44% of USians think Christ Will Be Back in 50 years

[Jon Miller]

Re: 44% of USians think Christ Will Be Back in 50 years

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
According to author Sam Harris, whom I just saw speak on C-SPAN2, 22% of Americans believe that Christ will definately be back within 50 years, and another 22% believe he will probably be back in the next fifty years.

Do you realize the policy implications of this? There's no reason to plan for the future, cuz there isn't going to be one. We don't need social security because God will provide in the new millenium. We don't need to protect the environment, because God will provide. We don't need to worry about racking up an unpayable debt, cuz it won't need to be repaid!

Christians are destroying America!

edit: spelling fixes

I think this is a drop from previous years

JM
(I would probably answer probably)

[Proteus_MST]

You shouldn´t confuse christian fundamentalists (who often also believe the bible to be literally true) with all christs around the world, Fez.
As far as my experience goes, christian fundamentalists are those who are more prone to show the behavior you describe,
whereas the christians who rather incorporate some kinsd of "christian spirit" into their everydays life, rather than to believe in every word of the bible, are more open to other ways of life (and don´t try to judge them [or desperately try to convert you to their beliefs ])

[Jon Miller]

[QUOTE] Originally posted by chegitz guevara


You forget that the real Christ isn't coming back to spread peace and love in an Aquarian, peacenik way, but to bring war and death and destruction. He will use his magical powers to destroy the unbelievers, and then all the Christians will be resurected and a thousand year riegn of peace will begin.

Unless you're a Dispensationalist, in which case the saved will be raptured into heave, at which point a seven year period of tribulations will begin, with Satan leading an army of darkness against the left-behind who realize the errors of their ways. Then Christ will return, and the forces of evil will be swept away, etc.

Either way, they expect Christ to se his God-powers to change the world. It doesn't matter what governments think since all governments are Earthly, and thus in league with the Devil (except for the current U.S. government, where the saintly George Bush is leading the righteous to struggle against Satan). [/QUOTE

none of these is what SDAs beleive

Jon Miller]

[Jon Miller]

what was the thing anyway?

was it

Christ will come in the next 50 years
Christ probably will come in the next 50 years
Christ will not come in the next 50 years

because than I would answer probably

Jon Miller

[Proteus_MST]

There seem to be some polls which speak the same language as the Poll Harris mentiones:

According to a poll from 2004, mentioned in the S
Washington times, for example, 61 % of all Americans believe the Story of Creation within the bible to be literal true.
Among protestant evangelists the percentage is even around 90%:

http://www.washtimes.com/national/20040216-113955-2061r.htm

And here we have a nice collection on various polls concerning religion which were made within the USA in 2004 (with the exact questions and percentages for every option)

http://www.pollingreport.com/religion.htm

[Urban Ranger]

Isn't a literal belief of the Second Coming a fundamentalist thing?

[Jon Miller]

I consider myself a fundamentalist

Jon Miller

[Giancarlo]

Fundamentalists... are very... hateful people... jon do you really think so?

[molly bloom]

So Jesus is coming soon?

I'd better get some shopping done, and do the breakfast dishes.

Does he take proper coffee or decaff. ?

[Heresson]

Originally posted by Giancarlo


Uh huh... acceptance? That's a word that isn't common in the bible at all. Afterall it castes me off as committing a sin everytime I am with my guy. I don't think that is too tolerant let alone accepting.

I don't think condemnation of homosexual practices is essential in Christianity.
Bah, look at episcopal church...

[Robert]

IQ is to measure intelligence
EQ is to measure emtional intelligence.
I score heigh on both scales and still I believe that Jesus might very wel return within the next 50 years. I can't be sure on that though.

Besides that, what's the problem? Most obviously 50% of all americans thinks he or she will die within the next 50 years (and is most probably right on that)
Does that mean that we have no future? No long-term planning?

There are some good reasons to assume that Jesus' 2nd coming may be close:

- The 7th king (Rev 17) has come and gone (Hitler)
- the jews return from the diaspora
- the knowlegde has multiplied
- Love is cooling down
- Humanity is get more and more close to God, reaching the nr 666, the number of man in the last days
- globalisation
- the gospel has almost spread over the entire earth (matthew 24)
- the fall has started (people stopping believing the christian faith by large numbers)
- the biblical middle east has return after ages of ottoman oppression. (israel, palestinians, iran, irak, egypt.... they're all back!)

I'm not sure if Christ would return within the next 50 years, but if I weren't a christian, I would for sure start to wonder since 1948....
but oh well, every fundamentalist atheists can easily find reasons to renounce the bible, even if amazing prophecies like the re-establashing of the state of israel get fullfilled

Oh well, most of you most propably will declare anyone who believes in the 2nd coming of Christ to be a fool if Jesus would be standing on your toes anyway

And now all stop working, you'll die in 50 years anyway, and all you have done will be gone and forgotten in 1000 years (very optimistic)
All you do is useless and makes no sence. Why didn't you commit suicide anyway? Be happy there are christians who believe in the 2nd coming, they have somethign to live for!

[Kidlicious]

Originally posted by CyberShy
Besides that, what's the problem? Most obviously 50% of all americans thinks he or she will die within the next 50 years (and is most probably right on that)
Does that mean that we have no future? No long-term planning?

Plenty of reasons to want things to be good after we die. People don't just care about themselves. This is what creates good policy. Only caring about yourself or thinking that the world will end anyway is what creates bad policy.

[The diplomat]

Re: 44% of USians think Christ Will Be Back in 50 years

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
According to author Sam Harris, whom I just saw speak on C-SPAN2, 22% of Americans believe that Christ will definately be back within 50 years, and another 22% believe he will probably be back in the next fifty years.

It is high likely that Christ will be back in the next 50 years. I believe Christ will return in the next 20 years.

[Last Conformist]

Originally posted by Giancarlo
Fundamentalists... are very... hateful people... jon do you really think so?

Funnily enough, the person who strikes me as the most hateful in this thread is a self-described atheist existentialist.

[Robert]

Originally posted by Kidicious


Plenty of reasons to want things to be good after we die. People don't just care about themselves. This is what creates good policy. Only caring about yourself or thinking that the world will end anyway is what creates bad policy.

You're most obviously new to this planet!
Most people only care about themselves. Of course, when they have to fill out a poll, they suddenly tell they're full of ideals. But in the end no-one wants to share more then a little bit of their wealth.

The % of christians in Holland is very low, it's a minority. BUT of all the money the dutch people give to the environment, 3rd world countries, poor people, etc. 66% comes from the christians.

Maarten Luther, the first reformer, said: "If I knew Christ was coming today, I would plant an appletree today." in other words, the christian doctrine is: Expect Christ to come today, life like Christ could wait another 2000 years.