# Let's Say I've Decided the Rapture Is Imminent. Now What Do I Do? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 12, 2004, 11:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365 "2004-11-12T11:13:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![rfgdxm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c0e974/32.png) [@rfgdxm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rfgdxm)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/61 "2004-11-15T02:18:23Z")
> [@](#): > > 2.Hmmm, hell.Well, its said to be a bottomless pit. If you are in the (hot) core of the earth, there is no bottom, every way is up… And if hell is in the center of Venus, every way is up just as much. You do know the Earth isn’t at the center of the universe, right? ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/62 "2004-11-15T02:27:46Z")
You do know earth is where people live then? ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/63 "2004-11-15T10:21:40Z")
> [@Siege](#): > > I’m starting to wonder, too, if maybe we’re confusing the rapture as described by Darby, LaHaye, Hal Lindsay, et al with the second coming of Jesus Christ. The latter is part of Episcopal church doctrine, and something I’ll be affirming my belief in in a few hours as we recite the Nicene Creed: “He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.” > > I’ve also been told by that former Fundamentalist friend of mine that among those who believe in the rapture (he used to be one), there are actually three schools of thought: one believes the rapture will happen before the tribulations, also known as Pre-Trib; ones who believe the rapture will happen during the tribulations, the Mid-Trib ones; and ones who believe the rapture will happen only after the tribulations are over, the Post-Trib ones. I’m told fighting among these groups can get very nasty but, given the strength of the anger rapture theology inspires in me, I haven’t looked in on the arguments. > > CJ Siege- technically, even if they never use the term ‘Rapture’, any Christian who believes that a future Tribulation will occur, concluding at Christ’s Second Coming is a post-Trib Rapturist. Btw, Tim LaHaye is upset that his LB publisher Tyndale House is publishing a novel by Hank Hanengraff THE LAST DISCIPLE which takes the position that Revelation addresses the Roman persecution of Christians & siege of Jerusalem. ---
**Author:** ![TLC1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@TLC1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLC1)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/64 "2004-11-15T14:20:44Z")
> [@Siege](#): > > This has grown out of a couple of recent threads about the coming rapture, including [this one](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=285075), which I don’t want to hijack. > > Let’s say for some reason I’ve decided to adopt rapture theology and decided that Christ’s return is due within the next decade or two. What should I do? How should I change? I’m already a devout Christian who’s at church most Sunday’s. I accepted Christ as my Saviour decades ago. I formally repent of my sins every Sunday I’m at church before the Eucharist and informally somewhat more often. What do I do? > > CJ Get ready for what would be the greatest media event in human history. I envision people suddenly ascending like so many human shaped helium balloons bobbing up through the atmosphere akin to a scene in “Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory”. This should be quite a sight, witnessing people suddenly hitting the ceilings of their houses after being rudely plucked out of the bathtub or off the “John”. Just hope you are out in the open when it occurs. What if I’m acrophobic? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/65 "2004-11-15T14:31:04Z")
Right. No ceilings will be hit, we will be given new bodies, which do not hit things. And it says in the twinkling of an eye; it will be so fast, no one will see us ascending. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/66 "2004-11-15T15:09:46Z")
> [@vanilla](#): > > Why are you asking the straight dope? > its not like they are christian-friendly. > > What you do? What you always do, just live for Him, show others Him, and keep about your business(no selling everything etc.) > Seems lie you are doing that now,so, really, you ARE ready. Why wouldn’t you sell your stuff? There’s got to be a non-believer who could benefit from your stuff (and the resulting money, seeing as you won’t be needing it anymore anyway). Sell everything and say your good-byes. And try to stay away from activities like flying planes or driving trains or nuclear transport vehicles. You don’t want to fuck things up for the rest of the planet, do you??? ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/67 "2004-11-15T15:14:52Z")
1. I have no stuff. Well, a few clothes, and 3 books. 2.I don’t know when it will happen so why sell stuff? ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/68 "2004-11-15T15:23:17Z")
> [@the raindog](#): > > If you’re a Cubs fan you shouldn’t be hanging out in a Bridgeport neighborhood bar. They’ll serve you, but you ain’t getting invited to the next pub crawl. > > Well, have to get some sleep. I need to take **Diogenes** out to the woodshed tomorrow. 😉 Now, see…I’ve found that beer is thicker than team loyalty in situations like these. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/69 "2004-11-15T15:28:29Z")
