Evangelical Christians across the U.S. are welcoming the conflict in the Middle East as a necessary precursor to the end of days, when Jesus Christ returns to Earth and sets up his kingdom in Jerusalem. Thousands gathered for a pro-Israel rally along with Senate Republican leadership. Of course, the Revelation of St. John does not suggest that the Jews will do all that well during the Rapture.
As for how the Israelis feel about this, I loved the reply of the Israeli Ambassador to the reporter's question. He said coyly, "When the messiah comes, we will ask him if he is coming or returning, and that will establish whether we will all be Jews or Christians. Until he comes, I don't worry myself about this."
Friday, August 04, 2006
Coming or Returning?
Posted by Dr. Strangelove at 1:57 AM
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This is assuming that the Israelis and the Evangelicals will all agree on who the Mesiah is let alone how many times he's (and I can almost gaurantee they will all pick men) been here.
As I recall my history, there was little agreement until enforced at sword point. Heck, there is a sect of "Christians" in Iraq that think that John the Baptist was the mesiah.
"Shoes! We must gather shoes together!"
"No! We must cast our shoes away!"
"Kill! Persecute the heretic!"
// posted by RBR
I think it is wonderfully funny. Touché to the ambassador!
// posted by USWest
This blog is reserved for political commentary. The previous comment has been deleted.
Evangelical Christians have adopted, over the past 150 years, a very bizarre eschatology based on reading the Revalation as a cryptic guide to a weird, melodramatic end of the universe. Theologians with education, rather than the self-taught Darby school, have learne that the REvelation is similar to many apocalpytic texts of its day. It has more in common with modern satire than historicl prose. It is no more meant to be predictive than the psalms. In short, apocalyptic texts were a means of reflecting on current political realitiies and theological concerns. It may best be understood as a 4th century reflection on the impending doom of the Roman empire and the state of Christians in such a world.
// posted by LTG
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