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The rapture (Read 19031 times)
deanna
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The rapture
Sep 3rd, 2006 at 9:04am
 
Hi i was watching the documentaries last week called WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS ,it spoke of the revelations paticurly about the beast ,whosoever wears the beasts mark 666 on their forhead will perish and will be left to face the consequences when the end of the world comes ,those who do not wear the mark of the beast and who believe in god will be saved just before the end comes ,in the sky will be swirling clouds going round in a circle this is called the rapture and this rapture takes all the souls what believe in god up to heaven to save them  ,then after that their will be a new earth all the former things will have passed away and all will be love and harmony for all . love deanna god bless
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deanna
 
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juditha
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Re: The rapture
Reply #1 - Sep 3rd, 2006 at 11:39am
 
Hi Deanna This is certainly ,something to think about,there is something coming along,I can feel it ,and it could be this. The world cant stay like it is forever,it will change,this will happen in time.The revalations are there for a reason,to show us,so we know whats coming.Love and God bless you Juditha
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newwayknight
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Re: The rapture
Reply #2 - Sep 3rd, 2006 at 12:02pm
 
Hi Deanna and Juditha,

I've always found that the concept of the rapture is based upon very flimsy interpretations of various passages that are being taken out of context.  Interestingly enough, those that promulagate the rapture never take into account St. Paul's writing about how those that died will be resurrected and brought up before those who would be living on the last day.  In truth, if you do some research yourself, you will also find that there is not a strong biblical basis for the concept of the rapture.  In fact, it did not even manifest as a theory until the 19th century. 

It still makes for a good story though!  Tim Lahaye has made a small fortune out of it!  LOL

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Shirley
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Re: The rapture
Reply #3 - Sep 3rd, 2006 at 7:40pm
 
You are right, newwayknight..

Another thing to keep in mind is that that belief states only Christians will be saved.  Anyone who does not "believe in Jesus" is hellbound.

Revelation is an ancient book, written in a tumultuous time.  The times of Roman emporers.  Most likely the "beast" was Nero himself.  If it was ever a prophecy, it was fullfilled long ago.  Remember..it is said that Jesus said he was "returning soon".  I don't think over 2000 years is "soon", thereby making it either false or completed.

Its a very narrow view of the world.  One that I came out of, thankfully, as it was destroying my very spirit and soul.

Do I believe changes are coming?  Emphatically, YES!  There is an ascension of many..and many are aware of this.  Those who are, are deemed heretic by the fundmentalist Christians who believe the rapture is going to take place and all the "evil" will then be punished for eternity in flames and brimstone.

My own explorations of the afterlife show that this is not the case.  I've seen the unbeliever not in a fiery hell..but in a wonderful place in the spirit world.  That in itself contradicts what the bible says will occur.

Spirit is love..not causing destruction to its brother and sisters here on Earth..
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augoeideian
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Re: The rapture
Reply #4 - Sep 4th, 2006 at 9:23am
 
I think i also saw the same documentary Juditha, the video shows two people and all of a sudden the one person vanishes and the one person is left.  I'd like to agree with you Stephen.  It is so unfortunate that politics took over the fundamental teachings of the Bible and turned the hearts of people from it (which was the intention of the politicians in the first place)

Quote Stephen:
"St. Paul's writing about how those that died will be resurrected and brought up before those who would be living on the last day"

This is a passage that is hardly spoken about; it does suggest that people who have passed over are in a waiting / transit period before the 'last day'.

I do sometimes think that people who have passed on, although have more clarity then us in Earth, still ask the questions we ask ...

There is a wonderful piece in the book 'beyond the veil' where when asked what the spirits do .. they say they wake up and see how much fun they can have in the day!




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recoverer
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Re: The rapture
Reply #5 - Sep 5th, 2006 at 12:35pm
 
There are a lot of Biblical scholars who don't support the rapture concept.

The concept didn't even become popular until Hal Lindsay made it popular around 1970, mostly through fiction novels.

To give you an idea of how it motivates people in an unloving way, Ronald Reagan didn't believe that he needed to worry about things such as the economy and environment, because the rapture is going to bring everything to an end anyway. Too bad for people of the future if he is wrong.

If you consider how Nero was causing Christians to go through a lot of hardship when Revelations was written, it is hard to comprehend why the author of Revelations would be concerned about what is going to happen way in the future.  Christians of the time already had their hands full.

