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Zimphire · Apr 28, 2005, 08:51 AM

Originally Posted by RIRedinPA

Where's heaven?

Don't know, never been.

Zimphire · Apr 28, 2005, 08:53 AM

Originally Posted by ebuddy

I believe one piece of evidence or "timetable" if you will is the 'Digital Angel' or chip implant. This is in Revelations 13:16-18; 16. And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads:
17. And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.
18. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

When we leave the current monetary system, going completely cashless and contingent entirely upon a chip implant, People familiar with this passage of Scripture will have a clear choice to make. This will be the replacement of dependance on God; 7, by dependance wholly upon man; 6. There are many references throughout the Bible regarding God's number and the number of man. Man is less than God. God is 7, man is 6. This is the meaning. It also seems some calculating will be required to arrive at this figure, but in my humbled opinion, I think a chip in the right hand or forehead will suffice as evidence and affirmation of Scripture as it will be needed for any commerce. I will not be in line to get one nor will anyone in my family if I have any influence at all. This, no doubt will put adhering Christians in a particular place of "hindering progress" and they will have to find alternate ways of surviving.

You'll also have to denounce religion etc when getting said chip.

Religion will be looked bad upon by then, probably even outlawed.

It's not the chip that is bad, but the denouncing.

Supposably after that, you are transformed into something with no free will.

And are screwed.

But who knows what the real "mark" is or what it symbolizes.

ebuddy · Apr 28, 2005, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by RIRedinPA

Where's heaven?

That's an excellent question. An understanding that probably requires the portion of our brain not known for activity. I believe it's not so much a geographical place as it is a manner of 'being'. It's a place where you can see smells, taste sight, hear chorus' in rivers, a place not bound by the necessary and natural, it doesn't require wings to fly there, nor feet to walk there. IMHO; a place that will unite with the natural in a glorious manner at some point. What point? Well, that's the subject of this thread, but other than that-who is to know for certain?

RIRedinPA · Apr 28, 2005, 09:56 AM

I actually have a similar belief system, that once you die your soul, essence, nirvana, whatever escapes the constraining shell that is your body and passes on to another level of being. Not sure about the seeing, tasting, etc., though that would be nice to have, though I do think you retain memories though you do shed a lot of the petty emotions that also bogs down humans.

Of course where we differ is the religious dogma that brings us to that point.

RIRedinPA · Apr 28, 2005, 09:57 AM

So how do you know it exists?

gadster · Apr 28, 2005, 10:06 AM

I don't understand the question. What do you mean by 'world'? Do you mean Planet Earth, 'civilisation', humans? What?

ebuddy · Apr 28, 2005, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by RIRedinPA

So how do you know it exists?

Because our existence is an antithetical balance. When you see what hell is, you will know what heaven is not. Having said that; whether or not Heaven exists is not for all to know. What we are able to know in the Natural, is not what is also known in the Supernatural. The more we know of the Supernatural, the more we know of Heaven.

ebuddy · Apr 28, 2005, 10:37 AM

Originally Posted by gadster

I don't understand the question. What do you mean by 'world'? Do you mean Planet Earth, 'civilisation', humans? What?

Good question actually. I've always thought this philosophical question means; when will civilization as we know it come to an end? Our current political structure, our current economic structure, etc... I've always taken the question to really mean; "so when is the major tree-shaking going to occur?" It seems to be one of those 'you'll know it when you see it' kind of propositions. Generally, change occurs slowly and gradually. When this pace quickens if you will, or when major structural changes to our government and economy occur suddenly; this is that kind of thing.

gadster · Apr 28, 2005, 11:06 AM

Originally Posted by ebuddy

Good question actually. I've always thought this philosophical question means; when will civilization as we know it come to an end? Our current political structure, our current economic structure, etc... I've always taken the question to really mean; "so when is the major tree-shaking going to occur?" It seems to be one of those 'you'll know it when you see it' kind of propositions. Generally, change occurs slowly and gradually. When this pace quickens if you will, or when major structural changes to our government and economy occur suddenly; this is that kind of thing.

Thank you for your thoughtful reply.

I can't see 'the world as we know it' collapsing in a screaming heap anytime soon. We are too pervasive and resilient as a species for that to happen anytime soon (except in the case of some really major natural catastrophe).

My feeling is that we will go out not with a bang, but a whimper. The ecosystem that supports us is slowly, very slowly, being strangled. By us. Knowingly. In our ignorance and our arrogance.

Ain't no God going to help us with that one. It's entirely up to us.

Given the nature of the way this precious planet is, life will go on. Under the sea, beneath the crust, whatever. And in another few billion years there maybe new critters. And life will flourish again. Joy!

budster101 · Apr 28, 2005, 11:09 AM

We are not capable of killing the planet off.
We are not capable of killing the planet off.
We are not capable of killing the planet off.

The ecosystem is not fragile.

gadster · Apr 28, 2005, 11:21 AM

The ecosystem is not fragile.

But we are.

dcmacdaddy · Apr 28, 2005, 11:22 AM

Originally Posted by budster101

We are not capable of killing the planet off.
We are not capable of killing the planet off.
We are not capable of killing the planet off.

The ecosystem is not fragile.

NO, but we are capable of killing off most or all of the humans that inhabit the planet.
And I am not so soure that isn't a good thing.

gadster · Apr 28, 2005, 11:23 AM

Or to put it another way.

We are not capable of killing the planet off.
We are not capable of killing the planet off.
We are not capable of killing the planet off.

But the planet is perfectly capable of killing us off.

RIRedinPA · Apr 28, 2005, 12:33 PM

>>Having said that; whether or not Heaven exists is not for all to know. <<

So who's in, who's not?

