Serious The Rapture.........Do you believe it will happen?

Böb Dylän said:
I lied, I did read the thread, I just did not read any post by Sum41sgruj or any post in which he was quoted. No one in this thread has said they believed in the Rapture. The vast majority of christians do not believe in it. They may believe that they will be with god in heaven one day, but suggesting that they believe that they will be sucked up to be with god or anything like that is wrong. Some people may believe in it, but most people have a very poor understanding of what they actually believe. No one but wierdo sects believed that there is a rapture in which all god's favourites join him in heaven.
Click to expand...

Actually two people said they believe it will happen, Sum1sgru(regardless if you consider him an ass its still a persons opinion) and thebigone. And at least two people found it plausible including stoic hero and me. Honestly I think it could happen, but I do not think we have the correct prediction or even the correct god for that matter, but just because we do not have religion or god or superior force down to a science, it doesnt mean that there still might not be one...and that he might decide to fuck us up :sparta: hehe. I actually grew up in the conservative midwest of America and a lot of christians believe it will or that it could happen.
 
The vast majority of Christians throughout history never believed in a Rapture. The idea of the Rapture originated only about 150 years ago, and the idea would have fizzled out if secularism hadn't gained the ground it did in the 20th century.

Prior to the 20th century, most Protestants believed in a postmillennial eschatology. Eschatology is the theology of future or last things, and the "millennial" in postmillennial refers to Christians' beliefs about the 1000-year reign of Christ described in Revelation chapter 20. Postmillennial theology, which is what I believe, says that world is going to gradually reach the point where every society on the face of the planet is guided by Christian beliefs; and this blissful future is the 1000-year reign. After this Golden Age, there is going to be a very short final rebellion of Satan and his forces; and then Christ resurrects all the dead and issues the Final Judgment. (And regardless of what you may have heard, postmillennials are not "dominionists." It is called "POSTmillennial" because Christ returns after the Millennium has taken place. Postmils think that the Christianization of the world will happen as a result of the preaching of the gospel, not because of a Christian takeover of public offices.) This was an easy thing for most Christians to believe prior to secularization and global conflicts like WW1, WW2, and the Cold War.

Rapture theology began to flourish in a century that saw increasing fear over totalitarian regimes and global nuclear war, because unlike postmillennialism, Rapture theology predicts a very bleak future that will continue to get bleaker right up until the time Christ secretly Raptures away all true believers, which begins a seven-year period of global totalitarian government called the Tribulation, which culminates in Christ returning for real. Rapture theology also began to flourish in a century of secularization--not only in response to secularization, but also unto the end of secularization. Whereas postmillennials have a strong prophetic incentive to resist the forces of secularization in society, because they believe that their victory is inevitable, Rapture theology encourages the attitude, "Why polish brass on a sinking ship?" Think about it this way: If all your Bible scholars are telling you that the Bible predicts the world is going to get worse very soon and that true Christians will be Raptured away just before it gets the worst in can get, would you waste time with evangelism, or trying to establish a major presence in the arts and sciences, or even having dialogue with larger society at all? In the 20th century, as Rapture theologists saw secularization taking place, they reacted to it by believing that prophecy was starting to be fulfilled, and they reacted by retreating, which only served to fulfill their beliefs about the future.

So to sum up: No, I don't believe the Rapture will happen because I am postmillennial (just as revered intellectuals in the Church like Augustine of Hippo and John Calvin were). Moreover, the idea of the Rapture is relatively new, and has really only taken hold in American theology because of secularization and world conflict in the 20th century.
 
I know this is months later, but I'd figure I'd share.

A friend of mine worked on a mental health unit with paranoid schizophrenics. She was not amused on the day of rapture. She is not looking forward to next year.

I hate these doomsday theories. It makes even those with out severe mental illnesses paranoid. A friend of mine has been asking me if I really think the world is going to end in 2012. He asks because he is afraid that it will. I have another friend that think's the movie 2012's explanation is true.
 
This post is a joke in a way ^^

Living in China I noticed the heat between Japan and China over the islands. Dont be fooled... nobody gives a shit about them islands. They hate each other... plain and simple. Now Americas defense contract with them is roped in and we are backing a country thats absent a military. What do I smell....? NUCLEAR WAR!!! the predictions are right!!! december it is!!! rofl east and west are going to bomb the bejesus out of each other in depseration right before America and China both switch their major powers. What will be a political tactic to hang onto power will soon become the DOOM of us all!!! Grab your shovels and start digging.... and wait for that sexy antichrist ^^
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top