DEANNA: I posted this article before, when you brought up the number 666. It is really worth taking the time to read. Please don't allow yourself to be scarred by the ideas of others. Certainly God is too wise and loving to set things up so that a bunch of souls get deceived by some satan critter and end up in hell for all of eternity. If you spoke to the people who teach the rapture "concept," most of them would say that most of the people who visit this board are amongst satan's victims. It doesn't matter if we're good hearted, well meaning people who want to do what is in accord with God's divine plan. If we don't believe like people who teach the rapture concept believe, we're doomed. Embarrassed
http://www.forerunner.com/beast/X0002_Gentry_-_Beast_of_Re.html



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bluejasn
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Re: The rapture
Reply #6 - Sep 6th, 2006 at 12:55am
 
So I saw an interesting documentary on the History Channel about the Rapture and it basically explained how some  English priest arbitrarily strung together bible verses that previously had very little relevancy to each other and created a story about the rapture and started warning his congregation about a "rapture" which may have even been a word he made up.  Anyways the idea of a "rapture" didn't really exist in any concrete way or bother people before the 19th century until this guy showed up and wrote some books about it and started spreading the fear of the rapture.  It seems to me that in that in the long run he may have done more damage than good with his ego in that he has caused many christians to question whether or not they are worthy to be raptured..  Christianity is an interesting religion in that there is a lot of documentation fact and proof that a lot of what a christians' believed had to change with history,.  I think it can be valuble for a  person of a Christian background to spend to effort to examine the history behind some of their beliefs,... separate the wheat from the chaff.  For example....I think its also interesting to point out...that many Jews don't believe in the existence of an afterlife...
  Roll Eyes
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augoeideian
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Re: The rapture
Reply #7 - Sep 6th, 2006 at 3:36am
 
I must point out these verses in the Bible:

Matthew 24v40 - ... when the Son of Man comes.  At that time two men will be working in a field: one will be taken away, the other will be left behind.  Two women will be at a mill grinding meal: one will be taken away, the other will be left behind.  Be on your guard then because you do not know what day your Lord will come.

Luke 24v34 - On that night, I tell you, there will be two people sleeping in the same bed: one will be taken away, the other will be left behind.  Two women will be grinding corn together: one will be taken away, the other will be left behind.

It is in the Bible and cannot be ignored.

Bluejasn dare i say to your words the Jewish people do not believe in the afterlife; the Tribe of Israel is the afterlife.  Gentiles are loved by God through adoption.
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recoverer
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Re: The rapture
Reply #8 - Sep 6th, 2006 at 12:34pm
 
If a person some day finds out that his or her false belief systems caused his or herself to be afraid for no reason at all, they'll think "what a waste of time."

If such a person's shared false belief systems caused other people to become afraid for no reason at all, such a person will feel very remorseful when they find out about this.

It is better to share love than to project one's fear.

I'm not saying that there aren't any negative minded spirits out there who are up to no good.  But they are confused and lost spirits who have cut themselves off from their divine source, and represent such a small portion of what exists within the spirit realm.
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augoeideian
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Re: The rapture
Reply #9 - Sep 7th, 2006 at 2:57am
 
Recoverer i'm really not sure what you mean when you say "false belief systems" in relation to God and Christ?

Quote:
If such a person's shared false belief systems caused other people to become afraid for no reason at all, such a person will feel very remorseful when they find out about this.


I agree with you totally here and this makes me afraid indeed.  So, really what you are saying is it is better not to talk about God so seriously and concentrate on His Love. I understand this and agree again.  It's just there is a fear of God in my heart and i suppose this comes out here.

I do not mean to make people afraid (if i am) and i will check my tounge.

My respect to you Recoverer
Caryn
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Shirley
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Re: The rapture
Reply #10 - Sep 7th, 2006 at 5:45am
 
Christianity is just another false belief system..which ends you up in a hollow heaven when you die.

The bible is another book, not any more special than the Koran or Bagavad Gita.  Its no more "god's" word than the other two books.

Yes, Christianity brings fear..and guilt for supposed wrongs.

I've been feeling a growing unease the last few times I come here and read things like the rapture taking place and other so-called prophecies from that book.  I fought my way out of that belief system so I would not end up in one of those false heavens.

Of course, everyone has the right to believe as they choose..but the site IS called "Afterlife Knowledge"..and to explore the afterlife, is in direct contradiction to what is proclaimed in the bible.  If you wholeheartedly believe the bible is "God's own written word", then you shouldn't be seeking to speak to those crossed over..
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LaffingRain
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Re: The rapture
Reply #11 - Sep 7th, 2006 at 6:49am
 
Hi Shirley I don't want u to feel uneasy when u come here and see the traditional collective religious thoughts..because frankly, I know you are on the same path as me and I know I'm doing ok, so I know everybody is doing ok with whatever beliefs they are holding. you're right..they are right because there are so many mansions in the sky, each one of them a belief system to be in with the like-minded.

then theres hollow heavens which may have been a stop over for many on their way to more freeing beliefs where you leave your fears one by one behind, as fears are related to those beliefs and can change suddenly. so u might see levels of beliefs when u think about where we ascend to when we're done here. all of us have equal chances to explore greater realities by busting out of ideas, whether religious, political, scientific or whatever non absolute focus we meander in.
I think the main fear, #1 fear of most people is death itself or annhiliation of the identity, such identity is really only a bunch of beliefs stuck together called "me" or you, with a last and first name.
someday, hopefully I'm still alive in body, most of us will not fear death or what waits on the other side. when that happens then the "shift" will have shifted away from the fundamental traditional collective areas into tolerance and hopefully a type of ascension out of fearful conjectures will be on the horizon which a feeling of freedom from the constraints of religious lore will cause harmony..we might even have a 1,000 years of peace llike the early Christians said..I keep worrying about after the 1,000 years, what happens?  Cheesy

