Well this may seem strange, but I have noticed alot of Christian sights on Y2K and Christians posting....well I was just wondering if the ones here would stand up and be counted? If you are Christian do you feel it makes dealing with this issue easier or more difficult?

I will stand up. Dealing with this issue for me is easier because I know that our times are in God's hands. I am on this planet at this moment because He wants me here.

It is more difficult because there is a part of me that just wants to prepare the best I can and harden my heart to anyone who refuses to do so. But I know that Christ said as you have done for the least of these you have done for Him. i.e feed the hungry, clothe the naked, visit the sick & imprisoned. I admit I would rather hide. Because of Him I must face these things. However I have faith that He will make rugged places into plains. He promised. (not that I am not doing everything possible to prepare, I am.)

Well anyway I am encouraged by this place. Thank you to all who post here.

Deborah the Prophetess

-- Deborah the Prophetess (curious@home.com), January 21, 1999

Answers

Hi Deborah,

yes, there are several of us here who are Christians (myself included), though there are also quite a number who are not...we've got everything from proto-buddhists to new age types, a couple of wiccans who mostly seem to lurk, and a few garden variety athiests as well...all in all I'd say this board is pretty much a cross section of lower middle class through upper middle class late '90's Western Civilization.

Indeed, both y2k and it's precursors give ample opportunities for different types of witnessing. The most effective type I've found here is simply that of allowing others to see how we as Christians think and react to people and circumstances...the folks here are generally pretty bright, and will in almost all cases draw their own conclusions anyway.

in any case welcome! and I hope to see you on Pastor Chris' board too!

Arlin Adams

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), January 22, 1999.

Deborah, my grandfather was a Baptist minister in a local small country Church, so I was raised as a child in the Baptist Faith. My young adulthood was lived with absolutely no reguard to this upbringing and only since the GI moment of truth with Y2K have I snapped out of my backslid attitude and returned to a Christian way of life. All those hundreds of hours of bible study resulted in an instant mesh between the book of Revelations and Infomagic. Anyone who has done even mediocre study of Bible prophesy cannot possibly miss the paralells.

-- Nikoli Krushev (doomsday@y2000.com), January 22, 1999.

Hi Deborah the Prophetess,

I would characterize myself as a Wiccan, New Age, interested in the Earth Changes groups, student of all religions and philosophies and prophecies in these last days. I find it very interesting that my Millenium roots as a previous member of the Mormon church are now combined with Native American prophecies and New Age channeling on the times we live in and the coming transition before the Age of Peace and Brotherhood. I consider myself a friend to Christians who are willing to be tolerant of my religious freedom and share the important things, love and understanding. It is amazing how many cultures have prophecies on these times and how similar they are. These years are the dark times and there will follow an age of peace.

I agree with you that having a spiritual perspective is both an advantage and disadvantage. I push myself to live up to my ideals and discover the purpose for my life at this time. I am trying to discourage judgements of any person's or group's response to these times. I can imagine taking my family to a remote mountain cabin or farm and I can imagine working with my suburb community. In this time of chaos, all decisions must be weighed and made each moment from now on throughout this period of transition and destruction.

I hope to find a way to emerge and contribute to the new era what ever you like to call it or however you see it. For me, it needs to include a consideration of spiritual values, ecological lessons learned and an improvement in the way we humans treat each other.

It is really a life saver to have a forum like this with so many different views and so much great information and support. I usually lurk but I am beginning to post now and then.

Nice to meet you Deborah.

Lora

-- Lora (xxxx@hotmail.com), January 22, 1999.

Hi brethren! Am leaving it up to the Lord's decision whether He thinks I'm Christian. Wouldn't want to turn Him off by being presumptuous as He has set a rather high standard.

Would have gone insane without spiritual bliss and focus in life. Maybe *have* gone insane, but it's a happy kind and have no interest in being normal.

Deborah, I too am encouraged by this Forum. To all who share, THANK YOU!

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxx

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), January 22, 1999.

Thank you to all for the warmth of your responses.

to Nikoli-----Welcome home..Angels are rejoicing! This is what I meant by our times are in His hands...all things work together for good to those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.

Peace,

Deborah

-- Deborah the Prophetess (joy@heaven.com), January 22, 1999.

Amen.

-- Kevin (mixesmusic@worldnet.att.net), January 22, 1999.

This is one poll I *will* respond to. I am a Christian. Thank you, Deborah for your observations. This forum, and others have helped me to consider the consequences of various y2k scenarios, and to weigh alternative responses in light of the Christian ethic and world view. I believe that we as Christians are better prepared for discontinuities than many because we are looking toward the ultimate discontinuity: that Blessed Hope and glorious appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ. I do *not,* however, see any direct connection between the millennial milestone and the Second Coming. Linking the two events diminishes both.

BTW, has anyone else noticed the similarity of speaking to a DGI about Y2K to explaining one's faith to a non-Christian?

