From Deseret News archives:
Apocalyptic prophecies? Natural disasters have some people thinking about last days
"And there were voices, and thunders, and lightnings; and there was a great earthquake, such as was not since men were upon the earth, so mighty an earthquake, and so great." (Revelation 16:18).
Revelation 6:12 also mentions another "great earthquake" before the sun becomes black and the moon becomes as blood.
But to what degree should such apocalyptic prophecies influence where and how we live?
In light of the 2004 tsunami that hit Asia and the hurricanes that devastated America's Southeast coastal regions last year, is it biblically wise, for example, to live in coastal areas?
And what about the Wasatch Fault, a quake-prone region from southern Idaho to Nephi, with its own potential for a major disaster?
While most church leaders have always stressed it is more important how we live, rather than where we live, isn't common sense also a vital part of our God-given existence? To what extent do we correlate our lives to prophecies of the last days?
"You need to have reverence for nature," the Rev. Art Ritter of Salt Lake's First Congregational Church said.
"We think we're in control," he said, stressing that it is God who is really in charge.
The Rev. Ritter also says he's not one who firmly believes recent natural disasters are part of the apocalypse.
"Place the book of Revelation in its historical context," he said.
Still, he acknowledges that while it may not be wise to have a city like New Orleans built below sea level, it does show the strong resolve of man in making that work for all these years.
The Rev. Tom Goldsmith of the First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City is another whose faith does not believe that all of the Bible is literal especially in regard to the book of Revelation.
"Life is a matter of faith," he said. "You never know what will happen. . . . We can't always control the odds."
The Rev. Goldsmith says a good example of that involves a woman who was run over while standing on a safety traffic island. She was where she was supposed to be, and yet the accident happened.
You can't live your life in a bubble, the Rev. Goldsmith says, but you also shouldn't be self-absorbed with potential catastrophes.
"Balance risk with prudence," he said, and use common sense.
Comments
- Downtown plans three-day ""Eve"" 3:44 p.m.
- Small-business conditions improve 3:41 p.m.
- Pair arrested in Provo burglary 3:36 p.m.
- Summit Co. appoints first manager 3:24 p.m.
- Man sentenced to 7 years in death 3:21 p.m.
- Senate Dems at odds over insurance 3:20 p.m.
- U.S.: $3B to end tribe royalty dispute 3:09 p.m.
- Police seek missing WVC woman 3:06 p.m.
- Prison pop. growth slows in 2008 3:05 p.m.
- Election 'liberating' for gay bishop 2:58 p.m.
- BYU football: Bronco weighs in on Hall
- Witness: Mitchell stalked victims
- Yet again, we learn BCS is a big joke
- Williams' late jumper tops Spurs
- Storm pounds Utah for 2nd day
- Cougars in better mood about bowl
- Ranking the bowl games
- $2M error could mean layoffs
- Andersen apologizes for Jordan hoax
- BCS reform still needed
- Y. profs: Beck not all-knowing
270 - TCU to play Boise in Fiesta Bowl
203 - Letters: Global warming a lie
195 - Cougars going back to Vegas
147 - BYU football: Bronco weighs in on Hall
140 - Utah/BYU rivalry can be more civil
140 - George lost in rivalry hatefest
119 - Ed Smart 'appalled' at testimony
101 - Harpring's NBA career is over
98 - Utahns want health care reform bills
85
That does it — I'm having an affair! Thanks to Tiger Woods, David...
I'm sorry but what she is proposing is unfair. People advance in careers (and...
@Thank you Al: "These are the same nuts that believed the lie the Al Gore...
Are Brandt Anderson and Super Dell the same guy? Sure seems like it.
I know Dr. Golding. He has an absolute disdain for organized religion and...
So..... Six dollars a month for a homeowner is too much to pay for education...
yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaawn ... oh did you say something?
Max learned enough from the backlash on his comments and from the accolades...
But I used my Flash ticket for toilet paper. And that's where all my future...
I hate the Flash. I hate the organization, everything about them.
did people look at that guy and honestly think it was MJ hahahahaha you...




You can be the first to comment on this story.