Ooops-Wrong Again!

As the hub-bub dies down around Mr. Campings' silly prediction of the end of the world today, I figure I'd point out a few things.

First, the word rapture doesn't appear in the bible as its always bandied about. There are allusions to something like what's been termed "The Rapture" but that word just doesn't appear.

The logical problems brought about by the idea are many. First, a goodly percentage of the bodies of Christians are dust, their atoms now constituting living people. Is it merely going to be souls going to heaven? If so, then you're back to the Platonic idea of duality of the body and soul.

Second, the Bible specifically states NO ONE, but the Lord knows the day or the hour of the end. That would mean, not Mr. Camping. Not Mr. Koresh. Not Jimbob Two-Toothed. Nobody. So, you can come up with some hilarious crackpot mathematical code to the Bible, but in doing so you have to ignore a fairly pointed statement warning against what Mr. Camping (and many others) have tried to do.

Third, this goes back to the rapture problem. As so lovely illustrated in the awful Left Behind books (ok, I saw the first movie and have never even opened one of the books, nor will I) if "the Rapture" would happen chaos would be unleashed upon the earth. Thousands, if not millions would die as planes crash, cars crash, accidents of all sorts occur at jobs.

Now, those in support of the idea say this is all part of the awful things that will happen during "The Tribulation."

I say, it doesn't seem a very loving God who would bring this upon those who He wants to bring into his fold. It might be because I'm a stubborn contrarian, but I sure wouldn't be turning to the God who is unleashing chaos upon the earth. I'd be pissed. But, again, that's just me.

A final issue that ties more into the general problems of reading Revelations in any sort of literal sense is the idea of the final battles between "Good" and "Evil."

In the immortal words of Star Trek V, "Why does God need a starship?" In this instance a starship being an army. I'm pretty sure the slaughter of millions isn't "good" and that God isn't too keen on the death of innocents at the hands of his "holy army."

I could be wrong and I know people would point to the OT to prove me wrong. I'd say that its because the Jews were specifically interpreting God's commands to benefit themselves....but hey, what can ya do?