Dictatorship of Christ??

[luclajoie]

Will it be a dictatorship? Yes and No... As far as I understand the bible, we will have quite some freedom to set systems up, economic or other, but only under strict rules of fairness, honesty and care for our neighbors. No one will be able to kill or steal without being caught and stopped. No one will drown, no one will die out of accidents. No war will be waged on anyone. But the bible clearly says that people will still die, but that they would be regarded as cursed, even though they would be 100 years old. This would indicate that for most, attaining that age would be considered normal during the thousand year reign of Christ. Therefore, not submitting to the rulership of Christ would be fatal in the end presumably.

[Skinz]

If laws are passed down from on high with no recourse for the subjects of that law to oppose or change any aspect, then it sounds to me like a dictatorship.

Some of the major corporations of the world are currently ripping individual liberty a new one in the name of "Fairness". I'd look out for words like that if I were you. All great dictatorships use words and phrases like "reasonable" and "fairness" and "common good". It's an iron bar wrapped in velvet; Looks nice in soft light, but still cracks skulls.

Nature and diversity depend on death. I put a lot of stock in the words of wise comedians since they often think too hard about their subject matter, and although Dylan Moran is Irish (Haha), he was still right when he said "We've sort of come to a silent agreement that religion is an organized panic about death".

Death as the foe is an ancient and ill advised idea. Death is natural. It's necassary. Even galaxies are born, they live, and they die on a scale of billions of years. Modern conjecture about the birth, life and death of the cosmos is essentially the object of both religion and science. The difference is... Well, look at my signature. Another comedian sums it up

[Nick]

Sounds like a dictatorship.  I can see a big business in "underground/blackmarket" stuff.

[William]

..., honesty and care for our neighbors. No one will be able to kill or steal without being caught and stopped.

Ahah!  So a Jesus will set up a neighbourhood watch this time 
Obviously he's learned a thing or two about policing from himself back in the days of Eden when he was oblivious till Adam tripped up:

Genesis 3
8 Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. 9 But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”
 
10 He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”
 
11 And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

[wheels5894]

Well, I don't think it will be a dictatorship at all. Of course, the people who make it to heaven will be those who have kept the rules and not sinned and so, presumably can be relied on to to the same in heaven. Thus the people in heaven wil be doing everything right because they chose to and because they think it right.

God won't have to impose anything else, or act like a dictator because everyone will already be doing it right.

[Nick]

Well, I don't think it will be a dictatorship at all. Of course, the people who make it to heaven will be those who have kept the rules and not sinned and so, presumably can be relied on to to the same in heaven. Thus the people in heaven wil be doing everything right because they chose to and because they think it right.

God won't have to impose anything else, or act like a dictator because everyone will already be doing it right.

And what if someone in heaven decides to do something that is not right?  It's possible otherwise you are nothing but a robot for Christ.  If that happens does heaven rock and roll like when Satan lived there?

[Nick]

LIke Hitch said...heaven and even the 1000 rule of Christ in the 2nd coming sounds more and more like living in NOrth Korea.

[Chronos]

Will it be a dictatorship? Yes and No... As far as I understand the bible, we will have quite some freedom to set systems up, economic or other, but only under strict rules of fairness, honesty and care for our neighbors.

Don't we have that ability now?

Haven't we done that already?

Waiting for Christ to come back so that we can do again what we have already done. Isn't repeating the same action while expecting a different result on the boundary of insanity?

No one will be able to kill or steal without being caught and stopped. No one will drown, no one will die out of accidents. No war will be waged on anyone.

Funny, but I thought that's why Jesus died in the first place.

But the bible clearly says that people will still die ...

Well, there is a contradiction already. People will only die of disease. Polio, smallpox, pneumonia, cardiomyopathy, multiple sclerosis, dementia, cancer .... lovely. I guess that means even more praying later on.

but that they would be regarded as cursed, even though they would be 100 years old.

Um, being 100 years old already means you are cursed with a few different things.

This would indicate that for most, attaining that age would be considered normal during the thousand year reign of Christ. Therefore, not submitting to the rulership of Christ would be fatal in the end presumably.

After witnessing life at 85, I'm fine for dying at 100.


So far, what your selling doesn't have any particular advantage for me to purchase. I seem to have it all now.

[kaziglu bey]

The "salvation" offered to us by Christ is in fact a dictatorship. Although what the OP seems to refer to is the reign of Christ on earth (there's so many competing theories about the end of the world/mankind in Christianity as to make one's head spin), what is described it still dictatorial. Sorry, but as someone who enjoy freedom and peace, I refuse to submit to an eternal Big Brother.

