Judgement Day

{{Christianity}}
'''Judgment Day''', or  '''Last Judgment''', as understood in [[Christianity]], is the final time of reckoning, when [[God]] will judge the entire world for its [[sin]]s, and will appropriately send all the [[gay]]s, [[atheist]]s, [[Religious leaders#Women in Clergy|lady ministers]], heathens in general, and 
[[godbotherer]]s
 straight to [[Hell]]. It forms part of the overall Christian [[eschatology]] that will end either with the total destruction of the [[Earth]], or with total [[peace]] on Earth (believers seem to have a hard time agreeing on what will actually happen, especially to the earthly realm).<ref group=note>Arguably, if Earth is destroyed afterwards, it would get quite peaceful now that no one was around to cause trouble.</ref>

The concept of a final judgement of all people is not unique to Christianity, though the particular Christian version has some unique features. [[Zoroastrianism]], some 400-600 years older than Christianity, and Christianity's fellow-[[Abrahamic religion|Abrahamic]] faith [[Islam]], some 600 years younger, both have quite similar concepts, which are likely {{wpl|history of ideas|evolutionarily}} related. The general concept of a final judgment before a final destruction of the Earth features in some ancient [[Greek]] and [[African]] religions, as well as in several examples from [[India]] and [[China]].<ref group=note>The implications of judgment within a religion that does not posit a [[Monotheism|monotheistic god]] read quite differently, and the included "judgment" is not necessarily a moral one and certainly is not based on the "[[sin]]s" of the people.</ref>

==Zoroastrian connection==
Like a large number of Christian concepts including [[Heaven]] and Hell as well as [[sin]] (at least as Christians understand the concept), the concept of the "Final Judgment" is likely influenced by the [[Zoroastrian]] religion. After the final 3000 year cycle, a "Last Savior" will be born to a [[virgin]], the seed of the Zoroaster,<ref group=note>Zoroaster is not a [[god]], but is the first messiah and prophet from 600 BCE or thereabouts.</ref> and upon the final savior's death, all of the dead (those in both [[Heaven]] and Hell) will rise from the dead and will be judged. Those in Hell who have redeemed themselves of [[sin]] will be allowed into Heaven, and those in Heaven who are no longer worthy will find themselves in Hell. It would be hard to argue that the Christian concept is not a direct retelling of this [[myth]], in a Jewish framework.

==Christian belief==
[[File:Last judgement Bosch.jpg|thumb|right|''The Last Judgment'' by Hieronymus Bosch]]
In ancient [[Judaism]], there was little concept of an afterlife; Heaven and Hell did not exist. The discussions of "[[end times]]" in Judaism foreshadowed much of how Christians understand the Final Judgment &mdash; minus the "judgment". They believed God would return to his people, the Temple would (once again) be rebuilt, and that all of the dead would rise in praise of God. 

Christianity starts there, then says that God will judge each person according to their sins, allowing only those deemed worthy to remain with him in Heaven. Every person, including every single person who has ever lived and died, will be rejoined with his/her physical body. It is this physical body that goes to heaven, if worthy. The rest would go to a literal "Hell" or a figurative "Hell on Earth". [[Roman Catholic]]s say that all who are in Heaven will remain in Heaven, those in Hell will remain in Hell, while some [[Evangelicalism|Evangelicals]] claim the times until such day comes would be spent respectively in Paradise and Sheol instead and after having been judged the people in the former going to Heaven and those in the latter to Hell,<ref group=note>{{bible|Philippians|2|10}} and {{bible|Philippians|2|11}} are often also added in by such people, claiming before being judged ''everyone'', up to Satan, shall bow upon Jesus and confess Him as Lord, presumably for nothing.</ref> perhaps prompting one to ask why such a worldwide event is even necessary. 

