Armageddon
Q: We hear the word "Armageddon" when there is strife in the Middle East such as the war now raging between Israel and the militias of Lebanon. What does “Armageddon” mean?
Sitting on pins and needles has become a habit of late, especially since we invaded Iraq over three years ago. There is civil war in Iraq and Afghanistan is falling apart. However, it is when Israel gets directly involved that we shutter. In the back of our minds arise Armageddon and right-wing Christian interpretations of the metaphors in the Books of Daniel and Revelations. According to these interpretations the actions we witness now are indications of the end times.
As Yogis we know that if enough people subscribe to those interpretations then we may well bring about a fiery end of the world. Our thoughts are powerful and if we become so involved in those thoughts we are likely to bring them to fruition.
There is no record that President Reagan’s Secretary of Interior, James Watt, ever stated that the environment was of no consequence since Jesus soon second arrival will make all that moot. There are right-wing evangelicals who do subscribe to such a notion and see it as their duty to hasten these end times. It is perplexing how this qualifies as a matter of faith when if these were true interpretations why do they not have faith in God’s timing?
Like Yoga, Christianity is not a means to run from the world. Although many yogis hide out in studios we are called to the active not passive deed of non-violence. Similarly, Christians are called to total engagement with the world through the action of love and in Christianity God is love. God is the act of love.
The notion of floating away looks pleasing to one who wishes not to engage in this world, but this being whisked away by means of this interpretation of rapture is especially cruel because of the havoc that follows. Believers celebrate and those left behind can only wish for death in a world of torment.
Look at it another way. Maybe, love is Armageddon. How love obliterates our habitual living patterns may seem like Armageddon. The act of love is the end times of the “need” to settle old scores. It elevates us out of the muck of ideology and raises us out of the violence we commit to others and ourselves.
The Beatles got it right. “All you need is love.” However, they erred in following that line with, “It’s easy.” It is simple, but it is definitely not easy. With love you release the old fights and learn the hard, life-long lessons of forgiveness. With love you include your enemy. Yet, this rapture from the reincarnating of our hatred over and again lifts us into the spaciousness of love. It delivers us from cyclical living.
So with such a promise why do many people opt for a horrid, fiery end to millions in “left-behind” interpretations of Armageddon? These interpretations are convoluted, certainly not simple, but, sadly, they are easier.
A: According to Wikipedia Armageddon is mentioned once in the New Testament (Rev 16:16) and may refer to Har Megido (הר מגידו) or Mountain of Megiddo. There is the valley plain of Megiddo in northern Israel near Haifa where missiles launched from the Hezbollah in Lebanon landed last week. However, there is no mountain of Megiddo.
The Book of Revelations has many translations throughout history, its difficulty evident upon reading. Martin Luther did not particularly like the book and 4th Century bishop, St. John Chrysostom did not wish it added to the canonical New Testament because its difficulty in interpretation was ripe for abuse.
Sitting on pins and needles has become a habit of late, especially since we invaded Iraq over three years ago. There is civil war in Iraq and Afghanistan is falling apart. However, it is when Israel gets directly involved that we shutter. In the back of our minds arise Armageddon and right-wing Christian interpretations of the metaphors in the Books of Daniel and Revelations. According to these interpretations the actions we witness now are indications of the end times.
As Yogis we know that if enough people subscribe to those interpretations then we may well bring about a fiery end of the world. Our thoughts are powerful and if we become so involved in those thoughts we are likely to bring them to fruition.
There is no record that President Reagan’s Secretary of Interior, James Watt, ever stated that the environment was of no consequence since Jesus soon second arrival will make all that moot. There are right-wing evangelicals who do subscribe to such a notion and see it as their duty to hasten these end times. It is perplexing how this qualifies as a matter of faith when if these were true interpretations why do they not have faith in God’s timing?
Like Yoga, Christianity is not a means to run from the world. Although many yogis hide out in studios we are called to the active not passive deed of non-violence. Similarly, Christians are called to total engagement with the world through the action of love and in Christianity God is love. God is the act of love.
