THE RAPTURE ACCOUNT

Well, intrepid readers of my blog, I have decided to use today's post as a workspace for research into the topic of why there seem to be no eyewitness accounts, outside of the New Testament of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, of the Rapture.

WHAT IS IT?

Perhaps I should define terms here. The Rapture is the Biblical doctrine that the saints of God living on the earth at the time of Jesus' coming again would be caught up, or "raptured," into the clouds "to meet the Lord in the air."(1 Thessalonians 4:17)

WHEN?

Were it not for the abundance of "time texts" in the New Testament spelling a "near" and "at hand" context for this event, i.e., the first century (or more explicitly, 70 A.D.), , we could rightly speculate a future coming in the clouds of our Lord Jesus with equal amounts of certitude and uncertainty.

I listened to RC Sproul just now about the Rapture of the Church. While it is not a soteriological mandate, i.e., salvation-at-risk issue, to believe one way or the other (at least, I do not think it is), heresy can be merely relative in nature.

By that, I mean Martin Luther was labeled a "heretic" for his anti-ecclesiastical, pro-Scripture stand. I wonder sometimes if we contemporary believers are doing the same thing by anathematizing (condemning) each other for differing opinions on what are popularly called future events.

I plead ignorance about the existence or lack of extra-Biblical sources describing the Rapture taking place in 70 A.D. I do know that an argument from silence is no argument at all. I would probably consult Josephus or others to help verify my tenuous position. I am a sinner, after all. 

AND FINALLY

Let us recall the theological category of eschatology, or "last things," as being the study of those things which the Bible describes as attending "the end of the age [not "world"]."

I am willing to be corrected as being "wrong," as long as I really am!

WHAT IS A BLOG?

A blog is a collection of Twitter tweets that ran too long, beyond 140 characters.

A blog is a place to vent, wax eloquent, or practice pontificating.

A blog is your own newspaper, magazine, and multimedia outlet for news and commentary.

A blog is a really edifying way to divert one's attention from the more pressing matters of the day, so that one may recharge one's "battery" and regain a renewed sense of re-everything!

Now go blog the day! Carpe bloggem.

I BLOG, THEREFORE I AM

Okay, so that is not a very inspired blog post title. I know. But then, I am not in a very inspired mood-- I guess.

Being unemployed is a double-edge sword, a mixed blessing.  You get the idea. Too much time to think about too many things. Perhaps it is a blessing in disguise. I choose to think it is.

Perhaps this blog is a prayer that someone else in the universe (including God Himself) will read what I wrote. God knows what I will say before I say it, as well as what I do not say! 

Praise God from Whom all blessings flow!
Praise Him all creatures here below!
Praise Him above ye Heavenly Host!
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost!

Having exhausted all means of distraction from the task of finding gainful employment, I turn to the only skill I enjoy, writing.

How may I turn a skill into a paycheck? Must I resort to relationship marketing of Juice Plus (which will probably not "sell" to my circle of friends)? 

Is this another self-absorbed screed about nothing? I think so.

Enough time killed. On to the next thing...?

EXPLOSIVE EVIDENCE

Time to get the word out about Architects and Engineers For 9/11 Truth.

Here is their full-length video: Explosive Evidence: Experts Speak Out

Watch it. I am!

THE 9/11 PROBLEM AND SOLUTION

The saddest part of 9/11 is not that "we were attacked," but that we were attacked from within.

And what started this philosophical tailspin into Conspiracy Theory Land? A reminder that evidence points to something our critical thinking should have alerted us to long ago, had our mass media not distracted us from its revelation:

"The 11th Anniversary of 9/11."

THE PROBLEM

Over a period of time, we schoolchildren were indoctrinated to think the same way, rather than educated to think for ourselves. Critical thinking skills is a buzzword I recall applying to the purpose of sitting in a classroom and taking notes by the ream.  I do not see those same skills being applied to what happened on September 11, 2011.

I am a patriot to the extent America does the right thing to its neighbors and to itself. I consider myself mature enough by the grace of God to look at the possibility that the USA is not a government always seeking the will of God.

I have been forced, figuratively, to watch "Loose Change," for example, a video chronicling the long-term, governmental, and financial conspiracy to orchestrate the destruction and subsequent overhaul of the powers-that-be. The purpose of that conspiracy continues to be to effect paradigm shift, sea change, and monetary gain.

Time will not permit me to exhaustively show my own journey of disbelief and persuasion that the "powers-that-be" made all of this happen. History bears witness that conspiracy is the name of the game. We common folk go about our business, while people more rich and powerful than we go about theirs. Yet somewhere, an evil bigger than ourselves is at work.

THE SOLUTION

God is bigger than evil. (1 John 4:4) There is "no contest."

To borrow a saying from John Politan:

"Prayer changes nothing. Prayer, plus humble obedience, changes everything."

I believe God allowed "9/11," just like He allowed "Pearl Harbor," and all other bad things happening to "good people." Can we rise to the challenge of overcoming evil with good?

God commands it.

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)