Several Christian movements have adopted their own version of this end time and within this interpretation they have included a specific understanding of a phenomenon called the RAPTURE.
What is the rapture ?
Basically it is a moment in time when the true disciples of Christ, according to Rapture theory, are taken out of the material body and risen to the spiritual world at the side of their understood saviour. Those who are not spiritually ready, again according to rapture theory are left behind to face the events of the apocalypse.
The rapture theory is mostly formulated from bible scripture such as the following from Matthew 24: 40 - 41
Two men will be in the field; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding with a hand mill; one will be taken and the other left.
and Acts 1: 9-11
After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.
They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
Rapture Theorists use several other biblical passages to convince themselves and others that they have interpreted the word of God according to the Bible properly. Such passages might include :
Matthew 24: 30-36- John 14: 1-3
- 1 Corinthians 15: 51-52
- 1 Thessalonians 4: 15-17
- Phillipians 3: 20-21
- and others
Where does the Rapture Theory come from?
In the 19th Century an Irish Christian evangelist named John Nelson Darby taught the message of the rapture to a group a believers in the United States. The message continued to gain prominence among evangelicals under the guidance of William Eugene Blackstone who used the printing press as a propaganda tool through a highly popular book called "Jesus is Coming".
On a side note it is interesting to mention that as this is happening in the early to mid 1800's the Mormon Church of the Latter Day Saints is newly founded by Joseph Smith in the same generation. The Mormon however do not believe in the Rapture as the Evangelicals do.
We move passed the 1950's and there are new Evangelicals such has Hal Lindsey and Russell Doughten who are teaching those who want to believe them about this concept of magical ascension into a metaphysical realm. ( On a side note...and making a fortune in the process). These people and the rapture theory is supported by song writers and actors who agree to again use the media as a propaganda tool to extend their message.
Further into the new millenium the Rapture believers are still at it. Hal Lindsey is still at it and now we here a new name playing the same old fiddle. Here we have the good ole TV ministers Jack Van Impe and his beautiful wife Rexella who are convinced that they are schedualed for a trip into the ethereal realm of the spiritual just before the great tribulation is about to unfold. ( Now i feel a little cheated by this act of grandeur...how dare you take all the money and run when the kettle is about to boil over....). The Van Impe's are right into this 2012 prophecy stuff. Good old Jack can't put a date on it since that would go against the teachings of St. Matthew where no one knows the hour, yet you need only to watch is program once to see him grinning at the very possibility that those dang gone pagan mayans might have been onto something.
In fact they have mastered what they believe to be another great video in their endless series of videos that should keep them in the money until they disappear from the scene, a scene they describe as an horrific time that the rest of us will need to deal with from our earthly material body. I haven't personally seen the 2012 Van Impe video but i imagine it takes every Mayan concept of spiritual ascension or end time concept and turns it into a Christian issue. (Isn't that just a continuation of the original Mayan idea burning that the Spaniards started in the 16th century ? ).
Other names associated with current rapture theory spiritual ascension include Tim Lahaye and Jerry Jenkins (not to be mistaken for John Major Jenkins, the galactic alignment theorist) who brought us the film and book "Left Behind". I did see that film and it was as stupid to me as the recent 2012 Doomsday film that i recently viewed. 2012 Doomsday also pretty much raped the crap out of the reality of the Mayan legends of 2012 and turned it into a Christian festival that includes the rapture.
However this rapture concept is not a phenom that is agreed about by all branches of Christianity. The Catholic Church for instance deny the rapture. As mentioned before the Church of the Latter Saints or Mormons don't support the rapture concept. Even some evangelicals question the merits of the Rapture Theory.
To remain a generalist i am telling you that it might be true and the again it might not be true. What i can say is that i wish i was making a fraction of the money that some of these evangelicals make on selling religion while they wait to get scooped away before the @#%# hits the fan.
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What is 2012?
Venus Transit - Galactic Alignment - Spiritual Ascension - TimeWave Zero - 13.0.0.0.0 the end of the Baktun Long Count - December 21, 2012 Winter Solstice - A portal into the Yuga Golden Age
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