We will know the time of this event plainly, because it is stated by the prophet in that great religious text, 'The life of Brian' :
"There shall in that time be rumors of things going astray, erm, and there shall be a great confusion as to where things really are, and nobody will really know where lieth those little things with the sort of raffia-work base, that has an attachment.
At that time, a friend shall lose his friend's hammer, and the young shall not know where lieth the things possessed by their fathers that their fathers put there only just the night before, about eight O'clock."
Seriously, thanks for the religious/spiritual post Steven. I had the wonderful experience of being baptised catholic, and then going to a Jewish school for many years. So I had to find my own truth from an early age, as the prescribed views had serious logical contradictions to one another being
entirely and completely right. I enjoyed learning the teachings and parables of the New Testament which we studied without religious tutors, just normal class teachers. and was fortunate not to have any priests shoving dogma down my throat (where does it mention priests and archbishops in the NT btw??) , whilst at the same time being surrounded by Jewish people who told me authoritatively that Jesus was not the Messiah (no, he wasn't a naughty boy either...). So it got me trying to figure things out for myself.
I believe a truth is a truth wherever you find it. 'You' being the operative word, but some truths seem to stand up better than others. The idea/concept of Love in the NT seems to stand a lot of bashing. But this concept is repeated elsewhere of course...so that's a good sign. But as for 'the details', they seem to differ from religion to religion.
As for a second coming...
Just as an appearance of a giant spaceship
would be too easy or even some new messianic figure
would be too easy, I think that an eternity living in Heaven because I follow a religious text on someone's say so
would be too easy. What would we all do? Crosswords and Sudoku ? Maybe I'd get a chance to read every post on Avalon for once....
If there is a God, it would seem a little unfair to base my entry into an eternity-spanning club on the need to follow any kind of dogma. Where is the free choice in that? Where is the love?
Well, that's how I feel inside. Love is the key...and life is tough and the sooner we support each other with love...the easier this tough life will become.
Peace n love
K