Despite my obsession in teens/college I did not talk with many in the real world.
Are people really this fixed on things like the Bell Riots?
- Thread starter Gingerbread Demon
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The New York Times just did a US post-election analysis that brought up authoritarian bio-politics as a potential 21st century risk... There are groups like Rationalists and Effective Accelerationists that are concerned with emerging risks like genetic engineering. So it is out there...
Funny you say that, for as long as I remember even back as a kid in the 70s "the final days" was always now with the religious set. Yet here we still are. Is god lazy?
From a Christian perspective there's this verse:
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
And the Jews have anticipated the great and terrible day of The Lord since the exile to Babylon so I'm sure one could argue for laziness.
Don't write the riots off just yet. Once I find my hat, I'll start a commotion.
I might as well say this right now: I don't want to think of Star Trek as Our Future. I understand the argument, but I choose not to go along with it. Why? Because I don't want to think of World War III as being Our Future.
So, I'm perfectly fine with treating Star Trek as its own thing and get amused when Kirk and Spock talk about the '90s in "Space Seed". My Joke: "Glad the Eugenics War ended before I graduated from high school! I don't have to worry about getting drafted!"
"Future's End" aired in November 1996 so, assuming it takes place around when it aired, plenty of time for the war to have ended earlier in the year. And Los Angeles probably wasn't even a battle front.
So, I'm perfectly fine with treating Star Trek as its own thing and get amused when Kirk and Spock talk about the '90s in "Space Seed". My Joke: "Glad the Eugenics War ended before I graduated from high school! I don't have to worry about getting drafted!"
"Future's End" aired in November 1996 so, assuming it takes place around when it aired, plenty of time for the war to have ended earlier in the year. And Los Angeles probably wasn't even a battle front.
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Ha! I discovered the existence of effective accelerationism at a rationalist meetup earlier this year. A woman sitting across from me (whose nametag read "Not Aella") told me she's "an e/acc," which I misheard over the din as "an EA," so I replied, "An effective altruist?" She wrinkled her face in disgust and explained, "No, that's the exact opposite of what I am! I'm an effective accelerationist." Apparently, the e/accs want to forge ahead with rapid technological progress while the EAs want slower advancement which they see as safer. "Effective altruism" was coined in 2011, and "effective accelerationism" in 2022, apparently as a direct challenge to the former.
Aella?!?
So many internet subculture rabbit holes are out there... I remember running into some of the jargon in rationalist-adjacent spaces and someone needing to explain to me what HPMOR was. Shame Eliezer Yudkowsky couldn't do a massive Star Trek fanfic project.
Every generation thinks they're in the "last days."
Case in point: The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo was written in 1831 and set in 1482, and, sure enough, an early scene features a sidewalk preacher proclaiming that "Judgment Day" is at hand.
Fifty years too long.
Every generation thinks they're in the "last days."
Case in point: The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo was written in 1831 and set in 1482, and, sure enough, an early scene features a sidewalk preacher proclaiming that "Judgment Day" is at hand.
That's true I would love to find out numbers on how many people 40 or under are still practicing members of churches and attend services on a regular basis. I thought younger people were leaving in droves if you believe some commentators.
As a Christian, I would like to chime in briefly. Biblically, not even Christ himself knows when he will return, only God knows this, so don't listen to anyone saying they know when. Second, there's a big difference between claiming this or that Bible prophecy has been fulfilled and we're getting closer and proclaiming to know when. A dear relative of mine who is the one who led me to being Christian got caught up into "end times" prophecy stuff. She died 12 years ago.
Bottom line: as a Christian, I would encourage people to focus on finding Christ and leading people to Christ. Say the end of the world is 2050. What if you're Christian and your best friend is not and he is fated to die in 2030. Leading him to Christ is now more important than dealing with 2050.
I'm not trying to whack anyone on the head and tell them to go be a Christian. That has to be an individual person's decision to follow Christ or not. I just wanted to clarify that Bible-following Christians are not doomsday end of the world crazy people.
Not you, but the evangelical ones like from the church I used to go to, every time some big world event happened "it's the end, now is the time" the pastors would ramp up the hysteria. Sometimes you feel like why am I part of this group if that makes sense?
If I went to that kind of Church, I'd be challenging the pasters to be honest. I'd be demanding they cite Scripture, knowing they can't, because the Bible says only God knows this. I can DM you Scripture and keep it short if you're genuinely interested, or I can post it here if you think people would be interested.
No, no that's OK at the moment I'm not part of any organized church but I still believe for the most part. It's just that kind of behaviour from the pulpit really irks me and turned me off religion for a long time.
I was around people like that for a while. Definitely easy to fall in to that hysteria. Thankful to friends and parents who had read many different teachers and then worked to find a more positive way.
But, people have said living in the end of times for much longer than either of us have been alive combined.
As a Christian, for anyone reading, I just want to say: if the Bible and the Church are in conflict, the Bible is the higher authority of the two. If the Church doesn't follow Scripture, time to either get the Church back on track or bail and find one that does.
As a Christian, for anyone reading, I just want to say: if the Bible and the Church are in conflict, the Bible is the higher authority of the two. If the Church doesn't follow Scripture, time to either get the Church back on track or bail and find one that does.
And so far I have not found one that I feel comfortable in
Alright, Mr. TyndaleAs a Christian, for anyone reading, I just want to say: if the Bible and the Church are in conflict, the Bible is the higher authority of the two. If the Church doesn't follow Scripture, time to either get the Church back on track or bail and find one that does.
It takes time.
Any way, the Bell Riots anyone? I would but it's raining outside.
I like his style, so thanks.Alright, Mr. Tyndale
That was the DS9 "Past Tense" two-parter from... S3?
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