Michele Bachmann Insists Obama And Gay Marriage Will Bring The Rapture (AUDIO/VIDEO) | If You Only News

What fascinates me about this particular "incident" besides the fact the President Obama had a we bit of fun at Bachmann's expense. The "idea" of a so-called Rapture is not biblical; not in the sense that Reich member Bachmann implies which IYON.C aptly notes:

For those not familiar with the Biblical story of the Rapture, it is the 1st part of the multi part saga that is their fantasy for the end of the world. There are various interpretations of the events within it but basically it comes down to Jesus returning and smiting his (or Michele’s) enemies. In short, it’s the Biblical version of “my dad can beat up your dad.”

And actually it’s not a story, per se. It’s more of an interpretation of verses from at least 4 different books of the Bible. Carefully lifted to create this narrative of Jesus’s return. Some people think that Jesus will be teleporting all the “good American Christians” while others contend Jesus will be walking around vaporizing all that doubted leaving a utopia of homogeneous perfect “Christians”  to play with Jesus forever and ever.

Interesting sidenote: This is one area where the evangelicals don’t mention the Jewish people, whom they normally look out for like an over protective older brother would his little sister. But it’s not because all the radical right wing “Christians” think the Jews will be killed in the Rapture.

As IYON.C notes the "Rapture" is based on interpretation.  The various interpretations have lead to various Rapture theologies - will the Rapture be pre-tribulation, mid-tribulation, or post-tribulation? Will it be a secret and silent removal of Christians or a glorious return of Jesus?  Does any of this really matter?

The fact that one man (John Darby) created an entire theology (Dispensationalism) based on one passage of scripture (1Thessolonians 4:16-17) seems to be completely lost on people.  Concidering nothing happened on the 10 previous Raptures dates, I am certain we are safe form Bachmann's prognostications as well:

• 1843, March 21st - William Miller predicted Christ would return on this then changed it to 1844, October 22nd
• 1981 - Chuck Smith in Future Survival, 1978
• 1988, September 11th-13th - Edgar C. Whisenant in 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Will Be in 1988, 1987
• 1989 - Edgar C. Whisenant in The Final Shout: Rapture Report 1989; Whisenant continued to predict the end of the world in 1992 and 1995, among other year
• 1992, October 28th - prediction from Korean group Mission for the Coming Days^.
• 1993 - multiple predictions put 1993 as the Rapture date as seven years before the millennium to allow for the seven years of Tribulation before the Second Coming in 2000
• 1994, June 9th - a prediction from Christ Church pastor John Hinkle
• 1994, September 6th - Harold Camping. 1994 was apparently not a good year for Rapture believers
• 2011, May 21st - Harold Camping after reviewing his botched former prediction
• 2011, October 21st - Harold Camping again. 

Michele Bachmann Insists Obama And Gay Marriage Will Bring The Rapture (AUDIO/VIDEO) | If You Only News