{"id":436,"date":"2011-05-21T16:39:30","date_gmt":"2011-05-21T23:39:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.stevenreidbordmd.com\/?p=436"},"modified":"2011-05-21T16:44:10","modified_gmt":"2011-05-21T23:44:10","slug":"the-lure-of-rapture","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/blog.stevenreidbordmd.com\/?p=436","title":{"rendered":"The lure of rapture"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"Fundamentalist Christian minister Harold Camping of Oakland, California, has widely publicized<\/a> that today is the day of the Rapture, when according to some interpretations<\/a> of the New Testament true believers ascend to heaven to escape impending misery and turmoil on Earth. \u00a0I am writing in the afternoon, and can’t guarantee just yet that Camping is mistaken. \u00a0But let’s assume he is: He was wrong before<\/a>, and he is just the latest in a<\/a> long<\/a> string<\/a> of mistaken end-times prophets. \u00a0I promise to post a prompt, heartfelt apologetic retraction if he turns out to be right \u2014 and if the internet and I survive the initial cataclysm.<\/p>\n

I have a few reflections on end-time prophesies, starting with the admission that I’ve always found them oddly alluring. As a child, I knew I would be alive in the year 2000. \u00a0In my young mind this futuristic date glittered with flying cars, modular glass homes, one-piece unisex jumpsuits that somehow didn’t look absurd, and one or more Moon colonies. \u00a0But in addition, I had repeatedly heard predictions that Christ’s Second Coming would coincide with the new millennium. \u00a0Although there is plenty of theological controversy on this point even within Christianity, and even though I was not raised to believe anything of the sort, it always struck me as exciting that \u00a0such a grand moment might actually take place in my lifetime.<\/p>\n

With the year 2000 come and gone, most end-time attention has since moved to 2012<\/a>, when, among other things, the Mayan calendar supposedly runs out of dates. \u00a0Even so, I wonder whether Mr. Camping, who is 89 years old, is consciously or unconsciously motivated by the possibility that this greatest of historical events might occur in his remaining natural lifetime. \u00a0Perhaps it is human nature both to hope and to believe that we live in a unique time. \u00a0A touch of narcissism perhaps?<\/p>\n

Psychologists and others have wondered, and occasionally studied, how believers deal with mistaken prophesy. \u00a0What will Camping and his followers do or say tomorrow? \u00a0Leon Festinger’s classic 1956 study<\/a> “When Prophesy Fails” suggests that rather than recanting his beliefs, Camping is apt to rationalize his failed prophesy. \u00a0For example, he may realize his calculations were off, or declare a divine 11th hour reprieve for the world. \u00a0Of course, some followers, perhaps the majority, are apt to feel disillusioned and humiliated. \u00a0The “Great Disappointment<\/a>” of 1844 offers the historical precedent of a similar failed prophesy.<\/p>\n

There is a non-religious definition<\/a> of rapture: “n. the state of being carried away with joy, love, etc.; ecstasy.” \u00a0In a larger sense, we all seek to connect with something bigger than ourselves. \u00a0For many, it is religion and its connection with God. \u00a0Others find connection and larger purpose in humanitarian or political work. \u00a0Playing music or team sports with others can satisfy this need to some extent, as can being part of the crowd at a concert or other event. \u00a0Even mobs and riots satisfy this need, albeit in destructive ways. \u00a0The lure to belong, to share experiences with others, to have a larger purpose, to be “in a groove” seems innate. \u00a0I once saw a greeting card that read, “People who never get carried away… should be.”<\/p>\n

It is really no surprise that doomsayers capture headlines and our attention. \u00a0Whether we expect to rise to heaven today with God’s Chosen, or join others in ridiculing the gullible \u2014 or blog to readers on the internet \u2014 we all can be part of a grand spectacle. \u00a0It makes this sunny Saturday more special than it would otherwise be, and ourselves a bit more connected to feelings, purposes, and forces greater than ourselves.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fundamentalist Christian minister Harold Camping of Oakland, California, has widely publicized that today is the day of the Rapture, when according to some interpretations of the New Testament true believers ascend to heaven to escape impending misery and turmoil on Earth. I am writing in the afternoon, and can’t guarantee just yet that Camping is […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,34],"tags":[70,35],"class_list":["post-436","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-current-events","category-human-nature","tag-current-events","tag-happiness","odd"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.stevenreidbordmd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/436","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.stevenreidbordmd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.stevenreidbordmd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.stevenreidbordmd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.stevenreidbordmd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=436"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"http:\/\/blog.stevenreidbordmd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/436\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":442,"href":"http:\/\/blog.stevenreidbordmd.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/436\/revisions\/442"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/blog.stevenreidbordmd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=436"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.stevenreidbordmd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=436"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/blog.stevenreidbordmd.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=436"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}