G
GregoryMurray
Guest
During my time as a Christian Universalist, I did some study of the Preterist position. Preterism refers to a belief that the prophecies of the Apocalypse and the rest of scripture have already been partially (or mostly) fulfilled, or else completely fulfilled. The seminal work on this eschatological position was published in 1878, written by James Stuart Russell, entitled The Parousia: A Critical Inquiry into the New Testament Doctrine of Our Lord's Second Coming. The word parousia is Greek for presence and refers to the second coming. This book is archived at Google books (where I found it). Though the Preterist viewpoint has been largely (not entirely) ignored, and sometimes vilified, in mainstream Christianity, there is ample biblical evidence to support it.
Essentially, the argument is that Jesus' second coming refers to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, that most or all of Christ's parables and warnings refer to this coming destruction to the people Jehovah had rejected; that the Harlot of the Apocalypse, the Mystery Babylon, refers primarily to Jerusalem, the city espoused, through all Old Testament scripture, to Jehovah, but which had played the harlot repeatedly in seeking other gods, etc. The position of Preterists is that the New Testament writings, including the Revelation, were written prior to A.D. 70, and that the "generation" between roughly A.D. 30 (the time of Christ's death) and A.D. 70 (the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman army), a period of 40 years, is that which is constantly referred to throughout scripture. Russell's book combs through the New Testament one book at a time, examining passage after passage which indicates the expectation of Jesus and the Apostles, that all events prophesied in scripture were building to a climax which would take place during the generation in which they lived. He also examines the internal evidence (rather substantial) that the Apocalypse was written prior to A.D. 70, as well as the symbology (taking into account how prophetic language is utilized throughout the OT) by which it is interpreted as referring to the coming terrible events historically put on record by Josephus.
Though Russell examines hundreds of scriptures to establish his position, here are just a few to give an indication:
There is nothing clearer when reading the New Testament free from standard theological interpretations which obscure many plain statements, that the early Christians are very strongly and eagerly anticipating their personal resurrections to take place either within their own lifetimes or very soon after some of them, due to age or persecution, die. Russell also demonstrates how the intensity of expectation increases with some of the later NT writings, as the time grows ever nearer.
Now here is a thought which occurred to me. What if the New Testament is the (embellished) remains of a 4th Way Group? What if this group did successfully translate or transform to 4D STO around A.D. 70? As far as the apostles themselves, tradition records their various deaths, but only traditions developed much later, based on no contemporary documents. What if, after this 4th Way work was successfully completed, others picked up the scraps, tried to piece together what happened... and eventually these scraps were formed into the religion we now call Christianity. Some of the beginners would have been sincere, yet without critical knowledge. Also, as it is "when" you choose that counts (C's), they missed the boat, came a generation later, etc. Eventually the STS hierarchy stepped in and co-opted the whole program, according to 4D STS policy. Much false material was added to the original "gospel" and also, perhaps, to some of the other NT writings. Yet, all the references to the shortness of the time, and the quick work to be done, and the near-at-hand consummation of the ages, etc.--though all of it is ignored by the mainstream Church and has been for 2,000 years--still lies embedded and entrenched, unchanged, within all these documents.
The reason this thought occurred to me is I remember reading in the The Wave, somewhere, about discussion concerning the disappearance of some Native American groups. It's been 3 years since I read Laura's books, and I only read them once, so I need to go back and reread them. But others more familiar with her writings will know to what I am referring. If I remember correctly, the speculation was that this Native American people (or peoples), completed some kind of 4th way work, and left this Density, leaving all their magnificent architecture vacant and intact, etc. Might something similar have happened to the original Christians?
Anyway, some food for thought....
Essentially, the argument is that Jesus' second coming refers to the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70, that most or all of Christ's parables and warnings refer to this coming destruction to the people Jehovah had rejected; that the Harlot of the Apocalypse, the Mystery Babylon, refers primarily to Jerusalem, the city espoused, through all Old Testament scripture, to Jehovah, but which had played the harlot repeatedly in seeking other gods, etc. The position of Preterists is that the New Testament writings, including the Revelation, were written prior to A.D. 70, and that the "generation" between roughly A.D. 30 (the time of Christ's death) and A.D. 70 (the destruction of Jerusalem by the Roman army), a period of 40 years, is that which is constantly referred to throughout scripture. Russell's book combs through the New Testament one book at a time, examining passage after passage which indicates the expectation of Jesus and the Apostles, that all events prophesied in scripture were building to a climax which would take place during the generation in which they lived. He also examines the internal evidence (rather substantial) that the Apocalypse was written prior to A.D. 70, as well as the symbology (taking into account how prophetic language is utilized throughout the OT) by which it is interpreted as referring to the coming terrible events historically put on record by Josephus.
Though Russell examines hundreds of scriptures to establish his position, here are just a few to give an indication:
There is nothing clearer when reading the New Testament free from standard theological interpretations which obscure many plain statements, that the early Christians are very strongly and eagerly anticipating their personal resurrections to take place either within their own lifetimes or very soon after some of them, due to age or persecution, die. Russell also demonstrates how the intensity of expectation increases with some of the later NT writings, as the time grows ever nearer.
Now here is a thought which occurred to me. What if the New Testament is the (embellished) remains of a 4th Way Group? What if this group did successfully translate or transform to 4D STO around A.D. 70? As far as the apostles themselves, tradition records their various deaths, but only traditions developed much later, based on no contemporary documents. What if, after this 4th Way work was successfully completed, others picked up the scraps, tried to piece together what happened... and eventually these scraps were formed into the religion we now call Christianity. Some of the beginners would have been sincere, yet without critical knowledge. Also, as it is "when" you choose that counts (C's), they missed the boat, came a generation later, etc. Eventually the STS hierarchy stepped in and co-opted the whole program, according to 4D STS policy. Much false material was added to the original "gospel" and also, perhaps, to some of the other NT writings. Yet, all the references to the shortness of the time, and the quick work to be done, and the near-at-hand consummation of the ages, etc.--though all of it is ignored by the mainstream Church and has been for 2,000 years--still lies embedded and entrenched, unchanged, within all these documents.
The reason this thought occurred to me is I remember reading in the The Wave, somewhere, about discussion concerning the disappearance of some Native American groups. It's been 3 years since I read Laura's books, and I only read them once, so I need to go back and reread them. But others more familiar with her writings will know to what I am referring. If I remember correctly, the speculation was that this Native American people (or peoples), completed some kind of 4th way work, and left this Density, leaving all their magnificent architecture vacant and intact, etc. Might something similar have happened to the original Christians?
Anyway, some food for thought....
