REPENT!!! THE END IS HERE????

Well, I care Foxfyre. I was going to post this right after Mr. Setanta's post earlier but didn't because I didn't want to start anything.

But, if Mr. Setanta will call YOU a liar, then I consider myself in excellent company, as he has called me that more times than I can count.

I am praying that man will someday stop being so mean, especially to those that believe in God. And he can deny it all he wants to but his posts sure make it look that way and I'm not the only one to ever mention it either.

hi Foxfyre,

There can be little doubt that the record of Christians establishing charitable, educational and benevolent works of various kinds around the world , not only for their own use, but for the use of all, is unmatched by adherents of any other faith.

Hospitals, schools, projects to bring fresh water, agricultural expertise, disaster relief, etc by Christian individuals and groups to benefit the world are well known and extremely numerous.

Charitable works by those of other faiths are not non-existent, but do not even begin to compare in sheer number of organizations, numbers of persons dedicating their efforts to the work and numbers of individuals served.

The only reason some posters have become abusive when you bring up this point is that it is so obvious that it cannot be contested. Simply ignore them.

What questions did you have in mind?

The one's I asked.

Real Life wrote


LOL. I know that, but thanks for the astute observation.

And thanks to Intrepid and Arella Mae too. We probably all disagree on more than we agree, but it is refreshing to enjoy the forum with people who can actually argue a point of view and discuss a topic without making personally directed insulting comments.

Thanks, foxfyre. There is at least one poster that would probably disagree with you on that, but disagreement is his lifeblood.

Indeed. And on that note I will apologize for inferring an uncomplimentary adjective in lieu of ehBeth's name. It was childish of me no matter how insulting was her personally directed comment. I won't apologize for the rest of that post that was personally directed at nobody, however, as I believe it is 100% spot on accurate. And I think only the intentionally or unintentionally guilty would be offended by it.

Now to get this back on track, is it possible that those who are reading current events as the end times are right? About all of it? Some of it? Any of it? How much do you dare to just ignore it?

MIDDLE EAST CRISIS
BY ALEXANDRA ALTER
[email protected]

The Rapture Index -- a popular evangelical Christian Web posting that calculates a global rise in natural disasters, war and inflation -- bills itself as ``a Dow Jones industrial average of end-time activity.''

An index below 85 signifies a week of ''slow prophetic activity.'' Anything above 145 signals the apocalypse is near.

The Rapture Index this week: 158. The spike reflects many U.S. evangelicals' view that growing conflict in the Middle East signals the start of a global struggle leading to Christ's return.

''We believe 100 percent what the Scripture has to say about this,'' said Jack Heintz, a South Florida businessman and president of the Christian group Peace for Israel, who recruited 23 evangelical Christians to join a July telephone fundraising event for Israel. ``There's going to be a total battle, the battle of Armageddon, and I believe that's very close to happening.''

Some have ratcheted up support for Israel in its current battle in Lebanon with Hezbollah out of belief that a raging war -- perhaps even a nuclear confrontation -- marks a prelude to the apocalypse. Christian groups are sending millions of dollars to Israeli communities and shelters, hosting pro-Israel rallies and urging U.S. politicians to back Israeli military action.

Evangelicals have issued dire warnings about a conflagration in the Middle East for decades, said Clyde Wilcox, a professor of government at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C., who studies evangelicals and politics. Many evangelicals regard such calls with skepticism, he said.

''Every time there's been a war in the Middle East, this comes up,'' Wilcox said. ``Most evangelicals would not interpret this as saying that Christ is coming back in the next couple of years.''

RAISED INTEREST

Since the current crisis erupted July 12, interest in the Rapture Index has mushroomed, said Todd Strandberg, a Christian from Nebraska who updates the index on his website, raptureready.com. The site had a quarter-million unique visitors in July, up from 180,000 the previous month, Strandberg said.

''The Scripture bears witness to these events being part of the end-times prophecy,'' said Gary Cristofaro, pastor of First Assembly of God in Melbourne. ``Israel is so important in God's eyes.''

