Signs and Omens

Absolutely.

 

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It is quite symbolic - women crucified by men, and even her recognition of Christ is demoralised down to their level.

 

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This is a faulty premise. Western religion is entirely derived from the East, having all but wiped out its own indigenous cultures with their silly myths and superstitions, only to replace them with the even more ridiculous myths and superstitions of the Middle East.

There is little, if any, direct link to the silliness of the Far East, which largely encompasses eternal cycles of reality.

And the silliness of the Middle East is a confused pot luck stew of regional myths and superstitions over a period of several thousands of years, when dynasties in the same region had their own particular forms of nonsense to replace the long lost foolishness of their ancestors.

Apocalypse, you will note, is a Greek word. Think about that. The Greeks did not even rise in importance until about 2300 years after the oldest bogosity was recorded.

The only thing you are harping on, which is the clear bias of this topic, is Christian fundamentalism, which is a very, very recent phenomenon, and which largely owes itself to the ignorance of 19th century American pioneers, who are perhaps the worst possible source of information about world history, cosmology and this zany fixation on the mangled idea of an apocalypse.

Check the "born on date" of the Christian apocalypse story. It's one of the most recent inventions of the vacuous orthodox literature being paraded by the fundies.

And did I say nutty. Oh, and don't forget frivolous.

 

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Spot on, the two main sources of end time, or apocalyptic ideas come from the middle east, and in modern times from the US pioneers of religion.

America became a haven for pilgrims escaping the persecution of the Papacy which had just about filled Europe with torture, blood and burning stakes. The papacy was recognised by the protestants as the antichrist, and they anticipated the coming of Christ to end its reign, and at the same time to set up His kingdom. This involved a destruction of the kingdoms of the world who were in league with the Papacy.

 

Someone mentioned earlier, I think it was Buddha, that the Native Americans did not typically have an apocalyptic ending to the world.
Some did, and warned that it would be another global flood, but others saw the rainbow as a promise that it will never happen again.
Speaking of rainbows, one tribe said that rainbow colors were seen in the sky before the flood as a warning.
But still others see the rainbow as a promise and a warning, as they say that the blue part represents the watery (serpent) and the red the fire of destruction.
However, the main theme of Indian predictions and warnings is about responsibility with nature, with the earth.
Although the apocalyptic view is not as common, they speak of the "earth shaking off its inhabitants" or that it becomes unwilling to support abusers, as a natural consequence.
Some talk of the earth reeling like a drunk, and the "north star" moving position.

 

In 1858 these words were written from a Christian source, that seem to be an equivalent of the Native American "blue star",-

"Through a rift in the clouds there beams a star whose brilliancy is increased fourfold in contrast with the darkness. It speaks of hope and joy to the faithful, but severity and wrath to the transgressors of God's law."

That star appears either days, or most likely hours, before the return of Christ becomes visible. Genesis 1:14 indicates that one of the functions of stars is to give signs. Isaiah talks of constellations moving out of place at that time. This could explain the legends of stars moving position, besides the earth tilting and reeling.

However, that unusually bright star can be seen in broad daylight, and is not an ordinary star, but comprised of an army of angels, numbering billions, all grouped together as one band and visible in the distance through space.
A similar much smaller star like that, guided the wise men to the Christ child.

 

The guy swilling the vodka is amusing. What struck me as more amusing is the look on the face of the blonde girl. It hints at:

"Thousands of dollars in student loans for a pointless degree that will lead to a job as a pole dancer"

 

I guess I missed the vodka guy. Did anyone see my post about the south american story I posted here earlier. Does anybody have any information on that?

 

How much vodka did he drink to think he would get the pole dance job? Or was he also well hung and the pole was in a gay bar?

No. I bet it got eaten in the crash along with the vodka guy joke.

 

I can't find it either, Sciforums had some problems at the beginning of the month, may have been lost with others. Try again?

 

Alright my message from earlier was asking if anyone knew a south american "tale" about stick people an black rain. I thought it may have been about destruction of the people an the planet. Its been a long time since I heard it so I'm not sure. My former message was deleated. Any clue?
Tthanks

 

The "stick people" could also be "the storks" or "stork people." These 'people' continuously harrassed and killed natives living in the south, possibly during the dark ages.

If the natives mentioned black rain, I don't think it has to do with industrial pollution, from which we have the term, but more likely rain after a volcanic explosion.

An increasing number of volcanoes is a sign of the destruction by fire.

If anyone can come up with the connection between black rain and stick people, would be good.

 

Jer. 5:31
The prophets prophesy lies, the priests rule by their own authority, and my people love it this way.


That's a sign and an omen! Yeehaw!

Oh, the irony!

Once this person finds out what the pentagram (of which she (?) has so many all over her face) means ...

 

Any substantial forecasts of the future or end times in the Bible usually begin with a warning against deception against false prophets and christs etc. Eg; Matthew 24. There are several tests to find out which are genuine, the obvious one - whatever they predict must happen with 100% accuracy.

Notice the people/masses love to be led in this way. A mistake that can be deadly.

 

Redefining and misusing ancient symbols, sure obscures their timeless meanings.
We can talk a lot about ancient symbols on this subject down the line.

Just now, I want to pick up on your intro to the Bahai faith, an impressive religion with their inclusiveness and sacred sites for free worship, a contrast to all its neighbours.

And who have treasured an ancient time line spanning over two and a half thousand years.

Does anyone know it?

 

Stork people? Who were they? Never heard of them...

 

I heard on a radio program today that, with the legends of the Pigmy people, came the repeated story of the Pigmy's fighting the "cranes."

I made the connection between the "cranes" and the "storks." Different translations, but the same stories. native people of the southern hemisphere, as well as Ireland and other Celtic origins talk about the little people being involved in a war with the "cranes."

There is a lot more to these world wide stories, discovered in the 1800's by the English and American explorers. As soon as you mentioned the stick people I thought about the "cranes."

 

The seven signs in Revelation, are in chapter 16. These are plagues, similar as to what ancient Egypt experienced with the exodus.

The plagues seem to happen in quick succession over a relatively short time, probably within one year prior to the end of the world/age.
But there are specific signs leading up to the plagues, so it is not like they will just happen without notice.

The last plague is hail stones, weighing up to a "talent."
The weight of one talent varies in history and with culture, from 26 to 60 kilos. That could make the hail stones up to a meter in diameter.

Hailstones as large as water melons have fallen in the past, but these last ones will be the biggest the world has ever seen.

The ancient measurement for the watermelon sized stones is one cubit wide. Although hail stones vary in size from a pea to a base ball, their sizes are typically one or the other, pea size, golf ball size, base ball and rock melon.

 

Nothing happened to Egypt. It's some legend of mythic proportions. When you read the Egyptian text of that era, they record no anomaly. They're just counting cattle and grain and keeping track of hostile neighbors. Nothing happened to the Pharoah or his family. The only event they mention is an invasion of an unknown enemy, who they call the Sea People.

It's more likely that a band of Hebrews came into Egypt seeking fresh water and fertile soil and were forced out, leaving them with a case of sour grapes. There was a Hebrew settlement on Elephantine Island, in the Nile, which may have something to do with the source of the legend.

The Bible contradicts history if read literally. This is one of many examples.

Note also, the Book of Revelations appeared hundreds of years after the Hellenization of the Jews. It's entirely reliant on myth and legend, and contains little, if any, text that has any basis in fact or reality.