Is the Rapture just a big fantasy the Christian Fundamentalists have to prove how right they are?

Question

It's either that they are suicidal and hate being alive on this planet, or that they just want an excuse to see everyone they disagree with suffer.

And come to think of it, just how 'christian' is this idea of the Rapture? All the bad people get punished and all the good people get to laugh at them on their magical elevator ride up to heaven?

Is that the way of Jesus? If it is then I'm staying down here on earth and helping Satan make the strongest army ever. (There is no satan. Just saying.)

webbrowczar1 - Come to NY. I'll 'take care' of you.

Answer 1

The rapture that is known by most Christians a a fictituous event that is not depicted in the Bible.

I have heard of this view many times before, but there are a couple questions I have about it. The most troubling problem with this theory is that it seems to negate the vary words of Jesus.

“Another parable put He forth unto them, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, ‘Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? From whence then hath it tares?’ He said unto them, ‘An enemy hath done this.’ The servants said unto him, ‘Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.’’” (Matthew 13:24 – 29 KJV)

Now that is an interesting story, and it can be a little confusing; fortunately, because the disciples found this story a little confusing they also and asked Jesus to explain if further. Because our God is not a God of confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33), Jesus explained what this parable meant.

“Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, ‘Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.’ He answered and said unto them, ‘He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man; The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one; The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels. As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.’” (Matthew 13:36 – 42 KJV)

A closer study of this parable would seem to completely disprove the theory of a secret rapture of the church. Let’s take a look at what Jesus had to say about the time of the end through this parable. There are two groups on the earth represented by the wheat (the good or the church) and the tares (the evil). The workers of the field (probably representing angels) are troubled by the tares that the evil one (the devil) has planted. They ask the farmer (Jesus) if they should gather the weeds now and purify the field (the world). The farmer (Jesus) said that it should not happen that way because some of the wheat may come up with the tares. He then declares, “Let both grow together until the harvest (the end of the world): and in the time of harvest (the end of the world) I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.” I find it hard to be a proponent of a secret rapture for the church when Jesus said that both the good and the evil will grow together until the harvest (the end of the world). How can the church be raptured, leaving the evil on the earth, when Jesus said they will be together until the very end?

There is another issue raised by this parable. Many well intentioned Christians use the story in Matthew 24:40 & 41 and Luke 17:34 – 36 as key proof of a secret rapture for the church, but if we examine this story about the end times with the earlier story Jesus told about the end times in Matthew 13, we get a completely different picture from what most Christians interpret this story to mean. Let’s look at what Jesus said in these verses.

“Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come.” (Matthew 24:40 – 42 KJV)

“I tell you, in that night there shall be two men in one bed; the one shall be taken, and the other shall be left. Two women shall be grinding together; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two men shall be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left.” (Luke 17:34 – 36 KJV)

Now I do not think that I am wrong in thinking that most Christians interpret these stories to mean that the man taken from the field, the woman that is taken while grinding, and the man taken in his sleep are the ones that belong to the group that is the church and are ruptured. This does not seem to be a plausible explanation however. Jesus gives an order for things to happen back in Matthew 13. “Gather ye together first the tares (the evil), and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat (the good or the church) into my barn.” Jesus clearly says that the evil will be gathered first. If we take this understanding and apply it to Matthew 24 and Luke 17, we get a very different understanding. The ones that are taken are not in the group we want to be in. The ones who are taken are the tares (the evil) that are being gathered to be burned, but the ones that are left are the wheat (the good) that are saved.

There is another metaphor that many well intentioned Christians use to support a secret rapture for the church; I feel that this too is an invalid interpretation of a story.

“But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.” (Matthew 24:43 & 44 KJV)

“And this know, that if the goodman of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched, and not have suffered his house to be broken through. Be ye therefore ready also: for the Son of man cometh at an hour when ye think not.” (Luke 12:39 & 40 KJV)

“For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2 KJV)

“But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” (2 Peter 3:10 KJV)

“Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.” (Revelation 16:15 KJV)

Here again, most Christians would attempt to say that this metaphor of a thief in the night is depicting a secret rapture for the church. I believe that most Christians have misinterpreted this too. First, Jesus explains what this metaphor means. He says that the meaning is not that the second coming is a secret but we do not know when it will occur. If we knew what day the Lord was to come, we would get ready the day before it, but since we do not know the day or the hour (Matthew 24:36), we must be ever ready! Just examine what Peter had to say of this metaphor in 2 Peter 3:10; he says that when the Lord comes as a thief,” the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, the elements shall melt with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are therine shall be burned up.” Now I am not sure how all that could be kept a secret from anyone or how people would be able to live on the earth when it has passed away, burned up, and all the elements in it have melted.

Answer 2

No the rapture is not some big fantasy. Its an event that will come to pass soon enough.

By the way, the 'good people' wont be laughing at them, we will already be gone. The people who have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior will have already entered Heaven by the time of torment and suffering.

And yes, it is the way of Jesus. Not just for 'bad' people to suffer, but for anyone who rejects Him and His Father's law. He gives everyone a chance to hear and to believe. If you reject instead, you will be punished.

God had it written in His word. If you dont receive, you will be punished to torment and a lake of fire.
Hey, He warned you.

Answer 3

There was a lot of debate before the Book of Revelation was included in the Bible.

There is a lot of discussion that should occur regarding this, before you get to issues of the Rapture. You need to understand the context that the Book was written in and the situation that existed for Christians at that time. It was not pretty or nice. It was a period piece to show the power of the Christian God in the face of the Romans that were killing them savagely.

It is reminicent of the Arab martyrs and the 42 virgins in heaven bs. I would not put much credence in this writing.

Answer 4

that's honestly a delusion, with the help of definition (baseless, no info), besides the undeniable fact that i assume that's no sicker than fairly some others; genocidal international floods, genocidal destruction of cities, killing of first-born, etc... nicely, any genocide, really. As for the those that persuade themselves of it- nicely what adventure can we've of actual genocidalists contained in the finest century? The Armenian genocide, the Holocaust and Rwanda were all carried out because of or aided with the help of religion. i don't believe of that is a good marvel. that's merely something mankind has to conform out of, which we are doing slowly, yet till that's lengthy previous such human beings will proceed to proclaim a desire for such issues.

Answer 5

Christian Fundamentalists give the religion a horrible name...people like Falwell, Robinson, Graham etc. are money-grubbing idiotic ignorant frackers that make me glad I aint a Protestant...

Im a Catholic Christian...but I aint so gullible as to believe everything that comes outta the mouths of these morons claiming to be the men of God.

Answer 6

It's a scare tactic designed for themselves to reap in fools money..

Answer 7

yes it is a big fantasy and an embarrassing one for them at that

Answer 8

Christianity is just another death cult...

Answer 9

LUDD WILL YOU DESTROY SOMEBODY ALREADY WE ARE WAITING TO SEE YOUR MIGHTY POWER.