# Morality of Christians Driving Cars, Flying Planes, Etc. **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [October 11, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769 "2003-10-11T00:45:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Oktberfest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@Oktberfest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oktberfest)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/1 "2003-10-11T00:45:32Z")
With the impending Rapture that will take the body of Christ from the Earth, is it moral for Christians to drive cars, fly planes, etc? It seems that it should be wrong, since they could be called home at anytime. If they are called home while driving they could kill people on the road. I feel this would be wrong. Or is it ok, since those killed would not be Christians? ---
**Author:** ![richardc](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/7cd45c/32.png) [@richardc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/richardc)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 1:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/2 "2003-10-11T01:01:23Z")
That is a good question. šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/3 "2003-10-11T01:04:45Z")
I recall seeing the following bumper sticker: ā€œIn case of Rapture, this vehicle will be unmanned.ā€ Apparently, this moral quandry is not too bothersome to the authors of the _Left Behind_ books and movies, because the very first movie contained at least one scene of a terrible auto accident that occurred because Christian drivers were Raptured. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/4 "2003-10-11T01:05:52Z")
No itā€™s not. Itā€™s a stupid question. Preposterously stupid. Assuming (which, it should go without saying, I am not), that the Rapturists are correct and that a) God is good and b) God will intervene in the affairs of the earth to pluck a few just followers up for Rapture, itā€™s entirely logical further to conclude that He will do so in a way that is not dangerous to those to whom He intends no danger. The OP makes for a funny bumper sticker. But not a Great Debate. ---
**Author:** ![Oktberfest](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ed655f/32.png) [@Oktberfest](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oktberfest)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/5 "2003-10-11T01:08:54Z")
> [@](#): > > itā€™s entirely logical further to conclude that He will do so in a way that is not dangerous to those to whom He intends no danger. Why assume this? ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/6 "2003-10-11T01:13:58Z")
Youā€™re kidding, right? Folks who believe in the Rapture (a small percentage of all Christians, BTW), believe that _God is going to come down and pluck the chosen into thin air_! Then Heā€™s gonna let loose with firey rain and demons and disease and pestilance and all sorts of stuff too terrible to think about. And in all that time it will be the righteous who live and the wicked who die. (Now that I think about it, a bunch of righteous also die, too, but they do so as part of Godā€™s plan and it works out pretty good for them in the long run). And yet a person who believe all of that is supposed to wonder whether God has a plan for the intersection immediately ahead? ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/7 "2003-10-11T01:17:56Z")
Well, I wouldnā€™t necessarily trust such a picky god to be nice to the rest of us. If heā€™s so nice and kind, why doesnā€™t he just rapture all of us in the first place? And I donā€™t really see how god could take away all the Christians in the world without doing any harm to the non-Christians. If nothing else, I sure would miss my Christian friends šŸ™‚ ---
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 1:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/8 "2003-10-11T01:26:47Z")
The OP reminds me of my 90 year old mother ā€“ always trying to micro-manage God. She was married to my father for over 50 years. He passed away many years ago and for the last few years she has been in love with another man. (Yes. It can happen at that age too.) But now she is worried about heaven. How can she be happy if she can only be with one of them? She just knows she is going to be miserable in heaven. I think itā€™s best to leave some things up to God. The list includes the possibility of the Red Sox v. the Cubs, hurricane season and the Rapture. ---
**Author:** ![buttonjockey308](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@buttonjockey308](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buttonjockey308)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/9 "2003-10-11T01:40:08Z")
I hope thereā€™s a light sprinking of cheese after the fiery rainā€¦ [homer]ā€¦mmm cheeseā€¦[/homer] ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/10 "2003-10-11T06:17:31Z")
You know, whenever I see one of those Rapture-unmanning-the-vehicle bumperstickers, I wonder if it isnā€™t pretty selfish of the driver to be driving around like that. I thought I was the only one, though, who had obnoxious thoughts like that. šŸ˜› ā€“genie, who had to have the sticker explained to her a few years ago, because sheā€™s Mormon, and had never heard of the Rapture. Then she read the Left Behind books for library school, and now knows more than she would really like. ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 6:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/11 "2003-10-11T06:20:43Z")
