The Rapture: I'll gladly stay behind

Very scary. I seem to remember Christ said "You'll not know the time I'll return."

What makes these clowns think they're prophets?

By BRENDA PETERSON
GUEST COLUMNIST

A neighbor recently insisted I read the Left Behind series. "Especially now after 9/11," he said, "and the blessed countdown for the Rapture has begun."

"Why are you so ... well, cheerful, about the end of the Earth?" I asked him.

He gazed at me with the true alarm of deep pity. "I'm afraid you'll have a rough time of it here during the Tribulations -- plagues of locusts, frogs, viruses ... the Earth attacked by tsunamis, volcanoes, dark legions of the unsaved."

"Don't you love any of us you believe will suffer so?" I said.

This gave my neighbor a moment's pause. But then he admitted with some chagrin. "You can't blame us born-agains for at last getting our heavenly rewards. We've waited thousands of years for End Times."

-snip-

All this might seem darkly comic, if not for a Time magazine poll that 56 percent of Americans "believe the prophecies in the Book of Revelation will come true." And that the Left Behind books are the biggest selling fictional series in the United States.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/220902_petersonearth21.html

were left behind?

I can't buy into it, so naturally I ask myself why I buy into any of it?

The questions will continue. My denomination encourages exploration of doubt.

I think I'll take my chances with the locusts.

It actually sez that the Lord will come for his bride like a thief in the night, with the "bride" being those who tried their best to follow his example. We won't know when it happens, and it won't occur when we expect it to. The piece means we should always love our fellow humans, and try to do the right thing all the time, because when you least expect it and have your guard down...
It is beautiful sentiment that has been bastardized by people who could well be following the anti-Christ, if you believe in such things.

Because most of the people I know who believe they are "saved" are a far cry from Christ's example.

The dominionist cult behind these crooked elections and re-writing the constitution, believes the rapture is almost here to devour us all.

Which is why these people must be removed from power as soon as possible, and everyone must join to warn the reality based america.

true dominionists don't believe in the "rapture". They believe that their "revolution", by force or other means, will bring about the kingdom of heaven here on Earth.

If dominionism even hashes such a definition now. These are supreme fascist dominionists.

true dominionists don't believe in the "rapture". They believe that their "revolution", by force or other means, will bring about the kingdom of heaven here on Earth.

They may not believe it themselves, but they're certainly willing to exploit those who do believe in it.

I like to tell them the Rapture has already happened. When they ask me where all the missing people are, I point them towards the nearest milk carton.

In the book of Genesis, Abraham begs his deity to spare the cities of Sodom and Gemorrah. How many fundies do you suppose pray that their deity will spare the Earth from this eventual apocalypse?

Rent the David Duchovney/Mimi Rogers (rrrowr!) flick The Rapture sometime. Great ending.

When the rapture comes, we'll have the planet to ourselves!

I forget when but some guy had the county all worked up and a bunch of people went out into the country too await the end of the world. When it didn't happen he had to recalucate and set the date for a year later.

I saw it on PBS.

...in the Porsche." Neither of us think much of the rapture-nuts. Besides, Gotterdammerung has a better chance, according to science, and some of my ancestors were German. Gotta' watch out for Wotan and Thor.

The ones who cheer on things like the tsunami because they think it means Jesus is coming. Or rejoice over global warming because it too is a sign. The ones who think the rest of us are going to fry but try to force us to practice what they preach anyway. If they want to believe that it's fine with me but I do object to being dragged along for the ride against my will.

The gentle loving kindness of Ms Peterson was like a fragrant breeze across the stinking vileness of the xian hysteria.

eom

that states that God saves his greatest condemnation for those who would seek to "hurry his return". It was an Old Testament verse - does anyone know where that verse is?