The God Of Abraham Sets A Date

Somewhere circa 600 B.C, the idea that the God of Israel has set a date for a judgment of all unbelievers enters into Judaism and becomes an integral part of it, Christianity and Islam come into being much the same as our TL, and still become 2 of the most powerful religions on the planet.

However, they still maintain the set date, Christians interpreting it as Jesus' return, and Muslims as the day of Allah's judgment, through all of these three faiths disagreements and wars, they maintain that the things foretold on this date will come to pass, as it is very clearly written in scripture.

The date? When interpreted to fit our modern calendar,it is October 18th, 2025.

History precedes the same as OTL, with evangelism and warning of the end times growing to a fever pitch as the fabled date approaches.

It comes...and nothing happens.

How does the world respond?

(Keep in mind that everything is the same as OTL, except for this element of doctrine.)
 
Well, OBVIOUSLY Satan has somehow meddled with the translation and the real date is 2125. And when that comes, it'll turn out that the previous answer was misunderstood and it was really 2225. And so on and so forth. At least that's how it generally goes with end-times prophets.

It's fun to imagine that several billion people would freak out, but at the end of the day, not too much would change. After all, the Bible also says that eating shellfish is an abomination, but you'll still find a lot of religious people eating them. If anyone cares come 2025, it'll be rationalized, the same as most everything is. You might get a little ruckus, but by and large, nothing changes.
 
Not quite everything would go as OTL. This would preclude various other apocalyptic warnings. Many reformers in the Reformation thought that the end of the world was approaching. More specifically, let's not forget the Great Disappointment, which gave rise to the modern-day Seventh-Day Adventist groups. Nor let's forget the Watchtower Society's prediction that Christ would return in 1914 - and they developed into the Jehovah's Witnesses, which have had a significant impact on popular perceptions of door-to-door evangelism and on First Amendment religious liberty law. None of these would happen in your TL.
 

Delvestius

Banned
Well, OBVIOUSLY Satan has somehow meddled with the translation and the real date is 2125. And when that comes, it'll turn out that the previous answer was misunderstood and it was really 2225. And so on and so forth. At least that's how it generally goes with end-times prophets.

The differences between the prophecies in OTL and the one the OP considers is that in the latter of the two, it is God himself revealing the date in the holy text, making it a central theme, if not the most central as it drew nearer.

I for one believe there would be an explosion of Atheists and Agnostics the next day.
 

birdboy2000

Banned
Think the Great Disappointment of the Millerites, but on a global scale.

And then expect an explosion of atheism, conversion to non-Abrahamic faiths, and religious fragmentation of the existing abrahamic faiths, which would survive in one form. OTL, the Seventh-Day Adventists grew out of the Millerite movement, believing that the date referred to events in heaven, not on Earth. Multiple messiahs will claim that date heralded their coming, ala the Bab, forerunner of the Bahai faith (who I understand was working from similar prophecies as the Millerites, although they had no contact with one another) and form religions of their own.

Also, expect a great deal of political upheaval in states where the church (or mosque) plays a political role.
 

katchen

Banned
Actually, there was a prophecy of judgment that was supposed to happen in the 17th Century. It gave way to the movement of the false Messiah Shabbatai Sevi, who retained his following, the Donmeh (look it up on Wikipedia) even after he apostasized to Islam. It's a fascinating story and events around Sabbatai Sevi and the false messiah that came after him, Jacob Frank, would make fascinating TLs.
 
Doesn't that describe our timeline? Well, maybe not Muslims and Jews and certain Christians, but all educated and devout believers know that the world will end in October of 1844.
 
I wouldn't expect any sort of explosion of atheists/agnostics or mass conversions. The fact is that debate over the exact date itself would be contentious for ages (the idea that the majority of believers would agree on it is also laughable).

The other fact is that by some sheer fluke it could actually line up with a solar event (because setting an arbitrary date would be very odd) which affirms the belief that something has happened.

Expect debate over what has happened to be far more important if that is the case.

If something still doesnt happen expect people saying the date is wrong or different sects emerging saying something did happen but it was a purely spiritual event.
 
I think it would be better if the date was set earlier and had more specific information about how the world would be. It would work better if the date and information contradicted reality.
 
I wouldn't expect any sort of explosion of atheists/agnostics or mass conversions. The fact is that debate over the exact date itself would be contentious for ages (the idea that the majority of believers would agree on it is also laughable).

The other fact is that by some sheer fluke it could actually line up with a solar event (because setting an arbitrary date would be very odd) which affirms the belief that something has happened.

Expect debate over what has happened to be far more important if that is the case.

If something still doesnt happen expect people saying the date is wrong or different sects emerging saying something did happen but it was a purely spiritual event.

Most Christians agree that Jesus was the savior of mankind right? Most Muslims agree Muhammed was Allah's greatest Prophet?

That's how integral to the faiths this date is.
 
Top