Do you believe in the Rapture?

[robertpaulsen]

Poll question: Do you believe in the Rapture?

Just curious about how many DUer's believe that some of us may wind up Left Behind before the End of Days.

[Oddman]

1. Funny how religion still holds a strong bond on people.

Do DUers believe in Noah's Ark???

[madrchsod]

11. i do

i believe in the story of gilgamesh...

[Alerter_]

21. I believe in the story of Noah's Ark AND the story of Gilgamesh

I know for a fact these stories exist

[Oddman]

24. They are stories not fact

You may know for a fact that the "stories" exist but the Sumerian Gilgamesh stories and the Noah's Ark stories are just that, they are stories fabricated to teach lessons. Was Noah's flood a flood of fresh water or salt water?

[Alerter_]

39. I don't think the story covered the salinity of the flood waters

but it came from rain so I assume fresh?

[Oddman]

43. Well then all the creatures of the sea would have died.

Yet they live . . .

Noah must have had some REALLY BIG aquariums on the Ark!!!

[mmm]

2. where is the origin of the rapture?

[TahitiNut]

3. Oh ... I thought you said "rupture". Sorry.

[flakey_foont]

4. Those Hale Bopp folks,

tried to jump the gun on the Rapture and look where it got them
what was that bunch again? Heavensgate? Heavensfence? Knock Knock Knocking on Heavens' Door?

[Ilsa]

5. A rapture would be too good to be true, IMO.

There are days when I'd love for the fundies to be physically removed from this planet.

[mmm]

23. You will be cloud bound while fundies queue up for fire lake

While I don't believe a word of it, I am quite certain the evil fundies should perish in the lake of fire... and brimstone...
with the gnashing of the teeth... and endless wailing.
Problem is, how can you trust a God with a capricious capacity
for monstrous cruelty. Me, I'm gonna pass on the 6:45 Christian rapture so I can catch the 10:15 Buddha express.

[AntiCoup2K4]

6. The Bible DOES predict "the rapture", it just doesn't use that name.

1 Thessalonians 4 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

Now, there's nothing in this chapter which suggests this event will happen before, after, or in the middle of the seven year tribulation during which the Antichrist reigns, and different churches disagree on that point, but the event of the Christians being "caught up in the air" to meet Jesus (known as the Rapture) is clearly stated in this scripture.

[mmm]

9. O, so that's where it's from

It's not quite as fierce as I had expected.
Where is the wailing, gnashing of the teeth, brimstone,
lake o' fire and other Oscar Mayer product?

[wuushew]

14. What happens if mankind is settled on other planets

Will the end of the world actually mean the end of Mars?

This inquiring Saganite wants to know.

[robertpaulsen]

22. As someone who was raised Catholic...

those verses sound like they're referring to the second coming of Christ, which the Bible is clear will only take place after the reign of the Antichrist. I wish I had a Bible here at work to research this a little further. To a Catholic, I think what Born Agains refer to as a Rapture would only happen on Judgment Day. Then again, it's been a long time since I've been a practicing Catholic.

Thanks for the verses though. Now I finally understand what the evangelicals are referring to.

[hyphenate]

42. Perhaps the second coming isn't that far away

After all, the reign of the anti-Christ will come to an end on Jan 19, 2005. ;)

In truth however, I'm a firm believer that the bible is nothing but some history mixed with a lot of allegory and a lot of mythology. It was preceded by Roman, Greek, Egyptian, Celtic, Norse and other mythologies, and the only reason it's managed to survive longer than anything of them is because it doesn't contradict many of the scientific discoveries made since the beginning of the Common Era. Christianity has traditionally been more focused on temperament, behavior and judgement, while the older mythologies made up their stories to explain what they could not understand. Christianity was aimed at controlling the masses--while the Christ figure might have been a peaceable one, it was those who chose to take his philosophy and pervert it their own wants, needs and desires who helped perpetuate it.

The real Christ, if he did indeed exist, would be as angry as our founding fathers at the horrendous uses for which their original ideas have been utilized.

[rucky]

7. Other: It doesn't matter what I believe

if it happens, it happens. But I'm not going to change my beliefs or behavior because of it. If it does happen I have no idea if I'll be "saved" or not but neither does anybody else so you just keep doing what you think is right - not out of fear of some punishment or the rewards of immortality hanging over you - but because it's the right thing to do.

[klook]

8. I experienced the rapture in the arms of a beautiful woman

Fortunately I was not driving, or my car would have been unmanned!

[Az]

10. While I believe it is fine for an individual to believe whatever they want

I definately want the individual leading our country to not have a vested interest in bringing about the end of the world. Its a bad trait in leaders to be hoping for world destruction.

[klook]

17. That's the real bottom line

It scares the hell out of me when I see these dispensationalist lunatics getting all happily excited because they think world events are spiraling toward Armageddon.

[richmwill]

12. Yes

As a Christian, I do believe in the Rapture. However- I voted for choice #2, as I strongly feel that come "Rapture Day", all the hateful, judgemental Fundies will be in for a HUGE surprise. And I'll be there, looking down on them freaking out, saying to themselves "What did I do wrong?"- as I do my best Nelson Muntz impression to them (HA-haaaa :))

[AntiCoup2K4]

32. Exactly. Bush and his ilk will NOT be going!

So if they think that forcing world events will speed up God's timetable, they're idiots anyway.

