Jesus is coming back...Quick, look busy!

I started, and have been heavily involved with, a discussion concerning the return of Jesus (or lack thereof) on a forum I am co-moderating.

Some good issues have been raised and I have actually learned a lot as the discussion had unfolded. There was a lot about Preterism that was new to me.   

Have a look at the discussion here.

Barry Smith's Books

If you haven't read my first post about Barry Smith then do so here before you continue reading this post.

I think the funniest thing about Smith's books, at least the first four, are the titles. They all sound so final, and then the next one sounds more final than the last. Smith really did believe he was living in the last days. You don't really don't need to buy all his books to show how loopy Barry Smith was as there are some collections of his bullshit online here and here. The best one is his claim that Jesus would return by the year 2000 (here).

I'll post the original publishing date of each book and an assortment of some of the more freaky chapter titles and headings. You can click on the book cover to go to Smith's own website which gives a more detailed table of contents list.

First Published: 1980
Does The Bible Speak Of The E.E.C.?/ The E.E.C. Leader's Reign/ Galloping Inflation/ Cash Cancelled/ The Five "I Wills" of Satan/ The Protocols of the Learned Elders of Zion/ The Illuminati/ The Seal of the Illuminati - On The US Dollar/ The Club of Rome/ The Russian Revolution and the Zionist State of Israel/ Christianity Under Attack/ Postscript to the Mystery of Iniquity: Freemasonry





First Published: 1985
Cash Will Crash In A Flash/ Back to The Club Of Rome/ Danger Famine Ahead/ Kissinger Capers/ Ivan Panin Proves Authority of Bible/ Law Systems Become Corrupt/ The Seal on the US $1/ The Plan Behind the Seal/ Education and New Age/ World Government Will Confiscate Guns, Ammunition and Communications Equipment/ Who is the God of Freemasonry?/ British Royal Family Envolvement/ Dangers to the Law System/ The World Church/ The Occult, Witchcraft, Tea Cup and Palm Reading, Divination/ Homosexuality/ Compulsive Gambling, Drug Taking, Tobacco, Alcohol/ Soap Operas/ Stages of Musical Disintegration/ Plastic Cards/


First Published: 1989
Noah's Ark Found/ 666 has arrived/ Where the Big Crash Will Start/ Undermining of Nations Sovereignty/ Mystery of Iniquity/ Henry Kissingers Role in Peace/ Prototype for E.C. 1992/ Illuminati History/ World Domination Aim/ The Protocols/ Link-up Pope John 23rd, R.C. and Mafia/ Cash - The Last Bastion of Privacy/ Spying on Christians/ A False Nuclear Threat/ A False Greenhouse Effect (Ozone Deception)/ The World's Population Needs to be Cut Down/ Aim to Bring Alternative Lifestyle People Out of the Bush and Control All Others/ The Aids Cover-up/ Overthrow of New Zealand Sovereignty/ Others Can Spy Too/ Commos Are Such Nice People/ Reason for USSR Strength/ A Demonic Spirit Controls All Unions/ The U.S.A. in World Government Plans/ Computerization Equals Bondage

First Published: 1992
Communism Not Dead/ Aids Created by Man/ Nuclear Scam/ Japanese Real Estate Collapse/ Masonic Symbols in Washington's Streets/ Mason's Say 'Lucifer is God'/ Methods to Ruin Each Sector of Society/ Small Business to Shut Down/ E.C. to Control All Trade/ Global Army/ One World Religion/ Silicon Chips - Microdots/ Trapped in Your Own Home/ Why go to Hell?





First Published: 1996
These chapter titles seem to be much like the last book.