While the idea of Last Judgment is in no way extra-biblical, most of the writings in the Bible, including the 4 [[Gospels]] and [[Paul of Tarsus|Paul]]'s letters, assumed the Final Judgment would be immediate, generally within their lifetimes or at most, the lifetime of their children. [[Revelation]] is the text that really suggests this would be a futuristic event. It is also the mythic text from which most artistic representations of the Final Days are pulled.<ref group=note>A great deal of what the Bible predicts is typical of [[mythology]], the dead will arise woken by a trumpet, [[Jesus]] will sit on a cloud in the sky, and much more. Liberal Christians probably deny that those parts of the Bible are literally true. Throughout most of Christian history, all Christians believed the whole [[New Testament]] account and [[Biblical literalism|Bible literalists]] one assumes believe it all today (which ''happens'', including to consider stars will fall from the heavens as such book claims, but ''only on Earth'')</ref><ref group=note>Perhaps there are literalists who even believe in the resurrection and judgement of [[Abortion|aborted]] [[blastocyst]]s, even though no one knew what one was before the invention of the microscope.</ref> 

Jesus, especially in the non-canonical works, appears obsessed with Final Days and Final Judgment.<ref>http://etd.nd.edu/ETD-db/theses/available/etd-04122005-120750/unrestricted/GreggBDH042005.pdf</ref> While Jesus does not say exactly when this will happen he does clearly say that it will be ''in the lifetime of those hearing his sermons'':

{{cquote|Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.<ref>{{bible|Matthew|16|28}}</ref>}}

{{cquote|Verily I say unto you, All these things shall come upon this generation. <ref>{{bible|Matthew|23|26}}</ref>}}
   
{{cquote|Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. <ref>{{bible|Matthew|24|34}}</ref>}}

{{cquote|Nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.<ref>{{bible|Matthew|26|64}}</ref>}}

{{cquote|Verily I say unto you, There be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom.<ref>{{bible|Matthew|16|28}}</ref>}}

{{cquote|Verily I say unto you, That there be some of them that stand here, which shall not taste of death, till they have seen the kingdom of God come with power.<ref>{{bible|Mark|9|1}}</ref>}}

{{cquote|Verily I say unto you, that this generation shall not pass, till all these things be done.<ref>{{bible|Mark|13|30}}</ref>}}

{{cquote|And ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.<ref>{{bible|Mark|14|62}}</ref>}}

{{cquote|But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God.<ref>{{bible|Luke|9|27}}</ref>}}

{{cquote|Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.<ref>{{bible|Luke|21|32}}</ref>}}

Paul similarly believes the end time is close at hand:

{{cquote|But this I say, brethren, the time is short: it remaineth, that both they that have wives be as though they had none.<ref>{{bible|1 Corinthians|7|29}}</ref>}}

{{cquote|Hath '''in these last days''' spoken unto us by his Son…<ref>{{bible|Hebrews|1|2}}</ref>}}

{{cquote|But now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.<ref>{{bible|Hebrews|9|26}}</ref>}}

{{cquote|Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but '''was manifest in these last times for you'''.<ref>{{bible|1 Peter|1|20}}</ref>}}

{{cquote| But the end of all things is at hand.<ref>{{bible|1 Peter|4|7}}</ref>}}

{{cquote|Little children, '''it is the last time''': and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.<ref>{{bible|1 John|2|18}}</ref>}}

It is clear from these quotes that both Jesus and Paul felt the end time was right around the corner.

==Islamic mythology==
There is a concept of a Last Judgment in [[Islam]] but Muslims can't agree exactly what will happen.{{fact}}

==Social effects==
Christians, especially the [[Religious Right]], use the fear of Final Judgment in their rhetoric, both about the way humans should behave, as well as justifications for their own actions, especially any [[anti-environmental]] position they hold. Famous "pastors" from the [[fundamentalists]]' side of Christianity, like [[Fred Phelps]] and [[Benny Hinn]], routinely bring up Final Judgment in their castigation of modern society.

In context with the mythology of the Final Judgment and Final Days, there is a move amongst fundamentalists to go to [[Israel]] and help resettle [[Palestine]] (regardless of the fact that this resettlement is illegal, or that there are people already living there) because they believe the language of Revelation that suggests the End of the World will come when the Temple is rebuilt and the lands resettled by the Israelite.

==See also==
*[[Armageddon]]
*[[Millennialism]]
*[[Predestination]]
*[[Salvation]]
*[[Second Coming]]
*[[Zombies]]

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist|2|90%}}

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[[Category:Christian mythology]]
[[Category:End of the world]]

Categories: Christian mythology, End of the world