The notion of floating away looks pleasing to one who wishes not to engage in this world, but this being whisked away by means of this interpretation of rapture is especially cruel because of the havoc that follows. Believers celebrate and those left behind can only wish for death in a world of torment.
Look at it another way. Maybe, love is Armageddon. How love obliterates our habitual living patterns may seem like Armageddon. The act of love is the end times of the “need” to settle old scores. It elevates us out of the muck of ideology and raises us out of the violence we commit to others and ourselves.
The Beatles got it right. “All you need is love.” However, they erred in following that line with, “It’s easy.” It is simple, but it is definitely not easy. With love you release the old fights and learn the hard, life-long lessons of forgiveness. With love you include your enemy. Yet, this rapture from the reincarnating of our hatred over and again lifts us into the spaciousness of love. It delivers us from cyclical living.
So with such a promise why do many people opt for a horrid, fiery end to millions in “left-behind” interpretations of Armageddon? These interpretations are convoluted, certainly not simple, but, sadly, they are easier.
A: According to Wikipedia Armageddon is mentioned once in the New Testament (Rev 16:16) and may refer to Har Megido (הר מגידו) or Mountain of Megiddo. There is the valley plain of Megiddo in northern Israel near Haifa where missiles launched from the Hezbollah in Lebanon landed last week. However, there is no mountain of Megiddo.
The Book of Revelations has many translations throughout history, its difficulty evident upon reading. Martin Luther did not particularly like the book and 4th Century bishop, St. John Chrysostom did not wish it added to the canonical New Testament because its difficulty in interpretation was ripe for abuse.
posted by John at 10:52 PM
4 Comments:
John, I enjoy your blog although I don't know the first thing about yoga ;-) I do know a little about Christianity (being that I am one myself) and there are a few comments I have.
First, I think it is incredibly difficult to personify "right-wing Christians." I really don't know what that means. I think when someone outside of Christianity thinks of Christians, their reactions vary. If one is heavily involved in more Liberal political causes, there is a reaction in a certain political way. If one is a Muslim, there is a reaction against the doctrine of the Trinity and the idea of God on the cross. It varies down the line.
For those of the more political and secular persuasion, there seems to be a stereotype (not their fault, it's just the kind they see on TV) of the anti-intellectual hillbilly who wants to throw out all Latinos and invade as many countries as possible (Pat Robertson, Jerry Falwell, Dobson, Ralph Reed, everyone on TBN, etc., etc.)
In my opinion, this person is missing a lot when they do not dig deeper to find such men as John Stott, J.I. Packer, Alister McGrath, and Gerhard Forde (among many others). There are also the great ones of the past like Augustine, Soren Kierkegaard, Blaise Pascal, Martin Luther, Thomas Aquinas, G.K. Chesterton, also among many others.
The fact of the matter is that Christianity would not have lasted 2,000 years if it were defined by the Falwells, Benny Hinns, and Robertsons. That must mean that there is something more to it. It must also be said that there are innumerable politically Liberal friends I have that are theologically orthodox (conservative).
Secondly (and shorter), the idea of the rapture is not held by the majority of Christendom. This idea of a rapture (and therefore the placing of Israel on special status)is called pre-millenial dispensationalism (or sensationalism, as some of us snobs from the Reformation call it) and it was created in the late 19th century to the best of my recollection.
Most of Christendom is amillenial (no rapture or literal 1,000 year reign). This includes official doctrine in the Lutheran, Calvinist, Anglican, Catholic, and Orthodox expressions. Only the revivalist-types believe in the "left behind" sort of stuff. Apparently they are powerful politically (which is unfortunate due to their misunderstanding of Scripture and misguided emphasis on moralism). This is a huge problem in Christianity that hopefully will be corrected by some groups that are trying to do just that.
Anyway, this is just something to consider wherever you hang your hat politically or theologically.
