Hi all:

In fainess to all on in this forum please feel free to exspress your heart in answering the following question:

What is the meaning of the end of the wworld according to your personal belief system?


I feel the confusion enters on the definition as to the word "world". What world is in literal or not?

Peace,

Hope12

The planet Earth for me.

Well from what I understand from the scriptures. End of the world as WE know it will take place after the 7 year tribulation period. Jesus Christ will come back and set up his earthly kingdom for 1000 years. It isn't really the end of the world during the 1000 year reign. It is more like Christ setting things back to where it should be. There will be peace earth.

For me the actual END of the world will take place after the release of Satan after the 1000 year reign. There will be a revolt where satan and followers will try to take over. That ushers is the Great White Throne judgment. After the judgement God creates a new heaven and new earth.

Super collider creates a black hole... we all go bye-bye.

The poet Robert Frost expressed it well --


Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if it had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To say that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

I don't worry about it... when it happens... it will happen. And no amount of worrying about it is going to delay or change anything. And as a result... I don't spend any time thinking about it.

I see no end in sight so let me know an hour before something big happens.

The end of the world is a catastrophic event which would cause the planet to no longer support life.

Hello All,

I appreciate all your replies, now can you please explain why you believe the way you do.

Thank you,
Hope 12

Hello All,

I appreciate all your replies, now can you please explain why you believe the way you do.

thank you,
Hope 12
That makes no sense. What are you trying to find out?

I don't feel like it is important enough rationally to worry about.

Good Luck,
Javi

I agree with my fellow Texan, why worry about the things you have no control over? The things I can control keep me quite busy, and I figure the God that I understand can handle such great matters.

Besides I have enough trouble figuring out how to match my socks on a daily basis to worry over things that may, or may not happen in my lifetime.

That's my approach too. I worry about things that I in some way can have some control over, or control my exposure to.

I find that basically takes up all my spare time after I take care of life's necessities.. so I don't think about that which I have zero control over and likely won't happen in my lifetime.

Hello All,

I appreciate all your replies, now can you please explain why you believe the way you do.

thank you,
Hope 12

People believe the way they do because of their belief systems, their faith, their lack of faith, etc. etc.

Why do you believe that you're human? Why do you believe that you will find a job? Why do you believe that your car is red? Those questions cannot be answered any more then the question you asked.

It is what it is. People believe what they believe because they believe it. You can't warrant belief. You can't explain belief.

Why do you believe that you're human? Why do you believe that you will find a job? Why do you believe that your car is red?

I believe I may be a robot... I have never had surgery or cut myself deeply so cannot confirm. I have the ability to live on junk food and never gain weight, this supports my theory.

I believe I will find a job as I know several people who are... lets say, intellectually challenged with paid jobs.

My car is blue not red silly.

I have the ability to live on junk food and never gain weight

Until you have 4 kids and turn 40! :p

Until you have 4 kids and turn 40! :p

I would revise the AND to an OR in that statement.

Haha well this is true, no kids for me, so I will have to enjoy my clothes shopping until the big 4-0 comes around :D

That makes no sense. What are you trying to find out?


Hello Wondergirl,

We all believe what we want to believe, but there has to be a logical reason why we believe what we do. I would like to know why some believe in the end of the world and what is to end, and why some don't. What is the reasoning behind why they believe the way they do??

Hope this explains it better!

Peace,

Hope 12

What is the reasoning behind why they believe the way they do?????
I have always noticed that people having a sad life are the biggest proponents of end of world scenarios. Those who have happy fulfilled lives rarely believe such nonsense.

Hello Wondergirl,

We all believe what we want to believe, but there has to be a logical reason why we believe what we do.
No, I don't agree at all. Most beliefs are not based on logical reasoning. That's why they are called "beliefs." A belief is the opposite of fact (logic).

I would like to know why some believe in the end of the world and what is to end, and why some don't. Hello Hope:

I'm a man of science... There simply is NOTHING on the horizon to indicate the end of the world...

Frankly, I'm sooooo glad I don't believe the religion BULLSH*T. That way, I can wake up every day KNOWING that it's going to end with a nice sunset... Plus, I don't have to run around being scared...

Look. If religion gives you comfort, then I can understand it... But, when it makes you fearful, it SUCKS bigtime..

excon

Look. If religion gives you comfort, then I can understand it... But, when it makes you fearful, it SUCKS bigtime..
exconI like this quote - well said.

