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rapture theology is oppressive. (thread)
first of all, the "rapture," as it is commonly understood, does not exist in Scripture. it literally doesn't. stop taking the Left Behind series seriously because they lied to you.
"what do you mean?"
I mean that the theology around people vanishing into thin air over night at some random time is nowhere in the Bible! we see NOTHING about this, anywhere in Scripture. what you're thinking of is called Escapism.
I mean that the theology around people vanishing into thin air over night at some random time is nowhere in the Bible! we see NOTHING about this, anywhere in Scripture. what you're thinking of is called Escapism.
Escapism is an idea produced by rapture theology that we don't have to actually DO anything as Christians, because God is in control and will just *snap* and make things better, and take YOU to a place where you don't have to actually WORK for justice.
"bUt 1 tHesSaLonIaNs 4:15-17 sAyS:"
listen, this passage is PROBABLY referring to a second coming of Christ. and there is NOTHING in this passage saying you get to just run away into the sky with Jesus and avoid doing the Kingdom work that we're called to, here and now.
listen, this passage is PROBABLY referring to a second coming of Christ. and there is NOTHING in this passage saying you get to just run away into the sky with Jesus and avoid doing the Kingdom work that we're called to, here and now.
because rapture theology is often actually just Escapism, it is almost ALWAYS used as an excuse to avoid actually dealing with real, systemic issues like racism, transphobia, homophobia, xenophobia, antisemitism, Islamophobia, heterosexism, police brutality, etc...
after all, if we live our whole lives believing we can just sit back and wait for Jesus to come and snatch us up, why do any of the hard work? Jesus will make things right, & that means I don't have to.
Escapism, conscious or not, is complicity in oppression.
Escapism, conscious or not, is complicity in oppression.
"how is it complacent?? or complicit in oppression??
check in with ANY of your friends who believe in the rapture. what are they doing to pursue justice for their neighbors? what are they doing to protect the oppressed? the answer is almost ALWAYS this: very little.
check in with ANY of your friends who believe in the rapture. what are they doing to pursue justice for their neighbors? what are they doing to protect the oppressed? the answer is almost ALWAYS this: very little.
they'll say things like:
-I've been praying for victims of human trafficking a lot lately.
-I know Jesus will heal "our land"
-I hope Jesus comes soon so racism won't exist anymore.
-Jesus will make things right, and the poor will be at the top of the kingdom of God.
-I've been praying for victims of human trafficking a lot lately.
-I know Jesus will heal "our land"
-I hope Jesus comes soon so racism won't exist anymore.
-Jesus will make things right, and the poor will be at the top of the kingdom of God.
they'll SAY these things, but what they're really MEANING is:
"I don't want to actually do any of the work to fix these problems here and now, so I'm just going to pray about it and continue living my comfortable life of privilege, and hope God does something about it."
"I don't want to actually do any of the work to fix these problems here and now, so I'm just going to pray about it and continue living my comfortable life of privilege, and hope God does something about it."
GOD DID DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. GOD MADE YOU.
and while its not bad to hope that Jesus will make things right, IT IS STILL ABSOLUTELY OUR DUTY TO PURSUE JUSTICE AND LIBERATION FOR THOSE WHO ARE SUFFERING HERE AND NOW. we are called into PARTNERSHIP with God's liberating work, not to be complacent while our neighbors suffer.
so let me just take a moment to remind us all that complacency in a system that causes abuse, oppression, and harm to your neighbors IS COMPLICITY IN THEIR OPPRESSION.
complacency is oppressive.
complacency is oppressive.
lastly, rapture theology is deeply linked with an apocalyptic End Times theology, a theology that also is not found (contextually) within Scripture.
see tangent below \\/
see tangent below \\/
idk who needs to hear this, but the book of Revelation is a metaphor, & it uses graphic imagery to directly critique the Roman Empire around mid 1st century AD, under Nero's rule.
IT IS NOT A BOOK ABOUT MODERN, 2020 EVENTS. STOP USING IT LIKE THAT, DAMMIT.
IT IS NOT A BOOK ABOUT MODERN, 2020 EVENTS. STOP USING IT LIKE THAT, DAMMIT.
so, yeah.
also, people have been claiming it's the "End Times" for 2000 years. get over it already.
also, people have been claiming it's the "End Times" for 2000 years. get over it already.
in summary, rapture theology is a theology of privilege, in that it encourages one to remain complacent while their neighbors suffer. it favors inaction over action, comfort over discomfort, and in doing so is implicitly oppressive.
