Against Doomsday

Last updated on: December 11, 2009 at 12:57 am by sheldlaw

Against Doomsday 2009-12-11T00:57:49-05:00 sheldlaw

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Enough about Christmas, let’s talk about death and destruction. Excited? Well, it seems a lot of people are. I know folks who just can’t pass up an opportunity to point out that we are in the last days—the great end of times. Usually the reference comes up in relation to some grave concern expressed about the fate of our country—a nation in the hands of the conspiratorial communists currently in the White House plotting the destruction of everything our Found Fathers held so dear. Yes, the Constitution is hanging by a thread, (but a pretty resilient thread, it turns out, since the same thread has apparently been sustaining said document since McCarthy’s and Skousen’s 1950’s). I remember when Clinton won office in 1992 and 1996; the right heralded both events as the downfall of America. Then Bush’s double election signaled the decline of Western civilization to the left. Now Obama—no, this one’s for real this time—stands with scissors and thread firmly in hand. Fifty gallon water storage containers are on sale…quick!

I’m a bit of a scrooge when it comes to the apocalypse. I have a hard time getting into the spirit of the season. There is something utterly pessimistic and unChrist-like about seeing Christ in every earthquake, hurricane, famine, flu outbreak, war, and election-that-didn’t-go-my-way. I realize that the world will experience such travails in the last days, but isn’t there something perverse about delighting in headlines that represent the suffering of millions simply because it makes me think the Second Coming is getting that much closer? I know doomsdayers would never admit to finding happiness in such things. No, such is there difficult job to point out hard reality to a head-in-the-sand world. But I’m skeptical. There is just too much energy and excitement behind their predictions to be the reluctant conclusions of those who actually pine for world peace.

Perhaps other things are at stake here. After all, the daily grind can be a grind, and the prospect of worldwide upheaval may offer hope that in 10 years from now something much more interesting will be happening in one’s life than ordering more toner for the copy machine.

I can’t think of anything more wonderful than Christ reigning upon the earth, but what I’m really wondering is this. Is there any way we can get to the millennium with a smaller body count? Do the scriptures allow for a kinder and gentler interpretation regarding the extent of the calamities of the last days? (If they don’t, does that imply a doctrine of predestination?) Hasn’t the world already experienced enough bloodshed in the form of two devastating world wars to fulfill the death and destruction requirement? Am I denying the faith if I look to the future with hope and optimism? I don’t mean the kind of hope that says, “At least Christ will come after life on earth has been made into a living hell.” I mean a hope that believes my children and grandchildren and great grandchildren will marry and eat three meals a day and take hot showers and vote. Or, on the other hand, should I start developing a taste for canned wheat?

Uncategorized

Previous Post

December 10, 2009

Guest Blogger: g. wesley

Next Post

December 11, 2009 What to do with the JST...and the GNT

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category 2013 Scriptures Administrative Apologetics Atonement Bible Book of Mormon Book Review BYU Doctrine Extra-Biblical Literature Family Feminism Guests History LDS Church History Leadership Marginalia Metaphysics Mormon Culture Mormon Studies Personal Issues Political Philosophy Politics Scripture Sexuality Speculation Spotlights Studying Religion Ten Tidbits The Tenure Track Theology Tips on Applying Series Tips on Being an Independent Scholar Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 July 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz