As a lover of Christianity not a Christian myself, I have come to observe that Biblical interpretations have to a large extent become Americanised and to some extent Christianity is under the influence of American political mythology, here my focus is on the so called 'Rapture'.

My observation came on the heels of the recent failure of President Donal Trump and the hullabaloo surrounding his loss and the believe by some Christian quarters that such loss holds doom for the future of the World. By now, most people are aware that Donald Trump was heavily supported by conservative Christians in America and mostly the Evangelicals, to whom, he is appointed by God to save the World from Rapture or to postpone it.

Following Trump's failure at the Presidential polls, I have heard many views from Christian prophets, including, evangelists, theologists and even some of our so called liberal Christians that the failure of Trump means that America and the World have entered into the pre-tribulation period that will eventually lead to Rapture.

Rapture for many who understand the term means, the beginning of the end and the destruction of the World. They say that that event will lead to the coming of Christ.

First, I think that one thing that is lacking among many Christian folks and other religious people is the lack of a clear sense of history and the lack of understanding of how the World works. It is my view that such lack of holistic understanding about the World have contributed to what I believe to be the wrong notion and application of a theologist theory to a issue that is wider and complex.

I will break down these points into 4 places in the next thread and I am willing to engage anyone who might be willing to come forward with sane reasoning and contrarian arguments.

(1) My first point is that the idea of Rapture itself is rooted in 'American Evangelism' and is only a notion that started in 16th century America before it gained Worldwide acclaim among evangelicals. Rapture is a word that crept into the American Christian lexicon after the Civil war in the 17th century and was an offshoot of the idea of 'dispensationalism', which was used by some early theologians to deconstruct the World and its epochal stages. I will go into this more, if needed later. Rapture is therefore, a theological theory rather than a fact or biblical prophecy. To me, it is a theory that does have any strength outside the application of apologetic rationing and American cultural interpretation of the Bible.

(2) I want to agree with some of the Prophets, theologists and Evangelists who hold the view that Rapture is coming based on the idea that the World will at some point be plunged into some serious war. However, if these coming wars, call it World War III, Civil War, Global War or whatever is what they are refering to as Rapture, I will reject the idea of Rapture on the basis that such an event even if it occurs, points mainly to either the end of civilisation or the end of the reign of America and the West as super powers of the World. Of course, this current civilisation will end, as ended the reigns of Egypt, the Ottomans, Baghdad, the Babylonians, the Islamic golden age, Greece, and many other civilisations that we have never heard about.
I want folks to understand the end of Civilisation is part of the cycle of the World and is bound to happen, perhaps, every millennia or for however long it takes the human race to destroy themselves. But one thing is certain, the World will heal and continue to thrive. Whether it's Donald Trump or Joe Biden, I believe that the American civilisation has completed its cycle and it will come to an end as other civilisations. The end of a civilisation does not mean Rapture, it means, it's the turn of another.

(3) Much of the debate about Rapture is pure sensationalism without substance, most of the people who talk about Rapture usually provide deficient arguments that are not rooted in deep reasoning or evidence outside the articles of some theologians who propounded the Rapturian theory anyway. I am looking for something substantive to read outside the Bible to support the idea of Rapture, but can't find any rich material. If Rapture is to be construed at the end of Capitalism, or the destruction of Post modern civilisation, then the game is on, but I will call it that.

Below is a quote by Tony Weber who writes that:

Premillennialists made much of the current problems of society and interpreted them as "signs of the times." Political corruption, pornography, alcohol abuse, the rise of monopolies, labor unrest, the desecration of the Lord's Day by immigrants, worldliness in the church, liberal theology, international conflicts, forest fires, earthquakes, revivals, the rise of cults like Christian Science and Millennial Dawnism (Jehovah's Witnesses), polio and influenza epidemics, changing weather patterns, the rise of Zionism, the sinking of the Titanic, the partitioning of Europe after World War I, radio—these and countless other events and trends were seen as proof that premillennialism was correct and the end of the age was rapidly approaching.

The problem with sensationalism is that it distracts from serious issues of the day and itself can be antithetical to the progress of society.

History shows that prior to World War 1 and II, debates about Rapture as we have today became rife among evangelicals then that some people gave up their lives, even before the war came. I put this question to you, what if Joe Biden ends his tenure as opposed to the idea that he came to fulfil the prophecy of the Rapture. Will you give up on the idea or on life?