CrypticVillain Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Uhhhhh......no......:twitch: Are you sure? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LadySkinsFan Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 As a woman, I am absolutely glad that I live in these times. Could it be better? Yes, I believe that we should be progressing, especially in the social sphere. I'm 61, and hope for more progress until I leave the Earthly plane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbo Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 you talking about them? :pfft:http://www.accelerator3359.com/Wrestling/pictures/fourhorsemen4.jpg Nah, pro wrestling is real. :pfft: :evilg: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predicto Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 Part of the issue is the Information Age. We hear of every bad thing that happens anywhere in the World. With that constant stream of horrifying news, we lock our doors, don't let our kids walk down to the playground alone, and live with fear of crime at a constant low boil in the back of our consciousness. I would venture that the incidence of crime has remained fairly steady over that last 30 to 40 years while the fear of crime has skyrocketed. Actually, crime has gone way down in the past few decades, especially violent crime. But Nancy Grace has ruined us and turned us into a nation of cowards. And if you compare crime now to crime 100 years ago, or 200 years ago, or 400 years ago or 2000 years ago, there is absolutely no comparison. It is much, much better and safer to be living now. Are "the times" really getting worse?Yes they are. Just look at the kids these days. I guarantee that they were never this bad before. LOL. You fit in well in history. "When I was young, we were taught to be discreet and respectful of elders, but the present youth are exceedingly disrespectful and impatient of restraint". Hesiod, 8th century BC "What is happening to our young people? They disrespect their elders, they disobey their parents. They ignore the law. They riot in the streets inflamed with wild notions. Their morals are decaying. What is to become of them?" Plato, 4th Century BC "The young people of today think of nothing but themselves. They have no reverence for parents or old age. They are impatient of all restraint... As for the girls, they are forward, immodest and unladylike in speech, behavior and dress." Attributed to Peter the Hermit, AD 12743 In April 1738, the press covered a report from a British Government committee which had been set up to "examine the causes of the present notorious immorality and profaneness."4 In the 1800s, hordes of teens and pre-teens ran wild in American city streets, dodging authorities, "gnawing away at the foundations of society", as a commentator put it. In 1850, New York City recorded more than 200 gang wars fought largely by adolescent boys. The more things change.... I have no doubt that the thing have improved for humanity. History tends to be told in a manner that leaves us awestruck. We forget that the majority of the planet, vast overwhelming 99% doesn't cut it kind of majority, simply lives life during all of the great events we read about. When you think of the time of our founding fathers for instance how many of us think about what life was like for the average person born to an unimportant family? The kind of person that, like most of us, history will not care to remember. Compare that kind of life to the equivalent today. I think for most people in most places things have improved drastically. Even in some places that aren't terribly advanced by today's standards. I think that the common experience for much of human existence would be a horrifying nightmare by our standards today. China, for all of its faults has pulled 500 MILLION people out of abject poverty in just the last 25 years. The whole world is doing better. In sum: We always romanticize the past, and as we get older, we do so more and more. It's part of the human condition. The reality is the exact opposite. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbo Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 I don't know but about "the times" being worse. But I am deteriorating rapidly and I didn't have that much ground to give, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Predicto Posted November 29, 2012 Share Posted November 29, 2012 I don't know but about "the times" being worse. But I am deteriorating rapidly and I didn't have that much ground to give, either. It probably would have helped if you had started out with a more sound foundation, ifyaknowwhatimean.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
authentic Posted November 30, 2012 Author Share Posted November 30, 2012 Uhhhhh......no......:twitch: I knew what you meant bro,... what you're referring to is out of the book of Revelation i believe. I was just joking around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stadium-Armory Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 I know this. My salary is higher now than it was 10 years ago. I live in a nicer home and have more money in the bank. My gay friends are closer to having the same civil rights I do. I feel safer than I did 10 years ago. The Redskins have the best player in the NFL. **** yea, these times are good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 I knew what you meant bro,... what you're referring to is out of the book of Revelation i believe. I was just joking around. I know, that's why the twitch face LoL! By my understanding things have always been bad, the Four Horsemen are Revelation's symbolic representation of that reality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
