re: Mark of the beast in our lifetime?

Posted by lake chuck fan

westlake

Member since Aug 2011

13192 posts

Posted on 5/4/23 at 6:48 am to Smeg

quote:
Do you think we'll see a "one world digital currency" that will be based off a "social credit score" within, say the next 30 years? If you're anti-trans, you are banned and not allowed to purchase anything.

Who knows. Social security numbers and debit cards were part of this discussion when they originally debuted.
It sure seems we are heading that direction faster and faster.

Posted by Crimson1st

Birmingham, AL

Member since Nov 2010

20354 posts

Posted on 5/4/23 at 6:49 am to Smeg

quote:
Mark of the beast in our lifetime?

No I don’t…The Rapture is next up for me. I’m gonna deuce out before the mark.

Posted by Stitches

Member since Oct 2019

1036 posts

Posted on 5/4/23 at 7:01 am to FooManChoo

quote:
I find it interesting how many Christians have been persuaded that pre-mil dispensationalism is the right way to interpret the apocalyptic literature of the Scriptures.

That's because most evangelicals and fundamentalists are unfamiliar with church history, church fathers, doctrinal development, etc.

I know several pastors that interpret all of scripture through the lense of their pre-trib pre-mil rapture view of Revelation. That kind of preaching sells almost as well as the prosperity gospel.

Posted by dr

texas

Member since Mar 2022

1140 posts

Posted on 5/4/23 at 7:08 am to FooManChoo

I would argue "heretic" is a judgement based upon a specific dogma.

Christian religions call each other that, because one group does not accept the views, or literature of the other.

book of Enoch is a good example

judge not ....., pull the log...etc...teaches us to be accepting and not judgemental

Jesus is the answer, but it is amazing how if we agree on that, it goes south real quick when dogma gets involved

dogma is strictly humans interpretation of their accepted scriptures

anything outside of your specific dogma makes you uncomfortable,

2 ...

Posted by teke184

Zachary, LA

Member since Jan 2007

99597 posts

Posted on 5/4/23 at 7:11 am to boudinman

How well did that work for the military in Iraq when they were potentially dealing with IEDs at every turn and they weren’t sure who was friendly and who was not?

And as I point out in a lot of these threads, competent soldiers have been cashiered in favor of politically reliable ones.

Just because you have a stormtrooper who will open fire on political opponents doesn’t mean you have one who won’t walk straight into an ambush because they are too fricking stupid to live.

Posted by Mike da Tigah

Bravo Romeo Lima Alpha

Member since Feb 2005

59876 posts

Posted on 5/4/23 at 7:15 am to Smeg

If you take the time to read scripture I think you see some underlying themes at play in regard to the end times prophesy, and namely the rule of the antichrist, and it points to a one world Marxist government, and at a time of great concern and worry in the world, which is just when those types of governments take over. You’re going to see a one world government, run by one man, and the currency will be universal, with technology that is intertwined with a mark that enables you to purchase perhaps rationed goods, and without that mark, you will not be able to purchase anything, which means it is the sole means of currency. It will be through that means that everyone is controlled.

Marxism is exactly the government that has no place for independent thought, or especially worshiping and allegiance to a God that is not government, and so Christianity will be outlawed in lieu of another government sanctioned religion with the ruler as god. Sounds like your worst Marxist nightmare, doesn’t it? It fits the model perfectly though.

What I see happening right now in this world is the groundwork being laid for all of this to take place through wokeness, a desensitization to Marxism, a degenerate society that celebrates that which is bad as good, and good as bad. Everything is being turned on its ear, and I do mean everything. We are all being conditioned.

This post was edited on 5/4/23 at 7:21 am

Posted by beebefootballfan

Member since Mar 2011

19380 posts

Posted on 5/4/23 at 7:16 am to Stitches

World will be utter chaos when that time comes.

Financial collapse world wide, war all around the globe. It will make the 20’s -WW2 look like a time of peace and prosperity.

Non believers and some believers will be so in search of something to save them they will instantly turn their allegiance to this new leader who promises them peace and financial stability.

Every civilization since the death of Christ has thought they were in the end times but only He knoweth the hour. Does the world appear on the verge of lining all that up? Yes it does. Does that mean now is the time?? None of us know.

Posted by jrobic4

Baton Rouge

Member since Aug 2011

8713 posts

Posted on 5/4/23 at 7:19 am to MintBerry Crunch

quote:
You Protestants and your end times

I'm Catholic and I absolutely believe that a time of tribulation will come...heard a homily about this recently... The early church father's suffered persecution. What makes us different?

2 ...