NOTE: [Because of my ignorance of all things computer (I need to hire a ten-year-old to explain these things to me) I accidentally block ALL comments to my blog. The above is a comment from David Browder,
seminarian at Trinity Episcopal School for Ministry. I had to post it myself, but it is from him.]
David, thank you for that understanding and for the insight. I want to learn more, so please continue to contribute. The main thrust of my article was to look at the idea of rapture and Armageddon in a different light. I am happy to learn that the "left behind" beliefs have a short history.
I would argue that you know more about Yoga than you think. Yoga, in my belief is religion, but it is not A religion, although many yogis do fall into ideology, with issues of reincarnation and the Divine within (both of which I believe, but feel not important enough for a fulfilling life) I know you have experience similar things in Christianity. The Yogi's goal is not to achieve enlightenment. It is to practice non-violence whether it is in the world or with oneself. How that is done raises many questions that, like Christianity, takes a life-time to understand.
I believe that the main goal of Christianity is the life-long pursuit, in practice, of love (agape - ἀγάπη), not the intellectual alignment with an ideology.
Thanks again.
I really can't comment about yoga too much because I am totally ignorant of it. Practicing nonviolence wherever one goes does seem, however, to be a law that cannot be fulfilled. It really depends on how one parses the definition of nonviolence. If nonviolence is an action, to what degree do you take it? Does it include driving down the road and having bugs splat on your windshield? I'm not trying to be polemical, just pointing out that if that is how one lives, then one fails before one starts.
The message of Christianity is similar to that way of thinking. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus totally ratchets up the demand of the Law. He says anger is the same as murder in God's eyes. Lustful thoughts are the same as adultery in God's eyes. Matthew 5:48 says one is to be perfect as the heavenly Father is perfect.
This is not an attempt by Jesus to be a fundy. What he is doing is measuring the gulf between God and man. He is an "alien" (like on The Day the Earth Stood Still) who declares what is not popular. Man has a condition of wanting to be God. He is en curvatas (curved in on his navel and worshipping it).
The herald of truth then becomes the perfect offering and propitiation by falling into the hands of those He offended (us). So, Christianity is not about a progressive improvement or movement to God-consciousness. It is about being forgiven in the very state we are in (and cannot alter) due to the work of the God Himself 2,000 years ago.
The picture is that of Raskolnikov in Crime and Punishment. Raskolnikov butchers this woman who happens to be the only friend of this girl who loves him. She finally finds out that it was he who did it, but follows him to Siberia in order to marry him. The complete opposite reaction to what he deserved. Grace. Unmerited favor. This is the message of Christianity.
Armageddon is a future battle where In the book of Revelation, a world leader (The Antichrist)with a host of world armies will invade Israel starting at mount Megiddo & ending in Jerusalem. Armageddon is a Greek transliteration of the word Har Megiddo. First Israel must make a 7 year treaty with many(Daniel 9:25)Some Bible versions say a week but a prophetic week equals 7 years,each day for a year). 7 years later the invasion comes. Israel will nearly be wiped out, then they will call out to their messiah that they are waiting for(Jesus). Jesus will destroy all these armies and a massive earthquake followed by heavy hailstones willdestroy them also.The Same battle is written in the old Testament zechariah 14:2 "I will gather all nations against jerusalem" It is also In Ezekiel Chapter 38 where "Gog & Magog" (ancient scythians- now Russia ) will invade Israel.
Half way into the 7 year treaty the Antichrist will enter the jerusalem temple(not yet built- but Jews are trying to rebuild this temple, since it was destroyed 2000 years ago)He will claim to be God and force everyone to have a number 666 (barcode, microchip). Those who accept it will be forever damned, but those who don't (Christians & Jews) will not be able to buy or sell (Revelations 13: 16-18). This is why conservative Christians will never accept any mark. Knowing that the end will come Christians would want to preach Christ, not wanting anyone to be damned, rather than being on a path of self destruction.
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