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2 Thess 2:11 The Great Delusion = social media?

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  • 2 Thess 2:11 The Great Delusion = social media?

    Darfius proposed a theory that the Mandela effect was the sign of the Great Delusion of 2 Thess 2:11.

    I don't hold this belief because it has psychological explanations for it. However, my theory of what it is also has to do with a type of psychological effect and might not be any less spectacular.

    The fact is we're seeing a great divide between political parties. Both sides of this divide are not looking at facts the same and interpreting situations in completely different ways. IOW, it's like they're creating two completely different realities of any given situation.

    Just one among thousands of examples is the Ahmaud Arbery situation. Two political parties looking at two completely different realities of the exact same event and interpreting the facts completely different. Now, obviously, since I'm a conservative, my belief is that the left's reality is the false reality. Obviously Christians that are left bent will disagree with that. The bottom line is that the two realities can't be the same. One of them is false.

    I think this is a result of social media and it's weird effects its having on the populace in how they view reality. Almost like a mass brainwashing effect for lack of a better word, and because we access this media 24/7, and because the facts are being shared and interpreted by the collective, instead of by a central authority, it's worse than any type of media we previously had.

    My theory is that this may be at least the shadow of the Great Delusion. I'm not saying that this is THE delusion right in this time and place, but that this may be a microcosm of what it will be and how its deception will work on the multiples. Right now we're just seeing tiny remnants of it. It will be a result of the internet and it will shape a type of reality that is false, only when THE delusion comes it will be much greater in magnitude than we're seeing now.
    Last edited by seanD; 05-16-2020, 02:58 AM.

  • #2
    I believe the preterist interpretation is more sound, the great delusion has already taken place. In fact almost all prophecies have already taken place, and now we're just waiting for the Ressurection and the Final Judgement.

    Comment


    • #3
      Okay, well, I guess I should have put a disclaimer in the OP, but I forgot the divide between eschatological views here. Oh well, I guess this will go nowhere now.

      Comment


      • #4
        Originally posted by seanD View Post
        Okay, well, I guess I should have put a disclaimer in the OP, but I forgot the divide between eschatological views here. Oh well, I guess this will go nowhere now.
        I think it's a pretty equal divide, its an honest disagreement amongst Christians about eschathology.

        That being said I share your concern about people not caring quite as much about the real (for lack of a better term). There's a growing disdain for expertise and distrust between institutes that used to be respected and the people. Mind you I'm not saying here who is to blame, people, or the institutions, but that there is such a growing divide is a shame.

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Leonhard View Post
          I think it's a pretty equal divide, its an honest disagreement amongst Christians about eschathology.

          That being said I share your concern about people not caring quite as much about the real (for lack of a better term). There's a growing disdain for expertise and distrust between institutes that used to be respected and the people. Mind you I'm not saying here who is to blame, people, or the institutions, but that there is such a growing divide is a shame.
          There are a whole lot of folks out there that actually believe Trump and Putin conspired to get him elected and that Trump is still a Putin asset. They believe this, a whole lot folks, including folks with some social clout -- celebrities, talk show hosts, professors, government people. And if you'd confront these people with the facts, they'd just shoot you down and likely call you a Russian asset yourself or a "Trumpster." They believe in this false reality, that was initially started by some very authoritative institutions, and there's nothing you can say that will change their mind about it. There are hundreds of examples like this. So I know where you're going, but that isn't what I was talking about.

          Comment


          • #6
            Social media has allowed a lot of people to hear about the lord.
            sigpic

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by TheWall View Post
              Social media has allowed a lot of people to hear about the lord.
              There are definitely pluses and negatives about it. Just like there are pluses and negatives about the internet in general. The internet has expanded our knowledge about the world and given us access to information in ways that are unheralded in any other generation. But there are also stark negatives about the internet. It's a give and take. The Lord will use it for his good. Satan will also use it for his evil (not without God allowing it of course).

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by seanD View Post
                Darfius proposed a theory that the Mandela effect was the sign of the Great Delusion of 2 Thess 2:11.

