Faith writes:
Well there are a lot of them, jar, and how do you propose to deal with this Greatest Threat to the world? Beheading strike you as appropriate perhaps?
I notice that it is always the Fundamentaloists that first suggest the most extreme forms of punishment, as in this case, you bring up beheading.
No, the way to deal with them is to point out the utter absurdity of the position. It is to vividly show the consequences of their position so that all will know just how wrong it is. The answer, as so often the case is education. Educate the masses so that the masses know to ignore and marginalize such individuals.
The threat from the apocalyptic crowd of fundies is that for the first time in human history they actually have the capability to bring about the physical worsts of Armageddon, but, as always, no control or understanding of the spiritual part or implications.
In the past it was sufficient to simply ignore the nuts and cupcakes that believed in end-time prophecy, there was little any of them could do, even if in a position of power such as the President of the United States.
In the past, such belief systems could be laughed off as somewhat humorous but non-threatening cults. Today though, we have reached a point where it is actually possible for such people to create a self-fulfilling prophecy, for them to actually destroy all life on earth.
The problem is that there are three sides to any such belief. One is the human capability of action. The second is the spiritual aspects which are outside the control of any human. The third is the overwhelming power of self delusion.
Before going on, I’d like to look at a couple examples of similar belief systems and the outcomes that resulted from their belief system.
The first is what came to be known as “Heaven’s Gate.”
Over the several decade history of the group Heaven’s Gate, the organization varied in size reaching a peak of about 1000 members which through attrition reduced to the final 39 members that committed suicide on March 27, 1997. Surprisingly, the mean age of the members was near 50, neither impressionable youth nor weary old age, but instead what many would consider to be the most hopeful and productive period in ones life.
The basic belief system of the group was that their human existence was but temporary and that they actually belonged to some higher plane, a literal heaven. It was based on the belief that the two founding members were the two prophets described in Chapter 11 of Revelations.
3And I will give power to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." 4These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.
The group went through many stages, tried going public on several occasions, and eventually settled on a belief that the return of Hale-Bopp was a sign that a spacecraft would return and take them literally to heaven.
Heaven’s Gate Website writes:
Whether Hale-Bopp has a "companion" or not is irrelevant from our perspective. However, its arrival is joyously very significant to us at "Heaven's Gate." The joy is that our Older Member in the Evolutionary Level Above Human (the "Kingdom of Heaven") has made it clear to us that Hale-Bopp's approach is the "marker" we've been waiting for -- the time for the arrival of the spacecraft from the Level Above Human to take us home to "Their World" -- in the literal Heavens. Our 22 years of classroom here on planet Earth is finally coming to conclusion -- "graduation" from the Human Evolutionary Level. We are happily prepared to leave "this world" and go with Ti's crew.
If you study the material on this website you will hopefully understand our joy and what our purpose here on Earth has been. You may even find your "boarding pass" to leave with us during this brief "window."
We are so very thankful that we have been recipients of this opportunity to prepare for membership in Their Kingdom, and to experience Their boundless Caring and Nurturing.
The final act was one of joy it seems for the 39 people involved. They made video tapes leaving messages, seemed euphoric, were truly committed and sincere (one indication was that many of the male members had undergone castration in the past in support of the cults position requiring celibacy) and died by taking a large does of narcotics, then fixing plastic bags over their heads.
We could safely deal with people like Charles Manson because, while quite destructive, he killed only a few people before being caught. Others like James Jones too were self limiting.
BUT...
when we see a President, and senior officials in areas of control, making decisions such as the current administration is making in regards to the Middle east and Iran, we can remain silent no longer. We cannot allow messages like those of the apocalytic crowd to go unchallenged. We must educate the masses so that the apocalytic nutcases are not allowed to bring on armegeddon.
We canot allow their self-delususions to go unchallenged. We need to speak out forcefully and show to all that these people present a serious and immediate threat to mankind.
Aslan is not a Tame Lion
™ Version 4.2