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
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