Freethought & Rationalism Archive

coconino · 08-17-2010, 01:29 PM

Does anyone know of anything that has been written about Jesus's return ? What is it supposed to be like ? Does he just turn up and say "Take me to your leader ?" Where does he turn up ? Will it be obvious who he is ? Will the world be the same as it was seconds before his return ? How long does he stay ? What does he do ? How will we know its Jesus rather than one of the imposters he spoke about ? Do we kill him again ? Does he visit just earth ? Does anyone know why it has taken so long ?

Keith&Co. · 08-17-2010, 01:40 PM

See the Star Wars movies, watch Jar-Jar. Just like that. Except the tongue.

show_no_mercy · 08-17-2010, 01:41 PM

According to Paul, Jesus will appear floating in the sky. Then there will be a floating zombie apocalypse, and after that all of the True Christians still alive will float into the air to have a kumbaya with the floating zombies and Jesus in the tropopause:

1 Thessalonians 4:15-18

15 According to the word of the Lord, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.

16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.

James Brown · 08-17-2010, 02:02 PM

Those verses are good to remind Christians that when a Christian dies, he does not go up to Heaven. It is only at the Rapture that the "Dead In Christ" rise first from the grave.

So no, Grandma is not watching down on you from Heaven and cheering you on. She's in a grave, decomposing. According to Paul, she'll be yanked up out of her grave someday in the future and THEN she'll go check out her mansion.

But then, do you trust Paul on what he thinks?

Cege · 08-17-2010, 04:42 PM

I don't think there is any one, clear response of "what it will be like" because the NT gives different descriptions.

Christians are given 3 alternative possibilities: rapture of dead and living Christians before the apocalypse, during, or after. NT scriptures offer enough variances that all 3 are "possible".

Jesus' return is described as appearing on a cloud (as the way he left), on a white horse in the heavens, and maybe some other ways I don't recall offhand.

Depending on interpretation of various scriptures, Jesus' return will include various scenarios, some lasting 1000 years.

I'm not endorsing any interpretation, just trying to provide some information given through various books and epistles in the NT.

aa5874 · 08-17-2010, 05:05 PM

Ther Synoptics and Revelation have a more dramatic and awesome description of the events leading up to the return of Jesus.

In the Synoptics Jesus told the Sanhedrin that they would see him coming in the clouds.

Mr 14:62 -

Quote:

And Jesus said, I am: and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.

But before Jesus was on trial, he told his disciples of the awesome events.

Matthew 24.29

Quote:

29 Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:

30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other...

So, based on the Synoptics, there will be NO sunlight, NO moonlight and the "stars" will fall just before Jesus comes in the clouds.

And this is the author of Revelation.

Revelation 21:1-4 -

Quote:

1 And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.

2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.

3 And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.

4 And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes, and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away....

But, we still wait for the FIRST coming.

mountainman · 08-17-2010, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aa5874

But, we still wait for the FIRST coming.

Amen. Although I must say that we have evidence that Jesus got here for the first time at least by the fourth century, since that is when all the basilicas got built. Three hundred years late is better than never.

Eldarion Lathria · 08-17-2010, 06:31 PM

Jesus has already come. He came in 1914, on the farm of Emil Kraus in Germany. He and his angels and saints, (or sangels and aints) were the size of ants. Emil stepped on Jesus and squashed him as he went out to milk the cows. I believe the farm was near Bamberg.

Eldarion Lathria

Doug Shaver · 08-18-2010, 07:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coconino

Does anyone know of anything that has been written about Jesus's return ?

Yes, there's whole big bunches of it, but nearly all of it is in evangelical or fundamentalist literature.

Quote:

Originally Posted by coconino

What is it supposed to be like ? Does he just turn up and say "Take me to your leader ?" Where does he turn up ? Will it be obvious who he is ? Will the world be the same as it was seconds before his return ? How long does he stay ? What does he do ? How will we know its Jesus rather than one of the imposters he spoke about ? Do we kill him again ? Does he visit just earth ? Does anyone know why it has taken so long ?

The answers to most of those questions depend on which evangelical or fundamentalist sect's literature you check. There is almost nothing on this topic that they all agree on.

Exceptions:

Quote:

Does he just turn up and say "Take me to your leader ?"

No. Depending on the scenario, (1) he won't stay long enough to be taken anywhere to anybody, or (2) he will be the leader.

Quote:

Do we kill him again ?

No. That is not in any of the scenarios, so far as I've ever seen.

ThermalCry · 08-18-2010, 07:25 AM

He will descend from heaven, on a diamond studded chariot. Handing out candies and teddy bears to all the little christian children.

08-17-2010, 01:29 PM	#1
coconino Regular Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: highlands Posts: 145	JESUS RETURN: WHAT WILL IT BE LIKE ? Does anyone know of anything that has been written about Jesus's return ? What is it supposed to be like ? Does he just turn up and say "Take me to your leader ?" Where does he turn up ? Will it be obvious who he is ? Will the world be the same as it was seconds before his return ? How long does he stay ? What does he do ? How will we know its Jesus rather than one of the imposters he spoke about ? Do we kill him again ? Does he visit just earth ? Does anyone know why it has taken so long ?

08-17-2010, 01:41 PM	#3
show_no_mercy Veteran Member Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Dancing Posts: 9,940	According to Paul, Jesus will appear floating in the sky. Then there will be a floating zombie apocalypse, and after that all of the True Christians still alive will float into the air to have a kumbaya with the floating zombies and Jesus in the tropopause: 1 Thessalonians 4:15-18 15 According to the word of the Lord, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.

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08-17-2010, 01:40 PM	#2
Keith&Co. Contributor Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Pittsfield, Mass Posts: 24,500	See the Star Wars movies, watch Jar-Jar. Just like that. Except the tongue.

08-17-2010, 02:02 PM	#4
James Brown Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Texas, U.S. Posts: 5,844	Those verses are good to remind Christians that when a Christian dies, he does not go up to Heaven. It is only at the Rapture that the "Dead In Christ" rise first from the grave. So no, Grandma is not watching down on you from Heaven and cheering you on. She's in a grave, decomposing. According to Paul, she'll be yanked up out of her grave someday in the future and THEN she'll go check out her mansion. But then, do you trust Paul on what he thinks?

08-17-2010, 04:42 PM	#5
Cege Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: 36078 Posts: 849	I don't think there is any one, clear response of "what it will be like" because the NT gives different descriptions. Christians are given 3 alternative possibilities: rapture of dead and living Christians before the apocalypse, during, or after. NT scriptures offer enough variances that all 3 are "possible". Jesus' return is described as appearing on a cloud (as the way he left), on a white horse in the heavens, and maybe some other ways I don't recall offhand. Depending on interpretation of various scriptures, Jesus' return will include various scenarios, some lasting 1000 years. I'm not endorsing any interpretation, just trying to provide some information given through various books and epistles in the NT.

08-17-2010, 06:31 PM	#8
Eldarion Lathria Veteran Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Atlantis Posts: 2,449	Jesus has already come. He came in 1914, on the farm of Emil Kraus in Germany. He and his angels and saints, (or sangels and aints) were the size of ants. Emil stepped on Jesus and squashed him as he went out to milk the cows. I believe the farm was near Bamberg. Eldarion Lathria

08-18-2010, 07:25 AM	#10
ThermalCry Junior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 19	He will descend from heaven, on a diamond studded chariot. Handing out candies and teddy bears to all the little christian children.

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