I completely understand your abandonment of religion as speaking personally, the hair raises on my neck to encounter a type of preaching I see now and then only because that trait was me in another dimension. I was/am a preacher, only now I'm a new consciousness as well who knows I preached wrongly and forgot how preaching can separate you from what you would love with an undistorted love. I got set straight by some life planners after I passed over and had no reward on the other side for bringing any to god, for they had found god even before me. those who preach or teach need to learn what it is they teach or preach. there are some useful things in the bible. my favorite is "even greater things than I do, shall ye do" this from J.  its true, we will do great things like healing the sick, as soon as we realize we don't need disease to teach us anything. PUL is the real healer. wish we were there now! but at the least we can focus on healing any thought which separates us one from the other..and what we focus on is what creates personal reality. ahh, but what would we talk about here, should we no longer be divided from one another?...

I wish I had greater wisdom to share with you. all I can say is don't sweat the small stuff. life is short enough without doing that. love, alysia
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recoverer
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Re: The rapture
Reply #12 - Sep 7th, 2006 at 12:25pm
 
Caryn:

You're right if you sensed I was responding to your post.

This thread started out with a message of fear.

Some us attempted to move away from the fear viewpoint.

I didn't fully understand the meaning of your post, but I felt like you were moving back in the direction of fear.

With everything that went on when the Bible was put together, I can't say for certain who Jesus Christ was (and still is Smiley). I can see that he had some wonderful things to say. It seems as if he is the first person in the Bible who speaks of a wonderful place known as heaven.  Unfortunately too many scary messages get mixed with his positive messages. I believe it is best for people to realize that a lot went into putting the numerous versions of the Bible that exist, and they need to be discriminative when determining what Jesus actually said. For example there is one part of the New Testament (sorry, I can't remember which part, I think Corithians) where Jesus supposedly states that women should be subservient to men because after all, Eve ate the apple. I don't remember the exact words, but this is okay, because I don't believe that a man who said some of the other wonderful things Jesus said, would state that women should be subservient. He would love them way too much to ever suggest such a thing. 


augoeideian wrote on Sep 7th, 2006 at 2:57am:
Recoverer i'm really not sure what you mean when you say "false belief systems" in relation to God and Christ?

Quote:
If such a person's shared false belief systems caused other people to become afraid for no reason at all, such a person will feel very remorseful when they find out about this.


I agree with you totally here and this makes me afraid indeed.  So, really what you are saying is it is better not to talk about God so seriously and concentrate on His Love. I understand this and agree again.  It's just there is a fear of God in my heart and i suppose this comes out here.

I do not mean to make people afraid (if i am) and i will check my tounge.

My respect to you Recoverer
Caryn

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Shirley
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Re: The rapture
Reply #13 - Sep 7th, 2006 at 5:33pm
 
Thank you, Alysia..your words bring a sense of peace and release to me. Smiley
You are right..shouldn't sweat the small stuff.

Recoverer..it was Paul who said that...not Jesus.  Paul, who formerly was known as Saul and a persecutor of Christians then went on to take over the whole thing.  He also changed many things that Jesus did say.  He added twists and rules that I don't think were ever really intended.

Its like he interferred with the very changes that J spoke of..the coming new times..and put it all on hold, locking everyone into a fear based belief system that has lasted for the last 2000 years.

When I finally freed myself from that..what a release!  It was J who said "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free!"  And..it has.

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Re: The rapture
Reply #14 - Sep 7th, 2006 at 6:08pm
 
Hi folks

I am certainly no bible scholar. I have learned recently though that it is important to check things out for ourselves before we can truly know for ourselves what someone has or has not said. I always believed Paul was something of the mysogynist. However.......   when you look at the letter to the Ephesians he tells all to 5:21:  submit to each other, out of reverence for Christ.....



5:22

"Wives and Husbands

Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.
25 Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her 26 to make her holy, cleansing [a] her by the washing with water through the word, 27 and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. 28 In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— 30 for we are members of his body. 31 "For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." 32 This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. 33 However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself,[b] and the wife must respect her husband.

The great commandment says to love neighbour as self. We are told to seek God first - Love Itself - and in so doing will find the capacity for loving self and neighbour, made in the Image of Love, perfectly, as we are told to do.

I am not pushing the bible here. I have only really looked at some parts of it in the last two years. I can see however that Paul is telling two people - a man and a woman, to love each other as they would love each self, as God would - as Christ would.

Many men, ignorant of many things, would interpret these words in ways that allow men to have power over women, power they misuse and abuse, something God never intended I believe.

Just some little thoughts on this.

Smiley

I read bits and pieces from many things - biblical and other sources  Smiley

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Long is the road and hard is the way that leads out of Hell and into the Light......   (Milton)
 
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