I have always noticed that people having a sad life are the biggest proponents of end of world scenarios. Those who have happy fulfilled lives rarely believe such nonsense.
Another quotable quote.

Hope,
Feel free to pipe in on your thread.

No, I don't agree at all. Most beliefs are not based on logical reasoning. That's why they are called "beliefs." A belief is the opposite of fact (logic).

Hello Wondergirl,

It is a fact one has faith in their beliefs and therefore must havein their mind and heart, why, what informatin or facts have they based their belief on? Otherwise they are puttuing their faith and trust in something they do not understand. The bible refers to Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld."
Faith is, therefore, the basis for hope and the evidence for conviction concerning unseen realities.

Faith is based on concrete evidence. The visible creative works testify to the existence of an invisible Creator. So the fact that our faith is based on evidence such as the creative works, in our mind and heart we believe God exists. Some people who profess religious faith give little thought to why they believe what they do or to whether there is a reasonable basis for their faith. No one can have faith without a reason for why they believe the way they do.



World English Dictionary
Belief (bɪˈli�f)
1.a principle, proposition, idea, etc, accepted as true

2.opinion; conviction

3.religious faith

4. trust or confidence, as in a person or a person's abilities, probity, etc



So in a persons mind their belief becomes a fact which gives them basis for faith because what they believe has now become s fact in their mind.

My question again is why or what basis do you have to believe or not believe in the end of the world?

Peace,

Hope12

The visible creative works testify to the existence of an invisible Creator.
What is/are "creative works"? I have never heard that expression before.

So in a persons mind their belief becomes a fact which gives them basis for faith because what they believe has now become s fact in their mind.Hello again, Hope:

CHOOSING to believe the world is ending has NOTHING to do with your religion...

I've not read much of your good book, but I remember parts of it saying that NOBODY knows when the end is going to happen, and those that SAY they DO, are FALSE prophets...

Why don't you CHOOSE to believe THAT part? Why doesn't THAT belief become fact in your mind?

excon

In the book of revelations it says NO MAN will know the day or even the hour it will happen. (don't ask me where it is, I can't tell you) but religious scholars are unanimous on that point.

Hello Excon,
Nice to hear from you. Could the world the Bible speaks about be different from the literal earth? If so, then maybe the reason why so many are in fear of the end of the world. The word the bible speaks of is not the literal earth!

Definition: When translated from the Greek word ko′smos, “world� can mean:
(1) humankind as a whole, apart from their moral condition or course of life,
(2) the framework of human circumstances into which a person is born and in which he lives, or
(3) the mass of mankind apart from God's approved servants.


The bible speaks in literal tense about things as well as symbolic.


(2 Peter 3:6) and by those [means] the world of that time suffered destruction when it was deluged with water.

2 Peter there is speaking of te flood of Noah's time, and yet if "the world"spoken of there was literal, we would not be here today. Some to not compreend the bible and therefore draw the wrong ideas.

I too can wake up every day knowing there will Always be a sunrise and a sunset!

Peace,
Hope12

Well 30 posts in and we get to what you really wanted to say. :)

Hello again, Hope:

Well, then if it's a metaphorical end of the world, I'm cool with it. In fact, I'm waiting for the next enlightenment. That's where the chains of religion are thrown off..

THAT may be what's coming.. Okee doakee.

excon

Hello Wondergirl,

It is a fact one has faith in their beliefs
Huh? That makes no sense. "Faith" and "belief" are the same animal. One believes; one has faith, but one does not have "faith in their beliefs."

what facts have they based their belief on?
None, What they base their faith on are not facts as we think of facts. Faith cannot be proved by facts.

Faith comes about from non-fact situations -- believing what your parents believe, believing in spiritual occurrences that cannot be proved, believing what an authority says.

Otherwise they are puttuing their faith and trust in something they do not understand.
Yes, that's what faith is, believing the unbelievable or unproven or the unknown or the unsure.

The bible refers to Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the assured expectation of things hoped for, the evident demonstration of realities though not beheld."
Exactly! -- "expectation" (not a surety that has been delivered) and "hoped for" (again, not a sure thing, not set in stone) and "evident" (but not sure, just "seems to be") and "realities not beheld" (no surety for them through actual observation and from the evidence of the senses) -- in other words, faith in what is not reality, not a sure thing.

