# Belief in the coming Rapture on May 21, 2011 **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 25, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667 "2011-04-25T16:00:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/41 "2011-04-27T15:38:44Z")
Come on, people! Is there NO ONE on these boards that believes in one of these dates? Man, it’d be more fun if we had a couple of delusionalists… ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2011, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/42 "2011-04-27T20:18:17Z")
It seems to me most of the people here don’t believe in the Bible. Those that do seem to be accepting the clear statement that nobody knows. To accept one of those dates you must belief in the Bible, but disregard or be ignorant of part of it. I don’t ever remember anybody I knew supporting a date. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/43 "2011-04-28T13:30:33Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > There’s nothing that can be said for certain about the end times. Biblical scholars don’t even agree on when the rapture would occur during the end times. > > Maybe noticing it is part of the point of the Rapture. Maybe the non-believers would come up with an explanation in terms of some other religion, or chalk it up to UFOs or something. If Jesus said He would return in His father’s glory with his angels before some of them standing there listening to him had died, then it would nullify the rapture,so waiting for a second return is futile. It was to happen in the first century. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2011, 4:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/44 "2011-04-28T16:47:02Z")
Unless one of those people is still alive. ---
**Author:** ![monavis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@monavis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monavis)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/45 "2011-04-29T11:40:48Z")
> [@Alan\_Smithee](#): > > Unless one of those people is still alive. Maybe they are in hiding? ---
**Author:** ![RachelChristine](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7ab992/32.png) [@RachelChristine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RachelChristine)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 12:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/46 "2011-04-29T12:13:28Z")
My sister had a boyfriend in high school who had gotten caught up in one of those predictions when he was little. Remember “88 Reasons Jesus Will Return in 1988”? (Title may not be exact, but I know it was 88.) His parents believed it so sincerely that, instead of going at it from a Christian response and praying or witnessing or something like that, they went out and wracked up so much debt, just enjoying the end of the world as much as they could before they were raptured away. Of course they were bankrupted and made fools of. Boy, you think someone gets made fun of for _preaching_ the end is near? Imagine what happened with these people! I’m a Bible believing Christian, and I believe that we won’t know. Are there things that sometimes seem to be “falling into place”? Are there even sometimes things these crackpots say that “make sense”? Sure, but I figure I lived through 1988 and I lived through May 5, 2000, and several other dates, and I’ll live through 2011 (even December!) unless God decides otherwise. Predicting the end is just dumb. Living my life like the end is near (in terms of repentence, keeping my witness, etc.) is a good idea, but I will not be surprised if it happens in my life time and I will not be surprised if I live a long life. ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 12:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/47 "2011-04-29T12:34:11Z")
I like the signs, earthquakes, wars, rumors of wars. When were we ever free of them? The world may or may not end in the next 25 years. However, if it doesn’t, there is a very good chance I will die. Perhaps that is what I should prepare for. When I am going to die is tough to say too. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/48 "2011-04-29T14:57:12Z")
If blissed-out Christians start flying into the sky next month, I will totally credit the Ghost Dance. ---
**Author:** ![bizerta](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@bizerta](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bizerta)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/49 "2011-04-29T15:38:51Z")
The Force can have a strong influence on the weak-minded. Many of you will think I’m trying to make a joke. I’m really trying to make a point. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/50 "2011-04-29T18:39:16Z")
> [@thelabdude](#): > > It seems to me most of the people here don’t believe in the Bible. Those that do seem to be accepting the clear statement that nobody knows. To accept one of those dates you must belief in the Bible, but disregard or be ignorant of part of it. I don’t ever remember anybody I knew supporting a date. But knowing the Bible doesn’t help any in understanding the whack-jobs. I didn’t want to go to “their” website, but googled “May 21” and they claim it’s “hidden” prophecies… turns out it’s not the Bible, it’s figuring out the exact date of Noah’s flood and adding 7000 years. Please don’t ask why… “higher” math makes my head _esplode_. ---
