Roman Empire as the U.S.? why? because the US is nowhere near the Roman Empire? Do I need to send someone else a globe?

Personally, I think not. Plus I take into account the Koran is nothing more than fantasy. And your religious book is better? Be prepared to show your work.

my hubby, who dosen't read his Bible does he read someone else's? thinks revived rome is the US too... he also thinks the AC has power ofer the beasts of the earth (meaning dogs and bears etc ) and is the seventh son of a jackalsee where not reading your Bible can get you? Apparently the same place reading your bible can get you.

Actually it is even worse than that - [the Quran] is a document that has been authored by Satan! Wonder why things keep blowing up? I'm just going to apologize to every Muslim in the world and get it over with. Does anyone have the mailing list?

another one of his best sellers! I knew Satan wrote the Twilight series! No other explanation for how such bad writing could be so popular.

From Is Obama the AntiChrist?: (Just to be clear, antichrists in the plural are mentioned 4 times in the bible, not once in revelation. 1 John 2:18, 2:22, 4:3 and 2 John 1:7. Antichrists are people who claim to be like Jesus, but don't act like him. Like everyone on RaptureReady!)

I'm not suggesting it, so not to worry. I don't believe that he is, anyway; he doesn't have the right ancestry. Who knew being black would be a positive with these people? The Antichrist, whoever he is, will be a European of Roman ancestry. It's me! I'm the antichrist! I don't believe he's the False Prophet, either yeah, I think that's me, too. I do believe, however, that Obama has the Antichrist spirit ummmm . . . ok. And unless God does a miraculous work in his heart first, I can definitely foresee him working hand-in-glove with the Antichrist and the False Prophet to help them bring about their world government. yes, these people get really worked up about the New World Order. In fact, that's why they love Bush and his wars and complete lack of diplomacy. When McCain says he wouldn't talk to Spain- Spain!- they probably all orgasmed as one. To them, nations working together in peace is a sign of THE END OF THE WORLD! But wait, there's more! They think that when the end of the world happens, they'll all be raptured up to heaven (naked!) first. So, if they're here when nations start working in peace together, it means they weren't raptured and will burn forever in hell.

Just to recap, to you and me, peace is good. To these premillenial dispensationalism freaks, peace means they were wrong and will suffer and eternity for it. As I keep reminding you, these people vote.

No Obama is not the one and only Anti-Christ there isn't one and only antichrist in the bible, but pray continue but he is an antichrist. As a Catholic who is Born Again by reason of having prayed to Jesus and asked Him to come into my heart and cleanse me of all my sins and become my Savior not a Catholic anymore I believe that the very last Pope of the Catholic Church will be the Anti-Christ. Ah, the Catholic Church is teh evil meme.


A Roman "pope" why is this word in quotes? would be ideally set up for the job. In the world of politics, no one blames him for all the world problems. He could slip in easily after all the politicians fail. ever notice how to these people god works in mysterious ways, but satan is a superefficient overachiever?

He may not could be, maybe not, who knows? be the AC I keep reading this as Atlantic City, but he certainly is a "Strong delusion" he doesn't exist except in my mind and the minds of the majority of USians who voted for him? the inauguration will be awkward!,Six months down the road people will be scrapping really? scrapping? off the Obama/Biden sticker to keep their vehicles from being Vandalized. random capitalization and if the Bush/Cheney stickers and McCain/Palin stickers haven't created a rise in car vandalism, what would?

I tend to agree the Antichrist will not be from America. The name of his chief of staff spooks me, though.Rahm Emanuel means Highest God with us And my name means "belief in things unseen" which I don't, so what does that have to do with anything? Does this idiot get that people are named by their parents, they don't choose their own names? I love Rahm Emanuel's name, only because the boss in Gears of War was General RAAM (which is pronounced the same) and I find that quite amusing. I don't assume that Mr. Emanuel is a locust.

This is from Interesting Article on the 144,000: (this refers to Rev 7:4 Then I heard the number of those who were sealed: 144,000 from all the tribes of Israel.)