> [@vanilla](#): > > 1. I have no stuff. > Well, a few clothes, and 3 books. > > 2.I don’t know when it will happen so why sell stuff? I think the preface to this was that you knew the rapture was going to come. Don’t you have dishes, appliances, a car, furniture, etc? Someone could use all that stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Psycho\_Pirate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Psycho\_Pirate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Psycho_Pirate)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/70 "2004-11-15T16:05:38Z")
> [@JMS@CCT](#): > > True, but it is the word that ultimately convicts, saves and renews. The Spirit works through the words. This begins with the gospel of your salvation: “The gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation, to everyone that believeth… (Romans 1:16)…that Christ died for our sins…was buried…was raised again the third day…for our justification”…and is followed by the invitation to confess Jesus as saviour: "If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in thine that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (1 Cor. 15:1-4; Romans 4:25; 10:9) Well put. I don’t disagree with that statement. The Spirit works through the words. > [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I don’t know what part of Revelation you’re referring to but there’s no “Rapture” event described in that book or anywhere else in the Bible. Revelation 4:1 “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, **Come up hither** , and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” I know this isn’t the “proof text” you are looking for. Frankly, I don’t think there is going to be a text that will be enough to convince you. You refuse to accept 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 as a discussion of the rapture, and hold that the rapture is not mentioned at all in the Bible. Obviously, I disagree with your opinion. However, I’d ask you not to claim the position is ignorant, since I don’t think you would claim to “have it all figured out” when it comes to Judeo-Christian eschatology. > [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > In the 21st century, isn’t it about time we let go of our quaint notions about a thre layered universe with Heaven in the sky? Do you also think that Hell is “down there” under the ground somewhere? Why? Can you prove that this is untrue any more than I can prove that it is true? I personally believe in the “quaint notion”, and see no reason to change my position. I believe the first heaven is the sky, the second heaven is outer space, and the third heaven is Heaven, and Hell is in the center of the earth. If anything, the fact that you disagree with it makes me want to keep believing it more. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/71 "2004-11-15T16:27:35Z")
[QUOTE=Psycho PirateRevelation 4:1 “After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, **Come up hither** , and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.” I know this isn’t the “proof text” you are looking for. Frankly, I don’t think there is going to be a text that will be enough to convince you. You refuse to accept 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 as a discussion of the rapture, and hold that the rapture is not mentioned at all in the Bible. Obviously, I disagree with your opinion. However, I’d ask you not to claim the position is ignorant, since I don’t think you would claim to “have it all figured out” when it comes to Judeo-Christian eschatology.[/quote] I’m just talking about what the Bible says and doesn’t say. It doesn’t say anything about a Rapture event, Thessalonians is about the 2nd coming. There is no such thing as “Judeo-Christian” eschatology. There is Jewish eschatology and there is Christian eschatology (in all its many forms). They are not the same and cannot be hyphenated. > [@](#): > > Why? Can you prove that this is untrue any more than I can prove that it is true? I personally believe in the “quaint notion”, and see no reason to change my position. I believe the first heaven is the sky, the second heaven is outer space, and the third heaven is Heaven, and Hell is in the center of the earth. If anything, the fact that you disagree with it makes me want to keep believing it more. 😉 Are you serious? ---
**Author:** ![vanilla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/f19dbf/32.png) [@vanilla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vanilla)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/72 "2004-11-15T19:25:05Z")
> [@Kalhoun](#): > > I think the preface to this was that you knew the rapture was going to come. Don’t you have dishes, appliances, a car, furniture, etc? > > Someone could use all that stuff. No car, just clothes, a few bowls and plates, and a tv and mattress. I will will it to an atheist, hows that? ---
