Darwinian baby making

Actually, it's estimated that if our population continues to grow at its current rate, our planet will be unable to support all of us by December 21, 2012.
But, I think that's a load of crap. Sure, the very last day of the Mayan Calendar happens to be on that date, but who says that we're going to be screwed at that point?

 

Hooray!!

There's just, what, 600,000 results for "earth "point of no return"" in Google? Someone mentioned it to me in passing at school and school was quite a while ago. It could be what Gross said.

There are also lots of different books writing about the Apocalypse, but I remember distinctly a passage in the bible saying that those who attempt to describe the Lord's word in regards to the Apocalypse will bring it about sooner, or at least the author will suffer a horrible, horrible death really soon.

But what do we do with the babies in the meantime?

 

We sacrifice them to the gods.

My two cents anyway.

 

Are you sure you were reading the Holy Bible? Because I'm pretty sure it doesn't say that. It does say that anyone who tries to add to or take away from the word of God will suffer severe consequences. Is that the passage you had in mind?

 

That passage isn't talking about the apocalypse, but the rapture. As for the apocalypse, there is more prophecy recorded about the second coming of Christ and the end times than about his first coming, death and resurrection. So yeah, I'd say we can get a pretty good idea of when it's gonna be.

 

I'd say pretty soon, probably within the next 10 years. One of the key criteria for a lot of the prophecies is the return of the Jews to Israel. That part has already been fulfilled. Personally, I think the Tribulation could begin some time this Fall. Some think the rapture will happen right before the tribulation, others think it will be halfway through. Either way, if the tribulation starts this year, that would put the 'great and terrible day of the Lord' in 2015.

This is a very speculative estimate, but we'll see how it pans out.

 

I believe that the population of the Earth isn't predicted to exceed about 9 billion at most within the next century. When countries become industrially developed, there is a lag of a few decades in between the time when medicine and increased prosperity sharply decrease child mortality and when people (society and tradition's influence on people) realize that this means they don't need to have as many kids, and fewer families need them to work fields. This happened in India and China, and virtually every modern country, but it's just been the worst in these two places. And, we've only recently devoted serious resources to preventing overpopulation and bringing contraception to nations as we bring advanced medicine.

Japes - grats on 1000. I agree with most of what you've said in this thread until just now. I think it's definitely better to be born than to have never existed, especially if you've already been conceived. I have to agree with DE on this one, though. First, there aren't any actual indications in the Bible about when this might occur. In fact, all of the numbers in revelation are numbers which have explicit numerological significance, and the original readers would have understood them pretty well.

Secondly, everyone thinks the events of Revelation are about to happen to them. This has been happening since the first centurty AD. I bet most of them were even more convinced than people are now, and the significance of expecting a coming apocalypse had more significant psychological and religious significance. It fundamentally defined the mindset of very early Christians.

Also, as for there being signs like natural disasters, I don't think the cataclypse knob has been turned to 11 yet. The disaster of the Plague in Europe, hitting hundreds of times over the course of centuries, was far worse than anything we face now, until Florida is underwater and we completely run out of petroleum. That goes to almost the same extent for WWI.

As soon as virtually all of our artists start making works like this, then I'll be worried:

 

I guess the phrase isn't exactly 'looking forward to it', but when we find a handsome blond guy from any of the Germanic or Russian countries touting for a seven-year peace deal, then we're pretty much screwed.

 

Actually, I think he's supposed to be of Syrian descent.

 

The antichrist is meant to be rather good looking so we don't suspect who he is it. He's meant to be suave and charming, the right sort of man who could lead the world to change.

I read lots, but I don't remember where I read them from

 

Well, that technically means you're not the AC. It's his duty, to please Earth's booty...and then bring about the end of the world.

 

I doubt you burp frogs anyway, DE.

 

I'm sure it's open to interpretation.