I think people want to believe in an Armageddon

by dgp 34 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  dgp

  The end of the world (aka "this system of things") has been predicted to happen "soon" many times. In my own lifetime, and not being a JW, I have been warned that the world would end like six times already. Harold Camping predicted one end of the world twice only last year. So you'd have to be very young not to have seen this prophecies come and go. Why, then, does the idea of Armageddon still has power?
  
  I think that is because people fear a tragic and painful death in a catastrophe, and don't want to dismiss the possibility of it happening worldwide, at the same time.
  
  Only a few can dismiss the coming of Armageddon on the basis of just how many doomsday prophecies have failed. And I do not mean just Jehovah's witnesses.

  I think anyone preaching salvation and protection from the end of the world will always find willing ears.
  
  What do you guys think?
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  donuthole

  Virtually all ancient cultures were invested in the idea that at some point (or multiple points) in the past, the earth had been destroyed and remade. I think belief in "end times" is part of our societal makeup.
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  LostGeneration

  People have no perspective. They want to think that somehow, in some way, they are the freaking special ones.

  This place has been around for billions of years, and will probably be around for at least a few billion more. Its hard to compare 80 years to a million, let alone a billion.

  So these delusional souls waste their lives away preaching and waiting around for some cataclysmic event to justify their existence.

  What a waste of the few short years you have to enjoy this place called earth
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  straightshooter

  According to a recent BBC report, Americans especially dwell on some sort of an end coming to the world. That may be why recent issues of the WTS magazines headline world disasters.
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  King Solomon

  There have been doomsday predictions since the dawn of man, with the prime bit of historical evidence being the worldwide flood found in the Bible: that WAS Armageddon, v 1.0 (Flood account is based on older accounts found in Sumerian myths, i.e. the Epic of Gilgamesh; the actual event depicted probably is based on events which occurred 11,000 yrs ago on a local scale (Mediterrean/Black Sea), as sea levels rose following the end of the last ice age).

  There's been predictions of Armageddon ever since, with Jesus, etc. People predicted Armageddon in 999 AD, and 1000's of times since.

  There's a great summary of Armageddon predictions which appeared in People's Almanac: here's an excerpt:

  http://www.trivia-library.com/armageddon-different-views-on-the-end-of-the-world/index.htm

  Many of these people would benefit from focusing on altering their world-view based on actual evidence, or even managing/treating their anxiety disorder/depression with Xanax or anti-depressants.
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  Lady Lee

  Children rarely believe that they have the power to change things. They believe in magical solutions like those of the the Wizard of Oz. They believe that the strong and wonderful prince will come to rescue them.

  JWs like many other people never grow up. They are like Peter Pan from the children's book hero who returns to a magical place where every need is cared for.

  When you treat people like children and never allow they to learn to think for themselves it is no wonder that they have a hard time believing they have the power within them to change things. They don't vote because it means nothing will change. They don't do volunteer work in their communities because God will deal with it soon enough. If you just close your eyes to what is happening all around you then you can wait for magic to happen and for all the bad things to be gone.
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  still thinking

  So these delusional souls waste their lives away preaching and waiting around for some cataclysmic event to justify their existence....Lostgeneration

  Lostgen.....I find this incredibly sad now

  KS...It would appear man has been wishing for the destruction of mankind since the world began...how loving...and selfless...then we bult nuclear weapons to make sure it was possible.

  Ladylee...I agree...we need to start empowering our children. They can make a difference and so can we.

  I think anyone preaching salvation and protection from the end of the world will always find willing ears....dgp

  Yep, there will always be money to be made...and people who want to benefit from others pain.
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  tootired2care

  So these delusional souls waste their lives away preaching and waiting around for some cataclysmic event to justify their existence.What a waste of the few short years you have to enjoy this place called earth

  Excactly, can you imagine the potential if people just stopped worrying about trying to please a spirit in the sky, or that fucker allah for seventy virgins, and worked to make a better life, and a better world, here and now.
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  dgp

  What I find "interesting" is the fact that even people who have not grown in cults stick to a belief in Armageddon. One would expect someone to stop and think something like "Hey, this is being announced since... ever!". But the many false prophecies do not seem to matter.

  Take Harold Camping. He lied twice in the same year, and I bet there are still people who believe in what he said.
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  tec

  It is not just theists who want to believe in "armageddeon".

  The end of the world (as we know it) appeals to non-believers as well.

  I think it is because people just know something is wrong with our priorities (and it probably is mostly in the west... we're greedy, we're selfish, we place importance on things that do not matter - fashion, entertainment, newest vehicles, newest toys, etc.) All distractions from reality. Deep down, I think most people know these things don't matter... even if they are caught up in that materialistic trap.

  Helping others matters... others in all parts of the world, who are also part of us, becaues this is one world, one planet, one people.

  So some people just can't wait to see this world as it is crumble. Because there is something wrong with this world and our way of living it... and we don't know how to fix it. Some people would prefer anything over the seemingly pointless daily grind, rat-race, of their existence.

  Of course, the better thing for people to do would be to CAUSE a new beginning. Not through armageddon... but by denying all those things that don't matter, and focusing on what does matter.

  Anyway, that's the main reason why I think people look forward to end of the world scenarios, in whatever form.

  Peace,

  tammy