If the Rapture actually happened, what would you do?

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Assume, for the sake of argument, that the kind of pretribulation dispensationalist end times like the events in the *Left Behind * series is actually happening. Suddenly, people disappear all at once (no Catholics, because Catholics aren’t “saved” according to many of these groups) and nobody really thinks anything more of it until everything starts (literally) going to Hell: natural disasters, famine, war, you need a mark on your hands before you can conduct business, that sort of thing. Then suddenly you have angels and demons duking it out on your doorstop and Jesus comes back and is all “Sorry, everyone, the Evangelicals were right…”

What do you do?

Remember, this is not up for debate. It’s happening, you can see it with your own eyes. Do you hunker down and hope no one notices that you’re missing? Hope that well, at least you were Christian, maybe Jesus will show mercy? (Not a chance.) Convert? Figure that you can at least go down fighting? I’m just kicking around some ideas for a story about how people of other religions (non-Evangelicals and non-Christians alike) would react to this sort of scenario.
 
I would approach my Saviour, kneel before him and say “Jesus, I trust in You. Have mercy on me, a poor sinner”.
 
Nice thought experiment. 😉

I would pinch myself, to make sure that I wasn’t dreaming. 😃

And if that didn’t work, I’d just go about my life as I normally do, except that I’d probably add a weekday Mass (+Confession if I hadn’t gone recently) even if it weren’t a Sunday.

And reflect that sometimes, God permits weird things to happen, and that it’s just a test of faith. I wouldn’t be driven to Pentecostalism or Darbyism, even if I witnessed it.

Going on anti-psychotic medication, if I was hallucinating, would also be an option… 😛
 
I became Catholic because I wanted to be on Jesus’ side. If I was “left behind” because I missed some doctrinal small print I would still be on his side, with the hope that after the battle He might have time to talk.
 
Given the parameters of the OP I’d lay some clothes and shoes out on the front lawn, and so my evangelical protestant neighbours will think we’ve been taken!
 
Lokabrenna said:
Assume, for the sake of argument, that the kind of pretribulation dispensationalist end times like the events in the *Left Behind * series is actually happening. Suddenly, people disappear all at once (no Catholics, because Catholics aren’t “saved” according to many of these groups) and nobody really thinks anything more of it until everything starts (literally) going to Hell: natural disasters, famine, war, you need a mark on your hands before you can conduct business, that sort of thing. Then suddenly you have angels and demons duking it out on your doorstop and Jesus comes back and is all “Sorry, everyone, the Evangelicals were right…”

What do you do?

Remember, this is not up for debate. It’s happening, you can see it with your own eyes. Do you hunker down and hope no one notices that you’re missing? Hope that well, at least you were Christian, maybe Jesus will show mercy? (Not a chance.) Convert? Figure that you can at least go down fighting? I’m just kicking around some ideas for a story about how people of other religions (non-Evangelicals and non-Christians alike) would react to this sort of scenario.
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Such a scenario is completely unbiblical, and is in fact, 180 degrees out of phase with what the Bible actually says. The Bible actually says that the good guys get left behind and the bad guys get taken away to hell.

Publishing a story that perpetuates ideas such as the rapture encourages unbiblical error. I would be very cautious about doing so.

-Tim-
 
IF there actually will be a “rapture,” which I highly doubt, I would be very thankful that a very annoying evangelical colleague who tried to “evangelize” me several times before I finally complained to Human Resources about him, and a couple of extremely annoying neighbors (including the Lawn Ranger, who runs his lawn tractor at the ungodly hour of six AM, including Sundays,) would be outta here!
 
TimothyH said:
Such a scenario is completely unbiblical, and is in fact, 180 degrees out of phase with what the Bible actually says. The Bible actually says that the good guys get left behind and the bad guys get taken away to hell.

Publishing a story that perpetuates ideas such as the rapture encourages unbiblical error. I would be very cautious about doing so.

-Tim-
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You just missed the entire point of the thought experiment.
My point in writing this story isn’t to perpetuate this kind of thinking, it’s to deconstruct it, show how silly it looks when it’s actually applied to the real world. I could care less what the Bible really says on the matter (although, characters will probably point that out) the point is that no matter how far-fetched it is, what if it actually happened?

There are Christians in places like Rapture Ready who certainly believe that an event like the one I described will really take place (including people who say they will find joy in the suffering of those in Hell). I have a feeling if I were to publish this story, the very people who hold these beliefs wouldn’t praise me for it. In fact, I would be positively baffled if they did.
 
