Hurricane Irene hits Florida, turning it into a "Federal Disaster Area" and 7+ earthquake rocks California... Behold the Father... Spread the Word... It is not too late... All things can be forgiven... Behold the Son... Through Him, all good things will come.
I find it rather amusing that only on Friday, there was a big ruffling of feathers about how there was an "80 percent chance that one or more damaging quakes with magnitudes of 6 to 6.7 will hit the region before 2030." (referring to S.California) The geologists must be rather proud of their predictive abilities, though I don't think anyone thought they'd be proven correct so soon.
JMitch, With respect to "signs of the end," among the things Jesus told us to look for was an increase in both the intensity and frequency of natural disasters. Earthquakes and famine were mentioned specifically. Earthquakes are on the rise. The National seismic database shows the incidence of deep quakes increasing dramatically since 1946. A magnitude increase is apparent, and as deep quakes lock plates together, first a decrease, then an increase in frequency both in Richter 3+ and Richter 6+ quakes. Quake analysis shows an El Nino Correlation, continuing in 1999, and a 1997-98 lull before the domino quake storm. Famine is on the rise. Although there is enough food to feed the world, approximately 800 million people don't get enough to eat and approximately 40,000 die from hunger EVERY DAY now! That is mind-boggling to me! Hurricanes are also on the rise. We had an intense period from the 1930's to the early 1970's and then it was quiet until the mis-90's. Now it looks like we're into a period of more hurricanes with increasing intensity. I am suggesting that it is possible that this is what Jesus was referring to. As individuals, however, it does not really matter whether we each go individually with some going sooner or later than others. What matters is that we are all facing the end of physical life as we know it and we should be prepared to face God. I have been asked to spread the Word of God before I go and that is what I am doing. [This message has been edited by truestory (edited October 17, 1999).] [This message has been edited by truestory (edited October 17, 1999).]
Hi Dave, I could be wrong but I thought the prediction which you referred to was specifically for the San Francisco Bay area. I believe the center of this one was around 400 miles away...? [This message has been edited by truestory (edited October 17, 1999).]
How many of you actually live in quake zones? I live along the San Andreas Fault and this place is ALWAYS shaking somewhere. California rests on the Pacific Plate, the edge of which is called "the Ring of Fire". There's lots of volcanic activity, which is where the name comes from. On the average, I'd say that this plate is always shaking at about 3.2 magnitude at some point along the rim. It's only when the pressure builds up in an area without adequate means of escape that we get the big ones and the whole concept of "solid ground" becomes a fantasy. An earthquake, even a big one, is not a sign of the apocalypse. It's only a sign that pressure has built up beneath the Pacific Plate in a place where it hasn't had a chance to vent itself yet. To the media, however, the "Look Out Here Comes The Big One" razzamatazz is a godsend that helps scare people into buying copy. As for famine, let's look at eastern Africa. The land has been over-farmed with no field allowed to lie fallow (take a break from yielding nutrient-draining crops). In a desperate attempt to base their economy off of farming, they have killed their very life's blood. Tribes and villages may not migrate to more fertile grounds because of the political situations there. This is also not a sign of the apocalypse but a sign that the societal structure in that nation has fallen apart. Defenseless unarmed civilians are at the mercy of avaricious warlords in a scenario that could be taken from the days of Genghis Kahn. Hurricanes are on the rise? It sure looks like it. But let's look at the larger picture. It's near the middle of October and I still have my fans turned on. Has anybody else been experiencing unseasonal weather? I believe the poles are in the process of shifting again. It happens as part of the life cycle of a planet. As temperatures shift to their new physical environment, air pressure is going to shift, winds will shift, and we will see a rise in weather phenomena for a while. This is not a sign of the apocalypse. It is a sign of the planet doing what it is supposed to be doing under its conditions. These things happen from time to time. We just happen to be the generation that is here when it's happening. When the Black Plague swept Europe, they were so certain that it was the apocalypse (and not lax customs regulations) that one man wrote a letter to any generation who might survive. The letter reads like it could have been written by anyone today who believes that the end is near. It begs forgiveness from those of us who would have to live in what was sure to be a wasteland and describes the "final days" so that we might learn from the sins of our fathers. Given that we are here and life is really not as bad as the press would have us believe, I'd say that was just one of many apocalyptic doom-sayers who missed the mark. There are others, such as the Millerites, who drifted off into historical oblivion, and I will look them up if you like. Rest assured, I prophesy that the end is NOT near and the only apocalypse we are facing is if Al Gore and Dan Quayle team up and run on the same ticket. (No disrespect meant to anyone who may be a fan of these guys, but they're just such easy targets. Al Gore once claimed that he invented the Internet to which Dan Quayle replied "Yeah, right. And I invented spellchecker.") Say, next year, are we still gonna party like it's 1999?
