A Numberz Theory

[Numberz]

So, I was studying for a mid-term and was about 4 hours in, and mind started to wander, as it is apt to do. Anyway, I gotta to thinking about this conversation I had with one of my professors about the leadership qualities of Adolf Hitler. I won't explain the mental progression, but I started thinking about the holocaust and then the rapture, and then I got to thinking that maybe the holocaust was the rapture.

You have the anti-christ (Hitler) who rises to power quickly and is very popular and successful (as Hitler was). Then you have the disappearance of the good and faithful into heaven (according to the Bible, the Jews are God's people, and well....there was a lot of them that 'disappeared' from this Earth)....and then you have the people wearing the symbol of the 'beast' (swastika)....and I just kept seeing all these similarities between the holocaust and the rapture. There are similarities between some of the description of the battle at the end and of that of modern warfare (description of helicopters).

Am I on to something here? Are we living in a God-less society? Are we in the times of suffering? Or do I, perhaps, just need to take a nap?

...just thought I'd through that out there for some off-season discussion.

[Sgt. Nuke]

Re: A Numberz Theory

Interesting theory...but I'm pretty sure you just need a nap.

I've heard the theology that there are multiple anti-christ's out there, and that eventually, one will be successful.

[Esks4ever]

Re: A Numberz Theory

the people wearing the symbol of the 'beast' (swastika)....

The word "swastika" comes from the Sanskrit svastika - "su" meaning "good," "asti" meaning "to be," and "ka" as a suffix.

Until the Nazis used this symbol, the swastika was used by many cultures throughout the past 3,000 years to represent life, sun, power, strength, and good luck.

Even in the early twentieth century, the swastika was still a symbol with positive connotations. For instance, the swastika was a common decoration that often adorned cigarette cases, postcards, coins, and buildings. During World War I, the swastika could even be found on the shoulder patches of the American 45th Division and on the Finnish air force until after World War II.

A Change in Meaning

In the 1800s, countries around Germany were growing much larger, forming empires; yet Germany was not a unified country until 1871. To counter the feeling of vulnerability and the stigma of youth, German nationalists in the mid-nineteenth century began to use the swastika, because it had ancient Aryan/Indian origins, to represent a long Germanic/Aryan history.

By the end of the nineteenth century, the swastika could be found on nationalist German volkisch periodicals and was the official emblem of the German Gymnasts' League.

In the beginning of the twentieth century, the swastika was a common symbol of German nationalism and could be found in a multitude of places such as the emblem for the Wandervogel, a German youth movement; on Joerg Lanz von Liebenfels' antisemitic periodical Ostara; on various Freikorps units; and as an emblem of the Thule Society.

Hitler and the Nazis

In 1920, Adolf Hitler decided that the Nazi Party needed its own insignia and flag. For Hitler, the new flag had to be "a symbol of our own struggle" as well as "highly effective as a poster." (Mein Kampf, pg. 495)

On August 7, 1920, at the Salzburg Congress, this flag became the official emblem of the Nazi Party.

In Mein Kampf, Hitler described the Nazis' new flag: "In red we see the social idea of the movement, in white the nationalistic idea, in the swastika the mission of the struggle for the victory of the Aryan man, and, by the same token, the victory of the idea of creative work, which as such always has been and always will be anti-Semitic." (pg. 496-497)

Because of the Nazis' flag, the swastika soon became a symbol of hate, antisemitism, violence, death, and murder.

What Does the Swastika Mean Now?

There is a great debate as to what the swastika means now. For 3,000 years, the swastika meant life and good luck. But because of the Nazis, it has also taken on a meaning of death and hate.

These conflicting meanings are causing problems in today's society. For Buddhists and Hindus, the swastika is a very religious symbol that is commonly used. Chirag Badlani shares a story about one time when he went to make some photocopies of some Hindu Gods for his temple. While standing in line to pay for the photocopies, some people behind him in line noticed that one of the pictures had a swastika. They called him a Nazi.

Unfortunately, the Nazis were so effective at their use of the swastika emblem, that many do not even know any other meaning for the swastika. Can there be two completely opposite meanings for one symbol?

In ancient times, the direction of the swastika was interchangeable as can be seen on an ancient Chinese silk drawing.

Some cultures in the past had differentiated between the clockwise swastika and the counter-clockwise sauvastika. In these cultures the swastika symbolized health and life while the sauvastika took on a mystical meaning of bad-luck or misfortune.

But since the Nazis use of the swastika, some people are trying to differentiate the two meanings of the swastika by varying its direction - trying to make the clockwise, Nazi version of the swastika mean hate and death while the counter-clockwise version would hold the ancient meaning of the symbol, life and good-luck.

[Esks4ever]

Re: A Numberz Theory

I just think Numberz ate either:

a) too much food at one time

b) a really good batch of "special" brownies

[Numberz]

Re: A Numberz Theory

it was only considered that when the Nazi's starting using it...


The word "swastika" comes from the Sanskrit svastika - "su" meaning "good," "asti" meaning "to be," and "ka" as a suffix.

Until the Nazis used this symbol, the swastika was used by many cultures throughout the past 3,000 years to represent life, sun, power, strength, and good luck.

Ya, it's a peace symbol, when tilted on an angle it's the nazi symbol. A symbol is a symbol.

[Deathsdoorstep]

Re: A Numberz Theory

Not to put a damper on the theory....but if the Holocaust was the rapture, then that means that the Jews have it right and everyone else has it wrong.

So, if that's true then the rapture can't possibly have happened yet because the messiah hasn't come yet. So it's impossible.

[Traxy]

Re: A Numberz Theory

Or there is no such thing as the rapture.

[Deathsdoorstep]

Re: A Numberz Theory

Or there is no such thing as the rapture.

Or heathens like you will burn! BUUUUURN!!!!!

[Uncle Bobby]

Re: A Numberz Theory

You are on the wrong track.

Figure out who the fourth horseman after Jeb will be and you'll have your answer.

[Esks4ever]

Re: A Numberz Theory

Or heathens like you will burn! BUUUUURN!!!!!

I woudn't mind a little burning... its been pretty cold lately.. and welll I kinda like the pain

[PDO]

Re: A Numberz Theory

Or there is no such thing as the rapture.

BLASPHEMY!

And, of course, I whole-heartedly agree.

I can, though, also agree with Numberz... we live in a Godless society .