-- Elbow Grease (Elbow_Grease@AutoShop.com), January 22, 1999.

Not a christian myself. I'm a life member of American Atheists, Madalyn Murray O'Hair's group. I've been interested in survival since around the mid-70's, so Y2K to me is just the latest thing to prepare for. I consider survival a subject that most people might find useful, and if nothing else, self-sufficiency is a worthwhile goal.

-- Noah Simoneaux (noaj@yournet.com), January 22, 1999.

Elbow Grease,

YES I noticed the similarities immediately! It is very strange. Maybe it's part of that 'He who loves his life shall lose it' thing.

*to any non-Christian who's ever been annoyed by people spreading the Gospel or calling to REPENT.....remember what it's like to try to convince DWGI's that you love....except the Christian is motivated by Eternal consequences. Unbelievers don't just die they spend eternity in Hell (seperated from God) simply for rejecting the free gift of eternal life. People just don't want to hear about it.

****skeptics-if you don't believe... tell God. Say, 'if it's true, show me.' 'Open my heart.' God wants people to investigate. He warns us not to be misled. He's not big on fools.

Anyway God be with all of you,

Deborah

-- Deborah the Prophetess (soap@box.com), January 22, 1999.

One of the most important scriptures for Christians re Y2K is:

"Since therefore the children partake of blood and flesh, he also, in like manner, took part in the same, that through death he might annul him who has the might of death, that is, the devil; and might set free all those who through fear of death through the whole of their life were subject to bondage." (Heb. 2:!4-15)

We have been set free from that crippling fear but do we take that freedom for ourselves? Infomagic, who I believe describes himself as a Christian, has said that we have to be prepared to accept our own death before we can deal with all the possibilities of Y2K. Yes. But this is true of all of life, not only Y2K. Y2K just focuses us on that.

"Fear" makes us prepare in ways we need not and hinders us from preparing in ways we should. It keeps us from recognizing possibilities AND dangers (ironically) and responding to them with instant obedience. The most important Y2K preparation for Christians is the ability to hear the Master's Voice and respond. Yet, how many of us REALLY have developed a hearing ear? It is the work of decades of SPIRITUAL preparation.

For me, the most challenging and troubling aspect of Y2K is keeping the balance between biblical injunctions to reach out to our "own" (brethren, family and, BTW, our human "neighbors", see the Second Commandment of Jesus) while properly resisting snakes and vipers. The rubber hits the road on issues with guns/ammunition but by no means only there. I am just as prepared, I hope, to lay my life down for the people on this forum who are agnostic, atheists as for those who are Christians, more so.

DISCLAIMER: NOT trying or wanting to provoke a discussion of guns on this thread. RESIST TEMPTATION.

Finally, I view scripture as absolute guide to life (so does Milne, BTW). But the conventional "Jesus meek and mild" theology of late 20th century Christianity is very unscriptural as such. Non-Christians who point out that it is Jesus who most speaks of hell and damnation are absolutely right.

I personally believe Milne is "laying his life down" for His Lord through his visibility and honesty and truth-bearing. "Set free from fear of death (and NG flames)." Love (see: the Cross, Moses and Elijah) comes in very odd packages sometimes.

DISCLAIMER: Not trying to provoke a discussion of Milne on this thread. RESIST TEMPTATION.

Sheesh, I could go on but I better stop before I cause a major ruckus.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), January 22, 1999.

Deborah, I tried that: "****skeptics-if you don't believe... tell God. Say, 'if it's true, show me.' 'Open my heart.' God wants people to investigate."
Boy did He answer immediately! Have been living and rejoicing in glow of that answer for almost 20 years. You are absolutely correct: God wants to show us. Seek Him out! He is real, He answers, He is the greatest, the coolest, so loving!

Sure was nice to read that, Deborah :) :)

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), January 22, 1999.

OOH RAH B.D.!

wish I'd written that!

Arlin

-- Arlin H. Adams (ahadams@ix.netcom.com), January 22, 1999.

I swore I wouldn't read or post on a Christian thread again, but curious as I am, I got lured by the subject of a poll, and now am curious about BD's "while properly resisting snakes and vipers."

Why is it that I feel you are refering to atheists/heretics with this? Or am I completely mistaken?

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), January 22, 1999.

Compulsive Chris, ;-)

While I am sure that BigDog can speak for himself, my own take, in the Y2K context, is that "snakes and vipers" referred to predators, as in the thread " Predator sightings"

Some of my best friends are atheists. ;-)

-- Elbow Grease (Elbow_Grease@AutoShop.com), January 22, 1999.

Chris --- Thank you for asking that, phew. Elbow Grease is 100% right: predators. Maybe hypocrites too, since the Lord Jesus despised such, though that includes a lot of us Christians, I'm afraid, maybe me.