**Author:** ![Psycho\_Pirate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Psycho\_Pirate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Psycho_Pirate)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/73 "2004-11-15T19:27:50Z")
> [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > I’m just talking about what the Bible says and doesn’t say. It doesn’t say anything about a Rapture event, Thessalonians is about the 2nd coming. See, I completely disagree. The word “rapture” may not be used, but the concept is clearly (to me, anyway) there. The word “Trinity” isn’t used either, but the concept is there. > [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > There is no such thing as “Judeo-Christian” eschatology. There is Jewish eschatology and there is Christian eschatology (in all its many forms). They are not the same and cannot be hyphenated. A mistake of terminology on my part. It is a rather muddy term, although it’s use is common. > [@Diogenes the Cynic](#): > > Are you serious? All except the last sentence about you not believing it making me want to believe it, yes. Not that this is the subject of this thread, but since you asked, I thought I’d answer. ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/74 "2004-11-15T22:36:29Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Siege- technically, even if they never use the term ‘Rapture’, any Christian who believes that a future Tribulation will occur, concluding at Christ’s Second Coming > is a post-Trib Rapturist. > > Btw, Tim LaHaye is upset that his LB publisher Tyndale House is publishing a novel by Hank Hanengraff THE LAST DISCIPLE which takes the position that Revelation addresses the Roman persecution of Christians & siege of Jerusalem. Actually, I suspect there are a lot of Christians out there who haven’t really given what’s entailed in Christ’s coming again a second thought, so to speak. Even I haven’t thought all that much about it, simply because objectively, I’m not sure what difference it would make, and I can’t see it happening in my lifetime, although, of course, I could be wrong. Frankly, given a choice between pondering whether there will be a Tribulation will occur and, if so, what it will be like, and thinking about a certain engineer, I’ll take the latter.😉 As for LaHaye, I hate to admit this, but I can see his point of view. I get the impression for him the rapture is as essential to Christian theology as Christ’s death and resurrection. Therefore, to him, what his publisher is doing would be the equivalent of publishing a book which made the Resurrection out to be a hoax. Again, I’m making assumptions here, and I haven’t read that much about LaHaye, but if he’s writing books with the intention of getting people to see the Truth and change their ways, having a book come out which directly contradicts that Truth can’t be that palatable. CJ ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/75 "2004-11-15T22:39:17Z")
> [@vanilla](#): > > No car, just clothes, a few bowls and plates, and a tv and mattress. > I will will it to an atheist, hows that? Just have them send it to me. I’m not going; I have work to do here. ;j ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 10:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/76 "2004-11-15T22:45:49Z")
Hmmm, according to Tyndale’s website, the _Left Behind for Kids_ is “best-selling juvenile fiction series of all time.” I find that VERY hard to believe. Surely _Harry Potter_ alone would have eclipsed them! ---
**Author:** ![Siege](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dbc845/32.png) [@Siege](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siege)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/77 "2004-11-15T22:56:31Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Just have them send it to me. > > I’m not going; I have work to do here. ;j You and me both, brother, you and me both! ;j back at ya! CJ The usual explanation: **Polycarp** is my brother in spirit. No biological relationship has been proven, despite his attempts to make me out to be related to royalty! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2004, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/78 "2004-11-15T23:20:50Z")
> [@vanilla](#): > > 1. I have no stuff. > Well, a few clothes, and 3 books. > > 2.I don’t know when it will happen so why sell stuff? I can just see the long line at Powell’s used book buying counter. “No thanks, we have enough Bibles and Left Behind books”. ---
**Author:** ![bup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6bbea6/32.png) [@bup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bup)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/79 "2004-11-16T00:15:22Z")
I don’t suppose buying life insurance would help anything… ---
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2004, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365/80 "2004-11-16T00:37:05Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > Siege- technically, even if they never use the term ‘Rapture’, any Christian who believes that a future Tribulation will occur, concluding at Christ’s Second Coming is a post-Trib Rapturist. True. I guess that the upsurge of PreTrib Rapture theology’s cultural visibility, with its crowning achievement being _Left Behind_, has resulted in the general culture having shorthanded that school with the ‘Rapture’ name for most conversational purposes. In any case, it _is_ true that the dominant POV in Christendom today (and for centuries!), has been that _if_ there were a Tribulation and a Rapture, they would happen in that order. And as mentioned, the majority blocks of Christians in the world do not subscribe to the PreTrib Rapture. (It DID shock me to just read someone claiming they never met any Christian was not a believer in PreTrib Rapture.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/lets-say-ive-decided-the-rapture-is-imminent-now-what-do-i-do/274365.md?page=5)