The Hobbit Movie Forum

[Astar]

We have been living in "Apocalyptic Times" since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution. Suffering and appalling conditions have been the lot of most of humanity since the beginning of Colonialism. And has grown a thousandfold with Corporate Neo-Feudal Globalism. The power to stop the rape and pillage of the planet and it's peoples are in our own hands. We cannot wait for a mythical Saviour to arrive and set things right. Benjamin Creme keeps pushing back the date for the Maitreya (Jesus), who he claims is walking among us right now, to reveal himself. But We are the Ones We Have Been Waiting For.

While I personally await and anticipate my Savior's coming, I must agree with you when you say that the people of this Earth need to start making choices and actions to help our planet. I believe there are other powers in this world that may affect everyday life, but that does not mean God will simply do everything for us.
However, man is not perfect, and while we may tell ourselves that we have everything under control, we don't. Only One is perfect, and he does not dwell among us here on Earth.
Our main job here on Earth is to prepare for his coming, and, with his wisdom, strength and guidance, save whomever we can.

As far as the claim of the world's end already happening Light in the Dark, it would not surprise me in the least if this prophecy took it's place along with all the others whom have been long-looked for and have passed without change or notice.

[Astar]

Sorry everyone!
When I wrote the quote of Gandalf's Beard I meant to post it as 'When Gandalf's Beard wrote: ......'
Unfortunately I have not figured out just yet how to express everything how I want it.
I'm learning though!

[Light In The Dark]

Hehe, I see that Astar. I also see you have not seen the joys of using the Edit button as well! . No worries, I always have that problem as well, just saves some space from using two seperate posts.

[Beren]

We mods can always edit stuff for you guys, too. Like I just did .

[Astar]

THANK YOU BEREN!!!!!

[Gandalfs Beard]

Ain't Modding grand .

Lord knows Astar, our planet could sure use a Saviour. But as we can never really be sure that one will arrive in time, I am glad we agree that we should do our best to emulate the best of our various religion's values and Saviours and be stewards of the Earth. It's what Tolkien and CS Lewis would have wanted. they both hated how humans pillaged the planet and it's resources in the name of "progress".

We can't put technology back in the bottle (or bag, depending on your fave analogy , but we can try to put the brakes on the most polluting sources of energy and use more sustainable forms of technology. What's lacking the most, is the political/economic will to change by the World's Ruling Classes. It really is up to the populace (us) to keep up the pressure on the more democratic aspects of Governments to reign in, and control the excesses of both Corporate control and Emerging Industrial States.

And also for those of us in Consumer Societies to try to wean ourselves from our "addictions" to Mass Produced Products, such as my own unfortunate Meat Addiction. Though I'm not saying we should necessarily all become vegetarians, just learn to live with less meat from better treated animals and land.

GB

[Eldorion]

The disciples thought that it was, at longest, months away when Jesus ascended. Now, 2000 years later, it still hasn't happened.

In there defence, Jesus did (supposedly) say that "This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled" (Matthew 24:34). So you can hardly blame them for getting excited.

[Eldorion]

As for 2012 and the Mayan prophecy, it is my *firm* belief that on December 21, 2012 A.D. the planets will come into line, there will be a solar eclipse, and a solar flare all at the same time. The moon will shatter because of this, the planets wobble, and the Dark Lord Morgoth shall re-enter Arda. Then Sauron, the Balrogs, and the Ringwraiths shall all return stronger than ever and do battle with the Valar upon the Plains of Valinor till the world is destroyed and the dead return from the Timeless Halls to build the world anew.

</sarcasm>

But seriously, is there any more evidence for the serious conspiracy theorists than my little joke? If there is I've yet to see it. In the meantime, if I want to be worried about something, there are plenty of documented threats out there, unfortunately, which sort of goes back to what GB was saying. Alas, I don't think there is a supernatural Saviour who will come to fix all our problems, nice as that would be.

Cheesy as this sounds, we (humanity) really don't have much of a choice but to work together. We have amazing resources and technology at our disposal, yet the states of the world manage to squabble like young children of a disturbingly regular basis. If we don't address serious problems - pollution, climate change, resource depletion, disease, etc., etc. - we will like be in for a crazy time starting within the next century or two. How to get people to start cooperating is utterly beyond me though.

That's my two cents at any rate.

[Odo Banks]

Hello All,

I know I'm late for this party (fashionably, I hope), but I just gotta say, all this prophesyzing (?) about the end of the world gets on my goat. No one has got it right yet - like some folk have already pointed out on this thread.

It seems to me, if you're a Christian, please take note of Jesus saying that God will come unexpectedly - and more unexpectedly even than a dozen and one dwarves banging on your door - with or without lanterns. Christians who dare predict The Time and The Day surely have stepped off a certain narrow road me thinks.

As to you Agnostic type people (and Atheists - though apparently it's a bit rude to mention you on this site - your kind being unsavoury types apparently - Southrons maybe?)... where was I?

Oh yes, as to you Agnostics, I might remind you that we human beings will keep on prospering (technologically at least)(and with much ebbing and flowing and upping and downing) until Meteors, or New Ice Ages, or our Grosser Stupidities (which might include not believing in 'God' - who can really say?) catch up with us.

People are just guessing.

Reading the signs (and/or stars)? Checking out ancient prophecies? Punching in a heap of unrelated statistics into computers? Picking seven different unrelated texts from seven different parts of the Bible (or other religious texts - to be fair!) and showing them as proof that the dreams you've been having lately were not a direct effect of too much alcohol, drugs or plain lack of sleep...? Need I go on?

I agree with the folks who say we have to better manage what we do on Earth. Yes, that includes being nice to each other. But let's give over with this "Oh I know just when it's all gonna end - it was in me tea-leaves. Honest to God!" If we try to be good then maybe God and his Angels will be nice when God makes his move. If everything ends by some other cause - well, RIP I say!

This doesn't mean I think we should be Grossly Stupid all the time. Do you realize if we Humans destroy the Earth, then Middle Earth won't exist anymore either - and that would be the real tragedy - I mean Tolkien spent most of his life binging it to us - let's show some respect!

My goodness, what do they teach in schools nowadays??

Regards,
Odo

[Gandalfs Beard]

Atheists are welcome at this party too Odo . And with Lanterns , but we do check Pitchforks and flaming Torches at the door .

And Goodness. there have been an awful lot of Prophecies of the end of the world come and gone. The last one was in 2000, yet we're still kicking down the road. Mostly I get a kick out of them though. I find them very entertaining.

And I have a soft spot for the Mayan one due to Terrence McKenna (the Mushroom's Timothy Leary) and his Time Wave Zero (google it, and McKenna). He didn't believe in The End of the World, but he was very open to the possibility of some sort of Great Attractor bang in the Timeline, which might cause a Paradigm Shift.

And Paradigm Shifts can look like the end of the world to some people. But endings are also beginnings, which End of the Worlders occasionally forget.

GB