Motivated by the release of the Hobbit movie, I am re-reading Lord of the Rings. I am reminded of the story that Gloin tells at the Council of Elrond. He is discussing the events that have gone down in the dwarf kingdom of Erebor, and he recalls how one of the Ring wraiths offers King Dain 3 magical rings, and the kingdom of Moria forever, if only he gives them information about a hobbit named "Baggins". This is little different from Christianity, which offers eternal reward for service to an unrelenting being who will torture and destroy you if you do not cooperate, yet says that he wants your friendship. God is Sauron, and Jesus is his ring wraith.

EDIT: And their followers are orcs. Mindlessly obedient servants commanded to destroy everyone who is not down with the Boss's plan.

[wheels5894]

Well, I don't think it will be a dictatorship at all. Of course, the people who make it to heaven will be those who have kept the rules and not sinned and so, presumably can be relied on to to the same in heaven. Thus the people in heaven wil be doing everything right because they chose to and because they think it right.

God won't have to impose anything else, or act like a dictator because everyone will already be doing it right.

And what if someone in heaven decides to do something that is not right?  It's possible otherwise you are nothing but a robot for Christ.  If that happens does heaven rock and roll like when Satan lived there?

Well surely the god of the time will have chosen people for their adherence to his rules and, of course, heaven will have everytyhing we could ever want so there's be no need to grumble. That plus the lack of politics and religion would remove at a stroke anything to really fall out over.

Think of it like a huge party. Pretty much everyone behaves properly and treats each other properly. All you need is there4 - food, drink, entertainment and company - so everyone is there having a good natured good time. Yes, there's always one who can't manage to do this - gets drunk, starts a fight or whatever. That guy gets chucked out and the party continues happily.  Heaven will have an odd one, I'd expect, but Satan will almost certainly be happy for one extra!

[Nick]

I understand that Christians think Christ will return for a 2nd time and all but I don't understand the purpose of this 1000 year thing.  What is it for?  Why not just end it after the great battle with the horned one when he comes back?  He was only here 33 years the 1st time.  We have to put up with this for 1000 years now.  Kind of over playing this...isn't it?

[12 Monkeys]

I understand that Christians think Christ will return for a 2nd time and all but I don't understand the purpose of this 1000 year thing.  What is it for?  Why not just end it after the great battle with the horned one when he comes back?  He was only here 33 years the 1st time.  We have to put up with this for 1000 years now.  Kind of over playing this...isn't it?

We have been putting up with talk of the 33 year old coming back for 2000 years now......If Christianity lasts another 500 years they will be lucky.

[ParkingPlaces]

Like everything else any given christian claims, funny how this dictatorship would be just like the dictatorship the christian wished he lived in.

Most of us accept a certain amount of social control over our actions. Or at least social limits on some of our actions. But I for one have no desire whatsoever to live in a world where every expectation from on high is my only choice from on high, and where my world is totally defined by some arbitrary power.

We would all have to behave identically. And we would all have to pretend we weren't bored.

If you christians are going to run around making stuff up, at least make it sound desirable.

[wheels5894]

Well. sorry to say this, but a couple of quotes from Shin Kairi might answer this point -

Well about that... If 2014 passes & the rapture still hasn't occured then I'll question some things, but I won't leave the faith.

and

Let's go a step further shall we? If JESUS does not come back by the end of 2020, I will officially become a skeptic. How's that?

both from Shin's thread 'Pure Truth'

[Nick]

Like everything else any given christian claims, funny how this dictatorship would be just like the dictatorship the christian wished he lived in.

Most of us accept a certain amount of social control over our actions. Or at least social limits on some of our actions. But I for one have no desire whatsoever to live in a world where every expectation from on high is my only choice from on high, and where my world is totally defined by some arbitrary power.

We would all have to behave identically. And we would all have to pretend we weren't bored.

If you christians are going to run around making stuff up, at least make it sound desirable.

Yeah, at least with the FSM you get strippers and beer.

[Skinz]

Well. sorry to say this, but a couple of quotes from Shin Kairi might answer this point -

Well about that... If 2014 passes & the rapture still hasn't occured then I'll question some things, but I won't leave the faith.

and

Let's go a step further shall we? If JESUS does not come back by the end of 2020, I will officially become a skeptic. How's that?

both from Shin's thread 'Pure Truth'

*Shudders*

Worst. Argument. Ever.

How about this, fella; If there ever occurs a miracle that science cannot explain, like, for instance, GOD HEALING AN AMPUTEE (Bet you still haven't tried to debate the central premise of this site, have you?) then I'll go back to Church. Until then, I will be a condescending prick to all your brethren on facebook and when they pull out stuff like "Well if the world DOESN'T end at (variable time)" I will slam them mercilessly until they cry so loud the entire bible belt hears them.

Deal?