                I don't hold this belief because it has psychological explanations for it. However, my theory of what it is also has to do with a type of psychological effect and might not be any less spectacular.

                The fact is we're seeing a great divide between political parties. Both sides of this divide are not looking at facts the same and interpreting situations in completely different ways. IOW, it's like they're creating two completely different realities of any given situation.

                Just one among thousands of examples is the Ahmaud Arbery situation. Two political parties looking at two completely different realities of the exact same event and interpreting the facts completely different. Now, obviously, since I'm a conservative, my belief is that the left's reality is the false reality. Obviously Christians that are left bent will disagree with that. The bottom line is that the two realities can't be the same. One of them is false.

                I think this is a result of social media and it's weird effects its having on the populace in how they view reality. Almost like a mass brainwashing effect for lack of a better word, and because we access this media 24/7, and because the facts are being shared and interpreted by the collective, instead of by a central authority, it's worse than any type of media we previously had.

                My theory is that this may be at least the shadow of the Great Delusion. I'm not saying that this is THE delusion right in this time and place, but that this may be a microcosm of what it will be and how its deception will work on the multiples. Right now we're just seeing tiny remnants of it. It will be a result of the internet and it will shape a type of reality that is false, only when THE delusion comes it will be much greater in magnitude than we're seeing now.
                I think you are mistaking medium for message. Social Media is a medium for broadcasting messages. Certainly, no other age has had it and certainly no other age is so easy for someone in (random place 1) Greece influence someone in (random place 2) Uruguay. There are many more messages coming at us and certainly it's easy to get caught into your own bubble of only hearing what reinforces your beliefs.

                I think what your describing is a loss of belief in truth and an increase of individualism. There is no longer a truth we all agree on. I have my truth with its facts which is true even if your truth and facts disagree with it. Truth has become self-defining. It's no wonder we can't find common ground (or the real as Leonhard put it) anymore. It's only going to get worse. I think we may be approaching the point when the US becomes ungovernable.

                Since I'm not a preterist, I see this has a necessary step for the revelation of the Anti-Christ. He will bring back together for a time what has been torn apart. So I would watch social media for a convergence of messages back to a single person or single movement.
                "For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings." Hosea 6:6

                "Theology can be an intellectual entertainment." Metropolitan Anthony Bloom

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by seanD View Post
                  The fact is we're seeing a great divide between political parties. Both sides of this divide are not looking at facts the same and interpreting situations in completely different ways. IOW, it's like they're creating two completely different realities of any given situation.

                  Just one among thousands of examples is the Ahmaud Arbery situation. Two political parties looking at two completely different realities of the exact same event and interpreting the facts completely different. Now, obviously, since I'm a conservative, my belief is that the left's reality is the false reality. Obviously Christians that are left bent will disagree with that. The bottom line is that the two realities can't be the same. One of them is false.
                  But is this something that's happening generally or not? You talk about two parties and dramatic divide, and that's true--in the US. What of other countries? A lot of countries have a lot more than just two big political parties as well as countries where one political party is dominant. And even those that do have two big political parties aren't necessarily divided in the same way the US is--the US had two major political parties throughout most of its history but it is only more recently we're really seeing such a strong divide. Can this be demonstrated as occurring worldwide? If not, this seems to be an overly US-centric viewpoint.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Terraceth View Post
                    But is this something that's happening generally or not? You talk about two parties and dramatic divide, and that's true--in the US. What of other countries? A lot of countries have a lot more than just two big political parties as well as countries where one political party is dominant. And even those that do have two big political parties aren't necessarily divided in the same way the US is--the US had two major political parties throughout most of its history but it is only more recently we're really seeing such a strong divide. Can this be demonstrated as occurring worldwide? If not, this seems to be an overly US-centric viewpoint.
                    You make a valid point, but I did say I believe it's just a microcosm of what's coming.