RIRedinPA · Apr 28, 2005, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by ebuddy

Our current political structure, our current economic structure, etc...

If the question is based on that presumption one could summise that the end of the world, well, as far as Americans have known it, has occurred quite regularly throughout our history - The Revolution brought about great changes to our political structure and economy, The Civil War, the Industrial Revolution, the Depression, WWII, the end of the Cold War, the Vietnam era (not per say the war, I think America absorbed the war without much of a change to politics and economy but the various movements of that period, civil rights, women's rights, etc. etc. did, and some, invariably, sprang up as a reaction to the war.

This is obviously quite subjective.

My vision of the end of the world is a combination of cathestrophic environmental, bilogical and man made events. All combined they still don't end mankind's existence on the planet but through the aftermath their won't be a whole lot of concern about over population. I think we are approaching that time now, and within the next 50 years is the turning point - we can change our ways or our ways will change us, for the worse.

Given this thought I have always wondered why, regardless of administration, since the end of the Cold War our government has not gone on a Kennedyesque quest (put a man on the moon in 10 years) for full energy independence. (I know, I know, oil money!) but all the same - the argument can be made on any level, defense, security, economy, environment, job growth, health, that would point to a full out effort from the government to put us on a non oil-based economy in say 15 years. This should probably be another thread but any thoughts (other than the obvious greed and ambivalence)?

Atomic Rooster · Apr 30, 2005, 01:00 AM

Originally Posted by ironknee

i'm keeping it geeral however you think the end of the world/time is\\again within your lifetime

let's keep this civil

Not within your lifetime but the minute you are dead the world is over...done...toast!

ebuddy · Apr 30, 2005, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by RIRedinPA

Given this thought I have always wondered why, regardless of administration, since the end of the Cold War our government has not gone on a Kennedyesque quest (put a man on the moon in 10 years) for full energy independence. (I know, I know, oil money!) but all the same - the argument can be made on any level, defense, security, economy, environment, job growth, health, that would point to a full out effort from the government to put us on a non oil-based economy in say 15 years. This should probably be another thread but any thoughts (other than the obvious greed and ambivalence)?

It's more than just oil money. It's oil economy, oil employment, oil cars, oil machinery, etc... The implications of eradicating oil production are gigantic. The only answer is to slowly ween ourselves from oil to minimize jobs lost, vehicle line production change, and a new equally viable source. People still want to travel up to 400 miles without re-fueling (recharging, etc...), people still want to go faster than 55 mph, people still want large vehicles, etc...It's more than just the administration, it's the market place. Some of the major oil companies are actually trying to seize a slowly changing marketplace. There is now greater demand for a new source and people are starting to become at the least, fed up with foreign sources of oil. Whatever the new source will be, you can bet the oil industry is involved.

ebuddy · Apr 30, 2005, 09:11 AM

Originally Posted by Atomic Rooster

Not within your lifetime but the minute you are dead the world is over...done...toast!

as deemed by the ever watchful eye of Osiris.

cc_foo · Apr 30, 2005, 10:06 AM

Originally Posted by Atomic Rooster

Not within your lifetime but the minute you are dead the world is over...done...toast!

Is Toast compatible with Tiger?

Zimphire · Apr 30, 2005, 12:08 PM

Yes

budster101 · Apr 30, 2005, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by dcmacdaddy

NO, but we are capable of killing off most or all of the humans that inhabit the planet.
And I am not so soure that isn't a good thing.

Capable of killing off most humans yes. Will it ever happen? Never. It's been tried at least two notable times. WWI, and WWII. We failed miserably and thankfully. The bad guys lost though in case you were interested.

Gadster:

The planet cannot kill all of us at once. A nice big icy asteroid could, and my money is on that... just think of the payoff in Vegas! Now the problem is being able to spend that money!

SVass · Apr 30, 2005, 05:48 PM

Is this thread an ad for Hitchhiker? Is a new freeway coming through here? Is Bush creating a toll road to make more money for him and his buddies? Arthur Dent

zerostar · Apr 30, 2005, 06:57 PM

I don't see anywhere that the original question is clarified, but I will take end of the world as the end of the earth.

The earth is roughly 4.5 billion years old. Fast-forward about 5-10 billion years. The Sun will definitely die, but that won't destroy the earth (unless it gets big enough during its red giant stage). The inhabitants, yes. the earth, no.
However, later on the universe either dies the heat death or cycles back into the Big Crunch.

I think a full on nuclear and biological war could definitely wipe out all life on the entire earth, but I don't see that happening.

budster101 · May 2, 2005, 09:41 AM

We'll have moved to another planet before anything happens.

And your signature is disgusting.

ironknee · Aug 1, 2006, 10:37 PM

bump

hey!_Zeus · Aug 1, 2006, 11:44 PM

It's the second coming of this thread. That of course means the revelation....

lpkmckenna · Aug 2, 2006, 12:25 AM

These poll results reaffirm my faith in humanity. A 3:1 ratio of normals-to-morons is far better than I expected out of the MacNN community.

greenamp · Aug 2, 2006, 01:38 AM

What is the meaning of the two answers,

-no, but it will happen sometime
-no

?

Does the 1st mean you don't thing the world will end in your lifetime but someday will, while the other infers you think the world will never end at all ever?

ironknee · Aug 2, 2006, 05:05 PM

Originally Posted by greenamp

What is the meaning of the two answers,

-no, but it will happen sometime
-no

?

Does the 1st mean you don't thing the world will end in your lifetime but someday will, while the other infers you think the world will never end at all ever?

yes