The Rapture

That it will happen at some point – the timing of which we have no clue. :shh:

I had a really good discussion at work today, while waiting to walk over to the graduation ceremony, with one of my co-workers. He believes in the concept and principle of “A rapture” – but he believes it is symbolic of the preparation we should be taking to prepare for our deaths, whenever they occur individually.

I agree and have always liked that take on it.

He’s revised his prediction due to a mathematical error. The end is now in October. Also, since he spent millions already making everyone aware of the May prediction, he’s accomplished his goal and won’t need to spend anything making sure people remember about October. :wtf: :crazy: 🙄

Of course, a mathematical error also caused his 1994 prediction to be wrong, so this new change shouldn’t surprise anyone. 😳

doug, FTW!!

Hi,

This response is a few days late but I thought I would add my two cents. I came from a Pentecostal faith that taught the doctrine of the Rapture. In fact, Pentecostals, with their emphasis on end times and the imminent visible return of Christ, have probably been responsible for the wide spread of the teaching. It is embraced by most Evangelicals although the idea of the rapture is actually a very new teaching (“new” in the grand spectrum of Christianity). Most of your “high church” or traditional churches, Lutheran, Episcopalian, etc., or any church close to the Catholic faith, has NEVER taught the rapture doctrine.

Though loosely based on I Thessalonians 4:15-17 (Paul mentions that those who are still alive when Christ returns will be “caught up” to be with the Lord) the actual origins of the Rapture are more “suspicious.” In 1830 a young Scottish woman by the name of Margaret Macdonald had a dream/vision that a select Christian group would be spared the wrath of the AntiChrist and would be taken up to be with Christ. Her accounts of the vision were spread amongst other Christians. A Plymouth Brethern minister by the name of John Darby embraced the vision and began teaching it openly. This was the first time in recorded Christian history that anyone had taught such a doctrine. The Rapture teaching was fine tuned and adjusted to fit scripture in large part by Cyrus Scofield (author of the Scofield Bible – a must have for every Protestant minister). Today the Rapture is responsible for the end times series “Left Behind,” by Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins, which is almost Gospel for many end time fanatics.

I find it ironic that a group of Evangelicals that so vehemently condemns the visions and prophecies of Joseph Smith, openly teaches a doctrine that evolved out of some random woman’s dreams. Evangelicals are also known for their firm belief that the Bible is the final Word of God – no new teachings or revelations is to be had in our modern day. Yet they accept a “new” doctrine that was not discovered through scripture study but instead taught first and then justified by selecting bits and pieces of three verses.

In a nutshell – the above is how the rapture came about and has given rise to such false teachings as the failed prophecy of May 21st, 2011.

G