                    I'm not entirely certain how this phenomenon is affecting the rest of the world (some places of the world still don't even have the internet), but I would assume that the west is pretty much the top-down population when it comes to evil influence of this nature, thus Satan would have to be much more meticulous and concentrated in his deception. What I mean by that, out of all the countries worldwide, we'd be the most difficult country to advance his deception, but the most effective, since we're the most "scientifically sophisticated," thus he'd have to start on us the earliest. Our unique freedoms also serve as a deterrent. It's not like China or any other dictatorial country where they can, for the most part, control the information that flows from social media, which makes a deception in those places much easier. He doesn't have to be as meticulous in Muslim countries, another example, because he already has them under the control of a false religion.

                    The best way I see Satan getting us primed for a coming deception is by creating this divide, distrust, confusion in our society, while making one political side (or even both at times) believe in these false realities, as opposed to the more direct controlled deceptions taking place in countries like China.

                    IOW, I guess I'd sum it up this way: he's not priming mankind the same in all countries because of our distinctions. In some countries, he's more direct and abrupt, and in others more subtle and meticulous. Eventually these lies and false realities will converge somehow on a global level when "he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way."

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      This is yet another microcosm of the false reality (the delusion) plaguing our society, caused chiefly by social media. Society is deceived into believing there's a racism epidemic. Racism exists, and it always has and always will, but there's no epidemic the way it's being shaped to us by BLM and everyone that supports this movement. Notice when the man in the video switches the subject to black babies, it gets eerily silent. The woman who comes over and bows down (trained like Pavlov's dog), gets up and retreats once the narrative changes to a reality that's in fact true. But she's not used to a narrative that's true, because she's been trained to accept a false narrative, which is why she doesn't know how to respond to it...



                      This is it, folks. This the Great Delusion slowly rearing it's head. I don't know what it will look like in its full maturity, but it will a false reality, shaped I'm sure by social media, that everyone will believe is true and will attack and vilify anyone who doesn't accept it as true.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        The right believes that QAnon is real (including members of congress).

                        The left believes Trump is literally stealing mailboxes (including members of congress).

                        I rest my case.

                        These delusional microcosms will get worse and worse, I guarantee, up to the final revelation of the grand delusion.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Some mailboxes have been removed (the reasoning seems to be innocuous), so although the notion of Trump stealing mailboxes appears to be untrue, it's not like the whole thing is completely made up, so it's uncharitable to characterize people as "crazy" for misinterpreting some of what's been reported, especially if they haven't done the time to extensively reading about the issue. There was one widely publicized picture that claimed to show the collection of much of them. It's understandable that people would take that as evidence.
                          "I am not angered that the Moral Majority boys campaign against abortion. I am angry when the same men who say, "Save OUR children" bellow "Build more and bigger bombers." That's right! Blast the children in other nations into eternity, or limbless misery as they lay crippled from "OUR" bombers! This does not jell." - Leonard Ravenhill

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
                            Some mailboxes have been removed (the reasoning seems to be innocuous), so although the notion of Trump stealing mailboxes appears to be untrue, it's not like the whole thing is completely made up, so it's uncharitable to characterize people as "crazy" for misinterpreting some of what's been reported, especially if they haven't done the time to extensively reading about the issue. There was one widely publicized picture that claimed to show the collection of much of them. It's understandable that people would take that as evidence.
                            Not just "appears" to be untrue

                            Source: US election: Viral photos claim Donald Trump stealing mailboxes


                            A series of viral photos have been misleadingly used to spread claims that US President Donald Trump is attempting to sabotage the US Postal Service to steal the upcoming election.

                            Mr Trump has voiced concerns in recent weeks about Democrats’ push for expanded mail-in voting, arguing it will lead to a rise in voter fraud.

                            He argues he is not opposed to absentee ballots, which the voter must apply for, but rather universal mail-in voting schemes in states like California and Nevada, where ballots are automatically sent to every registered voter.

                            Democrats say they want more people to cast mail-in ballots to prevent exposure to the coronavirus. They have accused Mr Trump of attempting to suppress the vote – and pre-emptively cast doubt on the results should he lose.

                            Former President Barack Obama has accused his successor of trying to “actively handicap” the Post Office, while House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has called an emergency sitting of the House of Representatives next week to address to supposed crisis.