Hi all. I believe that these Jews are currently living and spread all over the world, unknowingly waiting for their time of evangelism. They're just waiting around for you to preach the good word to them. Because they've never heard of Jesus before. Ever. The instant you say "Jesus Christ" to them, they will fall to their knees and thank you for the blessing you have given them. Many may not even know that they are Jews. Judaism is a religion. You couldn't unknowingly be Jewish any more than I could unknowingly be Muslim. I believe all will receive a visitation which will show them their purpose and they will receive their marks which will provide them with supernatural protection so that the anti-christ cant harm them. So people who don't believe in Jesus go to hell, except for those Jews alive during the Rapture, who instantly get a get-out-of-tribulation free card? Doesn't it show what an awesome God we have that even though he would be justified in letting all left behind perish, that he still provides a chance for salvation for those who will listen. if they're Jewish These Jews for Jesus will do an awesome job it appears if you read Revelation. Jews for Jesus are Christians, moron! It talks of John asking who the multitudes of the saints he sees before the throne of God are. He is told by Jesus that it is those who came out of the great tribulation , all died for their new faith, or as it says, were beheaded for their witness. Isn't it ironic that this is the preferred method of execution by radical islam? from the Alanis Morisette school of irony, I see. Well, thats a whole other story. Many if not most of these saints I believe will be muslim converts. weren't they just Jews 2 sentences ago? Are they Jewish Muslims? Muslim Jews? Muslim who don't know they're Jews? Muslim Jews for Jesus? Jewish Muslims for Jesus? Jewish Christians for Muhammed?Their method of execution and the fact that most in western countries have had opportunities to hear and reject the gospel for years makes me lean in this direction. non sequitur.

Stating that they [the 144,000] are evangelists, doesn't make them evangelists, true any more than the crowed crowd? Moses let out he opened the gate? of Egypt sudenly started evangelising. actually, Jews were quite evangelical back in the day. I don't know if they were evangelical during the time of Moses, but they were for at least 1,000 years. I believe these 144,000 are simply "acceptable" quotes, why? to God and "worthy" more confusing quotes to be called God's chosen people. God needs to save someone, these are those who have been chosen. god covers his eyes with one hand, spins in a circle, points with the other hand. "You!" he thunders. "You will be chosen." or perhaps, "Yeah, whatever, just grab the first 144,000 people you see, Gabriel, it's not like being chosen is special or anything." This is not evidence that they will be evengelising. I know what evangelizing is, but what's evengelising? "And these boards, they must be level before the lord!"

It just goes on and on and on like that. Amazing. Though I did see a reference to Hal Lindsey, so I'm going to go check that out.

People Who Live in Alternate Dimensions

My name is Personal Failure, and I am a huge Trekkie. Have been since I was 5. (When I was 5, my goal in life was to be black, just like Uhura. That was probably the most awkward conversation my mother ever had to have. "But why can't I be black? You said I could be anything I wanted to be!") Just for the record, original 1960s Trek is the best. You can make fun of Shatner's acting all you want, but at least Kirk got action sequences. Patrick Stewart is a fantastic actor, but TGN was a whole lotta boring.

I bring this up because there were several Star Trek episodes involving alternate dimensions- universes like our own, but unlike in some essential way: Nazis winning WWII, everybody being violent, etc. It's a popular scifi theme, but I'm beginning to think that this not only is reality, but that we regularly interact with people from other dimensions, as evidenced by Jim Fletcher of RaptureReady.

Jim Fletcher writes a regular article for RaptureReady called Israel Watch. This is described as "God's Prophetic Clock." Reading this article, I can only surmise that Mr. Fletcher lives in an alternate dimension from our own.

God is real, He cares for us as individuals, and nothing can shake Him. We wonder, from our feeble perspectives, how God can allow such pain. We are focusing on the wrong thing, and our wrong focus comes straight from the pit. of hell!

You might never get to the Holy Land. Mecca? But I’ve been there and I’ll tell you that the truth of God’s word is everywhere. There is a garden tomb that is empty there are an awful lot of empty tombs all over the world, and it is just outside the Old City walls. still not proof to me. There is a barren hill with a rock face in the shape of a skull nearby. There's a rock face on a hill between Scranton, PA and Dover, NJ that looks just like a Native American man wearing a feathered headdress. It's really cool, and proves nothing. I’ve read about this in the Gospels. I've read lots of things in the gospels, so what?

Israeli soldiers patrol the land in Israel, it's amazing! I'd be more impressed if Israeli soldiers were patrolling the land in, say, California, just as Ezekiel’s book promised.

Ezekiel 6:5 And I will lay the dead carcases of the children of Israel before their idols; and I will scatter your bones round about your altars Isn't god so sweet! (That's probably not the verse Mr. Fletcher is referencing, but I got bored looking for it.)

Jews are everywhere, millions of them! In Israel! It's a freakin' miracle! Just as Isaiah said it would be.

