Rapture Disappoints Again
Once again, promised with all surety the rapture was upon us, disappointment results. Where's the fire and brimstone? The mountains of wasted humanity? The only thing that ended yesterday was Saturday, May 21, 2011. The world, despite all the promises, is still spinning. What must reside in the mind of one disappointed we are not "rapted?" More important, what is going on between the ears of those looking forward to such an event as the end of the world?
I have often wondered what compels one to hope for the end of our Earthly existence. Of course there is the Christian in all their glory. I know a woman who at every turn assures us the rapture is soon to be upon us and she is in glorious anticipation of its coming. I often wonder how that reconciles with her uber Christian faith. I know the rapture is doctrinal Christianity of the more "evangelical" variety. As a former attendee of Baptist churches as a youngster, I have heard all the eager anticipation coming from the "Amen Corner." Still I find the whole thing odd.
How much faith must one have to eagerly look forward to the end of life as we know it? And isn't it exceptionally odd to hear some lament the fate of one human at a time and then to gleefully anticipate the end of all humans? If being called to be with one's maker is such a wonderful thing, why all the "who struck John" when one person meets their fate? To cry and wail at the demise of one of our fellows and then hope for the end of everything we know seems oddly juxtaposed to me.
The other day I heard someone discussing the concept of the big bang versus God and creationism. The person speaking was wondering how anyone could imagine a big bang leading to all of this we see around us. Yet then they argue in favor of a supreme Deity whose appearance is every bit as "magical" as the big bang could ever be. The speaker was questioning the reason of one who believes the scientific beginnings of the universe could be cosmic happenstance. But they don't seem too awful concerned with cosmic happenstance when an all knowing Deity suddenly appears.
I mean c'mon...where did God come from? I will not accept the pat answer "God doesn't want us know the answer to that...we must have faith." It seems rather odd to me that God creates and all inquisitive creature in His image, yet refuses to answer the most basic questions a sentient and inquisitive creature would ever have..."where did we come from and how?" Sorry, but as an honorary Missourian, one will have to "show me" cause I take very little on faith. The world is full of people, living and long dead, who placed too much importance on having "faith" in something. Faith, by its very nature, as often as not leads to disappointment, but I digress.
How foolish do the "Rapture Loving" feel today? There are news stories aplenty about people spending all their money in anticipation of the end of the world. I have no pity for these folks...sorry...I know it's cold of me but I feel bad for those who are duped or taken advantage of, but the willfully stupid, not so much. Would I be off the mark to say that perhaps I am sad for those who are so open to suggestion that they bite on a hope for the end?
Personally I find a hope for the rapture to be selfish in the extreme. What about all of us who are not so enamored with the end? Don't most American's find the Muslim version of the end, the 12th Imam, the Mahdi, to be a terrible concept? Yet many of them will then look forward to their own little rapturous event...the one they believe in and favor. Seems completely misplaced and a bit hypocritical to me, but then I am not a believer.
Oh well...the world did not end last night. Damn good thing too. As a new Grandpa for the first time and one so totally in love with my baby girl, no one, and I mean no one, would want to meet me in any afterlife, or any post-apocalyptic Earth where she was denied a chance to grow up and have a life, and where I was denied the chance to share that life with her. Talk about Hell on Earth.
So keep on keepin' on folks. Oh, the end to life as we know it is coming for sure, but it won't be a cosmic one, unless of course our feckless leader really is The Messiah. Hey, maybe that's it! Maybe he really believes he is The Messiah and he's just working his butt off to end the world and bring on all that Armageddon stuff...that would explain a great deal about his actions, no? Sorry...I just couldn't resist.
I have often wondered what compels one to hope for the end of our Earthly existence. Of course there is the Christian in all their glory. I know a woman who at every turn assures us the rapture is soon to be upon us and she is in glorious anticipation of its coming. I often wonder how that reconciles with her uber Christian faith. I know the rapture is doctrinal Christianity of the more "evangelical" variety. As a former attendee of Baptist churches as a youngster, I have heard all the eager anticipation coming from the "Amen Corner." Still I find the whole thing odd.
How much faith must one have to eagerly look forward to the end of life as we know it? And isn't it exceptionally odd to hear some lament the fate of one human at a time and then to gleefully anticipate the end of all humans? If being called to be with one's maker is such a wonderful thing, why all the "who struck John" when one person meets their fate? To cry and wail at the demise of one of our fellows and then hope for the end of everything we know seems oddly juxtaposed to me.
The other day I heard someone discussing the concept of the big bang versus God and creationism. The person speaking was wondering how anyone could imagine a big bang leading to all of this we see around us. Yet then they argue in favor of a supreme Deity whose appearance is every bit as "magical" as the big bang could ever be. The speaker was questioning the reason of one who believes the scientific beginnings of the universe could be cosmic happenstance. But they don't seem too awful concerned with cosmic happenstance when an all knowing Deity suddenly appears.
I mean c'mon...where did God come from? I will not accept the pat answer "God doesn't want us know the answer to that...we must have faith." It seems rather odd to me that God creates and all inquisitive creature in His image, yet refuses to answer the most basic questions a sentient and inquisitive creature would ever have..."where did we come from and how?" Sorry, but as an honorary Missourian, one will have to "show me" cause I take very little on faith. The world is full of people, living and long dead, who placed too much importance on having "faith" in something. Faith, by its very nature, as often as not leads to disappointment, but I digress.
How foolish do the "Rapture Loving" feel today? There are news stories aplenty about people spending all their money in anticipation of the end of the world. I have no pity for these folks...sorry...I know it's cold of me but I feel bad for those who are duped or taken advantage of, but the willfully stupid, not so much. Would I be off the mark to say that perhaps I am sad for those who are so open to suggestion that they bite on a hope for the end?
Personally I find a hope for the rapture to be selfish in the extreme. What about all of us who are not so enamored with the end? Don't most American's find the Muslim version of the end, the 12th Imam, the Mahdi, to be a terrible concept? Yet many of them will then look forward to their own little rapturous event...the one they believe in and favor. Seems completely misplaced and a bit hypocritical to me, but then I am not a believer.
Oh well...the world did not end last night. Damn good thing too. As a new Grandpa for the first time and one so totally in love with my baby girl, no one, and I mean no one, would want to meet me in any afterlife, or any post-apocalyptic Earth where she was denied a chance to grow up and have a life, and where I was denied the chance to share that life with her. Talk about Hell on Earth.
So keep on keepin' on folks. Oh, the end to life as we know it is coming for sure, but it won't be a cosmic one, unless of course our feckless leader really is The Messiah. Hey, maybe that's it! Maybe he really believes he is The Messiah and he's just working his butt off to end the world and bring on all that Armageddon stuff...that would explain a great deal about his actions, no? Sorry...I just couldn't resist.
Published by Snidely Whiplash
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1 Comments
Post a CommentI wonder if you too like many non believers who came from a strict religious background like the Baptist were raised in an environment that was too strict thus turning you away from Christianity. It is ludicrous that so many Christian parents are so harsh with their children thinking that they can make their children perfect little angels so as not to be an embarrassment to them. This is not God's way! To expect our children to live up to standards that we ourselves cannot live up to is just plain wrong! Children learn from example not from threats and punishment! We cannot live the Christian life without the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit and even then it takes continual yielding! I pray that someday you may come back to Christ! By the way Christians don't look forward to the Rapture to see mankind hurt but to get away from all the hurt and pain that now exists in an ungodly world!! Love in Christ to you!!