Oxygen, I live about 10 miles away from Rogers Creek fault in the north bay which recently let out a little tremor. I was here 10 years ago to this day also. Like you said, an earthquake is not a sign of apocalypse. Even these ones that just happened are coincidence. Earthquakes of 6.0 and higher are common it's just that some rather large quakes have hit populated areas creating an illusion that earthquakes are somehow "on the rise". Truestory, I guess there are two types of belief regarding God; the manipulator, and the observer. The manipulator belief is one that always leaves me saying...what the? For God to have communicated parts of the bible, it would've had to have done so by physical means. Because if God lies outside of the universe how can it alter the inside? How can non-matter affect matter, or create it for that matter. This is pretty pointless because it just gets thrown to the "God is mysterious" pile but it's something to consider. But, what I'm alluding to is that if God is a manipulator and loves us, why would it cause the apocolypse or let it happen. I am an agnostic, but surely God must not be omnipotent in it's presumed existence. I'm also pretty sure there are passages in the bible when God has to ask people what has been going on while he was away. Wait a second...Away? well that's not the important part but that God didn't know something that his children did. So much for omniscient too. [This message has been edited by JMitch (edited October 18, 1999).]
!!! I think the world is much worse off than the press would have you believe. As for the earthquake thing, I live half the year in Vancouver, which is on the Pacific (there's a big fault line somewhere near here). The big concern here is that there hasn't been an earthquake for quite some time, so the next one could be very powerful. (Fortunately, I live the other half the year happily inland, far away from this earthquake-prone hellhole).
Hello Oxygen and JMitch, Jesus did not forwarn us of "an" earthquake or even "quakes that hit populated areas." We were told that "signs of the end" would include "an increase in the frequency and intensity of natural disasters." Earthquakes and famines were mentioned specifically. Despite the fact that there are many who understand the physical reasons as to why these things are happening now, they are happening now, and their frequency and intensity throughout the world are on the rise. The physical data is available to support this fact. Jesus also told us that another major "sign of the end" is that the Word of God would be spread throughout the world at an unprecedented rate. The internet seem to be facilitating that, big time. For those who heed God's warning, they realize that it is very possible that the end is near, even if it is due to natural changes, technological progress and physical planetary cycles. Science and God are not mutually exclusive. Why would God forwarn us of such things and not do anything to prevent them? As I have said previously, God is not what we would term a "control freak." To the contrary, God has given all of us the gift of a free will to choose whether or not we wish to share in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit with God for all eternity. God also came to us in the flesh, in the form of Jesus Christ, to answer mankind's questions about "the right path" to eternal salvation in the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. While Jesus was with us in the flesh, he also answered our questions about "signs" that the end was near. However, now, or in the end (whenever that might be), it is still up to us to decide whether or not to share in God's gift of eternal salvation. The alternative is to turn our backs on God. Spread the word. It is not too late. All things can be forgiven. Behold the Son. Through Him, all good things will come.
765 Earthquakes have been reported in Southern California alone in the last week. More than 200 of them ocurred in the last 24 hours. There have been 4 earthquakes in the past hour. In the past week, 178 of these quakes registered over 3 and four of these registered over 5. [This message has been edited by truestory (edited October 18, 1999).]
There have been eleven earthquakes (at least) in the last hour in So Cal. [This message has been edited by truestory (edited October 18, 1999).]
There have now been 803 earthquakes in So Cal in the last week. (That's 38 in the past couple of hours). Twelve in the last hour (at least) with one measuring 3.3. [This message has been edited by truestory (edited October 18, 1999).]
825 Earthquakes in the past week in So Cal, as of 17:06 PDT, 10/18/99. Dave, Today, I read that this Hector Mine area had not previously been identified as active because there is no evidence that the fault had ruptured in the past 10,000 years. The Hector Mine earthquake may therefore be considered a "rare" event... One whose occurrence could not have been anticipated based on a standard probabilistic assessment of earthquake rates. The surface rupture measured 40km long and the slip is somewhat larger than average at 4.7 meters.
Truestory, If you really want to be impressive look for a reference that shows a marked INCREASE in activity.
My purpose is to inform (rather than impress) - Would you consider a daily average of 27 per day to more than 200 per day in So Cal a marked increase? Oops. Typo. Mea Culpa! [This message has been edited by truestory (edited October 19, 1999).]
I sure would. I'm not trying to debate you, but what are the specifics of that data? Could you post me a link. thanks [This message has been edited by JMitch (edited October 18, 1999).]
JMitch, Here's a link: www.scecdc.scec.org/recenteqs/Maps/117-34.html There are many other sites, but I like this one because you get the reports almost in real-time. You have to make a record of the data, though, since some of the history drops off after a while.
truestory, that is an interesting site. however, the data does not imply that the frequency of earthquakes is increasing. It is clear that there is an above average # of quakes right now, but that's simply because of the recent large quake (aftershocks are normal and expected). I was hoping you'd have some long-term data that shows the average # of quakes over the past several years/decades. It'd be interesting to see if there is any sort of trend upwards.
