Side comments on Musings on the “average American”

[Tim]

A number of comments on this thread have wandered well off its original topic (religious heterogeneity in the US, and its consequences for combating science denial) onto discussion of specific religious beliefs. Rather than encouraging this, I’ve decided to make a new thread for answering one of these posts.

@John_Harshman

Wait a minite: where did that come from? What percentage of Christians believe in universal salvation? Whatever happened to the 144,000 Elect?

This Wikipedia article:

History of Christian universalism

… suggests that ‘Universal Salvation’ “has been rejected by most mainstream Christian churches”.

I had not previous heard of the 144,000, and was surprised to discover that, as well as being part of the Book of Revelation, it also part of the beliefs of Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Skoptzists, the Unification Church, Islam and Baha’i.

[John_Harshman]

@Tim

I had not previous heard of the 144,000, and was surprised to discover that, as well as being part of the Book of Revelation, it also part of the beliefs of Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Skoptzists, the Unification Church, Islam and Baha’i.

It’s basic Calvinism, the number of the Elect.

[Tim]

@John_Harshman

It’s basic Calvinism, the number of the Elect.

I’d previously heard of the Calvinist doctrine of Unconditional Election – just never previously seen a number attached to it.

[gbrooks9 (GeorgeB)]

@Tim

It is also part of the beliefs of Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Skoptzists, the Unification Church, Islam and Baha’i.

To clarify the Mormon stance:

“… In Doctrine and Covenants 77:11 the Lord explained to Joseph Smith that the number 144,000 mentioned in Revelation 7:4–8 is the number of representatives out of the twelve tribes of Israel who will be ordained to assist others in their quest for exaltation (see the commentary for Revelation 14:1–5).”