The Year: 38932 AD... Jesus Returns.

[dave29]

What's left of the Human Race on Earth is shocked and sends word to the known remaining colonies near Vega(b) and Cygnus7. They report no sign of Jesus.

My point is this: at what point in time does the "son of God" become mythology - like the stories of great floods from Babylonian and Native cultures making their way into modern times.

When, exactly, does Jesus Fatigue set in for believers?

[Ravenseye]

1. Always was for me

Growing up my bible stories books were next to my greek and norse myth books (and Aesops fables) on my book shelf.

Bible stories about Jesus had the same weight as the fable about the lion with the needle in his paw. Important stories that teach lessons, but that's abotu it.

It's only a matter of time, but I'm guessing at least a couple thousand more years.

[GiovanniC]

11. That is Pure Blasphemy

Noah really DID put all those animals on a boat, and they really DID repopulate the entire world.

Jonah really DID live inside a whale.

God really DID create the whole universe and everything in it in six days a few thousand years ago.

Moses really DID spin straw into gold while eating a gingerbread house and carrying a basket of goodies to his grandmother.

Fuck.

[dchill]

2. I've always thought...

that when Jesus was talking to his disciples about returning, he meant in THEIR lifetimes - so it's been mythology for 2000 years already.

AFAIK, he never said anything about Cygnus7, or the USA for that matter.

[On the Road]

7. Yep, "In Their Lifetimes" is the Key

"This generation shall not pass away before these things come to pass in their entirety." Ask a fundie about that one. They will probably just shrug and look confused.

The only way they can deal with it is to make "generation" mean "race." Unfortunately, it simply doesn't mean that. So what happens is that the discrepancy is given a name, "the problem of the delayed parousia," and put on a shelf. Every once in a while, it's taken down, dusted off, and discussed. I have to admit it's a brilliant way of dealing with something that completely destroys your entire worldview.

If you really want to take the second coming seriously, you need to do what many Christians have done for centuries: beleive that the second coming has already taken place. It was not the end of the world (the gospel accounts don't say that it will be), but rather a coming in judgment when Jerusalem was destroyed in 70AD. But preterists are a vanising breed nowdays.

[Inland]

3. Ho, hum. Another thread better placed in the theology section.

Unless someone is planning on a change in religious beliefs by the next election cycle. Me, I'm not expecting either an appearance of Jesus or disillusionment by '06.

[damntexdem]

9. The Jesus story doesn't make sense to me -- but I could be wrong.

Believers will continue to believe for a long time -- and they could be right, or wrong.

But the real question here is how long the current rightwing's Jesus stories will hold up. America has seen numerous 'great revivals' in the past and then somehow got over them. Can it get over this one?

[insane_cratic_gal]

4. When hell freezes over

When, exactly, does Jesus Fatigue set in for believers?


lol pun intended over course

[politicaholic]

5. I have this feeling that the media will wear Jesus down eventually...

When Jesus becomes a brand like the word "extreme". When the image and message are lost to a generation that eventually considers Jesus faux pas and seeks other council such as Socrates or Carrot Top.

[Tux]

6. Native Americans

And other pagan style (non-modern versions) have sacred time. It's a timeline that influences ours but it's not linear. The events in mythology are past, present, and future. They are continious and some repeat. They are the symbolic messages of how things came to be. Christianity, Judaism, and Islam need that sacred time model now.

[dave29]

13. This is one of my favorite ways

to view time - and I think is the closest to the "reality" of time humanity has achieved.

But that could just be my native blood ;)

[Tux]

14. You Cherokee?

I am and damn proud of it. :patriot: :yourock: :headbang:

[damntexdem]

8. Nope, Jesus shows up and reports to Dad:

"No, the environmental destruction has not all healed; but the cockroaches are coming along nicely. Still, it will be awhile before the Tree of Knowledge of Good & Evil will be able to survive long enough to be a temptation to them."

;-)

[Ezlivin]

10. 88 Reasons the Rapture will Happen in 1988

That book came out, sold well and then 1988 ended.

The author came out with another book, "89 Reasons..." and published it in 1989, explaining that he'd made a mistake in his previous work. The book sold.

No matter how many times they are proven wrong, true believers will never stop waiting for the return of Jesus.

And these are the same believers who have voted for Bush; their trust and belief in him is just as unwavering and it will not change regardless of what he does.

That's what's scary.

[EOTE]

12. Hilarious!

I looked up that book title and found tons of info on that fundy nut. I even found a top 8 reasons that Jesus is coming real soon. I laughed so hard I almost bust a blood vessel. Anyway, here goes:

Top 8 reasons Jesus is coming real soon:

1-his fingers are clenching
2-his toes are curling
3-he's sweating
4-those pelvic thrusts...
5-his testicles are retracting
6-he's squeezing my thumb really tight with his..
7-I taste salt (but is it kosher?)
8-he's moaning "Oh Dad!, Oh Dad!

[dchill]

15. How about ...

00 reasons the Rapture will Happen in 2000.

[BiggJawn]

17. The JayDubyas said the world was gonna end in 1914, 1915, 1918...

...'20, '25, '41, '75, '94....

and ALWAYS an excuse why they fucked it up...
Always forgetting that verse "NO Man knoweth the hour of when his master comes" (even though if He's moaning and his toes are curling, I'd agree that He's close...)

[Javaman]

16. It becomes mythology when the next version of humans evolves....

Which should be around 30,000 years.

[Protagoras]

18. Read a Canticle for Liebowitz

it's a classic anyway...but I think it tries to answer your question in a rather interesting way.

[mopaul]

19. I only learned the truth about this so called santa claus the other day

i need some time alone now.