The current concerns over the pandemic COVID-19 virus along with the consequential economic downturns and shutdowns, have begun to rattle our nerves and undermine our faith and hope in the future. It’s been eye-opening to see how human beings begin to hoard stuff at times like this in a frenzy akin to life-boat mentality. Over my limited lifespan, I have encountered several times when the world was expected to come to an end, beginning with the threat of nuclear war in the 1950’s when bomb shelters were popular in many backyards and stocked with cans of c-rations.
The next big date was in May of 2011, when hard-core Christian Family Radio’s Harold Camping convinced his followers that the Bible prophecy led him to this conclusion. After that day, he revised his vision to say that May 21 had been a “spiritual” Judgment Day and that the Rapture would occur on October 21, 2011, together with the destruction of the world. Here’s one of my favorite photos from early 2011. A more fearful billboard was spotted recently in nearby Anson County stating: “He’s up and He’s coming back!” If it’s fear that floats your religious boat on these troublesome waters, this is good stuff. But there ought be a better way of being God’s folk.
Most of the traumatic forecasts came from zealot Christians who happen to believe Jesus was coming back to take only the good folk with him to their heavenly reward.
In the 1960’s, the Reverend Jerry Falwell of was pushing the sale of his video tape on his TV networks which will give you all the information you need to know about this soon-to-be-horrendous experience for just $29.95. [What he did with the proceeds of these sales after the rapture thing is a mystery to me.] On the tape he suggests to the hard-core believers that they begin to stockpile food, water and ammunition in preparation for the end of the world.
The next tribulation to come along was the impending millennium, leaving behind a few survivors. Most of the naysayers who were pushing this doomsday junk have this basic assumption that the world is such an evil place with such awful people in it. But the day is coming when Jesus will return and put an end to all this misery. And guess who’s got a ticket out of here? Only those who have made their resolutions for the coming year not to sin and to put the water bottles and ammo under their beds.
The next big date was in May of 2011, when hard-core Christian Family Radio’s Harold Camping convinced his followers that the Bible prophecy led him to this conclusion. After that day, he revised his vision to say that May 21 had been a “spiritual” Judgment Day and that the Rapture would occur on October 21, 2011, together with the destruction of the world. Here’s one of my favorite photos from early 2011. A more fearful billboard was spotted recently in nearby Anson County stating: “He’s up and He’s coming back!” If it’s fear that floats your religious boat on these troublesome waters, this is good stuff. But there ought be a better way of being God’s folk. Whether it’s the impending pandemic, a nuclear war or the threat of the rapture, we’ve got enough to say grace over in keeping up with what Jesus might have had in mind for such a time as this. He clearly set the agenda for the time being: feed the hungry, heal the sick, care for the suffering, free the oppressed, preach good news to the poor and disenfranchised. Never mentioned stockpiling food, water and ammunition to protect yourself from those in need.
After having read those left-behind books, I’m about ready for those good people to get out of here so the rest of us can go to work on what matters most to the least of these our neighbors. You do know the name for those left behind? Jesus called them the Church.