I'm interested to hear what other people think about this book and its consequences. Personally, although I consider myself to be a Christian, or at least try to, am not interested the least in the Revelation. From where I stand, it's even harmful: It talks about wars, armies, revenge, wrath, enemies and other stuff that seem very distanced from what Jesus tought. And it has been used by the Christian Church in numerous times to justify acts of extreme violence, which are shameful, to say the least, to be associated with Christianity. Overall, although as a young kid I used to read it for its vivid, fantasy imagery, I don't see how this book contributes positively to anything at all.

Your thoughts? (Please no flamewars!)

I'm about in the same boat with you mikeman. Though, I just see the Revelation as an event. As for the churches using it for "excuse for punishment of sins" and stuff, I disagree.

I look at it like God saving his important files on another disk because there's too many viruses on the computer (this world for instance).

Then he'll do a fresh install. And everything will be cool.

it's a heads up basically. if you read it you'll see pretty much all the events in it are kicked off by man. I know the bowls and trumpets are are unlocked by an angel but God has to correct his creation at some point in accordance within His law. that said, the saints are given a sort of out before the bad stuff happens and it speaks several times about them not being fooled by the events surrounding them and generally protecting them. however, it is man who tries to usurp God with an earthly army after out-rightly rejecting him and his commandments for several thousand years and that's when God starts busting skulls and showing us the size of his e-peen.

I'm interested to hear what other people think about this book and its consequences. Personally, although I consider myself to be a Christian, or at least try to, am not interested the least in the Revelation. From where I stand, it's even harmful: It talks about wars, armies, revenge, wrath, enemies and other stuff that seem very distanced from what Jesus tought. And it has been used by the Christian Church in numerous times to justify acts of extreme violence, which are shameful, to say the least, to be associated with Christianity. Overall, although as a young kid I used to read it for its vivid, fantasy imagery, I don't see how this book contributes positively to anything at all.

Your thoughts? (Please no flamewars!)

Revelation speaks of the end of the battle between wickedness and righteousness. Gods mercy will accept any repentant soul who wants to change and live a righteous life, but will not force any man to be righteous. God has given many warnings to all of us of the consequences of sin. We are free to choose to follow God or to follow Satan, but we are not free to choose the consequences that follow our actions.

So why would God allow these consequences to fall upon us if he loves us? He does it because he loves us. (Hebrews 12). I like to imagine it like a child who does not want to do any work in school. If no correction is made the child will grow up and probably not graduate for college or even high school. It wouldn't be likely have a good job and would have a lower quality life because the child never learned to work hard. While the child may find it cruel that they may loose their video games for a time or not be able to play with friends, this is done because the parents love their child and want to correct them.

The destruction in revelation will be a direct consequence of our own wickedness. There will be righteous people, but there will be a lot of wickedness on the earth. Before Christ can come and personally reign on the earth it must be purged of that wickedness. Keep in mind that this life is a brief moment in eternity. All that is lost will be returned to those who are faithful. Those who want to live in a world with no evil must work to cleanse themselves of wickedness, and through Christ we can all be clean of that. To have a world free of evil God must cleanse the earth of those who don't want to be clean through Christ and continue in sin. Like anything spiritual, you should pray for understanding on this. I don't have a perfect knowledge of this but this is how I understand it. I hope I was able to communicative my ideas clearly.

I'm indifferent towards it, I think books about programming languages, math and algorithms are way more useful and interesting and applicable to life today.

Everytime I think about Christians and their end times, I think of pseudo-Wiccans and their burning thymes, and I just can't take it seriously. Why are we always on the cusp of the end times? Why can't we kick it down the road a few thousand years? Why can't Satan just go to a bookstore and read how he's going to fail and change his plan? It's not like it's hard to find the Bible, they give it out on street corners and Satan seems to have enough freewill to rebel, why not to read?

Why are we always on the cusp of the end times?

The Bible contains several passages about Christs return. 1) The last days will be as the days of Noah (lawless). As society progressively seeks to expand its civil liberties there is an every increasing perception that it has to be right around the corner. 2) The Bible tells us that Christ will return like a thief in the night meaning he will show up when we least expect it. So maybe we think we can prevent his return or even "catch" him if we're always ready?? I don't understand why people stay hyped up over this one reasoning. 3) There is a passage saying his return will be as two men walking in a field when suddenly one of them is missing and only one remains behind. This gives the perception that it could happen at literally any minute. 4) There is another passage that describes how only those who "keep their oil filled" will be allowed in upon his return so this means we have to always be ready for this return.

Why can't we kick it down the road a few thousand years?

The Bible says no man knows the day nor the hour of Christs return not even Christ himself but only the Father knows. Also the Bible tells us to tarry till he returns meaning just to carry on as usual but to remain ready should it happen. People who get so absorbed in the fact Christ could return any second are actually not doing what the Bible says and may very well be acting out of fear, which the Bible describes to be the first class of people thrown into the lake of fire at the last judgement (the fearful).

Why can't Satan just go to a bookstore and read how he's going to fail and change his plan?

There is a passage in Revelation that Satan knows he only has a short time on Earth and therefore justifies him trying to do as much damage as possible. Satan knows he can't assume the throne of God. His ONLY goal is to prevent people from knowing God as father and thus being unable to accept salvation. So he's just trying to drag as many people down with him as possible before his ship sinks.