Cristofaro's church is one of a handful of Florida congregations that tithes a monthly donation to Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a practice that stems from a belief that Israel must control the Palestinian territories in order to fulfill biblical prophecy. The congregation has donated more than $100,000 to support Israeli settlements in the past decade, Cristofaro said. On Saturday, church members plan to hold a ''Bless Israel'' fundraising event for 2,000 people.

Evangelicals' financial support for Israel has increasingly been supplemented by political action, Christian and Jewish leaders say.

At a July 18-19 pro-Israel rally in Washington, Christians from Florida and other states lobbied politicians to back Israel's military campaign in Lebanon. The Rev. John Hagee, pastor of a mega-church in San Antonio and founder of Christians United for Israel, organized the convention in hopes of launching a pro-Israel political network in 50 states.

Hagee has issued dire predictions about instability in the region leading to apocalypse. In his 2006 book Jerusalem Countdown: A Warning to the World, Hagee warns: ``The coming nuclear showdown with Iran is a certainty. The war of Ezekiel 38-39 could begin before this book gets published.''

Other high-profile Christian leaders have espoused similar views. In a July 22 commentary, the Rev. Jerry Falwell predicted present-day conflict in the Middle East will ''serve as a prelude or forerunner to the future Battle of Armageddon and the glorious return of Jesus Christ.'' Pat Robertson has shied away from declaring Armageddon but has warned ''God himself'' will fight for Israel.

WARY OF SOME EFFORTS

While a number of Jewish leaders have courted evangelicals' support for the Jewish homeland, others are troubled by its theological underpinnings, said Rabbi James Rudin, senior interreligious advisor at the America Jewish Committee in New York. Jewish leaders have long been wary of evangelicals' effort to convert Jews to Christianity through messianic groups such as Jews for Jesus and the Chosen People Ministries.

''Is the motivation to stand up for Israel, or convert the Jewish people and bring on the end of days?'' said Rabbi Solomon Schiff, executive vice president of the Rabbinical Association of Greater Miami.

Other Jewish leaders say evangelicals have toned down the religious aspects of their pro-Israel mission in recent years, particularly their insistence that Jews convert.

Avi Mizrachi, executive director of the Holocaust Memorial in Miami Beach, said he was overwhelmed by fervor for Israel at the Washington rally for Christians United for Israel.

''I saw more Israeli flags there than on Israeli independence day,'' he said. `In the past, there was concern about them trying to convert us. It doesn't even come up anymore.''

Christian Zionism -- the belief that Israel will set the stage for prophetic events such as the rise of the Antichrist, the Battle of Armageddon and Christ's 1,000-year reign -- has steadily gained popularity since the rise of the Christian right in the 1970s and '80s, said Timothy Weber, author of On the Road to Armageddon: How Evangelicals Became Israel's Best Friend.

In the most gruesome scenario, evangelicals envision a global battle breaking out when a 200-million-man army invades from the east and Jesus returns to take on the Antichrist. Jews and other non-Christians will face conversion or death.

In the past, some Christians predicted the armies would come from Russia or China, and today, many foresee an Islamic army led by Iran, Weber said.

Hagee and others caution that while Christians may have stepped up preparations for the end times, most believe the fate of the world remains in God's hands.

''No Christian or groups of Christians can do anything to hasten the return of Jesus Christ,'' Hagee said.
SOURCE

But only for the good and sufficient reason that you have been known to lie.

Might be a good idea to get that beam out of thine own eye sir. :wink: How predictable of you to pick out my post and subtly seem to try to derail the thread again when you continually rail against others for doing that exact thing.

Oh, by the way, Mr. Kettle (Setanta), have you met my friend KATE4CHRIST yet? Just so you know, she's a Christian, and I most definitely invited her to join A2K. However, I didn't ask to post anything in particular.

Foxfyre,

I think one might be hard-pressed to find many Jews to believe we are in the end times seeing they don't even believe Christ was here yet. I'm not sure but if they don't even believe He has been here, would they believe the Book of Revelation at all?