Isaiah 1:8 And the daughter of Zion is left as a cottage in a vineyard, as a lodge in a garden of cucumbers, as a besieged city. Cucumbers!

New Jewish homes dot the hillsides, In Israel! Wow! And wouldn't those be the homes of Jews, not Jewish homes? I wouldn't refer to houses in Vatican City as Catholic houses. many thousands of them, just as Amos and Jeremiah said they would in the last days.

Amos 5:2 The virgin of Israel is fallen; she shall no more rise: she is forsaken upon her land; there is none to raise her up. That's probably not the verse Mr. Fletcher is thinking of. He should probably be more specific.

Jeremiah 3:9 And it came to pass through the lightness of her whoredom, that she defiled the land, and committed adultery with stones and with stocks. Land defiler and stone adulterer.

You can’t turn a corner in any city without seeing a sign proclaiming the soon coming of the Messiah really?, or have a chance conversation with a cab driver yeah cabbies in the US are pretty crazy, too, solder how does one have a conversation with solder?, politician you can't have a conversation with a republican politican in the US in which the bible isn't mentioned, businessman, or single mother married mothers don't have conversations in which something biblical is mentioned? in which something biblical is not mentioned.

United Nations vehicles and diplomats and worldwide media choke the streets of Jerusalem more so New York City, where the UN is based, and Zechariah said very long ago that the Holy City would be an obsession for the world in the last days.

Zechariah 4:7 Who art thou, O great mountain? before Zerubbabel thou shalt become a plain: and he shall bring forth the headstone thereof with shoutings, crying, Grace, grace unto it. I just enjoyed the name Zerubbabel.

Drive around and look at the lush foliage and flowers and fruits and vegetables in the land. In the desert? Israel is still in the desert, right? Sand, no rain, desert? This is what the prophets said the barren land would return to in the last days.

What do you make of all this, if it is not the work of an all-powerful, loving God? I call Israeli soldiers in Israel protecting Israelis the work of the Jewish Agency, who refounded Israel in 1948. Hey, whatever.

Can you fathom the fact that if God took care of an entire people for 2,000 years — because He promised He would — that He will fulfill His promises to you? The Jews call 2008 the year 5769. So if god has been taking care of the Jews since the beginning, he's been taking care of them for 5769 years. If he only took care of the Jews for 2000 years, then he wasn't taking care of them for 3769 years, which would go a long way toward explaining the holocaust. Jesus said in the book of Matthew that if you are tired, come to Him.

2Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren;
3And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram;
4And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon;
5And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse;
6And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias;
7And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa;
8And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias;
9And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias;
10And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias;
11And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon:
12And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel;
13And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor;
14And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud;
15And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob;

I like the begats.

Friends, this is not some esoteric, pie-in-the-sky… why the ellipses? Oh, and pie in the sky is not hyphenated. thing. It is practical and real for you today. If God did all those things with regard to Israel, unnecessary and confusing comma that I mentioned above, are you worried that He forgot what He said He’d do for you if you are beaten down and exhausted? uh-huh. sure. Hey God! If you want to do something for me, if you want me to be less beaten down and exhausted, how about curing the porphyria? That would be a great big help! Yeah, whatever, that's what I thought.

If you think God has forgotten you, you are quite mistaken. The other explanation, besides atheism, is that god is cruel fucking prick.

I know you have chronic pain. I know you can’t pay your bills. I know your husband is leaving you. But please, get this: Israel is alive. Oh, well, the Jews are all right, that solves everything! She shouldn’t be, humanly speaking. what the hell does "humanly speaking" even mean? Is he referencing "humanly possible"? Two thousand years as a desert backwater should have been her permanent fate. and you know this how? But God said no, in His own time He would return the child He loves to the place He loves.

Israel is back. The boys are back in town . . .

Your world might be cloudy and dark. It was a dark and stormy night. Frankly, I’ve been through times when everything seemed dark, and you feel so cold and alone. you or me? don't switch between first and second person, it's bad form. But predictive prophecy isn't all prophecy predictive? is there nonpredictive prophecy?, and Israel in particular, clears everything up. Show your work.
Do yourself a favor. Take your Bible and read Isaiah. Read Amos 9:15.

Amos 9:15 And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God. Did that make you feel better? Didn't do a damn thing for my nerve damage. (You know, weather changes make me ubercranky, don't they?)

Read Ezekiel 37. Then think carefully about where Israel is today. She is back, back where she belongs. All because of a totally dude! strong Father who is our ultimate protection. I'll take the bulletproof vest, thank you very much.

