I often wonder if American Christians aren't inappropriately obsessed with "the end times." The result? Christians escape the world instead of intervening. We leave this planet and it's people to the influence of the Devil himself! Except for trying to get people "saved" we become irrelevant.

Here are some thoughts from Dietrich Bonhoeffer:

"It is wiser to be pessimistic; it is a way of avoiding disappointment and ridicule, and so wise people condemn optimism. The essence of optimism is not its views of the present, but the fact that is is the inspiration of life and hope when others give in; it enables persons to hold their heads high when everything seems to be going wrong; it gives them strength to sustain reverses and yet claim the future for themselves instead of abandoning it to their opponents. It is true that there is a silly, cowardly kind of optimism, which we must condemn. But the optimism that is willing for the future should never be despised, even if it is proved wrong a hundred times; it is health and vitality, and the sick person has no business to impugn it. There are people who regard it as frivolous, and some Christians think it impious for anyone to hope and prepare for a better earthly future. They think that the meaning of present events is chaos, disorder and catastrophe; and in resignation or pious escapism they surrender all responsibility for reconstruction and for future generations. It may be that the day of judgment will dawn tomorrow; in that case, we shall gladly stop working for a better future. But not before."

Is anyone else concerned about this?

My guess is that most of the members of this group have written off the world. What do you say>

What about "Discipling the Nations?" What about the "rock that struck the statue and itself became a mountain that filled the whole earth?"

Come on. What do you think?

ThirstyJon