To ask if you think there will be a second coming?

[LuluBellaBlue]

This is inspired by the new Netflix show Messiah, about a second coming.

I really hope this doesn’t upset or offend anyone and people can share their beliefs and thoughts openly and without prejudice or judgement as I know this can be very sensitive for some people.

Following on from —binge— watching this series I did a bit of googling and it seems both Christian and Muslim regions predict this. (Not researched if any others do yet)

I’m not very well informed about different regions but the concept of this programme has really interested me, I find it fascinating that this could, maybe? actually happen!

Do you think there could be a second coming?!

(And what would it actually mean for the world? A rise in consciousness? Mass healing???)

YABU - no don't be so daft!
YANBU - yes, this could happen, why not?!

Nope. I’m not religious at all. I do believe humans will find out lots more about the universe but it will be science. Lovely story though. Nativity is beautiful. It doesn’t have any deep meaning for me though. No special men or women coming to earth.

@Ohtherewearethen I totally agree!
I went totally anti religion for quite a while because of this, then saw how much the local church and community around it helped my grandad when my Nan died and now help out the Salvation Army just with some homeless food stuff so also see the good they do.

I guess what I find sad is man organised religion, said we had to marry in their church, pray in their church the way they say, give them money etc.

What if religion was free to all, any time. Any place etc. One all encompassing thing.

Like you said, so many people have lost their life’s because of organised religion, yet I’m sure whatever God anyone believes in that can’t be what they truly think their God wants?

I remember my school RE teacher telling us that there is apparently 2000x more evidence that a man/preacher called Jesus existed than there is that Julius Caesar existed

But I presume that he didn't tell you what any of this evidence was. Simply, like most religious people trying to indoctrinate, repeating some meaningless nonsense he'd been told. It's simply bullshit.

@CardinalSin - he was an RE teacher not a religious preacher.

I am happy to share. I am a Christian, and was at the time (controversially in Christian circles).

I was going through a deep depression, after church one Sunday, I'd gone for a coffee with an older couple who were really sweet and had invited me to their house. We had conversation over a couple of cups of tea and I shared that I was very low.
Before I left, they kindly asked if they could pray with me. I said yes. While he was praying, I developed a tic - my head kept jerking. He actually broke off the prayers and asked if I was OK. I said yes, keep going. The tic got more and more fierce. I was frightened but in my mind, I made a decision to trust God and the second that I did that, I felt as if I were locked up safely in a tower (bit weird but that's the clearest way I can describe it). My body lashed out though & I knocked over the poor old couple - kicking them even - but he kept praying over me. I felt compelled to lie on the ground, if a doctor were there they would have said it was a seizure I'm sure. But all the time I felt like I was locked up safely - it was just my body which was writhing around. Then after around 30 seconds, he said "I command you to leave this body in the name of Jesus" and specifically I know - don't ask me how - it was when he said that name, that something rose up from my gullet, and it was as though I threw up but without producing any vomit. And I know that something left me.

Interestingly I wasn't immediately delivered from my depression, but I was freed in some way, to call on the name of Jesus for other things - which I wasn't able to do beforehand.

What I found out years later, was the chap who had prayed for me used to be a very senior warlock decades earlier, and later became a Christian, so had actually had a lot of experience of the occult.

I often reflect on the power that is in the name of Jesus. He is a very divisive person and that's because there is so much power in his name.

I'll say it again, I am 100% convinced He is real, alive and true. He doesn't lie. If he said He's coming back, He's coming back.

Definitely.
Spaghetti and meatballs always deserve seconds.

• @SBGA & @Kalifa you’ve both reminded me of a concept I read once that said heaven and hell was the same place.*

There are an awful lot of man-made ideas about heaven and hell, and so many ideas are spun from truths in the bible, however they can't all be true because some are absolute opposites. For example; Jesus (who is the main topic of this thread, since it's his return being discussed) said; "I am the way
The truth
and the light
No man comes to the father but by me"

So that's kind of goes against the idea that you can pick your own god and so long as you're sincere then that's all that matters. You can just as sincerely scream "I'm not going to hurt myself" as you jump off a steep cliff with nothing but rocks below, and yet we all know you probably will. Your sincerity doesn't change the facts. People sincerely trust in all kinds of things, scams included, but their trust doesnt always pay off and it's important you're sure in what you trust in!