Carl Jung said, if I remember, that it was no surprise Christians are so messed up since Jesus was noted for hanging around with big-time losers: prostitutes, drunkards et al. Which DON'T mean He was squishy about their loser-ness, BTW, just that He wasn't squeamish about hanging out with, frankly, anyone who would "put up" with Him (and, ya know, by that Good Friday day, no one, not even His so-called followers, would put up with Him).

More than you asked or wanted to know, I'm sure. Hey, Chris, you can stay with us anytime if you can put up with us is all I'm saying.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), January 22, 1999.

oh...phew! ;-)

*fluffs up her hair to hide her horns better*

-- Chris (catsy@pond.com), January 22, 1999.

>oh...phew! ;-) *fluffs up her hair to hide her horns better*

-- Chris<

Those aren't "horns" Nurse lady. They are really just "halo hooks" aren't they?

S.O.B.

-- sweetolebob (La) (buffgun@hotmail.com), January 22, 1999.

I am a Catholic, and Yes! my faith certainly makes facing Y2K much easier.

I have found that preparing for Y2K has made me face my mortality....and has caused me to examine my life, my shortcomings, and my TRUE values with that in mind.

I don't know if I will survive Y2K, but I do know that I am preparing a haven for many who will, and I know that this is God's will, and that He is assisting me every step of the way. Some of the amazing things that have happened during our preparations are simply awesome! I could write a book!!!

Hmmmmmmm.......maybe if I do survive, I'll do just that!!

Good Luck and God bless all of you... Sheila

-- Sheila (sross@bconnex.net), January 23, 1999.

Yup Christian, Yup Catholic, Yup Mason.

Cognitive dissonance anyone? Suffice to say my Freemasonry brought me back to my Lord and now I'm having more dificulty with my Christianity vis a vis my Catholicism than my masonry and either one.

the Lord has been distressingly active and present in my life over the last few weeks. Distressingly only because, paramedics are control freaks and it's distressing to see when we are not in control and actually need the help. I am alive because of this activity. Once I may have handled the situation by skill and training, but the second time I truly felt the trajectory of the car "fixed" by a hand MUCH larger than mine, and several other cars were suddenly elsewhere, so I could fit right in, just so. Angels? Your guess is as good as mine.

There are some things I just say "Thank You" for and don't look at too closely.

I have been having extensive conversations with the Lord, and am doing what I Think/Hope/TRUST He would have me do in terms of preps, but who truly knows. I do know what a Calling feels like (gotta be the right type to understand) and I am also one of those who insists that the Lord will need to scream at me for me to understand His message, so He is most likely whispering it from some distance.

Chuck, working on that inner Hearing Ear.

PS Chris, most of us do not consider athiests to be either snakes or vipers, though, heretics, because they are false prophets, and mislead, we might.

BTW A couple of my better friends are "lapsed Catholics" who landed as Wiccans. the discussions can get Interesting!

-- Chuck, night driver (rienzoo@en.com), January 23, 1999.

I am glad to hear from all of you. Being a Christian has made Y2K both more difficult and easier for me.

My faith has made dealing with Y2k easier in the following ways. It has comforted me when my fear of the future begins to overtake me. My faith has calmed my fear of endangering myself and my husband by informing others about Y2K. My beliefs have eased my temper when I have become the object of scorn/ridicule/jokes/criticism when I share my beliefs about Y2K. My faith has given me the strength to continue on in spite of difficulty. My beliefs have eased my anger and frustration with people who either lie to me about compliance or appear to be trying to otherwise spin the truth.

My beliefs have made it harder for me to deal with Y2K in the following ways. It has made it more difficult to decide how to handle the potential threats to the personal safety of my family. I have had to confront issues such as "rules of engagement" and "rules of sharing with others". It has been hard and I am still unsure what I will do when and if I am confronted with reality. I am preparing for the worst, and hoping for the best. GOD HELP US ALL.

Thank you for sharing. It means alot to me.

Sue

-- Sue (Conibear@gateway.net), January 24, 1999.

Thank *you,* Sue, for your special kind of Y2K witnessing here. It helps to read how others draw upon Christian strength to deal with other people re Y2K. I just got a "HaHa don't disturb my happy life with that Y2K schmeer, I read Time magazine and I know it's nothing" eMail that makes me so sad for the mailer, a wonderful girl who wants to go to college next year. Ppl won't look at it. Many times I agree with Paul Milne and even feel oddly refreshed when I read his scathing to-the-point comments (minus, of course, the scatalogical pepperings). It's soothing to read something more wildly "Get It" than my speculations after somebody's pooh-poohed a Y2K wake-up warning. This Forum helps my sanity! It's really hard to try to help others. Soon that cross/baton will be taken from me and other torch-bearers can take the heat. :) :) :)

xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxxxx xxxxx

-- Leska (allaha@earthlink.net), January 24, 1999.