Better watch out, Jesus is coming to town, by Dr Bruce

Is the world going to end in a rapture?

When I was growing up in the evangelical church, a pernicious dogma was employed to strike fear into people. Why make people afraid? Because, fear is useful for making people compliant. How was the fear conveyed? Through the idea that Jesus is going to return. That we must always be vigilant, always watchful. Problem? This dogma can cause people to see things that aren’t real. For instance, I was still involved in an evangelical church in 1981 when Reagan’s Press Secretary, James Brady, was shot in the head during an assassination attempt on the President. Immediately, people I knew in the church referred to this terrible event as a sign of the end times. That the anti-Christ would suffer a headwound and survive, that crows had been seen gathering in the Middle-East where Armageddon would take place, ready to feast on the corpses. Sound ridiculous? What about James Brady as the Anti-christ? Really? It seems shocking that otherwise ‘normal’ people would make such wild suppositions. Yet, because of the dogma, they’d been convinced that the world is so corrupt, that non-christians are so foul that they deserve to be punished and the world destroyed. Also, that the Christians themselves, being the chosen few, need a savior. The problem is that imbuing people’s minds with fear causes them to believe in solutions to problems that don’t exist. And, that can lead the faithful to believe in almost anything.

The aforementioned reference to the Anti-Christ is in the book of revelation, a text where much of the end of the world nonsense, resides. Its description of the world is so outlandish, even by biblical standards, one wonders how anyone could take it seriously. Should it be relegated to the world of myth along with the apocalyptic stories of Ragnarak or the Roman Stoics? Not necessarily. There is actually another option. Some scholars discount the book of revelation, believing it to be about the rule of either the Roman Emperor Nero, or Domitian, both persecuters of Christians. Yet, that doesn’t stop people from believing in this text. So, what’s the attraction for Christians? Its retributive nature. It’s innate in the concept of Jesus’ return that only certain people will be rescued and the rest will suffer. And, many of the faithful want non-christians to suffer. But, will believers be exposed to any of the violence at the end of the world? Apparently, there are even arguments among the flock about that.

In college, I had become friends with a classmate named Barry. We had met in the student union once, when studying for the same test, and hit it off. He was a few years older than I and married. At one point, he invited me to dinner to meet his wife. She was dowdy and pleasant but also self-righteous and controlling. I detected these worrisome characteristics straightaway when, throughout dinner, she kept mentioning their church and how welcome I would be there. I politely and non-committedly thanked her. Yet, she wasn’t discouraged from continuing to steer the conversation towards religion. Let me take you to that moment. We are seated around the dining room table, having just finished dinner and are enjoying freshly brewed coffee. The room is bright and peaceful, the chairs comfortable. I have had a very satisying meal, am feeling relaxed and enjoying light banter with Barry. Suddenly, Sheila interrupts, “Bruce, I understand that you were raised in the faith.” “Yes, but that was a long time ago.” “Oh, I understand,” she responds and continues, “I was just wondering if you’re familiar with the tribulation.” Irritated by this turn in the conversation, I sit up straighter and clear my throat before answering, “You mean the brief period of great suffering before Jesus returns to take the believers to heaven? Yeah, I’ve heard of it.” Even though the room is well lit, I feel the walls starting to close in.

Barry excitedly interjects, “There are pre-, mid- and post-tribulationists.” “Oh, ok.” I comment and ask, “What’s the difference?” Sheila, shooting Barry an impatient glance, which causes him to shrink and look down, continues, “Pre-tribulationists believe that Jesus will call his followers to heaven before the period of suffering, mid’s think that he will save his people after a period of suffering and post’s believe that the faithful will have to endure the entire period.” She frowns at that thought. “Which are you?” I ask, curious to see if my suspicion is correct. “Oh,” she says, perking up and smiling, “We’re pre’s. We can’t imagine that our Lord Jesus Christ would want us to suffer anymore than we already have on this sinful earth.” I just smile. Of, course, I think. Only the sinners should suffer, those of us who refuse to serve a Lord, to take a yoke upon our neck like cattle, as a sign of our subservience to Jesus. No, not Sheila. She’s saved and in her own mind special enough to be a pre. And, delusional enough to believe in a fantasy.

Yet, underlying this ability to create one’s own reality, is that we, as humans, are pattern-seeking animals. For millenia, as hunters and gatherers, this served us well. Yet, regarding dogma, it can lead us astray by encouraging people to seek out patterns that don’t exist. Like my fellow church members did with James Brady. And, we see the encouragment of this tendency throughout the bible. In 2nd Timothy the author warns, ‘Mark this, there will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, lacking self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power.’ Ok. I think that you could find examples of those behaviors at anytime in history, anywhere among humans. Matthew gives other such examples…’You will hear of wars and rumors of wars…nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places.’ I myself have known many within the evangelical community, who believe that earthquakes are increasing, and that it’s a sign of the end times. Well, two thoughts come to mind. First, since the internet, average people know about many more earthly phenonemna than in the past. Secondly, it’s documented that oil and gas fracking is increasing tremors, if not causing actual earthquakes. Thirdly, the examples both authors give are so common, as they were in their time, that people trained to look for a pattern will find it. Yet, just because someone sees a pattern, does that make it real?

We know from research that people who have undergone certain types of trauma become hypervigilant. I suggest that telling people repeatedly, especially from an early age, that you better be on guard for when Jesus returns, has a similar effect. Consider these verses: Matthew tells us, ‘That day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the son, but only the father…two men will be in the field, one will be taken, the other left….Therefore keep watch…because the son of man will come when you do not expect Him.’ Translation? Be afraid, be very afraid. Luke echoes this fearmongering: ‘There will be great earthquakes, famines and pestilences in various places, and fearful events and great signs from heaven.’ Great signs from heaven? Like comets, or falling stars or eclipses? And, again in Luke, ‘Be always on the watch and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen.’ OK, here’s my confusion. If once you’re saved it’s a done deal, then why do you have to be always vigilant in order to escape? Doesn’t Jesus have to rescue you if you’re part of the club?

As I read these verses now as a skeptic, it seems silly to have ever believed any of it. Yet, I must remind myself that many people still do, often with dire results. We might wonder who would listen to a person claiming to have some special apocalyptic insight. Historically, there have been many, unfortunately. Like the followers of William Miller, a Baptist minister who predicted that the world would end in 1844. When it didn’t, people deserted him in a move referred to as the great disappointment. Yet, other followers haven’t faired so well. Like the nine hundred who died in the apocalyptic cult of Jim Jones. Problem? Dogma can’t be questioned. If you believe that Jesus will return to call you up into the sky, can you doubt that earthquakes are a sign that His return is imminent? And, once you accept that, how easy is it to dismiss those who preach in Jesus’ name and with His word? How easy is it to recognize the fanatic, or, the lunatic? How easy is it to protect your own mind from being poisoned?

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