Posted by bayoudude

Member since Dec 2007

25256 posts

Posted on 5/4/23 at 7:20 am to Squirrelmeister

quote:
and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God. This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you heard was coming and now is in the world already.

One could argue that modern progressive democrats embody this statement and prove that this spirit is already here and thriving.

Posted by Shepherd88

Member since Dec 2013

4688 posts

Posted on 5/4/23 at 7:21 am to Smeg

Like a social security number?

Posted by Stitches

Member since Oct 2019

1036 posts

Posted on 5/4/23 at 7:39 am to jrobic4

I don't think anyone doubts the tribulation. Catechism paragraph 675 says that the Church must pass through a final trial that will shake the faith of many believers and lead to apostasy.

Historic Christianity does reject the idea of Christian's being assumed into Heaven before everyone else is left to play out some sort of mad-max scenario though. So preaching a message that basically says you will be raptured before the tribulation if you're saved is dangerous, because the people who accept that message will be spiritually unprepared for what will actually take place at that time.

This post was edited on 5/4/23 at 7:45 am

Posted by Timeoday

Easter Island

Member since Aug 2020

12196 posts

Posted on 5/4/23 at 7:49 am to Smeg

quote:
If you've never believed in the bible .......

For those who do not, would you at least consider it as a HISTORICAL REFERENCE? I mean, after all, we are only human and we do like to repeat history.

The Human League - Human

Posted by Smeg

Member since Aug 2018

10422 posts

Posted on 5/4/23 at 7:49 am to Mike da Tigah

quote:
What I see happening right now in this world is the groundwork being laid for all of this to take place through wokeness, a desensitization to Marxism, a degenerate society that celebrates that which is bad as good, and good as bad. Everything is being turned on its ear, and I do mean everything. We are all being conditioned.

This is exactly what I'm talking about.

Posted by Squirrelmeister

Member since Nov 2021

2382 posts

Posted on 5/4/23 at 8:25 am to bayoudude

quote:
One could argue that modern progressive democrats embody this statement and prove that this spirit is already here and thriving.

In context, if you look at the couple of preceding verses, the writer of 1 John (writing to other Christians) is saying there are many deceivers in this world spreading heresies - one heresy in particular he is addressing here is one that says Jesus did not come “in the flesh”. The most popular belief among Christians at the time was that Jesus didn’t and couldn’t have had real flesh, because he is divine. Some of them thought he was crucified by the Rulers of this World (1 Corinthians 2:8) and since Jesus came from the highest heaven and was killed by heavenly beings (the Rulers) then he must’ve been killed in heaven and couldn’t have been a flesh and blood person. Many of the Christians who believed he was killed on earth didn’t believe he had a fleshly body, but rather only appeared to have flesh and to look human but wasn’t (Romans 8:3-4).

The writer of 1 John was referring to Christians who did not completely share the same beliefs about God and Christ. He wasn’t talking about Jews or Pagans. He is saying those other Christians with the wrong opinions are the antichrists.

Posted by NoBoDawg

Member since Feb 2014

1667 posts

Posted on 5/4/23 at 8:36 am to Willie Stroker

quote:
Believing in prophecy is for child-like minds. It’s just stupid.

Awl man…must be nice to be so enlightened!!!!
I actually feel sorry for someone who says this. We’ll be praying for You Bro.

Posted by Squirrelmeister

Member since Nov 2021

2382 posts

Posted on 5/4/23 at 8:38 am to dr

quote:
I would argue "heretic" is a judgement based upon a specific dogma.

Interestingly, heresy comes from the Greek word for “choice” or “opinion”. The meaning in early Christianity of heresy was “(wrong) opinion”. The connotation was as if the heretic made the choice to have the wrong opinion or belief.

On the flip side, “orthodox” comes from two Greek words meaning “correct belief”.

Whomever had the money and the power got to decide what is correct and what is wrong-think. The group of Christians whose beliefs became “orthodox” because they had the backing of Rome (yes, the Christians at Antioch, Tyre, Jerusalem, Alexandria, and some in Asia Minor were deemed heretics) ”persuaded” the others through economic means or by the sword. The early orthodox Roman church reminds me of Big Brother from 1984.

This post was edited on 5/4/23 at 8:41 am

Posted by Lg

Hayden, Alabama

Member since Jul 2011

7355 posts

Posted on 5/4/23 at 8:41 am to Squirrelmeister

quote:
This is the spirit of the antichrist,

There's a difference is Spirit and man. Just as the Holy Spirit dwells in man, you can't see him. When Jesus was baptized, it said the Holy Spirit descended upon him. The spirit of the antichrist has been in the world a long time, but the antichrist will be an actual man.