Came across your stack via the comments over at Tessa Fights Robots. Had to come see what you're up to. Well. Not too many people these days talking about the End Times, even if you are somewhat cloaking it. I grew up with the prophesies, spent much of my younger life in fear of not making the "milestones" (marriage, kids, etc.), and mad at God that he'd plunked me down in this particular time (and this time really is different because the tech is ready and the elites are squeezing the trigger).
Anyway, have returned to Christ and am watching with dread and, I have to admit, a great deal of interest how things are unfolding. Everyone does seem to ask 'why' a lot. Go ahead and tell them. A few will understand, but most won't. It's pretty late in the day.
I look forward to reading more of your essays. Cheers.
Hi Miss Teacup. I am not a big fan of pseudonyms, and I always used to use my own name online, but the world has changed rather radically and I thought it might be prudent to at least use a "handle", although one that is wordplay on my name and on me.
There are people talking "around" end times all over the place, but not exactly "about" it. They describe in great detail something they do not see. I respect their efforts, and I find their writing helpful, but I don't believe it is going to solve this particular problem. If the concept of sin and its consequences is not present, the talk isn't going anywhere. But "sin" is possibly the most understood word in the English language. What do we do with that?
I do 'uncloak' occasionally, and especially here and in person. In person, coming straight out with it can have quite an effect, but online it seems to just bounce off for the most part. My use of the word "restraining" in the comment to Tessa was meant to be clear to certain readers that understand what is set to happen with the restrainer is removed. And by the way, that word "restraining" is a participle in the Greek also -- I think I will post something here about 1 Thes. 4:6-7, when I find time. It's interesting.
My main purpose in choosing the words I do has been to put things into modern language and a modern worldview. I'm not trying to hide anything, but some things are more easily introduced early in the conversation, and then other things can be added after a certain level of understanding has been established.
Unfortunately, those conversations never seem to materialize. OK, so yes, then, go ahead and tell them. What else is left? That message is coming in from more than one direction. I think the time is just about right anyway. (And what I mean by that is too terrible to explain, but it will become obvious if I am not wrong.)
Your story sounds strangely similar to mine. I made the mistake, however, of trying to "make the milestones" anyway, but being someone that really, truly should not do that (Mt. 19:12a). It was a disaster, and I am still paying for it, and it is why I am only semi-retired. At least it didn't result in any children -- it couldn't have. And I learned a lot.
I left the faith twice, at 21 and again at 48. I spent nearly half my life, 35 years, away. The second time I was really unhappy with God -- because of His people! I am still unhappy with some of them, to one degree or another, but I returned eight years ago, I have acknowledged my error, and I no longer blame God for how his people sometimes behave. After how I behaved, how could I?
Now as for this matter of finding ourselves at the end of the age -- I'm still adjusting to that. I thought maybe I was going to settle down, teach Sunday school for as long as I could (the kids need to hear from the older generations), and eventually die somewhere other than in a hospital. Wrong again. Instead we have "Prelude to the Tribulation", A.K.A. the early years of World War III. With seniors like me being a major target, useless feeders that we are (hey, I still work!). Everyone that scripture says we should especially look out and care for is a target, and has been. And people wonder why all these things are happening.
I thought I was done with all that after being with my mother's last church while I was growing up -- Radio/Worldwide Church of God (the name changed a few years before I left). She started with them when I was 11 or 12. We thought Jesus was coming in 1975. When it became clear that He wasn't, a bunch of us left. So now it turns out that we were just off by 50 years give or take, and had a lot of details wrong. I am groaning now in tune with the creation.
This really is a unique opportunity, and I guess I am glad to be here now. Not quite "joyful" over it yet, but developing the understanding that such joyfulness requires. But I felt better able in my 20's to face it than I do now in my 70's.
But I do have a local church that isn't the mess that the WCG was, a refuge for now. Instead, it's a different mess, with exploding sickness and death among those who lined up for the shots, especially the elderly, and a bunch of people that were already sick from the terrible food they eat, but the message and the culture are unusually good for Northern California.
Oh well. There are also small groups that are wonderful to be a part of, and what's left of a classic worship service with choir (I'm in it), orchestra, and handbells, an extremely endangered species in these parts. And I don't confuse my relationship with the church with my relationship with God. That has become exceedingly clear.