Faith is based on concrete evidence.You just disproved that by saying, "Faith is, therefore, the basis for hope and the evidence for conviction concerning unseen realities."

So the fact that our faith is based on evidence such as the creative works, in our mind and heart we believe God exists.
Do you mean we observe Nature and believe in God's existence? That's not why I believe, have faith.

Some people who profess religious faith give little thought to why they believe what they do or to whether there is a reasonable basis for their faith.
There is NO reasonable basis for faith.

No one can have faith without a reason for why they believe the way they do.
True, we all have a "reason" for something we believe. I believe my doctor will spend quality time with me at my next appointment. I believe that only because that is his way of interacting with his patients, with me. But maybe he will be having a bad day or be feeling ill the next time I see him, and will be brusque with me -- and I won't know or understand why. Then what happens to my faith in him? The "concrete evidence" is not so concrete; the reason for my faith in my doctor has been shaken. Faith is not a concrete thing, but waxes and wanes.

To sum this up -- I will be long dead when and if the world ends, so it does not concern me at all.

Qouted from Excon:



]Look. If religion gives you comfort, then I can understand it... But, when it makes you fearful, it SUCKS bigtime.. [/QUOTE]

Hello Needkarma,

I quoyerd excon, because you seemed to agree with him. Please take comfort knowing I do not fear the end of the world, for I welcome it. The world the Bible speaks about is hateful, wicked persons no longer existing. That is nothing to fear, but to take comfort knowing =that God will do away or bring to non existence all wickedneess and the one that causes it Satan the devil. That is 'the end of the world' the Biible speaks about. In faact the literal earth will remain forever.

The Bible says:


Psalm 104:5 He has founded the earth upon its established places; It will not be made to totter to time indefinite, or forever.



Ecclesiastes 1:4 A generation is going, and a generation is coming; but the earth is standing even to time indefinite.


Proverbs 2:21-22 For the upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it. 22 As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it.


Psalm 37:29 The righteous themselves will possess the earth, And they will reside forever upon it. (Any righteous persobn can not possess the literal earth if it is burned up with fire.)

Jesus prayed:


Matthew 6:10 Let your kingdom come. Let your will take place, as in heaven, also upon earth.
( can God's will take place on earth if the world the ible speaks of be the literal earth?)

So you see, I do not live in fear, the literal is not going to end, but wicked people will end. The end of the world means the end of wicked society.

Peace,

Hpe12

So you'll be surrounded only by good happy people? Sounds like a nice story. I'm glad it brings you comfort.

take comfort knowing =that God will do away or bring to non existence all wickedneess...wicked people will end. The end of the world means the end of wicked society.
Where do you see this wicked society and all these wicked people? (Most people I deal with all day are pretty nice.)

Do you mean those who don't agree with your beliefs?

CHOOSING to believe the world is ending has NOTHING to do with your religion...

I've not read much of your good book, but I remember parts of it saying that NOBODY knows when the end is going to happen, and those that SAY they DO, are FALSE prophets...

Why don't you CHOOSE to believe THAT part? Why doesn't THAT belief become fact in your mind?Hello excon
,


The world of the Bible excon is not the literal earth. The end of the world the bible speaks about has erverything to do with religion. As to when the een of the world (the end of wicked mankind) is going to be,
The bible states nobody knows, the day or the hour. As to this I firmly believe. As to the world of wickedness and any who practice wickedness willingly, the bible over and over says the end will come for them.

Failing human governments will end.“The God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be brought to ruin. And the kingdom itself will not be passed on to any other people. It will crush and put an end to all these kingdoms, and it itself will stand to times indefinite.�—Daniel 2:44.


War and pollution will end.

Psalm 46:9 states: “He is making wars to cease to the extremity of the earth. The bow he breaks apart and does cut the spear in pieces; the wagons he burns in the fire.� The Bible also teaches that God will “bring to ruin those ruining the earth.�—Revelation 11:18.

Crime and injustice will end. God's Word promises:
“The upright are the ones that will reside in the earth, and the blameless are the ones that will be left over in it. As regards the wicked, they will be cut off from the very earth; and as for the treacherous, they will be torn away from it.�—Proverbs 2:21, 22.


Jesus said:
“Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.� (Matthew 24:36) Jesus and his disciples did, however, foretell what conditions on earth would be like just before God brings the end. The end is imminent when all the following events are happening at the same time and on a global scale.

