Re: Acceptance and growth

On May 1, 7:44=A0pm, Bob Crowley <bobcrow...@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote:
[snip]
> One of the clearest elements in the New Testament is that Christ will
> return when we least expect it. =A0This also implies that humanity, at
> that point in time, won't be expecting His return.

The Gospels can be read both ways.  Yes, Christ did
say that He would return at a time no one expected
(Matthew 24:44, Luke 12:40); but there are also the
much-quoted passages (including one in the same
chapter, Matthew 24:33) saying that when you see
these signs (which are arguably occurring, hence the
glee of the fundamentalists), He or it (the end, perhaps)
is near, at the door, and His followers should lift up
their heads and all that.  One wonders why Jesus
should seem to contradict Himself in such a short time.

[snip]

> The other thing that intrigues me
> is that in regard to modern "prophecy", hardly one of our self styled
> end times evangelists predicted the resurgence of Islam.

Obviously you meant this seriously, but I can't
help thinking it needs a rim shot, because it is
amusing, now that you mention it.  Of course
Islam per se didn't exist at the time the Bible
was written, but I agree with you that the
preachers on prophecy ought to have picked
up on predictions regarding the *countries*
that are now predominantly Islamic, assuming
such predictions exist; considering how much
prophecy there is about all sorts of odd
countries that no one but Biblical scholars
can identify, there must have been *some*
clues in there which an astute reader could
pick up on.  Oh well.

-- Jeffrey J. Sargent