authentic Posted November 30, 2012 Author Share Posted November 30, 2012 .The Redskins have the best player in the NFL. **** yea, these times are good. Well that part is subjective. It can spell the Armageddon for the rest of the division... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GhostofSparta Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 1. Air Conditioning 2. Penicillin 3. Anesthesia 4. The Internet I'd say the times are better than they've ever been. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jumbo Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 When it comes to apocalyptic images and signs of the times, yes, there were the four horseman...but there was a fifth figure--a woman--and it was not some unearthly equine she was perched upon, but she arrived in even more horrifying manifestation of sound and vision... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z56qVA4LjOo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special K Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 I think that believing in the end of times can be dangerous because it reduces the sense of urgency in fixing problems. I'm not saying that is the necessary outcome, but I think there is a danger there. I think that same danger exists with a belief in afterlife. I think that viewing this life as a preparation for something bigger/better/different can be dangerous. Such problems are not readily apparent with a belief that this is the only life we have, but I'm sure that any belief system can be dangerous if misused. That's fine if you believe that. I don't agree with your assertion that belief in the Bible with the "end of times" and afterlife creates an apathetic view of this world. Most Christians I know are very much involved with attempting to help fix injustices (e.g. the plethora of Christian NGO's established around this country and the world for the sole purpose of helping fellow man). There are some other pretty notable Christians who are doing their fair share to fix problems in this world, like pretty much every president of the United States of America.... Additionally, while I believe in the afterlife, I don't carry an apathetic view of my current life. I live my life to the fullest, am highly educated, am a productive member of our society, and am involved in many activities that help not only my community, but people in need who live in foreign countries. So, I guess I'm not quite sure where you get the idea that belief in Biblical prophecies leads to an unproductive life in this world. :whoknows: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AsburySkinsFan Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 When it comes to apocalyptic images and signs of the times, yes, there were the four horseman...but there was a fifth figure--a woman--and it was not some unearthly equine she was perched upon, but she arrived in even more horrifying manifestation of sound and vision... Yet the woman herself was representative of an external reality too, the whore was Rome, and she has had predescessors and successors both. ---------- Post added November-29th-2012 at 09:05 PM ---------- I think that believing in the end of times can be dangerous because it reduces the sense of urgency in fixing problems. I'm not saying that is the necessary outcome, but I think there is a danger there. I think that same danger exists with a belief in afterlife. I think that viewing this life as a preparation for something bigger/better/different can be dangerous. Such problems are not readily apparent with a belief that this is the only life we have, but I'm sure that any belief system can be dangerous if misused. The reason you see things this way is because you've only ever seen the Dispensationalist interpretive model. If you really want to see how the traditional Historic and Preterist models lead Christians into a highly engaged life in the world as opposed to the Dispensationalist disengagement I'd suggest reading N.T. Wright, and Ben Witherington III. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SWFLSkins Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Life is always a struggle no matter the times. Things get worse and things get better all the time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
twa Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 I don't know but about "the times" being worse. But I am deteriorating rapidly and I didn't have that much ground to give, either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
China Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 When it comes to apocalyptic images and signs of the times, yes, there were the four horseman...but there was a fifth figure--a woman--and it was not some unearthly equine she was perched upon, but she arrived in even more horrifying manifestation of sound and vision...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z56qVA4LjOo I'll see your Petula Clark and raise you Barry McGuire http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExH7h9Lk5HY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
