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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.

Yes, I have noticed this too. I think that pretty much every generation since the crucifixion has thought it was the last. Even the apostles thought this.

Before I get any further into my rant, let me say that I do think the end is very, very near, relatively speaking. I think there are fewer days in front of us, than behind us.

With all that said, many of my brethren talk about the birth pangs and talk about these hurricanes and earthquakes as being part of them. They point to AIDS and say it's one of the plagues the bible talks about.

Well, maybe. I'm not sure. As bad as AIDS is, it does not hold the distinction that can be given the bubonic plague, which wiped out 1/3 of the population of Europe. There doesn't seem to be any significant increase in earthquakes. There is an increase in hurricane activity, but it is well known that this stuff comes and goes in something like 20 year cycles. One of my roommates tried to tell me it was obvious global warming was happening because we had a 68 degree high temperature on an early November day, and that that was much higher than average for my area of country. Except that when I looked up the National Weather Service averages for that day, 68 was pretty normal (in Kentucky, many years we will have what's called an Indian summer. But not every year. I've also seen it snow on Halloween here).

Let's have a short history lesson about Hitler. We know that the Anti-Christ wants to rule the world. Here we have Hitler in charge of Germany. By 1942, he's well on his way to world conquest. He's mixed up in demonic, occultic, and satanic practices. He hated jews and wanted to kill them all. He used all the old Roman symolage in his army and government (significant since the Anti-christ is supposed to come from the old Roman Empire). If I'd been a young man back then, I would've been covinced, with good basis for it, that Hitler was the Anti-Christ (and for all we know, that may have been satan's plan. Revelation does say there will be many anti-christs. I guess this one just didn't work out for the devil as well as he'd hoped).

I think Israel returning is a significant sign and fulfillment of prophecy. See my previous post on my view of the fig tree parable. But there is no indicator of how long it is from the foundation of the state of Israel to the end times. And furthermore, we can't know. Jesus himself said that no man would know the hour. In fact, Jesus also said that only the Father knew the hour.

All this speculation is interesting, but I am displeased that people get so bent out of shape over it. Pat Robertson might be right: the end may be right around the corner. Then again, he may be wrong, it may be further off than he thought. The point is this: live your life like the rapture is going to happen today. Then it doesn't matter to you when it happens (and in fact, sooner is better since it will signify the impending defeat of satan and his evil forever).