Posted on 10/12/2005 10:13:11 AM PDT by SirLinksalot
Folks,
Whatever your view of the end times is, at this point in time, you cannot use the frequency of today's earthquakes as an indicator, simply because of one phrase Jesus made in Matthew 24 at the Olivet discourse.
Read this article for example ---
http://www.livescience.com/forcesofnature/051010_end_of_world.html
End of the World? Not Likely, Scientists Say
By Ker Than
LiveScience Staff Writer
posted: 10 October 2005
03:36 pm ET
The recent spate of natural disasters affecting the globe "might be" signs that the Biblical apocalypse is near, says Christian televangelist Pat Robertson.
On an Oct. 9 episode of CNN's "Late Edition," the preacher noted that hurricanes such as Katrina and Rita and earthquakes like the ones that struck Pakistan this past weekend and the tsunami-causing one that struck Indonesia last December are hitting with "amazing regularity."
Scientists see Earth doing what she always does, however.
Latter days?
"If you read back in the Bible, [Paul] said that in the latter days before the [apocalypse] that the Earth would be caught up in what he called the birth pangs of a new order," Robertson said. "Well, what was called the blessed hope of the Bible is that one day Jesus Christ would come back again, start a whole new era, that this world order that we know it would change into something that would be wonderful that we'd call the millennium."
But before there can be heaven on Earth, there will be some "difficult days" which will be like "what a woman goes through in labor just before she brings forth a child," Robertson said.
Seth Stein, a seismologists at Northwestern University's Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, thinks everything is as it should be, at least as far as earthquakes go.
"I don't think there's any reason to believe the frequency of large earthquakes has changed over the past million years," Stein told LiveScience. "That's contrary to everything we know about how the Earth works."
Earthquake Frequency
Average number each year globally:
Type Magnitude Average
Great 8+ 1 ¹
Major 7 - 7.9 17 ²
Strong 6 - 6.9 134 ²
Moderate 5 - 5.9 1319 ²
Light 4 - 4.9 13,000*
Minor 3 - 3.9 130,000*
Very Minor 2 - 2.9 1,300,000*
¹ Based on observations since 1900
² Based on observations since 1990
* Estimated
LiveScience / SOURCE: USGS
On average, there is at least one magnitude 8 earthquake every year and about 17 magnitude 7's, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The Pakistan quake measured 7.6.
Location, location, location
Of course, some places on Earth are more prone to earthquakes than others.
Alaska is one of the most seismically active regions in the world experiencing a major earthquake (magnitude 7.0 or greater) almost every year, whereas no earthquakes of more than moderate intensity have occurred within the borders of North Dakota during historical times.
"The largest earthquakes are on plate boundaries, where two plates are interacting, and the largest of these earthquakes occur on subduction zone boundaries, where you have one plate going under another plate," Stein explained.
Both the Sumatra earthquake and the Pakistan earthquake struck on subduction zone boundaries. The first happened as the India plate slid under the Burma plate and the latter one was the result of the India plate sliding under the Eurasia one.
Hurricanes are increasing
Concerning hurricanes, Robertson may be correct in observing that they're occurring more frequently than in the past.
According to the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the period between 1970 to 1994 saw on average about 9 tropical storms in the Atlantic basin, with about 7 of those turning into hurricanes. From 1995 to 2004, that number jumped to 14 tropical storms and12 hurricanes.
2005 is likely to surpass them all, said Kevin Trenberth, the head of climate analysis at NCAR.
"By several measures, this will end up being the most active storm season on record, it's not just number but also how intense they are," Trenberth said.
But scientists aren't willing to blame the apocalypse just yet. A decades-long cycle of busy and the quiet periods is evident in records dating back to the mid-1800s. This is not the first stretch of highly active hurricane seasons. It is just the first time so many people have lived near the coast during such an active period.
Natural cycles
Trenberth cites a number of factors responsible for the trend toward stronger and more frequent hurricanes being observed. These include natural variability in hurricane frequency and intensity, global warming, and El Niño, a warming of the waters in the off the eastern coast of South America that occurs naturally every 4-12 years.
"Following an El Niño there tends to be warmer sea temperatures," Trenberth said. "It changes the atmospheric circulation to create extra warming of the Atlantic [Ocean]."