There is not even a mote in mine eye, fool. I notice that you don't deny that you have been known to lie. References to your newest delusional friend don't alter that you have been known to lie.

I agree that Jews who have not embraced the Christian faith don't think any of the New Testament scriptures, including Revelation, to be authoritative. Nevertheless, many of the end-time prophecies reference the Jews and/or Israel, and thus the events surrounding Israel are of intense interest to those deeply interested in this theology.

From the article I posted,



It was this that prompted a theologian's comment mentioned at the end of the article to the effect that Christians cannot (and by implication should not be trying to) hasten the onset of Armageddon and the end.

What you needed more christinas to help you on your spiritual war on Satans forces?

For as humorous as that may sound to you Epi, the member in question did post at another site that she wanted people to join her here, during which appeal she referred to "the father of lies" and "spiritual warfare." One basis upon which i assert that she has been known to lie is that she denied this were true, until another member tracked it down and posted the link.

Do you consider yourself a member of that force? What do you think about the end times and how the current situation may, or may not, be part of the prophecy?

Here we talk about repentance when forgiveness is, obviously, a foreign commodity to some.

I never denied doing it, sir. I merely stated I didn't do it when you falsely accused me of doing it. I invited others much later and if you don't quit the crap about it, I just might invite more friends, which as I understand it, is not against the TOS. I have never said I have never lied in my life, Setanta. I don't think anyone could make that claim. So, how could I say, at least at some point in time, that I wasn't a liar because if you tell one lie, that makes you a liar? So, by your false accusation against me at the time, it was a lie, and you; therefore, are also considered a liar. I have forgiven you for that accusation and it is no longer an issue with me, as it seems to be with you.

So, no mote, huh? Hmmm, does that mean you have no sins? No flaws? You are perfect? Keep telling yourself that Setanta. Keep deceiving yourself into perfection. You have never claimed to be perfect, no, but you sure put that appearance on in many of your posts.

Oh, and it's a good thing you don't "believe" in the Bible because it says one that would call someone a fool is in danger of hellfire.

I have tried to get you and others to just drop this and stop bringing it up because it's just plain stupid and malicious to do so. I have let this go and I'm asking that you and others do the same. Why continually derail others' threads with this nonsense?

I'm not scared of you and your blow hard tactics, Setanta. So, as far as I'm concerned, put a sock in it and grow up! If you must act like the school bully, then take this Perhaps you can understand that better than simple words? C-L-I-C-K!!!!

Foxfyre,

First, I apologize for being part of that derailment. Second, HE is on IGNOREMENT (as a friend of mine calls it ) so let's get back to your topic.

I know that one of the theories of the 144,000 is that they will be Jews converted to Christianity and evangelize throughout the world during the tribulation. Many believe that they will be from the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Any thoughts on this?

Have you considered that the 144,000 is a symbolic number? I realize that some say that there will be 12,000 from each of the 12 tribes of Israel, but I do not believe that it is only those from the tribes of Israel that will have a place in heaven.

Arella Mae writes


I have heard this theory and it is one of the more popular ones. Other theories (primarily I believe from the Mormon beliefs) is that the 144000 are the 'elect' among the Mormons who are the ones who get to go directly to heaven. (Don't quote me on that, though, because I'm recalling from notes of decades ago and I haven't reviewed them lately. Also I am not certain that all Mormons subscribe to that particular teaching.)

Still another theory is that the 144000 are the number of the faithful who were not deceived by false teachers and propherts and who will be the ones to be raptured off the earth. That's a pretty tiny percentage of the 1 billion+ Christians alive in the world today though but it does put a different perspective on Jesus's metaphor of the camel going through the needle's eye.

And one theory is that the 144000 are the Jews that are marked for salvation to keep God's promises to Abraham and David:

Revelation 7:1-8
1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

4 And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred and forty and four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.

The passage goes on to name the 12 tribes of Israel and the 12000 'servants of God' from each.

So what do I think? I think 144000 is like many other big numbers of the Bible and is more symbolic as illustration than to be taken seriously. Do I think it has no significance whatsoever? No I don't. Do I know what it means? No I don't.