It was in the news that May 21st was supposed to be the day of Rapture... Judgement Day. Harold Camping, a radio broadcaster predicted that the world was coming to an end at 6:00 PM. He said he's managed to crack the code in the Bible and figure out when the end would happen. Apparently, he said the same thing in 1994. I think there's another recalculation and I've heard somewhere that it's actually going to be October of this year.
I'm sorry for being skeptical, but it did make me wonder.
And I had some questions because I just don't understand the concept.
Why would your clothes be left behind and just your body taken? If you're going to heaven why do you need your physical body? Wouldn't you just die and leave your body behind too? Will everybody raptured be naked in heaven?
I heard some place that there's supposed to be 200 million saved? Why that number? What about people who have already died? Do they count in the 200 million limit? I just googled and discovered there are about 2.1 billion Christians in the world. It's rather hard to imagine only 200 million of them getting chosen to go to heaven. Is 200 million really in the Bible?
What do you have to do to be raptured? Is it enough to be good and a Christian because I'd venture to say there's more than 200 million Christians who are good and believe? Why did that fellow have to advertise and use all his life savings to tell everybody to prepare?
How do you prepare? Obviously you don't have to pack. Why bother giving away your things since the world is supposed to end for everybody anyway?Do all those people who believe have the answers? I guess I now have until October to find out.
There have been so many doomsday prophets over the years, Kay, he's just another one. It's just in the days of the internet and twitter, everybody knows about it.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad you weren't raptured, I really would have missed your posts! :-)
Like Djan, I would have missed you. I would be in the legends of Christians left behind I am sure. Guess only the purest go.
ReplyDeleteHad to laugh at the "not packing."
Now all those people who gave everything away will be on the public dole. Sigh.
so glad Judgement Day didn't come to pass, for all the good reasons you just listed!
ReplyDeleteHis problem was that he was so busy looking for secrets only he was privy to that he didn't read the words of Christ that state clearly, 'No one knows the day or the hour' except God. Even Christ doesn't know.
ReplyDeleteChristians disagree on the basic timing - before, during or after the tribulation period - so to say you know the exact moment is arrogant, to say the least.
Many people who expect to go will be surprised to find themselves left behind; and others will be surprised to be taken.
My guess is you're safe, Kay :)
well you told me more about it than I knew...it's a sad waste of time, money and energy. We all need to just live the best lives we can no matter what God we believe in or don't...
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with Lin! Such a waste of time and money that could have been better used to help some of those who truly could use a helping hand. I guess it's true, stupidity knows no boundaries. Besides, Kay, you certainly need to have no concerns about being "raptured" whenever that day comes! So, have a great Monday and however many more days, weeks, months, years we all have!
ReplyDeleteSylvia
Good questions! I bet even Harold Camping doesn't have all the answers to those!
ReplyDeleteThere is a man in my small hometown who has been predicting the end of the world for many years. He built an underground shelter (to protect his family from bombs), has tried selling instructions to others, and has informational pamphlets he tries to disburse.
ReplyDeleteI suppose eventually someone will guess correctly. Not much I can do, so I'll just go on living as best I can. I'm sure that you will too.
Kay, these are all legitimate questions. I think the saddest thing of all is that this false prophet duped so many. That is what these cult leaders and false prophets do.
ReplyDeleteThey would have seen the answer in Bible if they would have read it. The Bible clearly states that no man know the time or the hour when Christ will come again.
I've spent many years studying cults. A great basic handbook/resource that might answer some of your questions is Walter Martin's Kingdom of the Cults.
So sad, the number of people victimized by false prophets.
ReplyDeleteI have no doubt the world will come to an end some day, however, because we are not treating this planet properly. Animal species are becoming extinct, the polar ice cap is melting (so the polar bear will soon be extinct) and global warming is an established fact.
Meanwhile, humanity is still building bombs and bombing buildings, letting other people starve to death or die of rape-inflicted AIDS, making war and teaching hatred.
Of course the world is going to end. But the word for it is hardly rapture. More like agony.
— K
Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel
People like this make Christianity look bad. It clearly states in the bible that no one will know when the rapture is and I´m sorry this guy got so much attention.
ReplyDeleteI am going to treat your post for what I think it is - comedy! And very funny at that!
ReplyDeletePeople will give you all kinds of answers, depending on what they believe. Since the original concept of the rapture is Biblical, you will get a lot of "true believers" quoting the Bible. Take that for what you think it's worth. For me, that's not much.
Personally I think we should strive to feel "enraptured" over something every day, even if it's just a piece of dark chocolate!
Kay --
ReplyDeleteAngels have wings, so I guess they're not naked. I hope there's some form of clothing in heaven. I can't stand to see what I do as a nurse now...maybe since I wasn't raptured up yesterday, I'm in hell, like the cartoon. Cute thoughts. Life goes on: the grass keeps growing, and babies are still born. "Hell" in Hawaii has got to be heavenly! DrumMajor
What if he was right and the Rapture did come, but no-one was considered good enough to be taken? Just playing Devil's advocate here, but it's a thought that amused me.
ReplyDeleteCan you believe that a lot of people actually sent this clown money??!! People are so unbelievably stupid!
ReplyDeleteI think i am the most ignorant person in this planet...i had no idea that there was such prophecy.Even my daughter knew about it.Sissh .I came to know about it (after it was over)through facebook status and blog posts.
ReplyDeleteI can echo something from every comment here but the most important point in my opinion is that no one knows -- we Christians can quote book, chapter, & verse to tell you why no one knows, but (as one of your non-believers made clear) that only helps Christians -- however, since you are asking questions about Christian concepts ....
ReplyDeleteThe Bible states that we will not need our bodies in heaven. I think the empty clothing thing might have come from a FICTION series by Tim Lahaye called Left Behind. In his story when the rapture comes people disappear and their clothing remains.
The 200 Million number doesn't come from the Bible but is the belief of a certain religious sect that came to be during WWI. They claim to be Christian but the founder of that religion rewrote the Bible to serve his own purposes and their "Holy" book varies greatly from the "original" Greek and Arabic scrolls most Bible translations are based on. (I have the word original in quotes because there is much ambiguity surrounding even the earliest scrolls.)
For myself -- and I am the only one I can speak for -- I do not believe in God because the Bible says he exists. I believe in God because as a small child, long before I could read, when my step-mother would beat me and lock me in the closet, I wasn't afraid because I wasn't locked in the dark alone. I knew Jesus long before I was taken to church and learned his name.
I remember from 50 years ago my Chicago Rabbi telling us that the Jewish sources say that in the world to come or the messianic age there will be no eating or drinking or sex (thus more time for Torah study) and that that is probably the reason most people don't really want the messiah to come and thereby eliminate such pleasures.
ReplyDeleteI feel sad for all those people who spent all their time and money on this...
ReplyDeleteI was at Times Square on the 20th of May and saw this guy with a placard scaring passersby with the Doomsday Date : 21st May. On the 22nd of May my Better half and I passed by the same spot, and the same guy was there. He had somehow moved the date forward.
ReplyDeleteIt would be very embarrassing if we were ruptured naked. That reminds me to go to the gymn to shape up a bit. LOL