First Published: 1998
South East Asia Ready for the High Jump/ The Berlin Wall/ What About Great Britain?/ All Countries are Linked in Trouble/ Goodbye China/ The U.S. Role in the Conspiracy/ The Kabalah/ America is Run by the Devil/ The Russian Invasion of Israel/ The Millennium Bug/ The Great Pyramid of Giza







First Published: 1999
Proof of a Conspiracy/ The Illuminati and America the Horrible/ The Illuminati Chooses U.S. Presidents/ The Y2K Bug/ Come Back Henry Kissinger








OK, so it all sounds really, really kooky. You may be wondering how I ever got sucked in by something so whacky. Well, that's the million dollar question really isn't it? I was young, and impressionable I guess. I also (wrongly) put a lot of trust in those in authority in the Pentecostal scene. Smith is also, like most end-times conspiracy preachers, very good at collecting facts, half-truths and complete bullshit and putting them all together with just enough spin to make it say whatever he wants it all to say. Remember, not all that he says is crap, just most of it and definitely the conclusions he draws. A lot of what he says is not verifiable as he claims 'indier information' at times. Let's just hope I learned some valuable lessons about verifying the claims of others, too easily accepting 'expert' opinions from less-than-experts, and blindly following people.

There is no doubt about it, this end-times nonsense is really that, pure nonsense. Smith and guys like him repeatedly get it wrong or at best, take current events (not future events) and position them onto their doctrines of Bible prophecy. In other words they have a revisionist view of Bible prophecy (it sounds like an oxymoron because it is!). They rarely get any of their predictions right and erroneous predictions are quickly forgotten. For the last 2000 years or so, none of them have seen Jesus return yet!

Barry Smith

Back in my AOG days, there was one End-Times preacher who was both well-known and well able to draw sizable crowds to his meetings whenever he visited Australia. He was a New Zealand AOG preacher named Barry Smith. Most of us had either read one of Smith's books, watched his video tapes or been to a meeting.

While I never immersed myself in Smith's teachings, though many did, his stuff had enough of an impact on me to warrant a post here. In fact, back around 1991 or 1992 I watched one of his videos which predicted 'the Lord' might return by 1996. Of course Smith was careful to word this prediction right so as not to make it sound like he knew 'the day or hour'. Nevertheless, my friend and I both commented that there was no point living as if this world had long to go. In other words, it effected the way we lived and planned for the future. There is no doubt that his End-Times nonsense instilled some irrational fear in me that had to be later dealt with.

Well everyone has 20/20 vision in hindsight and I now realise that Smith was full of shit. He was, quite simply, a religious conspiracy theorist. I don't believe Smith was a con-man or anything. I think Smith really believed what he preached which makes it worse really as it means he was simply a nutter. One person summed up Barry and one of his last books as 'a hotchpotch and steaming mish-mash of paranoiac confusion'.

I seriously considered buying his books and going through them to see how many of his prophecies fell flat or how much of his material is based on paranoid conspiracy nonsense. I may still do this, but for now I will just post some of the chapter headings of his books and a few comments along the way. That post can be found here.

By the way, Barry Smith is dead. Yes, even he didn't live to see the imminent return of Jesus. "He's coming soon." Not soon enough for Barry it seems.

The Late Great Planet Earth...is still here Hal!

For some time I was considering getting Hal Lindsey's 1970 version of The Late Great Planet Earth to read through and see what predictions he made (or said the Bible makes) that did not come true. Well, had I ordered it and got it sent to me here in China, it would have cost a fair bit and take up to 3 months to arrive. As keen as I am to read into it all, I am not keen enough to spend that much money, so I abandoned that idea. Instead, I did some digging online and it seems that there were many others, Christian and non-Christian, who came up with the idea long before me. Some Christians who don't share Lindsey's views on Biblical prophecy rip into him on theological or interpretative grounds while the unbelievers tended to just show what he said and what did or didn't happen after the fact.

I am going to go with the latter form and just put the first of his failed predictions in order as they appear in his book (which has not been revised and is still available). I will also provide some links for further reading.

Jesus will return by 1988

“When the signs just given begin to multiply and increase in scope it’s similar to the certainty of leaves coming off the fig tree. But the most important sign in Matthew has to be the restoration of the Jews to the land in the rebirth of Israel. Even the figure of speech ‘fig tree’ has been a historic symbol of national Israel. When the Jewish people, after nearly 2,000 years of exile, under relentless persecution, became a nation again on 14 May 1948 the ‘fig tree’ put forth its first leaves.
Jesus said that this would indicate that He was ‘at the door,’ ready to return. Then he said, ‘Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.’ (Matthew 24:34 NASB).
What generation? Obviously, in context, the generation that would see the signs -- chief among them the rebirth of Israel. A generation in the Bible is something like forty years. If this is a correct deduction, then within forty years or so of 1948, all these things could take place. Many scholars who have studied the Bible all their lives believe that this is so.” pp.53-54.

