Some Americans believe that President Obama – AKA The Anti-Christ, heralds the end times and The Rapture from the Book of Revelations, even though Jesus himself said ‘No-man knows the day or the hour.’
Oddly, no one thought much about ‘The Day of Reckoning’ until 1830 when a novelist captured the hearts of pious Americans. Now the long-suffering could fantasize about being lifted heaven-ward, while the earth was destroyed along with their uppity enemies! All of that holy and just smiting is very satisfying, I’m sure.
More bizarre are the very probable origins of the visions described in ‘The Book of Revelations.’ They’re both bizarre and very likely to originate from a natural substance, often used by shamans and holy men through the centuries, for the express purpose of inducing visions. Modern clerics are unconcerned with the origins or with visions. However, they know that nothing fills pews faster than terrifying a flock. Consider the swelling ranks of the Roman Catholic Church after the release of ‘The Exorcist.’ It was a more innocent time, before a steady diet of graphic horror became the norm.
Perhaps Fugelsang is never more right than when he says: “The Rapture May be a Racket, but it’s Not the End of The World.”