“Nation will rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom� (Matt. 24:7)
“The“There will be great earthquakes� (Luke 21:11)
"There will be food shortages . . . in one place after another� (Matt. 24:7)
“In one place after another pestilences� (Luke 21:11)
'Increased lawlessness accompanied by a cooling off of love on the part of the greater number' (Matt. 24:11, 12)
Men become faint out of fear and expectation of the things coming upon the inhabited earth� (Luke 21:25, 26)
'Christ's true followers to be objects of hatred by all nations on account of his name' (Matt. 24:9)
'This good news of the kingdom preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness, and then the end will come"(Matt. 24:14)

Luke 21:31, 32: “When you see these things occurring, know that the kingdom of God is near [that is, the time when it will destroy the present wicked world and itself take full charge of earth's affairs].

Peace.
Hope12

Faith comes about from non-fact situations -- believing what your parents believe, believing in spiritual occurrences that cannot be proved, believing what an authority says.


Hello wondergirl,
If faith come from non-fact situation like believing in something because your parents believed in it, then won't that be like becoming a robot or a puppet. I believe we all have the God given gift to be abe to think fort ourselves. If a parent believes in curising or steeling does that mean theirt child should beieve in cursing and steeling. Would it not make sense to search your on heart felt feelingws and ask yourself "what do I believe?" Otherwise or faith is blind because we would not be able to erxplain why we have faith in God, Jesus or anything else. This kind of faith has no backing. We need to gain knowledge of why we believe in something. What makes you or motivates you to ghave faith in God. Don't you have to bwelieve in God in order to put faith in him?

Again my question what motivates a person to believe the end of the world will come, even though we don't know when?

Peace,
Hope12

The world of the Bible excon is not the literal earth. The end of the world the bible speaks about has erverything to do with religion.

Are you sure? This is your translation of the bible. There are many different translations. Funny how the book that's supposed to be inspired by God leads to millions of different translations. I'm betting that you're all wrong. It's just a book, and nowhere in that book does it give an exact date for the end of the world. That's human deduction. Humans have been known to be wrong.

Well we are having our end of the World party at work tomorrow, the entire office and field people are all going to lunch together. That has never happened before, so it may be the end of the world the way we know it.

Are you sure? This is your translation of the bible. There are many different translations. Funny how the book that's supposed to be inspired by God leads to millions of different translations. I'm betting that you're all wrong. It's just a book, and nowhere in that book does it give an exact date for the end of the world. That's human deduction. Humans have been known to be wrong.



Hi Altenweg,

I agree the book called the bible has had many interpretation that are false, yet if the book itself is compared to the original writings. The bible itself tells us
“Make sure of all things.� 1 Thessalonians 5:21

Many people, even those who claim to be Christian and go to church, do not know what the bible teaches. They follow along the line of what their parents do or the preacher standing at the podium, interrupting to their congregation what they feel the bible says. Yet the bible says:



1 John 4:1 Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.
Most have their own interpretation of the bible; obviously not all of them can be right.
Notice what the apostle Paul wrote at:


“2 Peter 3:16 speaking about these things as he does also in all [his] letters. In them, however, are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unsteady are twisting, as [they do] also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction. If we want the correct interpretation we need consider the surrounding verses of any statement and we need to compare the text we read to the rest of the bible dealing with the same subject.

Some churches regard as obsolete those parts of the bible that contradict with their churches teaching or liberal views of morality for fear they might loss members. They excuse gross sin, even amongst their church leaders.


2 Timothy 4:3-4 For there will be a period when they will not put up with the healthful teaching, but, in accord with their own desires, they will accumulate teachers for themselves to have their ears tickled; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, whereas they will be turned aside to false stories. Also in Proverbs 30:6 Add nothing to his words, that he may not reprove you, and that you may not have to be proved a liar.

Now if you take the time to look in your copy of the bible, you will find the above scriptures say the
Same thing mine does. Man's interpretation is what changes the bible, not God.

I also agree that as to the time of the end of the world no one knows that IS WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS:

Mark 13:32-33 “Concerning that day or the hour nobody knows, neither the angels in heaven nor the Son, but the Father. 33 Keep looking; keep awake, for YOU do not know when the appointed time is.

Peace,
Hope12

Hi Chuck,

You got it, the enod of the world the3 way we know it! As to when to party we do not really know because the bible says we don't know when it will take place.