                            Comments by Donald Trump last week appeared to vindicate the conspiracy theories, with the President saying he opposed Democrats’ push for more funding for the Post Office because “that means you can’t have universal mail-in voting”.

                            As the hysteria grows – more than 100 protesters gathered outside the North Carolina home of postmaster general Louis DeJoy earlier this week – photos of mailboxes being locked or removed on flatbed trucks have flooded social media as supposed evidence of the scheme.

                            One hugely viral tweet posted by former basketball player Rex Chapman this week showing locked mailboxes was retweeted more than 25,000 times. “Burbank, California. In your entire life have you ever seen a LOCKED mailbox at the USPS?” he wrote. “Now you have. A disgrace and immediate threat to American democracy. Shame on them. Shame on the GOP.”

                            The tweet was quickly debunked, with a 2016 news article explaining mailboxes had been locked in the same fashion after a series of “fishing” thefts. “We do this where we have had incidents, or there is a problem where the box may be out in a not very well lit public place,” a spokesman said at the time. “The boxes have been retrofitted all over Southern California.”

                            Another social media user also chimed in. “This is my post office,” she wrote. “These mailboxes are open on the other side, you just have to get out of your car to mail them. It’s been this way for months. This isn’t part of the purge.”

                            In another massively viral tweet, activist Thomas Kennedy posted a Reuters photo of mailboxes stacked in an industrial yard. “Photo taken in Wisconsin,” he wrote. “This is happening right before our eyes. They are sabotaging USPS to sabotage vote by mail. This is massive voter suppression and part of their plan to steal the election.”

                            But in a lengthy thread, photojournalist Gary He explained that the photo was taken at Hartford Finishing Inc., a company which powder coats and refurbishes old mailboxes. “They have been there for years,” he said.

                            He accused Reuters of being deliberately misleading by sending a photographer to take pictures but posting them to its wire service labelling the site as just as an “industrial lot”. “To find this location on Google, you have to search for ‘Hartford Finishing’,” he wrote.

                            “It’s a side road, not like you can spot the mailboxes from a highway. The sign for the business is 20 feet away from the mailboxes. To omit all this from the caption is journalistic malpractice.” He added that “telling the full story and context is everything”. “This is an intentional omission,” he said.

                            “Especially since Reuters is a wire service, other news (organisations) are going to use these pictures as evidence of Trump tampering with the USPS. When it’s later revealed that it was just a place where mailboxes get refurbished, trust in news organisations is further eroded.”

                            A Reuters spokesperson told National Review that the initial captions only “provided brief details” and had now been updated. The captions now state that the boxes are stacked at a “sandblasting and painting company”, but adds “people who live nearby said the pile had grown noticeably larger in recent weeks”.

                            A fact check by USA Today noted that a Google Street View image from August 2019 shows stacks of mailboxes far larger than the ones in the viral photos. “The photo in question is of a vendor we have done business with for several years,” a USPS spokesperson said. “They are a contractor that repairs or destroys old collection boxes. They now make new collection boxes also. Photos such as this appear every couple of years.”

                            While the USPS says it routinely reviews and removes underused mailboxes as mail volumes continued to decline, it announced last week that it would suspend all removals for 90 days “given the recent customer concerns”.



                            Source

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                            • #15
                              Originally posted by KingsGambit View Post
                              Some mailboxes have been removed (the reasoning seems to be innocuous), so although the notion of Trump stealing mailboxes appears to be untrue, it's not like the whole thing is completely made up, so it's uncharitable to characterize people as "crazy" for misinterpreting some of what's been reported, especially if they haven't done the time to extensively reading about the issue. There was one widely publicized picture that claimed to show the collection of much of them. It's understandable that people would take that as evidence.
                              I'm not necessarily saying folks are crazy (though we might debate whether the internet is actually making folks literally crazy -- SOMETHING is definitely making folks act abnormal on a collective scale -- what we've seen in 2020 is NOT anywhere near normal), I'm saying folks are believing these little mini false realities (with no ability to look at things critically or objectively, and almost to the point of mass hysteria) spurred on primarily by social media; one false reality after another, and there's no convincing them otherwise no matter how much proof you present them.

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