Probably go thoroughly enjoy myself and then find thing evil to do battle with. Haha
 
Lokabrenna said:
Assume, for the sake of argument, that the kind of pretribulation dispensationalist end times like the events in the *Left Behind * series is actually happening. Suddenly, people disappear all at once (no Catholics, because Catholics aren’t “saved” according to many of these groups) and nobody really thinks anything more of it until everything starts (literally) going to Hell: natural disasters, famine, war, you need a mark on your hands before you can conduct business, that sort of thing. Then suddenly you have angels and demons duking it out on your doorstop and Jesus comes back and is all “Sorry, everyone, the Evangelicals were right…”

What do you do?

Remember, this is not up for debate. It’s happening, you can see it with your own eyes. Do you hunker down and hope no one notices that you’re missing? Hope that well, at least you were Christian, maybe Jesus will show mercy? (Not a chance.) Convert? Figure that you can at least go down fighting? I’m just kicking around some ideas for a story about how people of other religions (non-Evangelicals and non-Christians alike) would react to this sort of scenario.
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The Evangelicals will disappear; The bible makes it clear the righteous STAY and the sinners leave during the second coming, as they don’t have the true faith and protest from it.
 
odile53 said:
IF there actually will be a “rapture,” which I highly doubt, I would be very thankful that a very annoying evangelical colleague who tried to “evangelize” me several times before I finally complained to Human Resources about him, and a couple of extremely annoying neighbors (including the Lawn Ranger, who runs his lawn tractor at the ungodly hour of six AM, including Sundays,) would be outta here!
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:rotfl::rotfl:

Don’t have such colleagues right now, but I know from past experience exactly what you mean!

Always good to look at the lighter side of such things. 👍
 
One of two things:
  1. Rejoice, because the Lord takes the evil ones first and leaves the just ones behind. Or…
  2. Renounce Christianity, as the occurrence of a “rapture” as invented by man, has proved it to be wrong.
In the desert during their exodus from Egypt, those who opposed Moses were taken and Moses and the repentant Hebrews were “left behind.” In Sodom and Gomorrah, the sinful were taken and Lot and his wife were “left behind.” Instructive here are a couple of parables:
Matthew 13:30
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Suffer both to grow until the harvest, and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers: Gather up first the cockle, and bind it into bundles to burn, but the wheat gather ye into my barn.
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John 15:5-6
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I am the vine: you the branches: he that abideth in me, and I in him, the same beareth much fruit: for without me you can do nothing. If any one abide not in me, he shall be cast forth as a branch, and shall wither, and they shall gather him up, and cast him into the fire, and he burneth.
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The Lord took the weeds first and burned them, while the just ones were “left behind.” The Lord’s punishment always precedes His reward. I remember here that Jesus taught that the first will be last, and the last will be first. The 'rapture", as it was conjured up by man, is a product of private interpretation of scripture. The bible itself bans this practice (2 Peter 1:20), as it leads to man-made error such as the “rapture”

Those who teach the “rapture” should take heed of James’ admonishment:

James 3:1

Be ye not many masters (teachers), my brethren, knowing that you receive the greater judgment.
 
THE_ENCORE said:
The Evangelicals will disappear; The bible makes it clear the righteous STAY and the sinners leave during the second coming, as they don’t have the true faith and protest from it.
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Regardless of their love of Christ, how many evangelicals are not baptized? Christ very clearly commanded that the faithful be baptized. How many evangelicals and others love Christ, but have not obeyed this commandment?
 
THE_ENCORE said:
The Evangelicals will disappear; The bible makes it clear the righteous STAY and the sinners leave during the second coming, as they don’t have the true faith and protest from it.
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Here’s a thought. What if the people that stayed happened to be from various different faiths?
 
Lokabrenna said:
Assume, for the sake of argument, that the kind of pretribulation dispensationalist end times like the events in the *Left Behind * series is actually happening. Suddenly, people disappear all at once (no Catholics, because Catholics aren’t “saved” according to many of these groups) and nobody really thinks anything more of it until everything starts (literally) going to Hell: natural disasters, famine, war, you need a mark on your hands before you can conduct business, that sort of thing. Then suddenly you have angels and demons duking it out on your doorstop and Jesus comes back and is all “Sorry, everyone, the Evangelicals were right…”

What do you do?

Remember, this is not up for debate. It’s happening, you can see it with your own eyes. Do you hunker down and hope no one notices that you’re missing? Hope that well, at least you were Christian, maybe Jesus will show mercy? (Not a chance.) Convert? Figure that you can at least go down fighting? I’m just kicking around some ideas for a story about how people of other religions (non-Evangelicals and non-Christians alike) would react to this sort of scenario.
Click to expand...
Interesting question. You question is equivalent to “A and not A”. According to “Ex falso quodlibet” I would do everything at the same time.
 
I’d check the newspaper to see my Chicago Cubs finally won a world series before the end of time. :extrahappy:

Anything is possible with an all loving God. 👍
 
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