Another Rapture Season has Passed. Up Next, Another Rapture Date



I was never aware of the back story behind rapture. It has been used, at least in the U.S., consistently for one purpose and over a long period of time, to gain the upper hand over groups being demonized.

I should have understood this earlier. When I started this blog, it was early in the debate about gay marriage. Gay marriage was such a taboo it set off panic and alarms in the Christian right. This included the right of both Catholics and Protestants. There were articles all over the Christian press and I received countless posts by readers that gay marriage was the final sin, a motel sin, that would trigger the return of Jesus. 

I could not understand why it was thought gay marriage was the reason for the coming rapture. Where does the Bible say this is the most terrible of sins and will trigger the big return with the holy riding up with Jesus and the unholy left in misery? The link provides an explanation using the rapture against gay people.

It explains that rapture is a way of weaponizing God against the group being demonized. The message is, "We who are holier than others cannot seem to stop acceptance of the group God finds most despicable. Since this group, and the sinners supporting equal and fair treatment of them, will not listen to us, they can just face the wrath of God directly. You, the dregs of humanity, will be sorry."

While this was the message that arrived during the anti gay marriage period, I did not realize it was used against the free slaves and northern whites after the defeat of the South in the civil war. That message was, God created and put in place slavery and will be angry if it is destroyed. "The coming plage on society, savage free Negroes, will face the wrath of God. We who are righteous and tried to protect slavery will be lifted to glory. You slaves and white supporters will wallow in misery."

The most recent rapture date was yesterday and, so I've read, was mostly promoted by a preacher in Africa. People there sold belongings. Whatever the motive, it worked. It will work somewhere again sometime soon.   

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