Can someone explain to me..

[BarbaraGordon]

Originally Posted by minn_stat

One aspect of pre- and post- millennialism that I find interesting is that premillenialism generally views the millenial reign as happening because Christ comes to cleanse the earth of wickedness, while postmillenialism views the millenium as at least partially being brought about by the human family choosing to live in such a way that makes the millenium possible.

That's right. Post-millennialists (as well as a-millennialists) have a much more optimistic view of collective human nature. Mankind will somehow bring about God's kingdom on this earth. It's a difficult idea to fathom, given what we see on the news everyday.

[jay santos]

Originally Posted by BarbaraGordon

Interesting. Very standard evangelical response.

Told ya!

[minn_stat]

Originally Posted by BarbaraGordon

That's right. Post-millennialists (as well as a-millennialists) have a much more optimistic view of collective human nature. Mankind will somehow bring about God's kingdom on this earth. It's a difficult idea to fathom, given what we see on the news everyday.

Although I see your point and agree with you in many respects, I can also see the opposite view - kind of a Dickens-like "best of times, worst of times". Think of what most of us see in life everyday, as opposed to on the news. When I was in a car accident last fall, we had volunteers coming out of our ears -- mowing lawns, watching kids, bringing meals, etc. And we had been in the neighborhood less than 2 months, so many of the volunteers were pretty much strangers.

Look at the outpouring of aid and help when Katrina hit, or during the Pacific tsunami that hit Indonesia and Thailand on Christmas day a few years back (or was it the day after Christmas?). And in today's society, there are less social constraints on many immoral activities, making moral behaviors less the "default" choice. And yet look at how many still make that choice. There is certainly more tolerance for people who are different, whether racially, religiously, ethnically, or what. While you are noticing all the ill-mannered, ill-dressed teenagers, don't forget to notice a significant number of them who make heroic choices to choose God, choose to serve, and resist the growing tentacles of evil.

I see that every time a committed Christian chooses to try to follow God, however feeble their efforts may be at some times, they have brought some light to the world, made a place where God's spirit dwells, and thus made this world more of an invitation for His return. There will clearly need to be a separating process of the wheat and the tares, and His presence will certainly accelerate that process, but I clearly have a bit of a post-millenialist streak in this regard.