End of World Paper

Date: July 30, 2008
Time: 9 PM
PLace: DeVry Lab

Regardless of background or lifestyle, virtually everyone deals with three problems. The first is survival needs. How will food and shelter be obtained? The second deals with social relationships. The third is how to relate oneself to the total scheme of things. “Why I am here?” “What happens when I die?” These questions pop into one’s mind sometimes. Such thoughts can be mind boggling and enthralling. Religion serves as a source of relief from distressing topics. Society relies heavily on religion for comfort and direction. In particular, religion plays an enormous role when it comes to the topic of the end of the world. The book 2008: God’s Final Witness and the film Countdown to Armageddon provide examples of religion’s influence.
Religion plays an important role in many people’s lives. Many live their lives based on religious beliefs and principles. Although scientists argue evolving theories, most people believe in God or some sort of higher being. The debate of science vs. religion has been going on for ages. Regardless of what is the truth, religion has been accepted by society and is an important aspect of one’s reality. Religion serves as a source of relief. It is motivational because it “promises a set of highly valued outcomes and provides a set of ‘assured’ means by which those valued outcomes may be secured.” (Maehr, Karabenick)
The influence of religion on society is evident in many areas. “In God We Trust” is printed on American money and the walls of some public buildings. It’s often cited in the media and through current events. For example, during the 2004 elections several news agencies reported that some Catholic bishops and priests were considering refusing the sacraments of the Church to politicians who supported legislation such as abortion or gay marriages (Garber,2004; Pinsky, 2004). President Dwight Eisenhower stated in 1952 that “Our form of government makes no sense unless it is founded in a deeply felt religious faith and I don’t care what it is.”
One of the most prominent current examples of religion’s impact on society is the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Islamic extremists invaded the US on behalf of their beliefs. They were willing to sacrifice not only their lives but the lives of thousands and thousands of others.
The inevitability of death, the awareness of one’s own mortality, and the degree of one’s concern with it have been the subjects of countless poems, songs, essays, books, and paintings. The questions of what constitutes life, the existence of an afterlife, and the very meaning of our short span on earth have engaged prophets and philosophers for as far back as we have records. Thoughts about death make up a large portion of the conscious thoughts of most people, but there is a many differences among different cultures, nations, and social classes. There is also tremendous individual variation in attitudes toward death, from welcoming to passive acceptance to angry fighting back.
People spend much of their lives seeking to justify their existence, to validate their behavior, and to establish their self-esteem. Society is constantly searching for ways to make their lives meaningful. These activities are crucial to their continued living, because people are, for the most part, self-examining creatures. The way we live our lives, then, has much to do with how we cope with death. Conversely, the way we deal with death, our attitudes toward it, and our ability to face it in a reasonable way determine to a great extent how we live our lives. Knowing that there is an afterlife gives one a greater sense of purpose.
Ronald Weinland’s 2008 God’s Final Witness and the documentary Countdown to Armageddon show examples of how religion plays a role in shaping one’s opinion of the end of the world. Weinland has written an expansive text that describes catastrophic events. He believes that 2008 will be the beginning of the end of times. Weinland is the type of prophet referred to in Countdown to Armageddon. Countdown to Armageddon gives, in a historical context, the role of religion on people’s thoughts of the end of the world. Both Winland’s book and the documentary did a good job of providing a source for figuring out one’s purpose. Some refer to Weinland’s ideas as crazy. But, the same can be said about any type of religion or faith.
As we live our lives and seek the answers to many questions, some problems will never be solved. Not knowing is too much for most to bear. Religion serves a great idea to fall back on for comfort.


Works Cited
Garber, P. (2004, October 1). Bishop tackles communion issue—Discipline, not politics, behind decision to deny rite to abortion supporters, Jugis says. Winston-Salem Journal, p. B1
Martin L Maehr, Stuart A Karabenick (2005). Motivation & Religion. Boston, p54.