Saw this opinion piece on BBC online
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/4276545.stm
Basic analysis of how Western Europe and the United States are developing into very different societies.
But it was this quote that really concerns me about the future of our society :
"Millions of Americans, 17% according to a recent survey, seriously believe that the end of the world is coming in their lifetimes and that they will be sucked up through the clouds to heaven."
I was not able to find the source of this author's info, but for the sake of argument I will accept his information as valid. What kind of future does America have if one in six Americans believe that the entire world will collapse in armageddon in their own lifetime?
Personally, I am not religious. I was broght up Methodist, but have not attended a church service since I was in high school (that would make it about fifteen years.) I have my own agnostic understanding of the universe and have no problem with those whose worldviews on the origins of humanity diverge greatly from mine.
What concerns me most is that such a huge percentage of Americans seem to sincerely believe that their lives are simply to prepare for the fulfilment of the prophecies of Revelation. What kind of impact is this having on how American politics, both internal and external, are being executed. To what extend do members of the current administration hold to this view? Do we have a Commander-in-Chief who believes himself that the end in near. Does this imply that, in the belief that all events are divinely ordained to produced the result of the end of time, that human intervention to prevent actions that could be considered signs of the coming "end of times" should be avoided so as to not interfere with divine will?
I have no problem with people personally believing that the end is near. But is the United States in a position where that one in six is in a position of influence to drag the remaining five in six along with them by the result of their actions?
It is funny. In most Islamic societies movements like this also develop from time to time, in expectation of the arrival of the Mahdi who will restore justice and the word of God (in its Islamic interpretation) to the world. If studies in Islamic societies found that one in six believed that the arrival of the Mahdi was imminent, there would be no end to the amount of handwringing by "analysts" in the West about how Islamic fundamentalism is taking over the entire Muslim world. Yet, here in the United States, we simply ascribe such attitudes as "freedom of religion". At what point does "freedom of religion" need to be balanced by the protection of those who do not share the beliefs of one religious group whose actions could very well jeopardize the lives of all Americans.