authentic Posted November 30, 2012 Author Share Posted November 30, 2012 That's fine if you believe that.I don't agree with your assertion that belief in the Bible with the "end of times" and afterlife creates an apathetic view of this world. Most Christians I know are very much involved with attempting to help fix injustices (e.g. the plethora of Christian NGO's established around this country and the world for the sole purpose of helping fellow man). There are some other pretty notable Christians who are doing their fair share to fix problems in this world, like pretty much every president of the United States of America.... Additionally, while I believe in the afterlife, I don't carry an apathetic view of my current life. I live my life to the fullest, am highly educated, am a productive member of our society, and am involved in many activities that help not only my community, but people in need who live in foreign countries. So, I guess I'm not quite sure where you get the idea that belief in Biblical prophecies leads to an unproductive life in this world. :whoknows: I actually agree with both of you on this. I know quite a few christians that espouse an unbalanced ideology of the earthly realm vs the afterlife. When it comes to simple everyday things such as long term investing, health & wellness, multiple-degree education, you end up having "why concern yourself with earthly things, this is existance is only temporary" thrown in your face. I think most ppl (believer or non-believer) alike understands that we'll leave here, but you still have to actually LIVE this life, so how about we make the best of the life that we've been given? As i said, either side of the extreme isn't good, and its definitely out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Switchgear Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 from here. In terms of violence, things have definitely gotten better. I liked the point about viewing history through the lens of the average person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexey Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 ...I don't agree with your assertion that belief in the Bible with the "end of times" and afterlife creates an apathetic view of this world. ... So, I guess I'm not quite sure where you get the idea that belief in Biblical prophecies leads to an unproductive life in this world. :whoknows: I am not saying that it necessarily creates such a view but simply that there is a danger. And it's not the unproductive life that I'm talking about... Climate change is one obvious example. There appears to be a politically powerful contingent of people who believe that issues of climate are up to God. The reason you see things this way is because you've only ever seen the Dispensationalist interpretive model. If you really want to see how the traditional Historic and Preterist models lead Christians into a highly engaged life in the world as opposed to the Dispensationalist disengagement I'd suggest reading N.T. Wright, and Ben Witherington III. I'll keep this in mind, thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Sinister Posted November 30, 2012 Share Posted November 30, 2012 Imagine if we had social media during the Civil Rights Era, . Or if we had 24 hour news cycles during the Drug Wars in Miami, or the riots in LA during the 90's, or WWII, or the Vietnam War. I constantly hear people talk about how bad things are in today's society, and 6-7 years ago I would have agreed with them. That's why I think that one of the greatest quotes/saying out there is "Know your history." 70 years ago , people were getting hanged, and in other areas of the US, people probably heard very little, if anything about it, and went about their business, hauling bales of hay or whatever. Today, I could be on my way from the grocery store, and hear on the radio that a suicide bomber just killed a bunch of people in a crowded supermarket, that someone shot up their workplace, and go home and turn on the 5:00 news to find out that a tenager was murdered on the subway, and that a crazed mother drowned her kids in the bathtub, all in the span of 20 or so minutes, and then you wonder what the world is coming to. The only thing that's changed, is the amount of news that gets reported, the different avenues in which it is available to you, the way in which it is reported, and the way it can be used to manipulate your view on today's society, by (Stealing a quote from System Of A Down) having you running scared from 9 to 5, and 5 to 9 today, while cinema, and various other forms of entertainment romanticize what things were like in years, decades, and centuries past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
authentic Posted November 30, 2012 Author Share Posted November 30, 2012 Imagine if we had social media during the Civil Rights Era, . Or if we had 24 hour news cycles during the Drug Wars in Miami, or the riots in LA during the 90's, or WWII, or the Vietbam War. I constantly hear people talk about how bad things are in today's society, and 6-7 years ago I would have agreed with them.. I was watching a documentary about birth of LA street gangs of the late 60s early 70s. They said that during the Civil Rights Era, violence was so bad that police would shoot any person of color for crossing the invisible, segregated boarder. It didn't matter if you made a wrong turn by mistake. You go into the "White Neighborhood" you were getting shot, no quesitons asked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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