smellincoffee

It makes sense to me that if Jesus told us when he was coming back, then all of the people who lived before that time -- the people who were left in Jerusalem after he "arose", the guys in the middle ages, every human being from then 'til say the the early 20th century could've just repented on their deathbed, or reasonably close to it -- soldiers praying before their transport disembarked, someone praying in traffic -- leaving the rest of their life to ENJOY life. Then when it got closer to D-Day, ("Many will meet their doom, trumpets will sound!"), people would get their acts together.

In other words, they'd be more honest about living their lives than most Christians do today, anyway. Most Christians I've seen live by the rules to save themselves from hellfire. They tell themselves they love God so it doesn't sound quite so stark, but it usually boils down to saving themselves; not loving a man who lived and died two thousand years ago. Some religions have you repent once a week, some every hour. If you know when the boss is coming to inspect the place, you can plan on relaxing and then getting the job done when the deadline approaches. If the boss likes suprise inspections, you're pretty much playing the odds when you try to take a break from obeying all of the rules.

beenthroughit

If we knew, it would affect the way we live for the wrong reasons. Might I remind you that the Bible teaches the Christian life is all about faith. Anyway, its a fair question.

tapley54

My mother, who is a lifelong Xtian, has a bumper sticker on her car that reads:

"Jesus is Coming... Look Busy"

She interprets that as "BE busy," but I'm not sure that's what the author intended.

The point is that I agree with you. In my 25 years as a Xtian, anything entertaining/fun gave me a sense of guilt and/or fear: what if Jesus comes before I finish this movie? I should be studying the Bible or trying to convert my Jewish friend instead of wasting time enjoying life!

The reason that Jesus can't tell us when he would return is because then people wouldn't convert until the day before he got here. This would be detrimental to the business of running a church, because not many people would show up or tithe. Not to mention all the evil life-enjoyment and productive citizenry that would occur.

Also, it leaves the door open... if he had said, "I shall return on September 28, 2006," then we would all know it was a lie. By not declaring a date, the Christ-is-coming anticipation/fear can perpetuate indefinitely.

aa5874

You should read the Book called Exodus.If the Christian God can perform as stated, then He can 'hardened your heart'. That is, God can tell you when His Son is coming back, even the very minute, and you may just not remember or fall asleep. Or maybe, God could produce a volcanic eruption simultaneously with an earthquake of magnitude 10, while at the same time send a category 5 hurricane during which a tsunami with 600 foot waves occur two weeks or some suitable time, before He arrives.

If God can perform as stated, He came make you go against His own advice, even if you knew such advice in advance.

If God is real, He ain't easy.....

Exodus 7

Decypher

Jesus said that he didn't know the exact time, but he did say that it would happen within the lifetime of his immediate followers. The "Christ-is-coming anticipation" can perpetuate indefinitely only because Christians will make up any excuse to ignore the fact that he was a false prophet.

motorhead

To me, what's so sad and tragic is Jesus clearly predicted his second coming (the coming of the Kingdom of God) within his lifetime or shortly after he died. After he died, his followers preached his imminent return. Why did they do that? Because Jesus told them he'd be back very soon.

The New Testament is full of this line of thought. Paul clearly preached Jesus would return soon. You'll notice in the later writings of the NT (and beyond), the Christians started making excuses for why Jesus had not returned yet. You know the typical Christian response to this (a verse from a later NT letter), to the Lord one day is a thousand years...

It's sad and tragic people still believe this stuff. Jesus was clearly wrong and he's dead. Dead people do not come back to life.

blkgayatheist

"I think the full preterists have the best answer, which is to argue that the comments about the Kingdom being within us are serious, and that waiting for the "second coming" is like waiting for the Messiah. It's here, get on with it.

I am not sure they are correct. I do think that the belief that a particular answer is definite has been demonstrably harmful, and that any kind of definite answer seems to screw people up. We think too much in terms of deadlines."

I dont think its harmful at all to reject all of it as fantasy.

Imnotspecial

Wasn't there something about the followers of Jesus holding everything in common, at first.
Weren't some just sitting aound waiting for his return, so that Paul had to admonish them, that those who do not work shall not eat.

Sounds to me that everybody believed in his early return.

The most bizarre aspect of this second coming is that there seems to be absolutely no purpose for it. What is he going to do that he could not do on the first go-around? Or - if it is something really spectacular, why did he not do the first time around?

aa5874

Jesus cannot be shown to have made any statements, the uknown authors made unconfirmed claims about some character called Jesus. Even the name of his so-called disciples are contradicted in the NT.

steamer

Linear time is a Christian understanding? Is air also a Christian invention? Still, allow me to rephrase for those atheists here that do not speak Christian.

Translation:
I think the Second coming happened but then again it didn't happen so rolex and omega popcorn south gobbledegoop.

Translation:
Jesus didn't know if he was coming or going.

Translation:
I think this is as nonsensical as you do but I will tell you what god meant anyway, because I am his spokesperson.

Translation:
Jesus is invisible and undetectable so he is already here, not like your stupid invisible unicorn.

Translation:
Making shit up and pretending to speak for god is okie-dokie

Translation:
Sleeping is bad because Jesus might be hiding invisibly under the bed...Oh and don't masturbate because Jesus is watching.

Translation:
Night time is a bad time to work because there is no such thing as electricity or fire.

Translation:
One must keep the real world in perspective compared to the awesomeness of our imagined Jesus.