Terror was in the eyes of the woman next to me in the grocery checkout line. Trembling, she said to me, “Is the world coming to an end?” It was 2019 and some world event happened I can’t even remember. “No,” I replied. I hoped my words were reassuring, but she obviously was under the spell of some church or televangelist teaching that I couldn’t untangle in a grocery line.
A man I was counseling about spiritual matters in 2020 wouldn’t go to a psychiatrist because, “I’ve been to many and they don’t help.” Terrified he was going to Hell, he had slipped deeper into psychosis after a few visits to a local church. Psychiatrists had previously diagnosed him as psychotic, and he was easily pushed into deeper symptoms.
He read aloud things in the Bible that weren’t there. “God hates me.” I talked him through the poison they had planted in his mind. A few months later, he was working as a manager at a gas station. Jesus’ message has that impact.
It’s amazing what some churches can do to people, convinced they’re doing good. Their entire reason for being is to spread the poison that inflicts them like some horrible virus.
“You’re blessed when you can show people how to cooperate instead of compete or fight. That’s when you discover who you really are, and your place in God’s family.” (AKA Blessed are the Peacemakers.)
– Jesus in Matthew 5:9 (NASB)
The Bad News Gospel versus the Good News Gospel
I saw the effects of doomsday prophecies in the 1970s. Churches talked about their mission to bring people to Jesus. But they also taught that the entire world is doomed, so they instructed people to stay away from others in the world. What a stumbling block.
Did God create a world of condemned people? Do prophecies of doom eclipse our mission of reconciliation with God? Does most of the message of the Bible fall by the wayside when people smell apocalyptic events on the horizon? I don’t think so.
The need to reconcile with God doesn’t mean we are all doomed. For example, our children do a lot of things that are wrong, and we ask them to change their behavior. But we don’t cast them into eternal darkness for their misbehavior. This idea of the nature of God casts God as an unloving father who is intolerant of the smallest error. The Bible says that God is very tolerant of us (2 Peter 3:9).
What the need to reconcile with God does mean is that there are things in our lives that we need to quit doing because they are harming ourselves and others. And if we don’t turn it around, we’re on the wrong path that could come to a bad end. But even the Apostle Paul claims he didn’t behave as he should (Romans 7:15).
Things we do wrong don’t overshadow our purpose for being here. Spiritual growth and helping others, driven by love and results in learning, are our goals.
Things we do wrong can impede that goal, but sometimes it’s these very things that lead to growth. Sometimes seeing the impact of our selfish or careless behavior on others has a deeper impact than all the well-meaning instruction in the world.
Condemning others is the fashionable thrill of some churches. Condemning the entire world to Hell and watching people about to burn is the ultimate thrill. But this is the ultimate wrong direction for the mission we’re given.
Be the example so that when the spirit moves someone to reconcile with God, they can see clearly that Christians are the happy people they want to be like and among.
Purpose of prophecy
Myself and others who have analyzed Biblical prophecy understand it was intended to have a positive impact on those hearing it (The Message of the Prophets by Gerhard von Rad). In 500 BCE, it meant that God would have justice on Israel’s enemies and so restore hope that things would turn out okay. God sent some prophets to cities to tell them to clean up their act or He would send a cleanup crew.
In today’s world, it’s individuals who are responsible for their behavior, and they endure the consequences of it, which teaches them to clean up their act.
Most prophecies were to be fulfilled during the lifetime of those people, or soon after. We have historical evidence of most of Jesus’ prophecies happening within 300 years, which is the time it took to establish the momentum of the church.
Jesus’ prophecies about the end of the world, which were popular topics of discussion in an era rife with prophecy, were less prophetic than statements about a very distant happening. Even Jesus didn’t know the time of that event.
We can see the signs of the times (Matthew 16:23), such as when change is needed or coming. But when the Pharisees came to Jesus hoping to see a sign, he said to them, “… An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign.” Or as the Message Bible puts it, “Jesus said, “You’re looking for proof, but you’re looking for the wrong kind. All you want is something to titillate your curiosity, satisfy your lust for miracles….” – Matthew 12: 39 (NASB and Message Bible)
Some people spend all of their time giddily pointing out some perceived sin in others. Some spend all their time happily looking for signs that some end is coming. People have been pointing out endless signs for a century, even setting specific dates, but the end doesn’t happen.
Today, the world is in a much better place than the several hundred years of Christian religious wars in Europe. What a much better world it would be if those people spreading gloom and doom did good for the world and let their light shine like Jesus said we should.
Conclusion
The sign created by doom and gloom religion is, it’s destructive. It’s an overwhelming sign meaning change to the message is needed because it’s hurting people, chasing them away, and not reconciling them with God.
I don’t know of anything good that comes out of doom and gloom religion. It’s destructive to our world. It may captivate the imagination like some revenge movie, but it’s counterproductive.
Probability Space
What probability spaces can we open in our minds to overcome the messages of gloom and doom with images of goodwill?
Potential Space
If you think creatively and allow your mind to wander and explore, how can we be more like Jesus in offering hope to others? Hope and love are essential to getting through tough times.
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My friend, David Ketcherside, former Christian broadcaster, has written a book series that I gave feedback on. It’s for men, written from his experience, thoughtful analysis, and heart. Gen A, Z, and X (Millennials) would find it very helpful. It’s available in print, on Kindle, and as an audiobook on Audible. Check out The Whole Dude. His description: “My hope is to remind readers what being whole looks like, and help them recognize the distortions that stop us from feeling totally awesome all the time.” He’s also excellent at marketing if you have marketing needs.
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– Dorian
Our answer is God. God’s answer is us. Together we make the world better.
Restore and recreate. Take time to celebrate life. Laugh, sing, and dance regularly, even every day. Happy. This is why we dance to celebrate life: Reindeer actually running and dancing.
Civic service opportunities
Do Unto Others Kindness Campaign, and civic engagement.
United Methodist Church Volunteer Opportunities.
Join or support Zero Hour and amplify the voices of youth organizing for climate action.
Peoples Hub. Resistance, Resilience, Restoration, Re-imagination. Online Popular Education. For movement workers to learn, connect, collaborate, and strategize – in and across the disability justice and solidarity economy movements.
Stakeholder Capitalism – a video podcast series from the World Economic Forum. Can capitalism be made to work for all of us – and to improve rather than destroy the state of the planet?
General service and aid opportunities (on One Spirit Resources Website). To add your service opportunity to the One Spirit Resources list, contact the author (me) through Facebook Messenger. Note that I only friend people I know.
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Education Opportunities for new generations
Becoming an Entrepreneur – MITx online
Evaluating Social Programs – MITx online
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Bible scripture verses are New American Standard Version (NASB), unless noted.
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Author and books
Appease the Volcano: What does God require from people? The voices of the ancients from many religions echo much of the same things: It starts with law, then mercy and forgiveness, then love. Love is a major emphasis in all major religions and replaces law.
The Prophetic Pattern: Ancient and Modern Prophecy: How to distinguish the intent of various types of prophecies and oracles, both ancient and modern.
Preparing For the Future Of Work and Education: Analysis of the kinds of jobs that AI and Robotics will displace, and the educational requirements for them. AI will replace or augment thirty percent of jobs. This is an in-depth analysis citing many authoritative sources.
Author Website: Dorian Scott Cole
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