BEWARE THE RED HEIFER: How religious nutballs could start World War III

Antiwar.com ^ | April 15, 2002 | Justin Raimondo

[Cultural Jihad]

You believe you are alive and living in California?

[JHavard]

How could a red heifer have started World War III? Impossible? Yet it happened….

You're absolutely right, how dumb, the next thing these religious zealots will be saying is that we have to beware of some stupid mark or something with the number 666.

<./sarcasm off> JH

[BlackElk]

Ideas have consequences. In Rand's case her absolutely disordered personal life was a result of her self-worship ideas and her desire to have no strange god before herself. After all, when it comes to strange gods, who could have been stranger?

[inquest]

I just want to get a better understanding of what you're saying. In your most recent post, you seem to take the reasonable position that it's useless to try to either inhibit or expedite prophecy from being fulfilled - that it will happen when it happens and nothing mere mortals might do will have much of an effect either way. In light of that, I have trouble understanding the point of your #18, where you suggested that the author of this piece was trying to prevent prophecy from happening. By my reading of the article, the most that he seemed to want to prevent was certain individuals from attempting to do what you yourself said is impossible - prematurely induce prophecy - and in the process of that futile attempt, causing a lot of needless death and suffering. Wouldn't you agree?

[weikel]

Living under communism has got to screw a person up a little too Russia is actually less socialist then we are now with a 13% flat tax but from what Ive heard from a few Russian friends is the people are more untrustworthy and immoral then the average American( probably a direct result of living under communism when your own family was encouraged to denounce you as disloyal).

[Risky Schemer]

I just want to get a better understanding of what you're saying. In your most recent post, you seem to take the reasonable position that it's useless to try to either inhibit or expedite prophecy from being fulfilled - that it will happen when it happens and nothing mere mortals might do will have much of an effect either way.

This opens up a can of head-scratching. There's a field of science that has a theory that goes something like "nothing can be observed without the observation itself affecting the thing being observed." Now is it too much of a stretch to assume that God knows that a prophecy itself can have an impact on that which is prophesied?

And if He chooses to use that, so what? So what if He knows in advance that if He prophesies something, certain people who are zealous to please Him by works will set about to "do His will" as they see it and make certain things happen?

Before running too far with that idea (man's hand in prophecy fulfillment), it's probably good to remember there are several Bible examples of prophecy being fulfilled without some people even knowing about the prophecy, or being fulfilled without the help or assistance of man in any way whatsoever.

In light of that, I have trouble understanding the point of your #18, where you suggested that the author of this piece was trying to prevent prophecy from happening. By my reading of the article, the most that he seemed to want to prevent was certain individuals from attempting to do what you yourself said is impossible - prematurely induce prophecy - and in the process of that futile attempt, causing a lot of needless death and suffering. Wouldn't you agree?

Does Raimondo have a clock that tells him when it's "supposed" to happen and that now is not the time or something?

[inquest]

Does Raimondo have a clock that tells him when it's "supposed" to happen and that now is not the time or something?

Well, I can't speak for him, but I think this might be a reasonable attitude to have: Either what we're witnessing is the fulfillment of prophecy or it isn't. If it is, than it doesn't matter what we say or do about it, it will continue to happen. If it isn't, then it truly is, as Mr. Raimondo describes, a bunch of wackos who are very liable to do a lot of harm for the sake of nothing. In that case it would be extremely irresponsible not to try to prevent it from happening, no?

[Risky Schemer]

Either what we're witnessing is the fulfillment of prophecy or it isn't. If it is, than it doesn't matter what we say or do about it, it will continue to happen. If it isn't, then it truly is, as Mr. Raimondo describes, a bunch of wackos who are very liable to do a lot of harm for the sake of nothing. In that case it would be extremely irresponsible not to try to prevent it from happening, no?

How would you propose to know the difference? If what is prophesied happens, then the prophecy is fulfilled, right?

How would you propose to distinguish between a prophecy that was (supposedly) fulfilled too early and one that was fulfilled in its proper season? (And how is that even possible?)

[inquest]

How would you propose to distinguish between a prophecy that was (supposedly) fulfilled too early and one that was fulfilled in its proper season?

I didn't think that the question was one of whether the prophecy was fulfilled too early or on time, but whether or not this is even prophecy at all to begin with. And my point was, you don't have to distinguish between the two. If we proceed according to the assumption that it isn't, that it's just a bunch of people with the potential to cause needless harm, then we can safely do what we can to try and stop them. If we're correct about it not being prophecy, then we may well succeed in stopping them and preventing a catastrophe. If we're incorrect, then it will continue to happen regardless, and we won't be any worse off for having tried to stop them.

[Gamecock]

Bump for a later read

[Gamecock]

I guess my question in all this is what happens if the red heifer dies?

Say someone PETA* throws it on a grill and serves it up?

Does that invalidate the prophecy? Do we need to wait on another red heifer or is it just living at one point fulfill the prophecy?

PETA=Presbyterians Eating Tasty Animals

[Quix]

The red hefer will die, if she already hasn't.

I guess you haven't read those Scriptures.

Try Moses' scribing.

[Corin Stormhands]

PETA=Presbyterians Eating Tasty Animals

Okay, now that was funny.

All I remember about the Dome of the Rock is that the carpet was damp, so my socks were wet for the rest of the day...

[Quix]

the IDIOTS

to me,

are those ignorant of Bible prophecy

and

those who have read it but still are too dumb to believe God said what He said and meant it.

[Gamecock]

Allow me to clarify:

It dies in a way that is not described in scripture. I thought you would figure that out....

[EternalHope]

Bump to read later.

[Quix]

BTW,

There's NO hurrying any such along.

It happens according to GOD'S schedule and no one else's.

[Gamecock]

***the IDIOTS***


Careful my friend, you might get suspended again. Remember: no personal attacks.

[JCEccles]

The key thing to remember, in all this mythological murk, is that no religious Jew is allowed to set foot on the Temple Mount, for fear of desecrating the sacred ground.

How odd that religious Jews believe that their walking on the Temple Mount would desecrate it. Why would they not conclude that the endless streams of Muslims, atheists, and other gentiles traipsing about on it have already desecrated it?

And I believe Justin Raimondo simply despises Jews.

[Corin Stormhands]

How odd that religious Jews believe that their walking on the Temple Mount would desecrate it. Why would they not conclude that the endless streams of Muslims, atheists, and other gentiles traipsing about on it have already desecrated it?

Temple Mount is under Muslim control. IIRC it is the Muslims who believe the presence of the Jews would desecrate the mount.

And, a steady flow of tourist/pilgrim cash helps to make the gentile desecration quite a bit more acceptable.