The Rapture Index has two functions: one is to factor together a number of related end time components into a cohesive indicator, and the other is to standardize those components to eliminate the wide variance that currently exists with prophecy reporting.
The Rapture Index is by no means meant to predict the rapture, however, the index is designed to measure the type of activity that could act as a precursor to the rapture.
You could say the Rapture index is a Dow Jones Industrial Average of end time activity, but I think it would be better if you viewed it as prophetic speedometer. The higher the number, the faster we're moving towards the occurrence of pre-tribulation rapture.
35 comments
How do you factor in the value of a war? The number of casualties? Or just the cristian ones? But what if there aren't any christians fighting, but it's an "internal" fight between muslims, does that decrease the value?
"The Rapture Index has two functions: one is to factor together a number of related end time components into a cohesive indicator, and the other is to standardize those components to eliminate the wide variance that currently exists with prophecy reporting."
First, those "two" functions sound an awful lot like the same function.
Second, the idea of standardizing interpretations of prophecies is ridiculous. How does one assure that the standardized result is any more likely to be correct than any other interpretation?
"The Rapture Index is by no means meant to predict the rapture, however, the index is designed to measure the type of activity that could act as a precursor to the rapture."
What purpose would such "information" be used for EXCEPT for the rapture-crazed to predict the rapture?
"You could say the Rapture index is a Dow Jones Industrial Average of end time activity, but I think it would be better if you viewed it as prophetic speedometer."
Dow Jones average? Speedometer? You could say that pigs landed on Mars but it wouldn't make it true.
"The higher the number, the faster we're moving towards the occurrence of pre-tribulation rapture."
It sounds very like you are using it to predict the rapture.
Ah, but you forget Matthew 24: 3-6, "As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"
Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ, and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come."
and Matthew 24: 36-39 ""No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man."
These verses clearly state that it is impossible to know or predict or even attempt to predict Judgement Day. And anyone who tries should be ignored and dismissed. Your own Bible tells us to dismiss you because you are attempting to predict the Apocalypse.
Some bits pulled from the "Rapture Index"
"06 Interest Rates:
Federal Reserve raises the core interest rate to 4.75%
07 The Economy
The economies of The U.S. and Japan show healthy growth.
09 Debt and Trade:
The U.S. federal and trade deficits hit new highs."
Surely these "factors" apply only to the United States, and I thought that armageddon was pretty much a global thing. The whole list of "factors" seems to be really United States-centered. While a growing trade deficit is bad for the US, it's pretty excellent for China...but I guess God doesn't give a shit about them.
"27 Global Turmoil:
The Arab/Israeli conflict has upgraded this category."
Um...where the hell have you people been? That conflict started in 1948.
"28 Arms Proliferation:
Iran, China, and Pakistan continue to buildup their military."
Yeah, and the USA has been reducing their military spending. Oh, wait. No we haven't. Better add us to that list.
"29 Liberalism
The political scene in the U.S. favors liberal candidates."
And thank God for it. When are these people going to drop the whole "Christians can't be liberal" bullshit?
"32 Mark of the Beast:
The U.S. Patriot Act has failed to get enough votes for extension."
Setting aside the fact that the connection between the "mark of the beast" and the failure of the Patriot Act is non-existent, again I say, thank God for that.
" 33 Beast Government:
The possibility of the EU reforming into a smaller group of
core nations has updated this category."
Because we can't possibly allow the EU to solidify politically and create an economy and military that surpasses our own. For the last time, the will of the United States government is not the same thing as the will of God. And thank God for that.
These people are idiots. Their "Rapture Index" is in reality an index of how threatened the foreign policies of the Bush administration are. The more things look bad for Bush's jingoistic crusade, the higher the "rapture index." This is pathetic partisan politics badly disguised as religion.
The Rapture Index has two functions: One, to perpetuate the myth that a 'rapture' will happen, and two, to scare the bejesus out of gullible shmucks who also use the govt's 'Terror Alert Colour Scale' to predict the safety of going to church.
I stumbled upon the R.I. a year ago and I laughed myself silly. I'm sure a million x-tians rush to their computers every morning to check and see if they are going to have a good day the same way idiots let their zodiac sign and horoscope predict their day. It's all just something to fill a void in their sad lives.
Metarapture:
Heres one of the rapture indicators.
"35 Date Settings
Several organizations have been talking about Iran launching an attack against Israel on 22 Aug. The claim is based on the doomsday beliefs of Iran's President. "
For those not familiar with non xtian fundies, Shiites claim an islamic messiah will come some time in the future. The president of Iran thinks he is coming now. Like the audience of rapture ready.
"RAPTURE INDEX" EXPLODED !
If you're living in the Amazon jungle, or on Mars, you probably aren't aware of Todd Strandberg's much ballyhooed Rapture Index featuring 45 "precursors" proving how close the rapture is. But most everyone else is aware, including P. T. Barnum who's kicking himself because he didn't think of it first!
The inspiration for the Rapture Index is a 176-year-old, born-in-Britain, cultic fantasy known theologically as the "pre-tribulation rapture view" of evangelicalism.
Without it, Todd would still be an unknown US Air Force sergeant, Hal Lindsey would still be an unknown tugboat captain, Tim LaHaye would still be writing pseudo-psychology books, and Jerry Falwell and John Hagee would be shoo-ins as jolly bakery shop owners!
But all things come to an end (as this article will shortly).
Long-time historian David MacPherson has found more damning evidence of inexcusable sloppiness and deliberate dishonesty (including much plagiarism) in the same pre-tribulation rapture's short existence than anyone else.
His web article "The Rapture Index (Mad Theology!)" on Google, Yahoo etc. is worth reading. And the sentence in it summarizing the basic deviousness in the Rapture Index is worth repeating:
"The Rapture Index 'precursors' (including 'Antichrist') are on earth even AFTER the point in time for a "pre-trib rapture," are fulfilled DURING the seven-year tribulation which follows, and actually point to ONLY the post-tribulation Second Coming to earth and not to any sort of "pre-trib" coming - a concept that NO church before 1830 ever taught!"
Talk about a modern delusion resting on a 19th century delusion! Bruce
Confused?
So were we! You can find all of this, and more, on Fundies Say the Darndest Things!
To post a comment, you'll need to Sign in or Register . Making an account also allows you to claim credit for submitting quotes, and to vote on quotes and comments. You don't even need to give us your email address.