Thanks
Hope12

Hi Needkarma,Yes, when God does away with the wicked ones, only good peoplle will survive!

Thanks Hope12

if the book itself is compared to the original writings
There are no "original writings."

For me the actual END of the world will take place after the release of Satan after the 1000 year reign. There will be a revolt where satan and followers will try to take over. That ushers is the Great White Throne judgment. After the judgement God creates a new heaven and new earth.

Helo classyT,

I agree that after the 1,000 year reign, Satan will be let lose, where he will try to turn against God;s servants. Then the 1,000 year reign will end when the final judgement will take place.

Where we differ slightly is that I believe there will take place a tribulation, then they 1000 year reign and then Armageddon.

While on the Mount of Olives, Jesus' Disciples asked a question concerning the end of this world or system. Jesus mentioned:
“Matthew 24:21 21 for then there will be great tribulation such as has not occurred since the world's beginning until now, no, nor will occur again.. .


What does this 'great tribulation' mean to you personally?

Then the bible speaks Armageddon or Har-Magedon, which is in Greek “ Mountain of Megiddo� or Mountain of assembly of Troops. Notice what the Bible says at:


Revelation 16:13-16 And I saw three unclean inspired expressions [that looked] like frogs come out of the mouth of the dragon and out of the mouth of the wild beast and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 14 They are, in fact, expressions inspired by demons and perform signs, and they go forth to the kings of the entire inhabited earth, to gather them together to the war of the great day of God the Almighty. 15 “Look! I am coming as a thief. Happy is the one that stays awake and keeps his outer garments, that he may not walk naked and people look upon his shamefulness.� 16 And they gathered them together to the place that is called in Hebrew Har–Ma•ged′on.

What does this scripture mean to you? I am asking you these questions because so far you and I are close in our beliefs.

I look forward to hearing from you.

Hope12

There are no "original writings."

Hello Wondergirl,


I stand corrected, you are right there are no original but thousands of ancient copies of small and large sections of the books of the Bible have been unearthed. A fragment of one of these books, the Gospel of John, dates to within just a few decades of the original document written by the apostle John. The Bible is a remarkable story of survival. The original writings were written on fragile material which was used by the Egyptians, Phoenicians and the Romans. Yet the Bible did survive by accurate copies that matched historical an Scientific facts.

The Bible survival in its accurate form survives even in modern world, and is the worlds most published book. Why? This is the bible' reply:


1 Peter 1:24-25 because All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, 25 But the word of the LORD endures forever.�(NKJV)

There were ancient scrolls found in 1947 in the caves near the Dead Sea. The scrolls showed just how accurate the copying of the scriptures was. The scrolls has a copy of the book of Isaiah which is some
1,000 years older then any of the manuscripts that were previously available. Even though the years the differences did not change the meaning of the text , only the wording and grammar, but never the message or the text.

Bible scholar William Henry Green could therefore say:
“It may be safely said that no other work of antiquity has been so accurately transmitted.� we can be confident that the Bible still contains the information found in those ancient original manuscripts.

Hence, this Scriptural statement has proved true: 1 Peter 1:24because All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, But the word of the LORD endures forever.�(NKJV)

Yes, the original message of the bible will never die.

Again, I stand corrected, “There are no original writings� however, if we believe the bible to truly be inspired of God, and what the Bible itself states at 1 Peter 24,25, then we would believe in our heart with all confidence that the message from the bible is the same as the original writing.

Professor James L. Kugel provides one reason. He says: "
that the original writings were copied “many, many times even within the biblical period itself.�

Respected Bible scholar F. F. Bruce says:
“The evidence for our New Testament writings is ever so much greater than the evidence for many writings of classical authors, the authenticity of which no one dreams of questioning.� He continues: “If the New Testament were a collection of secular writings, their authenticity would generally be regarded as beyond all doubt.�

The Bible will and is the same today as it was in the time of its writing. The bible don't change, the translations of it change by individuals for personal reasons deviate from its original message.

Peace,
Hope12

The bible is a product of where you come from, and who conquered what land, and what's interesting is the modern bible is but a root of a larger tree in a certain part of the world.

Other culture can trace their bibles, and original writings back even further. Centuries even. Their story of survival is just as fascinating. Hard to be stuck on one view, when there are so many, and most have predictions of great change through the rise of changing awareness.