I inadvertantly purchased a book today at a used book store that claims to answer questions about life after death. The front cover was written to appeal to Catholics & Jews among other christian denominations. However, upon closer examination it totally puts down our Catholic faith. I didn't realize how different our beliefs really are from Protestants. They think people go instantly to heaven. Never mind that Jesus himself did not ascend to heaven until after Pentecost.

Is the rapture similar to what we believe about the end times? I've heard about the Left Behind books, but of course I avoided them like the plaque. But, I really don't know the differences that we believe about the Rapture.

Does anyone know very much about the "rapture" from a Catholic viewpoint?

Thanks.

Laura K.

Pay no attention to Tarheel, laurak - I am more 'resident wise-acre' than any prophet or theologian. Besides, I sort of revel in needing the patience of others in how God is not finished with me, yet. :)

The Rapture has no Catholic foundation because it has simple tent-meeting Gospel-renewal roots. It is sort of like trying to be Calvinist about election, saved once and for all by accepting Jesus in re-birth and being super-denominational in non-creedal, feel-good 'faith'. It's a whole lot of whooey goin' down.

Worse, contra the Ninth Beatitude, the Rapture portends little or no suffering on the Christian's part for being of Christ, His Church and His prophets - for, these worthies suffered like we might and maybe must. Rapture maintains that Christ will come early and save SOME of us from the full cost in suffering of salvation. It would be akin to the twelve legions of angels defending Christ, if He but asked such of His Father. And, do let us remember that one angel, all by himself, could defeat all that Rome could send against him - he is not physical, is tied intimately not to mention eternally and infinitely to God. He could defeat Rome while reading the poetic Psalms aloud. And, of wonders, his weapon just may have turned out to be large- and wide-scale conversion of whole Roman legions.

So, Rapture defies revelation. But, feel-good faith has had thrall over many a frustrated Protestant, and 'I'm-BORED!' Catholic. So, why not the Rapture, a true feel-good heresy?

Now, all this is not to say that Christ cannot give graces so as to 'feel good' for any of us at any time. But, this can happen in the midst of agonies of body and heart. It can happen as miraculous cures, at Lourdes and at graves of saints. For, peace of soul does feel good, and a composed cheerful heart feels good. I even 'feel good' looking at my favorite icon - the Crucifix. That could have been ME up there. But, Love permitted me to kill Him in my place. Lord, how good You make me feel.

A Christian may be said to accept Rapture, as in happiness, every day in prayer. Our God listens, and He will answer as He can - yeah, maybe even 'NO!'. But, in prayer one knows he is heard, and whatever God sends, the person who prays knows it's God's best. Hail to Thee, mighty God - mightiest in love.

Now, laurak, is there any other Rapturous question? When she answers it, Mistress Mary K. can correct me with part of her answer. ;)

PLUS - have you tried looking into EWTN's and/or Catholic Answers question forums for more edifying and complete and satisfying answers? Sure enough - EWTN.com - Faith pull-down - Catholic Q&A tab - search form keyword:Rapture = result of 96 entries dating over the years.

Good grief! I must be feeling better (Punnish-ment here not intended) - I can't get me to stop typing.

I was going to continue to look for my hand out and post portions of it here. But Warren and lpioch provided some wonderful information here. (I told you Warren could shed some light on this. A lot of his postings on here are wonderful to read.)

As a convert to THE FAITH form a very fundamentalist Southern Baptist up bringing I have heard all about rapture before. And I'm sure this Saturday when the Jehovah Witness door knockers and paper stuffers show up on my door step I will here about it again. I wonder if I should offer them a rosary and a rosary guide?

Thank you all very much for your explanations about the "rapture". It does help clarify things for me and I will do some reading on the subject, too.

I wonder if the protestant point of view is based on the scripture verse about the son of man coming when you least expect it? The 2 women grinding flour. One was taken and the other one left behind? Or the 2 people sleeping in a bed and one was taken while the other one was left behind?

I always thought that verse had more to do with death. We never know when the Lord will call us home. It could be in a moment we least expect it, like a car accident or a heart attack. I've known people who died almost instantly while playing basketball with kids, baking a pie with her husband doing dishes nearby, or just after receiving communion at mass, or while asleep in bed with their husband or wife. Those who were "left behind" certainly did suffer a lot afterwards!

