Story highlights Ben Carson said he would always choose to believe the situation can be improved

He also said he has no intention of dialing back his rhetoric

Washington (CNN) Republican presidential candidate Ben Carson says the world could be approaching its end -- but we may be able to change course.

When Carson was asked by journalist Sharyl Attkisson if he believed the "end of days" was near, he said, "You could guess that we are getting closer to that."

"You do have people who have a belief system that sees this apocalyptic phenomena occurring and that they are a part of it, who would not hesitate to use nuclear weapons if they gained possession of them," Carson told Attkisson, a former CBS News reporter, on her show , "Full Measure" that aired Sunday.

Attkisson was asking the devout Carson about his faith and feelings about religion and asked how he felt the state of the world today relates to what's in the Bible.

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