The Jewish Temple will be rebuilt and desecrated

“The main points are these: first, there will be a reinstitution of the Jewish worship according to the Law of Moses with sacrifices and oblations in the general time of Christ’s return; secondly, there is to be a desecration of the Jewish Temple in the time immediately preceding Christ’s return.
We must conclude that a third Temple will be rebuilt upon its ancient site in old Jerusalem.
If this is the time that the writer believes it is, there will soon begin the construction of this Temple.” p. 57.

The USSR/Russia will be at war with Israel

“Shortly after the restoration of the Jews in the land of Israel, an incredible enemy will arise to its ‘uttermost north.’ This enemy will be composed of one great nation which will gather around it a number of allies. It is this ‘Northern Confederacy’ that is destined to plunge the world into its final great war which Christ will return to end.” p. 59.
“For centuries, long before the current events could have influenced the interpreter’s ideas, men have recognized that Ezekiel’s prophecy about the northern commander referred to Russia.
Dr. John Cummings, writing in 1864, said, ‘The king of the North I conceive to be the autocrat of Russia . . . that Russia occupies a place, and a very momentous place, in the prophetic word has been admitted by almost all expositors.’” p. 63.
“In the Eighteenth and Nineteenth centuries, such men as Bishop Lowth, Dr. Cumming, and Rev. Chamberlain, were ridiculed by many of their contemporaries. After all, who could have imagined that what we now see in modern communist Russia -- a country founded upon Atheism?” p. 65.
“You need only to take a globe to verify this exact geographical fix. There is only one nation to the ‘uttermost north’ of Israel -- the U.S.S.R. . . . General Dayan’s statement that ‘The next war will not be with the Arabs but with the Russians’ has a considerably deeper significance, doesn’t it?” p. 66.

The USSR and Iran Become Allies to give a strategic advantage

“All authorities agree on who Persia is today. It is modern Iran. This is significant because it is being wooed to join the United Arab Republic in its hostility against Israel. The Russians are seeking to gain footholds in Iran by various overtures of aid. In order to mount a large-scale invasion predicted by Ezekiel, Russia would need Iran as an ally. It would be much more difficult to move a large ground army across the Caucasian Mountains that border Turkey, than the Elburz Mountains that border Iran. Iran’s general terrain is also much easier to cross than Turkey’s. Transportation, however, will be needed through both countries.” p. 67.

Africa will be largely Communist

“The sobering conclusion is this: many of the African nations will be united and allied with the Russians in the invasion of Israel. This is in accord with Daniel’s graphic description of this invasion (Daniel 11:36-45).
The Russian force is called ‘the King of the North’ and the sphere of power which the African (Cush) force will be a part of is called ‘the King of the South.’
One of the most active areas of evangelism for the Communist ‘gospel’ is in Africa. As we see further developments in this area in the future, we will realize that it will become converted to Communism.” p. 68.

Libya will join the USSR in its attack on Israel

“The conclusion is that Russia’s ally, Put, certainly included more than what is now called Libya. Once again there are current events to show the beginning of this alliance.
The territory of Northern Africa is becoming solidly pro-Soviet. Algeria appears to be already Communist and allied with Russia.
As we watch this area in the next few years we shall see indications that it is destined to join the southern sphere of power which will attack Israel along with the ‘King of the North.’” p. 69.

Eastern Europe will back the USSR

“The conclusion is that Gomer and its hordes are a part of the vast area of modern Eastern Europe which is totally behind the Iron Curtain. This includes East Germany and the Slovak countries.” p. 70.

They will use a cavalry to invade the Middle East

“The conclusion is that Togarmah is part of modern Southern Russia and is probably to origin of the Cossacks and other people of the Eastern part of Russia. It is interesting to note that the Cossacks have always loved horses and have been recognized as producing the finest army of cavalry in the world. Today they are reported to have several divisions of cavalry. It is believed by some military men that cavalry will actually be used in the invasion of the Middle East just as Ezekiel and other prophets literally predicted. During the Korean War the Red Chinese proved that in rugged mountain terrain, horses are still the fastest means of moving a large attacking force into battle zones.
Isn’t it a coincidence that such terrain stand between Russia and the Israeli?” p. 70.

