Posted by long time exer on March 30, 2011 at 17:50:42
In Reply to: Re: It's "the" end time again.. posted by Farmer on March 30, 2011 at 07:15:16:
Okay, let me try and be more concrete:
Are you noticing any fears that might be greater for you when looking at current events, because of the influence from when you were in TF (emphasis on the negative focus on disasters, middle east etc- and fear prophecies.)
Questions were not about debating belief but were about how past beliefs affect feelings with current events today. I think I gave the example of feeling very scared, years ago, when the first Gulf War occurred- I was kinda feeling like some great and horrible thing was about to happen and that fear was based in past fear focus in TF, even after rejecting- on another level- the abusive cult.
Today, I don't fear the future though if something catastrophic would happen where I live or where I would be negatively effected, I'd be fearful to some degree. Just like if someone mugged me with a knife or a gun, I would feel some fear just not knowing if I was going to possibly die.
I'll try to keep saying this: I don't make fun of your beliefs.
My journey before TF was pretty limited because I was quite young when I joined. My parents were: one somewhat religious, the other not religious. I knew some basic bible stories like Noah's Ark, but always thought it was fiction. Why I joined was because I had an experience that seemed very real to me at the time. My life was pretty messed up at the time and I was pretty disillusioned with anti-Vietnam war efforts and didn't see an answer to anything but feared the same ole problems would just arise, sort of like in "Animal Farm".
I felt like God was very real when I joined even though there were some red flag moments and things that I did not understand and I swallowed the party line of not questioning anything- blind faith.
As far as engineering goes, I know there are flaws and I wish we would spend the bigger money on clean green energy like solar, wind and hydropower rather than cheaper, and very potentially much costlier nuclear energy.
I think it's highly possible that there can be an "end time" if something catastrophic happens beyond any ones control. I just don't believe in false prophets that use fear to prey on vulnerable people. Even some of the more mainstream churches that have big focus on prophetic ministries have people who are being followed by others because they are having dreams and visions about disasters- really bad ones. Then they don't come true. I hate to see people live in fear. I just figure thre is enough pain in the world I want to enjoy every bit of peace that I can when I can.