As the surface of the Atlantic Ocean warms, more water evaporates into the atmosphere, which allows for stronger tropical storms. Global warming is believed to contribute to hurricanes in the same way, by warming up the ocean surface and putting more moisture into the atmosphere.
About Robertson's comments, Trenberth said that he "thinks its part of the general [socio-political] climate that seems to exists in the country today, fostered partly perhaps
BUMP
The last sentence should read :
About Robertson's comments, Trenberth said that he "thinks its part of the general [socio-political] climate that seems to exists in the country today, fostered partly perhaps by this administration and their lack of credence to science."
***It's these moronic "Christian" lonnies on TV that give Christianity a bad name. Jesus would have howled at this "end times" stuff.**
Way back in 1980, preachers were claiming the Return Of Christ was imminent within a few years.
Reagan was running for president against Jimmy Carter and HAL LINSEY wrote a book claiming we could forstall the end of the age IF we elected Reagan President!
It must have worked. But why were we later saddled with X42 for 8 years?
Besides earthquakes, there were also famines that hit Israel pre-70 AD. Paul himself travelled to Jerusalem with money for famine relief for those hardest hit.
I have always taken Jesus' words regarding "This generation" not passing till those signs occur, LITERALLY.
When Jesus said "This generation" in Matthew 24, HE LITERALLY MEANT WHAT HE SAID. Unfortunately, we go through a whole heap of innovative contortions to make "This generation" mean something other than the generation that was alive when Jesus spoke those words in order to fit our preconceived view of prophecy.
Unfortunately, I believe the generation that is now alive is notoriously "me-centered" (even many christians). They want everything in the Bible to center around us today.
I think it's appropriate to look at the original hearers/readers of the scriptures. Good interpretation will be the result IMO.
Great, supported answer.
Blessings to you and yours.
>>The Bible says that there would be earthquakes in divers places and California has more divers than any other place.<<
Damn, that's funny! LOL!
FTR, the countdown on earthquakes, pestilences, etc., began when the nation of Israel was restored in 1948. Nothing prior to that is relevant.
Much of what the Bible says are signs of the end of the world such as earthquakes, famine, and other natural disasters have been going on since time immemorial and will continue to go on as long as the Earth exists. In other words, the world will continue as it always has and we are not going to have a clue as to the "day or hour".
I really do wish my fellow Christians would stop always trying to predict the end of the world. It really makes all of us appear foolish to the rest of the world.
***I really do wish my fellow Christians would stop always trying to predict the end of the world. It really makes all of us appear foolish to the rest of the world***
I agree! Way back in 1981 I got into a discussion with a friend over the last days. He thought they would be in just a few years. I said just what I have posted here above and asked why put children through school or prepare for the future if the end is just around the corner? He just shook his head "NO" and went on his way.
Today he is building himself a $300000 house and we haven't talked about it since. That was 24 years ago.
"Mathew 24-31 Jesus gives us signs to look for of the destruction of Jerusalem, of thy coming, and the end of the world. "
I stopped here. The "end of the world"?
Nah. The world will change. Some call it being reconditioned but it will not end.
Isa.45:17
[17] But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
Eph.3:21
[21] Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
But as usual ... no one is interested in it. They prefer their own views.
There are other good articles on the linked site.
**I stopped here. The "end of the world"? **
You stopped? Even I know it means the END OF THE AGE but I am quoting from the KJV so no one can say a I am using a "mutilated" translation.
Isa.45:17
[17] But Israel shall be saved in the LORD with an everlasting salvation: ye shall not be ashamed nor confounded world without end.
Eph.3:21
[21] Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen.
End of the age - church age and this are not the same.
A bit bitter I see.
The last book of the bible has an interesting history that I caught on one of the discovery channel stations and it really was talking about Rome. It does make for good scary rants by preachers from time to time....
When Israel became a nation too many started the count based on the Fig tree parable.
"25 years! they said! Christ will return." No show.
35 years! It WILL HAPPEN IN OUR LIFETIME! No show.
40 years! Remember the 1988 fiasco! I still have the booklet.
50 years! Armageddon 2000! No show.
I have lots of articles of so-called prophecies of Christ's return and he has been a no show.
I do not think the time is now because of something Christ said...When the son of man returns will he find faith when I come?
When the time is fulfilled He will return. It might be tomorrow or a thousand years from now.
the real reason are all the faults there. the biggest one being : "Bush's Fault".
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