Let the apocalypse begin!

We have to take into account the circumstances under which it [apocalypticism] originated. Then and now, they emanated from a deep uncertainty about the signs of the times that is counteracted by exact calculation of the days until the end. Much more interesting than the calculations themselves are their causes and the self-critical view of one’s own past, which—at least in ancient Judaism—arose out of the calculation of history. Both saved Jewish apocalypticism from overestimating human possibilities and from establishing a theocratic state. Like all the “pious” (Hasidim) of this period, apocalyptic thinkers were fundamentalists. Fundamentalism, however, does not necessarily need to have a violent streak.—The Prophets of Israel, pages 86–87

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So, does that mean we should see a rise in apocalyptic thought in the U.S.? Oh, wait, we already have! : (
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