**Author:** ![VernWinterbottom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c67d28/32.png) [@VernWinterbottom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VernWinterbottom)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2011, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/51 "2011-04-29T19:23:54Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#): > > The Seventh-Day Adventists are perhaps the largest denomination to grow out of a failed end-times prophecy, which predicted that doom would come in 1844. The church coalesced around a decision that some sort of cosmic precursor event happened on that date, and that the actual doomsday is still imminent but of uncertain date. Over time, they’ve evolved more and more toward the Protestant mainstream. Joseph Bates Jr., one of the founders of the Seventh Day Adventist Church, grew up in my hometown. In 1846 he wrote a treatise explaining that William Miller’s calculations were wrong because Christians had moved the Sabbath to the wrong day, Sunday, when it should be kept on aturday, the seventh day of the week. Lots of Seventh Day Adventists visit Fairhaven, MA, to visit Bates’ boyhood home, which is now owned by the Adventist Heritage Ministry. They’re very nice people, who also promote healthful living, which is why many of them, including Bates, migrated to Battle Creek, MI, the home of cold breakfast cereal and granola. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/52 "2011-05-08T15:53:17Z")
> [@HorseloverFat](#): > > There have been hundreds of end of the world cults in recent years. The delusional irrational people who are part of them typically just latch onto some other preacher. Its pretty rare for them to take their lives or do anything drastic. Usually they aren’t too shaken up because of our old pal cognitive dissonance and because these preachers are clever enough to come up with excuses. > > [Cognitive dissonance - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cognitive_dissonance) > [Doomsday cult - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doomsday_cult) > > When prophecy fails addresses this: > > [When Prophecy Fails - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/When_Prophecy_Fails) i just finished that book. even though it is a social and psychological study, it is a narrative account of the group, so it is an easy read. the book is about a doomsday/flying saucer cult. similar cognitive dissonance can be exhibited by people who have their sense of being hung on a particular aspect; religion, politics, energy, environment seem to be areas where people frequently show cognitive dissonance. ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [May 8, 2011, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/53 "2011-05-08T18:02:23Z")
Good point John. Every group has those that lose sight of the basics and go off the deep end. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/54 "2011-05-09T03:32:04Z")
I once had a student refuse to do a research paper because she knew the Rapture was coming before the final paper was due. I asked her to humor me and just keep meeting the deadlines to humor me until the Rapture. She refused saying it would imply that she did not believe in the Rapture. She was completely sincere. She was not trying to get out of doing the paper. She took the Fs. She never told me nor did I push when she didn’t rise to heaven why she didn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 9, 2011, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/55 "2011-05-09T04:44:19Z")
> [@TV\_time](#): > > I once had a student refuse to do a research paper because she knew the Rapture was coming before the final paper was due. I asked her to humor me and just keep meeting the deadlines to humor me until the Rapture. She refused saying it would imply that she did not believe in the Rapture. > > She was completely sincere. She was not trying to get out of doing the paper. She took the Fs. She never told me nor did I push when she didn’t rise to heaven why she didn’t. Why was she even attending class? ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/56 "2011-05-10T16:26:25Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > Why was she even attending class? At first she was, but I think it was to recruit other believers. I do remember she did have a number of absenses. ---
**Author:** ![thelabdude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/dc4da7/32.png) [@thelabdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelabdude)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/57 "2011-05-10T18:32:05Z")
You don’t want to slack off unless it is a sure thing. I let my studies slide during the Cuban Missile Crisis and almost got drafted without a war. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/58 "2011-05-10T19:43:04Z")
> [@lukeinva](#): > > It says here the World Ends July 4th > > [http://weeklyworldnews.com/the-sun/](http://weeklyworldnews.com/the-sun/) > > I’m guessing that is a backup date. It also says Facebook will hang on until March 2012. I like the friendly, reassuring tone of the article. [QUOTE=Weekly World News] Technically, May 21st is Judgment Day, or The Rapture, so the world won’t end that day, it’s just the beginning of the end… But, don’t worry, it will end VERY soon after. Probably by October 21st of this year – at the latest. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [May 10, 2011, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667/59 "2011-05-10T19:54:52Z")
> [@kanicbird](#): > > It’s possible that the ‘rapture’ can happen and life just goes on for those left, scriptures speak of a angelic harvest of the earth, and as for the ones left behind, well not explicitly stated but perhaps are apparently still living their lives as nothing happens. I’ve always said the Rapture has already happened…and the only one that left the building so to speak was Elvis. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/belief-in-the-coming-rapture-on-may-21-2011/579667.md?page=2)