I wish I could help all of you can't, but in reality I have all the strength of a lima bean BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA. A lima bean?! I just spewed coffee all over my keyboard. I have the strength of a radish. He has the strength of a mango.. God, though, is a force that no one can reckon with. Apparently, people in alternate dimensions write entirely in cliches. It's quite unfortunate.

Remember this and I have a feeling that the skies will clear for you I will make my fortune as the antiRainmaker, getting farmers to pay me to stay away from them. and you will be able to see — really see — that if you are God’s child aren't we all god's children?, only glory awaits you glory, glory hallelujah!. We are all going forward together that being the nature of time, yes, so let us strengthen each other in the night. before or after we clear the skies?

Our God is very, very great.
My prayer for you this holiday season is that peace will come to your mind and heart.

God knows your name. He knows where you are. He'll be watching you, every move you make, every breath you take He loves you infinitely. He will sustain you.
Israel is proof of that. or not.

The God Train, Part Deux

In case you missed Part Uno, scroll down.

This is taken from Crossing Paths with God by Dan Ecklund from RaptureReady.

Runaway believers openly rejecting gospel fundamentals BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA for some reason, that had a villian laugh, too.

If God is absolute, then so are His Laws. Yeah, but first you have to prove to me that god is absolute, which you didn't do, Mr. Ecklund. So, have you stopped beating your wife yet? This is the fallacy of the leading question. The laws of physics have yet to change in the car vs. train contest, yet some believe God’s Laws will make an exception for them. The Faulty Analogy -- Assuming that because two things are alike in one or more respects, they are necessarily alike in some other respect. What do the laws of physics have to do with god's laws? You can't break the laws of physics, it's simply not possible. If "Thou shalt not kill" is an example of god's laws, then anyone can, and many people do, break god's laws. This is an unfortunate analogy. According to this analogy, I should be worshipping the Large Hadron Collider.

During this last election, we had “confessing Christians” vote pro-choice really? or did they vote for the best candidate, Barack Obama. A vote for Obama was not a vote for abortion, it was a vote for Obama and all of his policies. You can try to frame the issue any way you want, but you have to ignore a whole lot of reality to do it., as well as endorse gay marriage. Poor Mr. Ecklund. You people won on Prop 8 and you're still pissed that some people voted against it. Apparently, it's not enough to win. Some chose to believe the lack of absolutes, or wanted to justify their selections for what they thought was best for the country. In what other way am I supposed to choose candidates? With a freakin' dartboard? What is right biblically, compared to the way many professing believers do, say, and believe are right seem to be in clear contrast. I love infighting among the fundagelicals.

“There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 14:12 Random bible quote! How 'bout a random Gears of War 2 quote? "I'm coughing up blood that ain't even mine!"

One must conclude again, that if the moral Law of the Living God did not change, then either we chose to ignore it, or we have different gods. Monolatrism rears its head yet again. Plus, assuming facts not in evidence. Scripture paints a very grim event in what are probably the most horrific scriptures to appear within the bible. Yeah, Mr. Ecklund apparently never read the ENTIRE OLD TESTAMENT. You know, the part where god killed everyone, in the most horrific of ways, including ordering the Israelites to pull fetuses from pregnant women.

“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’ Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock” (Matthew 7:21-24).

Everyone seems to believe this would never happen to them, despite their choices they make in this life. blahblahblah I'll be raptured(naked!) and you won't blahblahblah Not one of the people appearing in this scripture thought he practiced lawlessness. Just as in most of professing believers today, they deny absolute right and wrong, so they themselves could never have been “lawless.” Or they disagree with your interpretation of the scripture. Either or. Many of today’s professing will be in this group in “that day” as scripture speaks of. Not one professing believer thinks it possible that it could be him. Neener, neener, neener, I'll be in heaven naked without you!

Collision course with stone Mr. Ecklund has quite the thing for collisions, doesn't he? First it was trains, now we're on to stone.

Consequences for actions are something people always try to escape from. You mean like the religious right, with all their whining about how people are being mean to them because they were mean to gays? Like that? Religion is often used as the escape for the conscience. See: the Crusades Once someone designs a god in their mind to serve that will never hold them accountable, they are free to enjoy their desires of all the sin they want. You mean like spreading homophobia and racism? Like that? The conscience can be managed as one can rationalize that even if they “feel bad” for certain actions calling Obama a MUSLIM!TERRORIST!HE'sBLACK! THE ANTICHRIST! That?, their god would not punish them, nor cares what they do. It is the same as ignoring the blinking lights at the train crossing. If god gave me warnings as obvious and unavoidable as blinking lights at a train crossing, I'd believe in him. and weren't we just colliding with stone? when did we get back to trains?