Came across your stack via the comments over at Tessa Fights Robots. Had to come see what you're up to. Well. Not too many people these days talking about the End Times, even if you are somewhat cloaking it. I grew up with the prophesies, spent much of my younger life in fear of not making the "milestones" (marriage, kids, etc.), and mad at God that he'd plunked me down in this particular time (and this time really is different because the tech is ready and the elites are squeezing the trigger).
Anyway, have returned to Christ and am watching with dread and, I have to admit, a great deal of interest how things are unfolding. Everyone does seem to ask 'why' a lot. Go ahead and tell them. A few will understand, but most won't. It's pretty late in the day.
I look forward to reading more of your essays. Cheers.
Hi Miss Teacup. I am not a big fan of pseudonyms, and I always used to use my own name online, but the world has changed rather radically and I thought it might be prudent to at least use a "handle", although one that is wordplay on my name and on me.
There are people talking "around" end times all over the place, but not exactly "about" it. They describe in great detail something they do not see. I respect their efforts, and I find their writing helpful, but I don't believe it is going to solve this particular problem. If the concept of sin and its consequences is not present, the talk isn't going anywhere. But "sin" is possibly the most understood word in the English language. What do we do with that?
I do 'uncloak' occasionally, and especially here and in person. In person, coming straight out with it can have quite an effect, but online it seems to just bounce off for the most part. My use of the word "restraining" in the comment to Tessa was meant to be clear to certain readers that understand what is set to happen with the restrainer is removed. And by the way, that word "restraining" is a participle in the Greek also -- I think I will post something here about 1 Thes. 4:6-7, when I find time. It's interesting.
My main purpose in choosing the words I do has been to put things into modern language and a modern worldview. I'm not trying to hide anything, but some things are more easily introduced early in the conversation, and then other things can be added after a certain level of understanding has been established.
Unfortunately, those conversations never seem to materialize. OK, so yes, then, go ahead and tell them. What else is left? That message is coming in from more than one direction. I think the time is just about right anyway. (And what I mean by that is too terrible to explain, but it will become obvious if I am not wrong.)
Your story sounds strangely similar to mine. I made the mistake, however, of trying to "make the milestones" anyway, but being someone that really, truly should not do that (Mt. 19:12a). It was a disaster, and I am still paying for it, and it is why I am only semi-retired. At least it didn't result in any children -- it couldn't have. And I learned a lot.
I left the faith twice, at 21 and again at 48. I spent nearly half my life, 35 years, away. The second time I was really unhappy with God -- because of His people! I am still unhappy with some of them, to one degree or another, but I returned eight years ago, I have acknowledged my error, and I no longer blame God for how his people sometimes behave. After how I behaved, how could I?
Now as for this matter of finding ourselves at the end of the age -- I'm still adjusting to that. I thought maybe I was going to settle down, teach Sunday school for as long as I could (the kids need to hear from the older generations), and eventually die somewhere other than in a hospital. Wrong again. Instead we have "Prelude to the Tribulation", A.K.A. the early years of World War III. With seniors like me being a major target, useless feeders that we are (hey, I still work!). Everyone that scripture says we should especially look out and care for is a target, and has been. And people wonder why all these things are happening.
I thought I was done with all that after being with my mother's last church while I was growing up -- Radio/Worldwide Church of God (the name changed a few years before I left). She started with them when I was 11 or 12. We thought Jesus was coming in 1975. When it became clear that He wasn't, a bunch of us left. So now it turns out that we were just off by 50 years give or take, and had a lot of details wrong. I am groaning now in tune with the creation.
This really is a unique opportunity, and I guess I am glad to be here now. Not quite "joyful" over it yet, but developing the understanding that such joyfulness requires. But I felt better able in my 20's to face it than I do now in my 70's.
But I do have a local church that isn't the mess that the WCG was, a refuge for now. Instead, it's a different mess, with exploding sickness and death among those who lined up for the shots, especially the elderly, and a bunch of people that were already sick from the terrible food they eat, but the message and the culture are unusually good for Northern California.
Oh well. There are also small groups that are wonderful to be a part of, and what's left of a classic worship service with choir (I'm in it), orchestra, and handbells, an extremely endangered species in these parts. And I don't confuse my relationship with the church with my relationship with God. That has become exceedingly clear.
Thanks for dropping by!