Amy Hughes
Re: Engaging claims of End Times, rapture, Armageddon, etc

First, these claims backed by military might immediately endanger a lot of people. Anything we can do to diffuse this we must do.

Arguing eschatology is not helpful in these moments for two reasons:
1) People hate to be wrong and will go to great lengths to avoid it.
2) When afraid or feeling threatened (regardless of veracity) or faced with the opportunity to take what they think is heroic action (say, as a soldier in our military),
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Mar 3 at 4:55pmWeb
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people will entrench in the narrative that offers them the clearest sense of their being in control or another they "trust" is in control. Arguing just makes them dig in.

So what is helpful?

Engaging those who benefit from these claims who have a lot of power and make money on preaching, books, videos, etc is a waste of time. Greed and the libido dominandi is going to win over any correction of theology or
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biblical interpretation or conviction of harm done. They gotta lose their audience and power first.

This post is about engaging everyone else. Those who want to be right and feel right. Those who are managing these fears of _______ and desire for _______ by white-knuckling these claims.

1) Validate the feeling of fear or desire to be heroic (to matter)

Note I didn't say "validate the fear or desire." Validate the feeling. Of course we don't like being afraid and of course we want
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to matter. Do this without sounding patronizing.

2) Contextualize the fear with the claims of the gospel

These claims are connected to a larger narrative. Instead of focusing on false narrative (whatever it is) recognize that narrative assumes some connection with the gospel. This one will take time. A lot of Christians think they know the gospel but really they focus on one aspect of it at the expense of others. Find the thread of
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connection. Affirm the gospel together. Again, without patronizing them.

3) Articulate the Christian hope in a way that addresses the fear and the desire

This step is vital. This story is the better story. It is going somewhere and that somewhere is GOOD. And good for all. That goodness is extravagant and beautiful and loving. In this story they MATTER.

Fear is a dead end. It's not a story. It's a lie that plays on a loop and gets louder. Or, when the immediate threat passes,
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it sneakily hides like a sleeper agent until yet another jerk with a podcast mic activates it.

4) Repeat steps 1-3 until that person owns for themselves and others. Until the Christian hope crowds out the false story. Until the fear is rejected and they cling to hope.

Then, and ONLY THEN, move on to

5) Engage the claims of problematic eschatology

This is how those with power and money backing these claims lose their power and money. By us loving the audience they are exploiting.
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