I suppose the ā€œrapturedā€ ones think that the rest will be treated the way they as horrible sinners deserveā€¦ so no mercy on them ? ---
**Author:** ![cbm77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@cbm77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbm77)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/12 "2003-10-11T06:24:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by buttonjockey308 \* > \*\*I hope thereā€™s a light sprinking of cheese after the fiery rainā€¦ > [homer]ā€¦mmm cheeseā€¦[/homer] \*\* ROTFLMAO ---
**Author:** ![tracer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tracer/32/20578_2.png) [@tracer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tracer)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 6:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/13 "2003-10-11T06:24:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by manhattan \* > \*\*And yet a person who believe all of that is supposed to wonder whether God has a plan for the intersection immediately ahead? \*\* Well ā€¦ yes! The details of the Rapture are spelled out in 1st Thessalonians. God/Jesus is gonna pull dead Christians off the Earth, then pull live Christians off the Earth, and theyā€™ll meet Him somewhere in midair. The details of the Tribulation are spelled out in Revelation. Godā€™s gonna rain down fire and brimstone and weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth and ten-horned seven-headed beasts and force cats and dogs to lie down together. Yet, nowhere in the bible ā€“ old **or** new testament ā€“ do we read, ā€œAnd the Lord shall steer the unmanned Ford Excursions away from the Unraptured and bring the unmanned airliners safely down onto the runways.ā€ ---
**Author:** ![cmason32](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@cmason32](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmason32)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/14 "2003-10-11T06:26:46Z")
I just wonder why god cares so much about capitalization. I always see believers use Him or He. Do you go to hell if you donā€™t capitalize a pronoun? ---
**Author:** ![cbm77](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@cbm77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cbm77)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/15 "2003-10-11T07:10:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by cmason32 \* > \*\*I just wonder why god cares so much about capitalization. I always see believers use Him or He. Do you go to hell if you donā€™t capitalize a pronoun? \*\* \*Rolls over on the floor in a fit of histeria. STOP IT ! You guys are killing me! LMAO! ---
**Author:** ![Rashak\_Mani](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rashak\_Mani](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rashak_Mani)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 7:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/16 "2003-10-11T07:19:50Z")
Airlines should contract only sinful pilots and that will solve the problems of God landing multiple aircrafts for us sinnersā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/17 "2003-10-11T07:44:57Z")
In ā€œThe Parable of the Pounds,ā€ Christians are commanded by God to [ā€œOccupy 'till I come.ā€](http://www.whatsaiththescripture.com/Timeline/How.to.Be.Ready.Rapture.html) In other words, they should be prepared for his arrival, but should still go about being proper stewards ā€“ doing their jobs, taking care of their households, and so forth. One could scarcely do this if one were to swear off all motorist activity. The idea is that one should continue to fulfill oneā€™s earthly obligations, and leave what happens after the Rapture to God. ---
**Author:** ![Sock\_Munkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/aeb1de/32.png) [@Sock\_Munkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sock_Munkey)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 8:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/18 "2003-10-11T08:01:11Z")
If firey death will rain down when the rapture comes then itā€™s a moot point if all the cars and planes crash since everyone would get fried anyhow. ---
**Author:** ![manhattan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manhattan/32/7_2.png) [@manhattan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/manhattan)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/19 "2003-10-11T15:00:13Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by tracer \* > \*\* Yet, nowhere in the bible ā€“ old **or** new testament ā€“ do we read, ā€œAnd the Lord shall steer the unmanned Ford Excursions away from the Unraptured and bring the unmanned airliners safely down onto the runways.ā€ \*\* Sez you. Correctly translated, the four bringers of the apocalypse will be riding mustangs. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 11, 2003, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769/20 "2003-10-11T15:12:56Z")
_Ford is the Antichrist!_šŸ˜ƒ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/morality-of-christians-driving-cars-flying-planes-etc/206769.md?page=2)