The clash between the Second Coming stories in Christianity and Islam is intriguing. According to an Islamic prophecy mentioned in a hadith, Jesus is going to return to 'break the cross', usually interpreted as meaning he will put an end to the false narrative of Christianity.

With Islam and Christianity being the main world religions and people being loyal to their own religion, it's hard to see how a Second Coming could ever bring anything other than massive unrest. Jesus simply cannot play his anticipated role in one religion without disappointing those who adhere to the other.

Wow @Warpdrive that’s fascinating and thank you for sharing.

I have seen and heard of similar stuff in Plant medicine circles but obviously experiencing that without any ‘medicine’ is a totally different matter!!
I’m glad it’s given you this belief as it sounds like a huge help with struggling with depression.

Arrival of visitors from other planets is far more likely

If you’re a Christian then you believe that one day Jesus is coming back to judge us all. What bothers me is the US evangelicals who think that if they start a war in the Middle East - Armageddon - then Jesus will come back sooner. And some people who believe this are in positions of power.

@SBGA Oh dear, well that slams me going to whatever my perceived heaven is by being nice then 🤣

@OutwiththeOutCrowd that’s interesting about him breaking the cross?

Could it be that the second coming unites ALL religions and beliefs including non believers?

I know it sounds impossible, but those that believe in a second coming, then by couldn’t that be possible?

@Thethiniceofanewday that’s scary and sad

@tempester28 sounds good!

Of course religious leaders say there's going to be a second coming. Otherwise how would they keep people in line and on the hook?

I agree - and also very arrogant, as if the Son of God could be manipulated by politicians!

On this question - Could it be that the second coming unites ALL religions and beliefs including non believers - I think the mainstream Christian position is that the whole of current creation will get wound up and God will make a new heaven and earth. So if you’re not one of the faithful you won’t get in. The last Narnia book is an allegory for this.

Absolutely I do!

Anyone claiming to hear God etc will be sectioned as schizophrenic.

• @SBGA Oh dear, well that slams me going to whatever my perceived heaven is by being nice then* 🤣

😅 well yes it does, but it brings a greater hope than that. I don't know if you keep New Years resolutions or have we've tried and failed? Us humans are great but we do have a tendency to let ourselves (and those around us) down, even when we're trying. We're not perfect, nor can we be, but that's does rather remove the stress of trying to be!

I feckin’ hope not because I’m a staunch atheist and would look a prize prat! Sincerely though, no I don’t, I see Christianity as an amalgamation of other religions originally built with the sole purpose of making the church rich and keeping people (women in particular) in check.

I have nothing against faith and those who follow it as a means to find peace, a sense of community or what have you. But I genuinely do not believe in a God or Gods. I love the mythology of ancient Gods though, especially Egyptians using the stories of their Gods to teach about Agriculture, Astronomy, Morality etc.

speakout you won the thread with the first reply!

I'm not a believer in these messianic religions but isn't there supposed to be an apocalypse in which the ungodly like me are destroyed and made to suffer eternally and only the 'saved' benefit from the second coming?

Had you really never heard of Judgement Day or Dooms Day or the Apocalypse? I’m not being snide. I just thought that this was a pretty mainstream bit of knowledge. Is it a generational thing? I’m 40.

My mum toyed with the idea that the bible was given by aliens leaving us warning. - she loved a bit of that sort of stuff.

I'm not religious , I'm quite jealous of those who are and they believe their lost loved ones are in a better place. But for me I just don't believe.

But people should fully respect others and their views, whatever gets you through.

So no, I don't believe in a second coming but we are letting ourselves down with the truth of the following from OP

Again there’s enough money, food, land for everyone in the world it’s just shared so unequally.

know this sounds a bit Utopian but with all of the horrific global news, it does make me wonder if we are mid throws of chaos*

@Igotthisjustabout Without a doubt. If only the cynics would read the Bible as a historical tome, it couldn't fail to raise questions. I do wonder what people are afraid of.