Could doomsday predictions be leading to a lack of virtue?

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Annie

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It just sort of suddenly struck me that possibly continually hearing that the world is going to end soon or at least fall apart, might be having a bad effect on society.

How could God let this happen leads to God does not exist.

If God does not exist, it only matters how we love our lives over the long term.

If our lives are only going to be short-term, then why not do whatever we please?

Additionally, I think having a sword of Damocles hanging over our heads is very stressful.

Maybe the thought of nuclear destruction in the 1960s and the thought of climate change now is what drove and is driving so much craziness?
 
I think people have felt like the world was teetering on the brink of ending for many centuries. For example when the plague was sweeping across Europe, or really bad wars and famines were happening, people most likely thought in terms of the world ending. People also suffered through various natural disasters, such as floods and volcanic eruptions which were localized but effectively destroyed the entire world of the people affected because most people did not travel far from their place of origin and didn’t have the frame of reference to think globally. There were also some natural disasters that affected large parts of the world, such as volcanic eruptions in one country that had a worldwide effect.

The only difference now is that we have a global news media that feeds on sensational apocalyptic stories and pumps them out to large bodies of people at once with the aim of causing mass interest/ hysteria. Of course it has a bad effect on society when people focus on doomsday stuff instead of going about their daily lives loving and serving God and neighbor the best they can. It leads them to despair rather than taking care of business and trusting in the Lord.
 
From the days of the early church, the end was viewed as near.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
The only difference now is that we have a global news media that feeds on sensational apocalyptic stories . . .
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You make a good point about the historical times when the world seemed to be ending, but I do think that an additional difference between now and then is that irreligion was not so rampant. Even in places which were not Christian generally had some sort of spirituality and religion, but now we are just plain secular, so many have nothing to fall back on.
 
I am sure if the world was truly coming to an end, a whole lot of “secular” people would find the nearest church in a hurry.
 
I guess I should amend my theory to be doomsday predictions and lack of faith in God lead to the craziness we see now.
 
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Annie said:
irreligion was not so rampant. Even in places which were not Christian generally had some sort of spirituality and religion, but now we are just plain secular, so many have nothing to fall back on.
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I wish to share this good news:
“Compared to the world’s 2.3 billion Christians, there are 1.6 billion Muslims {…}, and 137 million atheists, whose numbers have actually dropped over the past decade, despite the caterwauling of Richard Dawkins {…} and Co. {…} As of mid-2011, there will be an average of 80,000 new Christians per day (of whom 31,000 will be Catholics) and 79,000 new Muslims per day, but 300 fewer atheists every 24 hours.”
-Christian Number-Crunching reveals impressive growth
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I do not find people around who know or mention or care about doomsday predictions, if there are…
It is like we have our everyday issues and difficulties to solve with people around .
If the day comes, it will probably find us busy…, worried, not really…
Not too sure where these predictions come from or are related to. They do not reach us somehow in general.
The only one I remember was the 2000 bug for computers and even then it was about a mess not the end proper if anything. And it didn’t happen so…
 
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A lack of obedience and conformity with the scriptures, for one thing.

Consider for one, the various European plagues and epidemics. Scores of millions died within a very short period of time. Surely there were thoughts that the Parousia was imminent.
2 Peter 3:8 But do not ignore this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
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Nothing about doing laundry, caring for our children, visiting neighbours and elderly family, working,going to the doctor, filling the holes made by our pets, cooking, crying with a friend who cries, celebrating life with friends and family …
And: pray as you breathe,
So we are good. Be happy.Celebrate the combo of life as it comes and give thanks to the Lord. Every single day
 
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We’re not Sola Scriptura here.

There have been real-life situations where people feared some apocalyptic event and filled the churches. It’s human nature.
 
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@IamBaptist Please remember that this is a Catholic Forum. You are welcome to think whatever you wish to think, rightly, or wrongly, but do not foist upon us your non-Catholic or anti-Catholic opinions/beliefs unless you are posting in the non-Catholic Forum, lest any reader might think that you are expressing Catholic beliefs.
 
IamBaptist said:
We are in the last days, you better buckle in and put on your crash helmet!
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NOBODY but God knows when the end is coming. Jesus told us to always be ready because we don’t know when the end is coming. Anyone saying they know is trying to equate themselves to God.
I will put my trust in Christ’s words and not those who think they know the mind of God.
 
IamBaptist said:
We are in the last days, you better buckle in and put on your crash helmet!
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Why would you do that?

“When these signs begin to happen, stand erect and raise your heads because your redemption is at hand.” (Luke 21:28)

This is a great time to be alive, so be bold, do God’s work, and live.
 
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IamBaptist said:
YOU ARE RIGHT! we can, however, discern the signs of the times to determine that it is getting closer. Boy is it close!
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Jesus also told us NOT to look for signs.

Matt 16:4 4

“An evil and unfaithful generation seeks a sign, but no sign will be given it except the sign of Jonah.” Then he left them and went away.
 
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