Rumors redux
Someone forwarded to me today an online newsletter put out by a prominent Adventist independent ministry. The newsletter claimed that some quarter century ago an Adventist pastor (one who just so happened to be big into survivalist training) dreamt that Jesus would return when America had a black president, "tall and thin, with close-cropped hair and large ears" who becomes a "terrible dictator." The pastor in question is not available for comment, being presently dead, but the newsletter states, "Apparently, the story was verified to be true."
The newsletter adds that only "time will tell" whether there's anything to this, but they apparently felt the inevitable fear-mongering was worth the chance that there might be something to it. We'll all know for sure either way sometime in the next 8 years, right? I looked up the most recent newsletter by this organization, which reports that a lot of people have inquired about it, but they're too busy to look any further into it. I did notice that another newsletter referenced "the middle verse of the Bible," which is an urban legend--the Bible has an even number of verses. That says a lot about their commitment to accuracy--and the sloppiness of their sensationalism.
Never mind that Adventists have always believed that prophecy is utterly conditional. Or that this is but the latest in a long stream of speculation about presidents and current events. Before my time the first non-Protestant president stirred excitement. When I was a kid people feared the unknown Georgia peanut farmer, catapulted into the presidency, who was surely about to bring the end-times. Uh, nope. Then Ronald Wilson Reagan had three names of six letters each: 666. And Saddam Hussein was fulfilling the prophecies about Babylon. And Bill Clinton had a whole buncha secret black helicopters he was gonna use to impose martial law . . .
Of course, the right-wing hysteria that surrounded Clinton got flipped backwards when George W. Bush took over, and we were all supposed to rally around the good Christian president (and be absurdly upbeat about a war doomed to disaster). But now that a Democrat's back in the White House, the fear-mongering is back with a vengeance. I just pray that the anti-government attitudes that brought us Oklahoma City, the Atlanta Olympics bombing, etc. don't erupt in an even worse way. But with the world as wrecked as Bush has left it, there's plenty to truly worry about--not the least of which is the people selling fear.
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What if this is true? Would you reject it just because you have labeled the source as fear-mongering?
ReplyDeleteYou wouldn't distrust everything CNN says because one of their news turned out to be non-factual.
The end will come because of an sequence of catastrophic world events, no matter what color and party we have in power. So yesterday's earthquake in Italy is very telling to me.
He's coming soon no matter which source is saying so!!
The focus on sensational, out-of-left-field stories--the likes of which have been discredited again and again--distracts people from true awareness and understanding of the signs of the times. The world is full of catastrophe, but our focus needs to be on Christ, not the crises.
ReplyDeleteBut rest assured, the Holy Spirit is moving.
I didn't think they were selling fear, I thought they were giving it. A gift. All wrapped up in pink and white paper with a bow on top. I hope they put sparkle paper on my fear, I've always wanted fear with sparkles.
ReplyDeleteGenesis2day, sadly, the "what if" is enough to get thousands of people to spread lies. A good principle is, don't spread it unless you have taken the time to verify it yourself from a reputable source. You may very well be bearing false witness, whether you mean to or not. Misinformation is the enemy of democracy.
ReplyDeleteI think this blog is less about whether this specific email is true or false, and more about how easily we pass around anything and everything that comes our way. We become tools for rampant confusion and misinformation without even realizing it.
What saddens me most about this trend though, is that, at least in my observance, the elderly seem to be the most likely to believe and pass around these things. That's not to say that younger generations are immune. I don't think these people have bad intentions. They seem to honestly buy into what they are reading.
What I don't totally understand is why. Why do older generations tend to fall for these things so easily, and what is a fair and respectful response from a younger person like me?
I don't see the wish for the end of times as fear-mongering! I'm not a bit fearful of the end, I actually can't wait for it!!! It's going to be an exciting time to see God acting for my salvation.
ReplyDeleteThat concern about fear-mongering has turned some readers of this blog into advent-fearers.
Teologo, you're right that there's no need to fear the end-times, for I believe that for believers, it will be like a magician yanking the tablecloth from under a set of china that remains still. I almost went with simply "selling sensationalism," as that's a large part of it, but when someone makes unsubstantiated allegations about a "terrible dictator," that's fear-mongering.
ReplyDeleteIf spreading wild rumors about a candidate for public office isn't fearmongering, I'd like to know what it is?
ReplyDeleteI've noticed the rumor mill gets overworked when the money's gone missing. It's not (at all) his fault. But the fact that our economy has faltered and we're all relying on Obama to fix the financial crisis is driving members of both sides to cross over into crazytown. Being worried about money isn't something Adventists discuss. It's not very sparrow. Instead, we find a prophecy or verse to justify our nerves, even if it's a little blurry or we can't quite remember it. Don't you feel better?
ReplyDeleteTompaul - I thought your article was right on target - I think sometimes Adventists get so caught up in looking for and trying to interpret last-day signs and events that the true essence of our faith - the gospel message, and Christ's commission to share His love with others - gets lost in the shuffle. We start in with the fear of persecution (remember "Now!" by Mary K. McCleod?) and before you know it, the "us and them" mentality is going strong and everyone else is "the enemy." Yet Jesus' life was the antithesis of that - he lived fearlessly, embracing every person as a fellow son/daughter of God and demonstrating God's love for them in practical, life-changing ways.
ReplyDeleteChristine - I loved your insights as well!
Hearsay stories are NEVER reliable and usually spread by someone with an agenda, and this sounds like one of those. Any of you who get this forwarding stuff on line know that.
ReplyDeleteSometimes I do hear what seems like a rational story of a miracle or prophecy. If I can't verify it, I tuck it away in memory--just in case.
There have been a couple that I heard directly from the individual and/or knew them personally. I believe them because their visions were based on dependence on Christ at the end-times, and they were possibilities. These are few and far between, but there will be prophecies in the last days as the Bible tells us. I like to keep an open mind.
Doubling the national debt...
ReplyDeleteErosion of freedom of religion....
Erosion of freedom of speech...
Erosion of 2nd amendment rights...
A party that booed GOD at their convention....
loss of our triple A rating...
B-E-N-G-H-A-Z-I debacle....
Chronic UNEMPLOYMENT...
Albatross of obamacare....
Using the IRS to intimidate the opposition....
NSA violating the patriot act by gathering ALL records....
Backstabbing our allies in E. Europe, Israel & Taiwan....
Celebrating the diversity of perversity....
Expanding the welfare state....
obamaphones....
Oh, and before Obama arms the Syrian rebels--will he require a background check for them?
Careful--big brother really is watching you...