Discussion about Jesus’s death which now encompasses creationism and the second coming. Thread 2

Other interpretations of that text are also available.
The Catholic Church, the Anglican Church and The Orthodox Churches would not interpret that text in the same way you have.
What makes you right?

It doesn’t make sense and it doesn’t stack up because its not real. It’s all just a hodge podge of fiction written by too many people over too big a time frame.

I’m referring to the bible as I know nothing about this rapture stuff specifically.

1 Thess 4:13-18 clearly describes the rapture or catching up.

But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.

The belief and concept has been around since the early Church it's not something that's been invented in recent history.

Iranaeus (Greek bishop AD 130-202) wrote of the church being 'suddenly caught up'. The early church were very watchful for the Lord's return.

You don't need to believe in the Rapture for it to happen to you, if you are a believer in Jesus (i.e. he died for your sins which you have repented of). Non Christians would remain on the Earth for the Tribulation events.

People really shouldn't instantly dismiss this as nonsense (and certainly Christians shouldn't) as there's a LOT of research and analysis on how things may pan out and what various Bible verses mean in their historical context. It's very interesting.

The concept of the Rapture is a minority Christian belief - primarily in the USA Evangelical churches, that only really kicked off as a belief in the 19th century.
It really isn't a mainstream Christian doctrine.

I'd like to know what do the posters here who believe in the Rapture think happens to Christians who don't believe in it? (Or indeed what happens to non-Christians)

Don’t forget a puff of smoke. I do hope they leave a bit at least on their neatly folded clothes.

The rapture stuff isn’t actually worth engaging in on a serious level, it’s too silly and infantile.

There is a good debate with points from both sides but this latest stuff is so far out there that obviously we think it is ridiculous. Impossible and will never happen.

It is interesting to watch folk ganging together to mock and scorn. So much fun. The popcorn ran out on the other thread.

https://www.gotquestions.org/Bible-scoffers.html

Yes, the "true believers being disappeared leaving behind a neatly folded pile of clothes" view of the Rapture is a belief that has largely come from American evangelical churches.

How will Jesus judge the living and the dead?

Well I won’t hold my breath. Maybe the posters who believe it are American, it’s not the sort of thing people in the UK would admit to out loud, in real life, especially if they are seen as living regular lives.

Not all Christians believe in the rapture. It's more popular in the US I believe, and more of a minority view over here. I believe, as per the Bible, that Jesus will return suddenly and judge the living and the dead.

https://sheilaalewine.com/2023/03/29/when-will-the-rapture-occur/

Lots in here about the rapture. I've got a Blondie earworm now thanks to this thread.

Yes, this new thread has a very different flavour to the first and not one to my taste. I hope it gets back on a reasonably even keel, I won’t hang around if it stays barmy.

I remember when people talked about Tony Blair being evil and the antichrist. Now it's Trump, Putin and Musk getting the job.

People who are getting on with their lives are not ready for heaven.

You said it’ll be mid-task, no time for goodbyes. Who exactly are the type of people, who are fit and healthy, have actual lives they are living (children/family, friends, jobs etc) that they are ok to be swooped up at a moment’s notice?

God is a loving god? Is this the same god that advocates slavery, child sacrifice and genocide, to name but a few of his crimes. As for jesus dying for our sins, he didn't do much die as take the weekend off.

It is quite blind blowing that there are actual adults who believe this utter nonsense and are actually ok with people being ‘beamed up to heaven’ at the drop of a hat. Barmy doesn’t come close. It does make me wonder if people who believe such guff struggle to find their place in the real world, so I do have some compassion for that.

All I think is that if they believe that, they have an amazing imagination and need help about living in the real world.

If people actually believe this rapture nonsense Heaven is going to resemble One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest, maybe the archangel Gabriel will be Nurse Ratchett.

Or not real? I’m going for third option.

@KeepHopeful The god you describe doesn't sound very loving at all. He sounds cruel and malevolent. Will all the young Muslim/sikh/Buddhist/atheist ect. children be left behind to suffer after the rapture too? The babies? Or is there a cut off age?

It’s rubbish - I know that but am fascinated that people believe it. It’s the sort of stuff for a good Hollywood film set.