Is there a relationship between eschatology and how one experiences society

[barnhart]

Some believers experienced COVID as an era of serious government overreach that believers must resist, others were more comfortable observing health regulations. Is this distinction correlated to eschatology?

These two variables are the poll options, did government overreach necessitate personal resistance and is your theological background sympathetic to dispensationalism (left behind, pretrib rapture) or skeptical of it.

[RZehr]

I strongly believe that people view of end times influenced their thinking. I know of at least one church the split because some believed so.

However I don’t believe there is nearly 100% overlap though.

Not sure how to answer the poll though. Overreach according to what? If the government forbids meeting for church, I believe that it is intruding on territory that belongs to the church and God. So where that was the case, I’d say yes. But not everywhere did the government overstep like this. I do not believe in a pre-trib eschatology, but it may turn out that I am incorrect.

[barnhart]

The poll questions are limited to one line of text, so not much room for nuance...

[Neto]

The poll questions are limited to one line of text, so not much room for nuance...

I feel your pain....
I interpreted 'background' in the sense of the setting in which I grew up, which was largely dispensationalist. But I no longer think that the pre-trib catching up view best fits the Scripture. (But that is only one element of "dispensationalism".)

[Josh]

Some believers experienced COVID as an era of serious government overreach that believers must resist, others were more comfortable observing health regulations. Is this distinction correlated to eschatology?

This is a rather interesting way to frame it; "comfortable observing health regulations", which presumes these regulations were even lawful (many of them were found not to be, but lawsuits had to go all the way to the Supreme Court); it also presumes that simple acts like attending church services is "believers resisting" (although I would gladly take on that label).

I am a staunch amillennialist and have spoken out strongly against dispensationalism, particularly 7-age dispensationalism, and oppose premillennial thinking in general but try not to build too many walls between me and people who believe in that.

[MaxPC]

I personally feel that the most important relationship is with Christ and that all other relationships flow from that priority.

Eschatology is theoretical in my book. Hence I compartmentalise it into my mental category I have labeled: “I will know when I meet my Savior so I am not fretting about the particulars.”

[barnhart]

Eschatology is theoretical in my book. Hence I compartmentalise it into my mental category I have labeled: “I will know when I meet my Savior so I am not fretting about the particulars.”

I theorize the urgency of 20th century dispensationalism is as much a symptom as cause of touchy, quick to react relationship with culture and government. It is most natural for those born into it. I noticed it in a recent Sunday school class on Matt 24 and end time events. The young men, born in the 90's and 2000's generally have a more hopeful, creative view and the the old guys like me (70's) are captivated by things getting "worse and worse" and are generally looking for conflict and decay.

[MaxPC]

Eschatology is theoretical in my book. Hence I compartmentalise it into my mental category I have labeled: “I will know when I meet my Savior so I am not fretting about the particulars.”

I theorize the urgency of 20th century dispensationalism is as much a symptom as cause of touchy, quick to react relationship with culture and government. It is most natural for those born into it. I noticed it in a recent Sunday school class on Matt 24 and end time events. The young men, born in the 90's and 2000's generally have a more hopeful, creative view and the the old guys like me (70's) are captivated by things getting "worse and worse" and are generally looking for conflict and decay.

What you are describing is typical of the developmental stages of life as described by Erik Erikson. One of the factors that contributes to the outlook of older individuals is a lifetime of experiences, both good and bad. After a lifetime of observing human behaviors, patterns emerge, hence the reason so many older individuals knew bank failures would happen; war sabres would be rattling; etc. etc. When you get to that age in life, you will see why especially if you pay attention to those behavioral patterns. You are not that age yet so it will be difficult for you to understand.

[Josh]

Eschatology is theoretical in my book. Hence I compartmentalise it into my mental category I have labeled: “I will know when I meet my Savior so I am not fretting about the particulars.”

I theorize the urgency of 20th century dispensationalism is as much a symptom as cause of touchy, quick to react relationship with culture and government. It is most natural for those born into it. I noticed it in a recent Sunday school class on Matt 24 and end time events. The young men, born in the 90's and 2000's generally have a more hopeful, creative view and the the old guys like me (70's) are captivated by things getting "worse and worse" and are generally looking for conflict and decay.

Except the world is actually getting “worse and worse” by any kind of reasonable metric.

Whereas I have noticed the Baby Boomer generation is often in denial about how difficult the world they millennial-age people are facing is. Boomers lived in an era of endless progress. I am not living in an era of endless progress.

[temporal1]

Except the world is actually getting “worse and worse” by any kind of reasonable metric.

Whereas I have noticed the Baby Boomer generation is often in denial about how difficult the world they millennial-age people are facing is.

Boomers lived in an era of endless progress. I am not living in an era of endless progress.

The glaring difference is wholesale spiritual poverty and all that results. Worship of false gods, including self and “efficiency.”

Many are in constant prayers for their children and grandchildren, seeing the practical temporal difficulties, which selfishly devour time and energy while leaving souls empty. This is all false gods have to offer, no matter how appealing and seductive. They are incapable of satisfying. Not possible.

Pray for grace and guidance from the Holy Spirit.

Josh,
This is where i’ve always admired you. Without knowing details, you were a young man in personal duress, doubtless surrounded by every temptation; in severe pain and confusion, by the grace of God, you sought Truth. Is your life perfect or painless? i’m sure it’s not. You have your compass, you know the way. When so many have no idea. They live in pain not beginning to knowing why.

Materially, the world may be easier than ever. Spiritual poverty is a loathsome thief.
The hell we have is the result of spiritual poverty, labeled everything-but.