The End of the World: Grandma Said it Would Happen!

The End of the World: Grandma Said it Would Happen!

I remember the fear that was instilled in me by church leaders while growing up in a Baptist church in Thomasville, North Carolina. The pastor had a way of bluntly informing us that if we sinned we would be doomed to hell. It was almost like he was immune to sinning, but very familiar with the repercussions. Back then, sinning was falling asleep in church while Reverend Thomas huffed and whooped. What else was I supposed to do? Fan myself to death with those handheld fans with images of Martin Luther King, Jr. on them? Back then a sin was not going to Sunday school. Back then your world would end abruptly and tragically if you were a sinner.

When I think of the word sin, I become repulsed by the thought of the ignorance that was and still to this day permeating within our small and mega churches regarding the act of sinning. For some people to sin means their world will come to an end quicker. Sinning either shortens life or leads to an unhappy and disappointing existence. According to Reverend Thomas, both outcomes were an end to one’s world in the spiritual sense. One thing that Reverend Thomas did not consider was the world has ended numerous times for millions of people. Allow me to list a few “End of the World” events:

-The Great Plague of 1918 killed over 600,000 people
-Slavery: 50-60 million Africans killed on the west coast of Africa, on the way to the United States and Caribbean, and while in the United States
-Nazi annihilation of the Jewish population
-Tsunami in Asia killed more than 100,000 people
-Hurricane Katrina
-Indonesia’s big earthquake

While I have listed these as individual “End of the World” events, many people do not agree with me. The Evangelical Christians view the events as unfortunate incidents that serve as examples and support for the End of the World Prediction. However, the ending of the world has different interpretations. To see a massive wave of water engulf land, animals, and people is enough for me and several others to believe the world ended for those who were affected and perished by the wave, to witness your family members being thrown over board the Amistad slave ship because they became ill while on the way to culture destruction, and to be buried alive as the ground trembled ferociously, is sufficient evidence that the world has ended countless times before for those involved.

In the Book of Revelations, or correctly known as The Revelation of Jesus Christ, there is evidence of wars, famines, revolutions, and natural disasters which are used today as scare tactics to convince people to give their life to Jesus Christ before the world ends. Why not do this?: Ask to be saved and become apart of the “select few” who will enter into heaven with a man riding on a horse and carrying a sword to smite the nations. Jerry Farewell, the “select few”, and the 59% of Americans who believe the elements within the Book of Revelations must occur will be on the coattail of Jesus.

The Middle East conflict, properly referred to as Israel’s Ruthless Aggression, is enough for some of us to turn over a new leaf. It fits into the Book of Revelations chain of events. War, death, and destruction: reports of natural disasters and the continuous famine in parts of Africa. The only thing I have not experienced which is referenced in Revelations is a revolution. Maybe Public Enemy was right?? The revolution will/was not televised. Not sure. Did you see it?

For centuries, people have been predicting the year, month, and sometimes the day when:

-A violent and sudden end would terminate all life on earth.
-Major social and political upheavals would occur around the world.
-The war of Armageddon would take place in the Middle East.
-God would pour His wrath on most of humanity.
-Christ would return in the second coming.

I remember my grandmother saying, “Boy, you better get your soul right with God because the world is coming to an end. Jesus is coming back to separate the good from the evil.” She made this statement numerous times back in 1979. Again in 1984, 1986, & 1988. And, to no surprise the world has YET to end on the level the Evangelical Christians have predicted it to every single time the crisis flares up in the land where Jesus supposedly walked.

Isn’t it interesting that man is making the End of the World prediction?

Written by Brian E. Payne. Inspired by Jerry Farewell. He continues to scare the weak into becoming a Christian. His religion should be strong enough to attract those seeking without telling them, “The end of time is here.”