I was a young high school student in November of 1992 when Bill Clinton won the presidency. I remember being terrified that night because I went to a conservative Christian school and had listened to some authority figures warning about the destruction of America if Clinton were to win the election.
The next day one of my favorite teachers in the whole school looked at me with crazed eyes and said, “They’ll regret this. In four years they’ll be begging for change.”
I wish that had never happened to me. I had ENOUGH to worry about like my favorite TV show Quantum Leap ending, when body hair might sprout, and which girl to get rejected by next. Now they told me the world was going to end before I ever got that first kiss. Why America, WHY?!?! But then it turned out the 90s were kind of great to me.
Now we’re here two decades later and some Christians are still wild-eyed and strapping in for Armageddon and Barrack’s zany train ride to the pit of destruction. He’s coming to get us all! It’s the anti-Christ ya’ll!!! Dive in your bomb shelter and give up on human existence cuz we all GONNA DIE!
*grabs dog and leaps out first floor window*
If you’re convinced that any one president will destroy us all, please take the following steps:
1. Study world history, particularly all the apocalypse-mongering.
2. Study American history, specifically the office of the presidency.
3. Study American politics, specifically American politics.
4. Keep calm and carry on.
Look, I understand the criticisms of some of President Obama’s policies. Believe me, I do. And I disagree with the man on plenty of issues as I’ve disagreed with other presidents both in my personal history and in my study of history B.C. (Before Clay). American Presidents have been overreaching since the turn of the 20th century. But there’s also 535 members of Congress and 50 state governments. They kind of matter too.
And all of these leaders are elected. By us. We the people.
But more importantly for Christians, I have some questions:
- Where’s the hope?
- Where’s the confidence in God’s control and plan?
- Why are so many of us always convinced that whatever just happened is the thing that has suddenly derailed humanity and now we’re all going down?
- Since when is the world supposed to be perfect according to our standard or anyone else’s?
- Some people might believe utopia on earth to be possible but why for the love of Adam would Christians?
Agree? Disagree? Let me know what you think then hop over to my take on, sigh, Mark Driscoll.
11 replies on “Doomsday Christians”
YES! I agree. If I believe in an all powerful, all knowing God; if I believe He created life from nothing, earth from nothing, space & time from nothing; if I believe God controls my eternal destiny – why should I fear any person? I can’t remember the statistic, but I know of at least 66 times in scripture it clearly states “Do not be afraid”.
One of my favs:
Isaiah 44:8 “Do not tremble with fear. Do not be afraid. Didn’t I announce everything that has happened? Didn’t I tell you about it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any other God but me? No! There is no other Rock. I do not know even one.”
So true. Not sure why so many Christians love to promote fear.
Love it! Spot on analysis, sir.
Well thank ya John. Hey everybody reading this, go buy John Otte’s book Failstate! Here’s a link: http://amzn.to/W8PtRr
Please tell me the teacher you reference wasn’t me…
Haha, never! You weren’t even there in ’92. However I did refer to you the other day while watching a G4 program on the 100 Greatest Video Games of All Time and DOOM came up.
Clay, what I have been too often guilty of is being more concerned about the kingdom of America than the kingdom of heaven.
I know what you mean and could go on about it. It works in both directions, perceived loss and victory that is. Think of the ancient Hebrews & how badly they wanted King Saul. How’d that work out? Or the modern “conservative wins” that turn to disappointment for the church. How many church people feel betrayed by Chief Justice John Roberts for passing Obama’s healthcare plan. Doesn’t pay to count on any human leader. Honor them and count on God is all we can do.
So great – I love your voice in these pieces; I love to laugh. I’ve fallen prey to those fear fanatics a time or two myself. You know, that initial reaction of, “Oh no! What’s happening?!!” But then I think, “Hmm…” (Yes, I think the hmm; don’t interrupt) “Civilization didn’t collapse LAST time, so maybe I shouldn’t panic yet. I mean really, how many times am I supposed to get worked up about the end of life as I know it and then it doesn’t happen and I’m stuck eating all those canned goods and there’s figuring out where to store that huge plastic bag that fits in your tub that you fill with your emergency water supply and just folding that thing back up is a total nightmare.” So yeah, no sense in panicking.
But seriously, I find it interesting how many people know exactly what God is thinking, or planning or doing, or they know who He’s punishing and what for. Lots of very confident interpretation goes on. It’s disturbing.
SO TRUE. Doomsday panic seems like a waste of energy to me. It’s good to be aware and proactive about what’s going on in the world, but freaking out and insisting that we’re in the throes of the end times isn’t going to help anything.
As Romans 13 indicates, I can honor the office, while not necessarily supporting everything the president says, or does. As a citizen of two kingdoms–one earthly, and temporal; the other, heavenly–I’m to live like the heavenly one is more real, more lasting. Because it is. Doesn’t mean I’m not effected by the goings on in the USA, but it does mean that I’m not live like my rights are my paramount concern.
Rather, honoring God is. That said, when I start to worry about the state of the nation, I just remind myself that, um, America is nowhere mentioned in biblical prophecy. In fact, if there’s any nation that’s central in prophecy, that’s Israel.
To be blunt: God is sovereign, and despite the best efforts of despicable dictators throughout history, none has even come close to eradicating God’s chosen people from the face of the earth. From this I conclude, in the church age, that none will ever be able to take Christians away until God deems it is time to do so.
That’s what sovereignty means. And historically speaking, the church thrives under persecution. It’s when we have too much freedom that we flounder. Which is my roundabout way of saying that perhaps, just perhaps, God has raised up an “Obama” for such a time as this?
Maybe (not really, not maybe) the American church has gotten soft, and we need a corrective, something that will drive us to our knees? What does God say? “If My people will humble themselves, and pray… then I will hear from heaven.” Because, in His economy, character always trumps happiness. And as a loving Father, He will faithfully remove every crutch upon which we try to prop ourselves up.
Sorry, Clay, for the post-length comment. Good stuff from you as always!