I recall when I when first exposed to this belief in the so-termed "rapture" of the church. It seemed so fantastical, in a magical way. This was all new to me then.
I then recall how one of the church members was telling me all about it, and how that it could happen any second, and that if you were sinning at the moment it happened, you'd get left behind. That really struck me as horrifyingly unfair. But what did I know? They had all the scriptures lined up to point me to see that it matched exactly what they said. (A magic trick that anyone can perform with a little practice).
But the whole idea of and focus on the rapture, the 2nd coming, armageddon, tribulation, lake of fire, saved and unsaved, etc, eventually became much more of a distraction from what I saw in God, which was Love. All this other stuff was interesting, curious, but certainly shouldn't have all the attention it gets. It was all about getting your luggage ready, so Jesus can come rapture you away from this stink hole existence here on this earthly home of ours.
Where is the Presence of God for them? Why is everything about a battle between good and evil, and them getting out of this world for a better home, not seeing the Beauty that was there in everything here in this world. It was all about the afterlife, not about this life. It's all about getting saved, being holy and pure, having the right beliefs, and everything about themselves on a cart to heaven named me, me, me.
I left them not too many years after first seeing this with that whole "rapture" 2nd coming obsession. That is all a distraction from this world here. Individuals who are illuminated, or enlightened by God, to put a finer point on it, realize that "rapture", right here, and right now in this world, in everything, and everyone. That gets ignored, totally blocked out, when the focus is on escape.
That's what the whole "rapture ready" craze is. Escapism.