God’s Law was written in stone for a reason. Moses didn't have any papyrus handy? It isn’t going to move for mans desires. Get this man an apostrophe, stat! The fact that man can’t keep these Laws, should serve as a warning to him that he’s standing on the track. "can't" mean "incapable of". I should think that Mr. Ecklund means "won't" or "doesn't". You can't blame a person for what they are not capable of. My dog lacks opposable thumbs, therefore he can't open the door to the back yard. So, if he pees on the floor right in front of the door, how upset can I be at him?

Laws without justice are useless suggestions. I think Mr. Ecklund is confusing "justice" with "retribution". Justice is the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness. Retribution is requital according to merits or deserts, esp. for evil. These are entirely different things. An eye for an eye might make you feel better, but it's not justice.

Many professing believers the same or different from "confessing christians"? equate God’s commandants to be the “drive friendly” signs on the interstate of life. Seriously? Since when? What about the ones about no other gods before me and no false idols. How does one interpret a prohibition of idol worship as a drive friendly sign? At least we're back to modes of transportation as a metaphor. Stone as a metaphor didn't go so well. When God set the absolutes in place, the penalty of violation was also set. Hell! An eternity burning in hell! A baby raper gets the same punishment as a liar! It's fair, so very fair! If God is good, and just, and holy, big if He can not let anyone escape accountability. Adulterers are as bad as mass murderers! If a judge let a murder go because he was sorry for his actions, he would be a bad judge, and no justice would be served, nor would the killer have paid for his crime. Inarguably so. Yet professing Christians today believe their actions will not be brought into account, despite the fact they openly deny God’s absolutes. Again, stealing and murdering and lying are all treated the same-- eternity of torment in hell. Rape? Not a problem.

It’s the same as standing on train tracts hee hee tracks with full denial of the laws of physics. Either you or the laws will be proven to be in error. I'm betting it's you, but feel free to try that one out, Mr. Ecklund. Here's the problem with this analogy: I can watch someone else lose the man v. train physics challenge, thus proving to me that physics is absolute. I can't watch someone lose the man v. god absolutes challenge. It happens after death. Nobody's proven it yet.

Standing on the track the train metaphors continue . . .

Many confessing Christians today are ashamed of Jesus. It sounds odd, but it is truth. No it's not. What Mr. Ecklund is referring to is christians who do not shove jesus down a random stranger's throat at every opportunity. He calls this sort of behavior "evangelizing", I call it "harrassment". Mr. Ecklund thinks that the only possible reason you wouldn't be beating everyone you meet over the head with your bible is that you are "ashamed of Jesus." "Polite" or "respectful" or even "shy" has not occurred to him.

“For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, this bible quote proves to me that even 2,000, the present was more sinful than the past. of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.” Mark 8:38

It’s not the image of Jesus we are ashamed of. Many people have a cross on their neck and a fish sticker on their car. Most people Mr. Ecklund knows, maybe. I don't know anyone with a fish on their car. Even the secular world doesn’t have an issue with the image of Jesus, as they regard Him as a “good and moral historical figure.” Blessed are the peacemakers But listen to Mark 8:38 again when Jesus said “And My Words.” It’s His words we have a problem with and often refuse to accept. There is a difference between rejecting someone's words and being ashamed of them. If your mother tells you to wear a hat, it's cold out, you may not put on a hat, but are you ashamed of her? How many Christians deny openly many of the very words of Jesus that you know? How often do you hear of Christians supporting homosexual lifestyle I've said it before, I'll say it again. the only possible condemnation of homosexuality is in Leviticus (you know, BEFORE jesus?) and eating shrimp is as strongly condemned shortly thereafter., abortion, or even various other ways to heaven? They directly contrast the famous “John 3:16” they can quote from memory. Many who openly claim Christianity, also openly deny the very words of Christ. Or how Mr. Ecklunds interprets those words, which is not the same thing.

Paul also warned believers of how they lived their life. He didn’t given inch on moral accountability among those who follow Christ. He warned them repeatedly not to behave in a manner that was ungodly.
“You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written” (Romans 2:21-24).

How many hypocrites do you know?

Mr. Ecklund, for one. Judge not, Mr. Ecklund, Judge not.