I guess everyone has their own interpretation of the scriptures. That is why I trust the Catholic church. The church has been around for over 2,000 years and if the church doesn't have it figured out by now - who would? The Catholic church has prayed about and thought about these things for 2,000 years and the average protestant who "interprets scripture for himself" has thought about it for only a handful of years.

Well, this is just what I've come up with. I hope it makes sense.

Laura K.

This is how I viewed it as a once, Protestant, believer. There are several views to rapture from my experience, in fact at one point they had arguments over whose version was more closely correct.

Two places: St. Pauls little epistle?? and St. Johns Revelations are tied together and really looks like it. Even for Vat. 1 Catholics who defected and went the Protestant way.

The Glassy Sea in Revelations; because of Gaps in Revelations and how it is full of what many call symbolisms but, in actuallity John only wrote portions of what he really saw. So this causes many people to gap. He did not write down all he saw. He was instructed by the Angel not to write
what the 7 thunders proclaimed. Because it is not licit for man to know and hear them. St. Paul says this same thing when he talks about his adventure in Heaven. Because of what he saw and heard, the Lord cuffed to him an angel of Satan to keep him from pride. Whereas we do not know if this happened to St. John, but seeing he was more like a boy, and how much he loved Jesus, I believe he was meek and humble and thus we read his version of the End Times in the Bible. But this is my observation.

I think the other one comes from xxx have to look it up, where St. Paul says: "we will then be caught up in the Lord", right before the Tribulation starts. This is really as I understood it the actual pivotal basis for "Rapture".

But as Warren states they have turned this into a doctrine. Whereas it was more so a theory and a hope, but it denies, Purification. Once saved and forgiven Theory. Which allows this: I sin God forgives, how great! But they do not confess to anyone, but God directly which isn't bad, but doesn't bring peace to your conscience. A guitly conscience cannot be mulled over by simple mind tricks.

What the Protestants lack is the real view of Old Israel how they had to
bring sin offerings to a Levite. And they take, New Covenant and the Beattitudes as the New Convenant but leave out the Eucharist and stick that in the Category of "other", because they do not have it. And then they go right along and try their best to decipher "Revelations",
which so incredible and you say, how did this guy come up with that answer?
It was not even close.

I bought the lie for years of "Rapture", which made it hard for me to accept, Purification. And once you have told yourself over and over that you will be escaping the Tribulation by way of Zip.. it's very hard to accept, Purgatory and Purification, and Confession. Thus it's a real,
conversion and a true eye opener which starts you on the way to True Life.

But caution: Many Protestants have come to believe in many of the "Jesus" Catholic
Dogmas due to there searching the scriptures, because, they stick to whats written more that what one theorizes. Then on the other hand, is also why many Protestants have a hard time with certain Dogmas of the Church, because they heard too many puffy and granduer theory's in life and in church. Two spectrums.

Peace

Vision of the bones Ezechiel 37
http://www.drbo.org/chapter/31037.htm

This Vision totally annuls the Rapture Theory-Doctrine. This vision corresponds to the Second Death and Resurrection in Revelations. Because all Life has ceased on Earth. Just the dust remains of human flesh. It is metaphorical and hidden, thus a mystery which Only Christ Reveals to His Church. St. Paul says this about the mystery hidden for ages:

Colassians 1:26 The mystery which hath been hidden from ages and generations, but now is manifested to his saints, 27 To whom God would make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ, in you the hope of glory.

Continuance of the Vision explanation:
The vision is of a dead earth, no life. How can this be? All souls have been pre-judged, the First Death and Resurrection which happened previous, then we arrive to this point of No Life on Earth. No lights, no stars, no waves in the ocean, no birds, no animals, no fish, the universe around is not blinking heavenly lights.

The First Death and Resurrection:
Souls who live according to the commandments of Jesus, their souls went to Heaven, Purgatory or Direct.

Secondly, those who did not merit heaven, their souls end up in Hell, the first death. It's like Purgatory but worse. Not the actual Hell, that we talk about.

Second Death and Resurrection:
The Final Judgment: Those who are alive to God reflect in their contenance and are happy and joyful, while those who did not merit Heaven, look like demons, dark and mulled over, they resemble Satan. The bones come out of the earth, the snews, flesh, reanimation and all souls once again Join their bodies to stand before the Great Judge to merit their final destinations. The souls from Hell come forth to reunite with their bodies and the souls in Heaven "stay" in Heaven and renunite with their bodies.

Hell in the Final Judgment is Fire and Brimstone with your whole body intact and your soul. This is the second and final death.

Peace