I went to high school with this kid who was a Reagan loving young Republican type Christian. We had a number of theological discussions, some stuff I agreed with, but some I absolutely could not. Like for one thing, he had this idea that it would be OK for Reagan to start a nuclear war against the USSR because "Jesus would pull all of us out of here before the missiles hit". I told him I didn't believe Nuclear Annihilation was compatible with the teachings of Jesus Christ.

I honestly don't know whether the Rapture will be before, during or after the Tribulation. A logical case could be made for any of the three. If it turned out that Bush Jr was the Antichrist, I believe we would be a little late for the pre-tribbers already. On the other hand if that's true, then not only would Junior win the election (or somehow prevent it from happenning), but it would also mean that things would get a LOT worse. For the second half of the Tribulation is supposed to be the really bad shit :scared:

The tribulation is a 7 year period 7 * 365 days = 2,555 days
Halfway point 2,555/2 = 1277.5

So 1,277.5 days from January 20, 2001 would be = Uh oh... when's the convention in Boston again?

[damnraddem]

13. I had to say 'other':

I'm an agnostic, and I think the rapture is a cool concept if agnostics and atheists are lifted to heaven and believers have to stay behind and pray. ;-)

[DenverDem]

15. Great song by Blondie.

The beginning of caucasian rap.

[Taylor Mason Powell]

16. I believe only Anita Baker gets

caught up in the Rapture...of Love.

And let's not forget that this song came off of her chart-topping soul album entitled, significantly, "Rapture" in 1986.

We'll miss you, Anita!!! :hi:

[JustFiveMoreMinutes]

18. Can't believe in it...

.. considering even the very idea of the rapture comes from the text saying that all these things will pass BEFORE the next generation.

I don't see any 2000 y.o. around anywhere.... (okay, Dick Clark MIGHT be, but he'll never show his age...)

[MallRat]

19. Newsweek did an interesting article on Revelations.

A couple of weeks ago... they noted that Revelations was only reluctantly included in the New Testament, with the understanding that it was never intended to be taken literally. It was only supposed to be a metaphor for the struggle between good and evil.

I think it was also theorized that the book may have been intended as a political screed against Roman rule.

Either way, many scholars agree that people who take it word-for-word are not reading it properly.

Frankly, ANY fundamentalist religion is downright dangerous.

-MR

[supernova]

20. Christian who doesn't believe in the rapture

It's a waste of this life and an affront to it to be dreaming of a better after life than a better present.

Our job while we are here is to help improve this world.

[dubyaD40web]

25. Don't believe in it, but I think it's a hilarious concept

Would be interesting (in a morbidly disgusting sort of way) to see someone set it up somehow so the rest of us can watch as the Fundies get launched into the air to meet their maker. The ones he catches get to stay with him, the rest... well, as * would say, "they won't be a problem for us anymore."

Then maybe we could all go about our lives without having to deal with their lunacy.

[klook]

28. "In case of rapture

...can I have your car?" One of my favorite bumper stickers.

[Touchdown]

26. Yes, it exists. It's song #7 on this one.

Seriously, who knows? According to the Bible, none of us are supposed to know anyhow. "Like a thief in the night..."

[arwalden]

27. I Believe In Orgasms... Does That Count?

[Oddman]

30. Yes! Rapturous Orgasms!!!

Over and over again!!! OOOOOOOhhhhhh!!!!!

[kaiden]

29. Those folks who are waiting for Rapture?

I say, "Go on! Go! Get out of here!"

[maggrwaggr]

31. hate to break it to the Fundies, but they missed it

It already happened about 1900 years ago.

[librechik]

33. this is a silly cult from the 19th century. A teenage girl named

Mary MacDonald had a dream about "the remnant," (a phrase actually in Revelations as I recall) and somehow (in the same fertile evengelical environment that spawned John Brown and Joseph Smith) gained fame as a prophetess and evangelist. The Rapture religion is really a revival of her little cult.

[maggrwaggr]

44. Yes, I wish today's fundies would realize this has happened before

I was only kidding about the rapture actually happening in 120 a.d.

But in the 19th century in America, it was a huge craze. People sold their homes, sold everything, went out in the fields and waited to be "beamed up".

Nothing happened and they had to figure out how to get on with their lives.

[Emboldened Chimp]

34. Whoa, robertpaulsen has 666 posts!

Is it coincidence or is robertpaulsen the anti-christ?

[robertpaulsen]

40. Anti-christ. I just damned one of the lounge lizards.

Now that I'm about to join the 700 Club, all my posts seem to have religious connotations. I'll see you in Hell!

[BiggJawn]

35. I actually wish it WAS true....

All those trouble-makers, GONE!

This world might know peace then.

[leftofthedial]

36. to those of you who said "yes"

In case of rapture, I get dibs on your car.

[mmonk]

37. No

[hippiegranny]

38. absolutely believe

i also am a huge fan of the easter bunny, santa claus and the tooth fairy.

[Marymarg]

41. No

It's made up bullsh*t. It is a dangerous thing for ignorant people to use the Bible in an attempt to manipulate others.

[killbotfactory]

45. What's not to believe?

What's hard to believe about a loving God will save people like Bush and Ashcroft, and then watch the earth be plunged into chaos and filling oceans with the blood of billions of people who happen to not believe his son, who's mother was a virgin, died for their sins 2000 years ago?