African nations will align themselves with the Arab nations

“From the standpoint of this study of alliances which make up the King of the South we saw a valuable link in the alignment of several black African nations with the Arabs in their determined plan to ‘liberate’ Palestine from Israel. This is another confirmation of prophecy as we have seen from Old Testament prophets.” p. 74.

Egypt attacks Israel

“Current events in the Middle East have prepared the stage for Egypt’s last act in the great drama which will climax with the finale, Christ’s personal return to earth.
We are not attempting to read into today’s happenings any events to prove some vague thesis. This is not necessary. All we need to do is know the Scriptures in their proper context and then watch with awe while men and countries, movements and nations, fulfill the roles that God’s prophets said that they would.” p. 77.
Our interest here is the revelation that Egypt will attack the revived state of Israel, which will them be under the control of a false Messiah. This man will probably be a Jew who works closely with the world dictator who will them come to power in Rome.” p. 77

Russia Invades Israel again

“This immediately triggers another invasion of Israel by Russia who is here called ‘the king of the north.’” p. 77.

Egypt unites the Arabs and Africans

“Are you discovering more pieces of this stirring prophetic puzzle? The Egyptian plan to unite the Arabs and black Africans into a ‘third world force’ seems to be fulfilling what the prophets have said.” p. 79.

The Nile River is diverted

“If you think the famous Aswan Dam, which diverts the main channel of the Nile River, will help the Egyptian situation, you’re mistaken. Somehow the headwaters of the Nile will be diverted and that important river will be a parched piece of real estate. Imagine the terrifying implications of this to an Egyptian.” p. 79.

The Antichrist takes Egypt

“Isaiah warns of a powerful dictator who will invade and take them over: ‘. . . I will give over the Egyptians into the hands of a hard master; and a fierce [merciless] king will rule over them’ (Isaiah 19:4 RSV). This refers to the Antichrist of Rome who will possess Egypt after Russia is destroyed.” p. 79

Summary

“We have seen that current events are fitting together simultaneously into the precise pattern of predicted events. Israel has returned to Palestine and revived the nation. Jerusalem is under Israeli control. Russia has emerged as a great northern power is the avowed enemy of revived Israel. The Arabs are joining in a concerted effort to liberate Palestine under Egyptian leadership. The black African nations are beginning to move from sympathy toward the Arabs to an open Alliance in their ‘liberation’ cause.
It’s happening. God is putting it all together. God may have his meaning for the ‘now generation’ which will have a greater effect on mankind than anything since Genesis 1. Will you be ready if we are to be part of the prophetic ‘now generation’?” p. 80.

Source:
Hal Lindsey's Prophecies: A Study of The Late Great Planet Earth

Further Reading:
Hal Lindsey: The Father of Apocalyptic Christian Zionism
Hal Lindsey’s Prophetic Jigsaw Puzzle: Five Predictions that Failed!
Hal Lindsey Oracle (Lindsey's official website)

Reading: The Lowdown on God's Showdown

As a Christian I didn't think I was too phased by the 'end times' bullshit, but it it wasn't until I walked away from Christianity that I realised how much fear-mongering I had bought into. As it turned out, while I didn't give it much thought, I actually believed a lot of it. I will try to write something to show the folly of the whole thing later.

I read an article some time ago and I guess it is fair to say that it made some serious points that were pivotal in my de-conversion. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't the reason, but it resonated with a lot of thoughts and doubts I had as a Christian. These kinds of doubts were certainly ones I would just shove to the side and not allow myself to delve too deeply into.

I asked a few believing friends (and enemies) to get stuck into the content of this article with me and have yet to get a single decent response. Most didn't even reply. I now believe this is because there really is nothing they can say.

Be warned, it's long. But here it is...

The Lowdown on God's Showdown
by Ed Babinski

If that link doesn't work then try here or here.