38 replies to this topic

[Cautious-Psychic13]

vindalf59. I see what your saying I think. People seem to rush at breakneck speeds through their daily lives but once you get in the temple you feel the calmness and agelessness of their faith. Their faith hasn't changed in thousands of years unlike the ever changing face of western civilization. I think I get what your saying now.

Sharon

[Laurie Ann]

~That's what I'm thinking it meant. Good words, Sharon.........I knew what was being said by vindalf, but couldn't put it down in words.

[Morbid]

My my chaos witch beliefs, we don't believe in the "There will come a time..." sort of thing, we just think mankind will kill itself eventually. Nothing religious in it, just that we're a flimsy, squishy race and many things tend to kill us.

[TravisBelton]

I am Jewish and as far as I know Judaism doesn't really have a belief about the "End of the World"? Judaism has a wide range of personal beliefs "such as the coming of a personal messiah" or a "messianic age". However, these topics are not really discussed because it is mostly speculation. Judaism is more concerned about the here and now and how do our actions as human beings improve the world.

My personal belief is that the "End of the World" will come when I am dead. I would consider that the end of my world on this planet.

I hope I have not muddied the waters too much.

[greg_dragonlvr]

TravisBelton, on Mar 16 2009, 08:43 PM, said:

I am Jewish and as far as I know Judaism doesn't really have a belief about the "End of the World"? Judaism has a wide range of personal beliefs "such as the coming of a personal messiah" or a "messianic age". However, these topics are not really discussed because it is mostly speculation. Judaism is more concerned about the here and now and how do our actions as human beings improve the world.

My personal belief is that the "End of the World" will come when I am dead. I would consider that the end of my world on this planet.

I hope I have not muddied the waters too much.

Feel free to use a shovel. Wasn't expecting any kind of particular type of answer. I was prompted to start this thread as lately there has been an almost hysterical outbreak of end of the world shows, websites and books. So between getting hit by a bus or having a super volcano go off under my house, I could end any second now.

It looks as if the faiths with longer tradition, Judaism, Catholism, Hinduism, etc, seem much more layed back about the ifs and whens of the potential end times. I wanted to find out if I was close to being correct in my thoughts.

[Green Man]

secretsign, on Jan 27 2009, 11:28 AM, said:

What ever you want to call it or who ever you do or don't believe in. when the end of time comes we all are going down.

"When the end of time comes we are all going down".....

[chestnut]

I was raised Catholic but don't really observe much. I don't think there will be some sort of cataclysmic event anytime soon.

And to me there's a difference between the end of the *earth* and the end of the world as in, the entire universe and all the energy in it, including spirits. Earth as we know it might not exist hundreds or thousands of years from now, but if there is truly such a thing as some sort of afterlife, then I don't think it would be affected.

[mooboo]

[/quote]

I'm not sure whether or not it is that the people (especially in Asia around the south Pacific) live so close to each other, but they seem to live about three times faster than we do in the west. A crowd in Chicago or New York moves at a snail's pace compared to Manila or Tokyo. The impression is of constant motion.
But if you get a chance to get into one of thier Temples, you're struck by the immense weight of the past and tradition, and it seems that there is no time, and even though there's 10,000 people on the other side of the wall outside the gate, the peace and solitude inside is incredible.
Does this help?
[/quote]

Hmmm,I cannot agree with this one.Its in broad terms,but I will
specify.
I am a born and bred NYer,but I lived in Japan on and off since 1990 .
Even Tokyo is waaaayyyyy too slow for me.In Japan ,everything from business to how you date is done
at a snails pace.Talk talk talk talk talk ,then more talk ,before a move is made.,,,

I cannot speak for all of Asia,as I know HK is go go go,but no matter how fast the cars go,mentality,is part
of the dynamic.
And as for fast,no city in all of the USA comes close to NY.

Just my 2 cents.

As for the end of the world,it never ends,even if the planet here exploded,we will all see one another next time around.

Miss

[greg_dragonlvr]

That was more of an emotional description. There are places all over the Far East that don't look like they've changed in a 1000 years. It was just the contrast between the street and the temples that struck me that way.

[mooboo]

vindalf59, on Apr 5 2009, 10:38 PM, said:

That was more of an emotional description. There are places all over the Far East that don't look like they've changed in a 1000 years. It was just the contrast between the street and the temples that struck me that way.

