I predict . . .

[Woody]

Thanks Richard. I know just a little about 'forgiveness'. I wrote an article about it in the Review last year.

[Guest]

Is that right? I will have to read it.

[cardw]

The whole point of the ecumenical movement is to allow each group to have their own beliefs without being excluded. Setting aside theological differences, each church can help each other in the things they all agree upon.

I don't see how this will cause all the events you outline in your post. In todays world I don't see how any type of control could be centralized with this approach.

What I do see is fundamental Christians making a play to make the US a theocracy. That is why I support the Freedom From Religion Foundation.

I am actually encouraged by some of the latest polls which indicate that up to 35 percent of Americans check no belief.

And with the failure of the Pope to take accountability for the whole child molestation scandal of the Catholic Church and the absolute moral failure of major Christian leaders in this country, I don't see how Christianity could establish the credibility.

[doug yowell]

I predict that Jesus will not return anytime in the next 10 years.

[Woody]

Yes. I predict you're right about that one.

[Tom Wetmore]

But I'm thinking that Doug would like to be proven wrong...

[Gordon1]

Hi Rich-cardw,

You're quite right that ecumenism allows for the inclusion of all, and yes it requires setting aside theological differences, such as the Ten Commandments - or possibly just one or two.

Many people are willing to set aside beliefs unless they are strongly convicted that such compromise is unacceptable - so some may give up their life rather than yield principle. But many have not established their boundaries or considered the prospect of a life-or-death crisis.

And while the modern ecumenical movement has it's foundation in the papal power (of recent note Vatican ll Ecumenical Council:1962-65), the real root is the rebellion of Lucifer who sought to establish a superior form of government to God's own. And claiming all along that such was harmless, even beneficial - enough to deceive Eve. The train of paganism continues to this day.

Centralized world control may not seem evident, but there are strong attempts being made in the area of finance & economics, and of course the looming environmental debacle. Links are being forged, and none of them shall stand, but long enough for a period of testimony (witness) and persecution.

"Today's world" may change very rapidly in the face of economic collapse/natural disaster/plague/terrorist attack or an unseen combination. I think you'll admit when times are 'tight', everyone is more vulnerable. Many from all classes (except the very wealthy) carry personal debt and depend upon the next paycheque. And nearly all in the 'first world' are dependant upon banks.

Yes the Christian fundamentalist right is poised to render both the U.S. and Canada as theocracies - but this is due to the ecumenical movement drawing together Protestants, Catholics and conservative-minded thinkers of other faiths into one voting block. Many 'hot button' issues are used for this purpose such as abortion, gay rights, gun control, etc. George Bush and Stephen Harper were both elected due to the strength of the combined ecumenical vote.

Ratzinger may fall, but the papacy will continue for a time. The people have short memories and continue to support their corrupt leaders & institutions. It's true that nominal Christianity retains little credibility, but when times become desperate and the people beg for miracles, miracles will be granted them.

[doug yowell]

Not necessarily. Depends on what happens in the near future!

[fccool]

It's hard to predict what will happen with such limited information and many possibilities. There are certain things that are quite obvious.

- I certainly think that Eugenics will once again make it's way as opens discussion in world political arena. The Climate Change will be a way to push the depopulation agenda that is currently being and has been implemented on global scale.

- The "money of of debt" financial system will most likely be replaced with a new global reserve currency that will be issued by the world bank electronically. I certainly expect that the issue in the future will be the strive of the corporatism and the government further joining hands in their further implementation of the fascism.

- Something that goes with the above... the debt-driven life style of American culture will be over fairly soon. With 20% unemployment, the things will once again be sliding towards "learning to do with less" as the technology advancements will not be able to cover to devaluing of the currency.

- The currently pushed ideology of the Trans-Humanism will be further popularized by the mass media, and entertainment industry... and we will see more and more "body enhancing" products that will probably be the next technological fad wave. Just like education requirements, many people will voluntarily accept the enhancement products as means of competition in the work force arena. People will have cell-phones powered by their brain... eventually there will be no need for computer screens as visual information can be fed bypassing the eyes... we are not too far away from this technology.

- The modern religious organizations, including the GC will further dive into corporate mentality and work closer with the global state (governments of the world) to suppress any dissent by continuing preaching "love of Jesus", and avoiding any socially relevant issues... such as just governance and wars driven by the military-industrial complex. Most of the older Adventists will "stay the course" on that Titanic holding on to the ideas of "Christian patriotism".

- The younger and more active members will retreat to the small-group gatherings at their homes, or will be swallowed up by the "touchy-feely" ecumenical emergent church movement.

- Home schooling will be outlawed

- The family will continue to deteriorate as a push of eugenics agenda. Homosexual couples kind of fit in the same category, and will be portrayed as great way to live by the media. Homosexuality will be an embraced norm.

- The Mark of the Beast will turn out to be something that none of us really foreseen, and most likely will be a combination of physical/spiritual/social mark.

- People will continue to use oil and the clean energy sources will be suppressed, instead the "green police" will regulate virtually every aspect of our lives. People will be charged by the mile they travel. The taxation will be unbearable. I see a lot of people expatriating out of the US due to deteriorating social conditions.

- The next 9-11 will most likely not be nuclear or biological, but it will be some kind of staged tech=attack that will bring about heavy regulation of internet and digital communication industries. Licenses will be paid for owning web-sites, just like for owning TV stations today. The e-mail will eventually be the thing of the past, and we'll have social-networking style of interfaces that many colleges are implementing today. Most jobs and schools will require an account on a global social networking sites that will incorporate all aspects of our internet usage. The escapist pass-time will be further popularized through virtual worlds that users will be able to participate in.

- The Ray Kurzweil's style AI will never be able to take off. Computers will never be able to learn independently, as the rule-based AI will actually slow down the processing speed. Instead, animal and humans brains will be hacked and exploited and used as super-fast computing devices. The brain interfaces will be developed, and people will flock for body modifications that will put them above the crowd... just like the Iphones do today.

- Lastly, I don't see any growth in any numbers of the church. The religions will be de-fundomentalized and secularized, as we see increasingly in Muslim world today. Eventually, the idea of a culture will be something sort of a "theme park" that people would go for a romantic get-away to see how things were in the past. Overall, the world will keep being driven to a homogenized version of perfect culture, perfect business models, and perfect human beings (through celebrity culture).

Will be interesting either way

[Ambassador]

I would think that Jesus coming would be something we would all desire whether it comes in one year or ten.

I predict that until we truly realize that Jesus is the ONLY thing that matters on this earth and take it to heart we will not be unified only a denomination.