Ohhh,I misunderstood then,as yes,big time difference with the streets to the temples.
But again,my point of reference is Japan.
The Japanese ,well to me,are not as religiously oriented as say Vietnam China or the Phillipines.
Shinto practices are literally, melted into day to day life as almost folklore,and Buddhism is the main
Religion,but I know so few devout people.
The deliniation of shinto and buddhism is also an odd dynamic.

Dunno,the Japanese have become a country of money and tactile experience.
They will light incense and ring the bell,but so few really pray anymore.

Just my observation.
*sighs*

Miss

[greg_dragonlvr]

That was part of my problem. Navy Nukes, or anything nuclear, couldn't pull into Japan. So I only got a few quick trips into the Islands. No time for anything but quick impressions, or to talk to anyone at length.

[ravenhecate]

I've been a practicing Wiccan for close to 20 years now, and there is very little that any group of Wiccans will agree to. We really don't have much that we all agree on in any part of our religion, so if you are looking for a Wiccan consensus on the end of the world, you aren't going to get one. That is part of what really appeals to me about my religious beliefs...no one tells me how to worship my Gods except my Gods, and that is all written within my heart and within my soul.

With that said, to answer your question, do I personally beileve that some Great Creator is going to raise his/her hand and destroy the earth and all the inhabitants of the planet? Not a chance. Do I believe that life on this planet will eventually fizzle out and the planet will die....yeah probably, but human kind will be long gone by then. It may be thousands of years from now, or millions, who knows. Do I believe that all life in all the Universe in this dimension and in all the Universes in all of the other dimensions will come to an end? No way. I am a believer in re-incarnation and I believe there IS a Divine Creator, a Supreme Intelligence behind all of life on this planet, and behind all life on all the planes of existence. There are numerous realms, planes of existence, alternate realities, etc. and these will still go on whether or not this planet is still here. So ultimately it doesn't really matter whether or not this planet survives another million years or blows up tomorrow. As friend of mine (also a long practicing Wiccan) once said to me, Death holds no fear for me...there are too many other interesting places to go.

Edited by ravenhecate, 06 April 2009 - 02:13 AM.

[mooboo]

ravenhecate, on Apr 6 2009, 03:11 AM, said:

I've been a practicing Wiccan for close to 20 years now, and there is very little that any group of Wiccans will agree to. We really don't have much that we all agree on in any part of our religion, so if you are looking for a Wiccan consensus on the end of the world, you aren't going to get one.

Oh raven,this so brought a smile to my face.Thank you ......no offence intended ,and i was weened on Wicca.
I am initiated in 2 traditions,but i had to leave it as a religion,as that is the one thing that is ao true.
Put a bunch of Wiccans in a room together,and all they will do is disagree all night.

^_^

I am still good friends with my Priestess,but i so hate all the in fighting.
So true..(smiles again).

Miss

[mooboo]

vindalf59, on Apr 5 2009, 11:09 PM, said:

That was part of my problem. Navy Nukes, or anything nuclear, couldn't pull into Japan. So I only got a few quick trips into the Islands. No time for anything but quick impressions, or to talk to anyone at length.

Well all households have the Family Shrine,and the room to pay respects to the ancestors.
Most go to shrines on the major holidays,but its sort of a sterile approach.
Some do chant ,but i just never met a devoutly religious person there. They all have an opinion
about it,but,its just not a practice to go to the shrine once a week in the way some go to church.
But say you go to the Temple of Kannon on a
saturday,its packed,but it almost has a touristy feel to it.

They also are weird about other religions.Paganism in totally underground there.
secret weekly wicca meetings in Tokyo ,and a few satanists in Osaka that are into drinking blood is all i ever found,and i looked .
I wanted to open an occult shoppe in Tokyo,as there is nowhere to buy anything we use.
i was going to also cater it to the Japanese who have fears of ghosts ,yokai and possession,but wow.
i got some major opposition ....from the local pagans mostly.They didnt want me stepping on their toes..
oyy~

The Japanese also have a Catholic contingent they would like to irradicate even now.They boiled christians in he
volcanic hot springs back in the day...(14th/15th centuries i think) yah.


Fun place ....

Miss

[greg_dragonlvr]

Being raised Franciscan (as opposed to Catholic), most everything was sliced down to the bone. Simplicity was the key and the speculation about the names of the Angels, what color vestment should be worn and the end of time was mostly a waste of time. There was too much work to do now and we should be doing it.

Things like the second coming or the end of the world were God's business and whether or not God got around to it was not and should not be our concern.

The trend seems to be that most faith paths that have a little age under their belts do not appear to be to concerned about any imminent distruction.