Could someone tell me if (as catholics) we are to believe in the Rapture? no, its a garbage theory to make protestants feel good about the end of the world... like they won't have to endure it. what we know to be FACT, however, is that Jesus is only going to return once more at the head of an army to destroy the world and cast evil into the lake of fire. the rapture theory denies even the word of Christ because in order for it to take place, Christ would not only come a second time to pick people up, but would come a third time to destroy the world. will we be caught up with Christ when He comes again? yes. will this be before the tribulation? no. will those who are left behind have the chance to repent afterwards? no, they will be judged at that point as chaff... as rams, and will be left on the earth when it is ended.

*I am reading the 'Left Behind' series of books (on book 7) and wonder why the church does not teach anything about the Rapture taking place?

first off, take those books with a grain of salt as they are, as has been said, just fiction based on recent protestant invention. i think round abouts of book nine you will see where the author declares the pope to be the antichrist (so i've heard, im not sure) which seems to me to show quite clearly where the TRUE agenda of the series lies. the catholic church doesnt teach the rapture theory because its a fanciful feel good bedtime story that some protestants like to tell themselves, and the catholic church has always been more concerned with truth than with comfort.

Will we be 'Left Behind' as Catholics? Im confused.. (Yes, I am catholic)

who can say who is saved? the sheep will be seperated from the rams, and the wheat shall be kept while the chaff is discarded. im sure many catholics will be left to be destroyed along with the world, and cast into the lake of fire. at the same time, im sure many catholics will be judged worthy and will enter heaven with Christ at that point. remember, however, this is post tribulation at the very end of the world, not at the so-called rapture. we will all face the final judgement... THAT is what the scripture that the rapture theory is based on TRULY refers to.

-- paul h (dontsendmemail@notanaddress.com), June 29, 2004.

We can assure you; this doctrine is not about "feeling good". Please, you claim that we misrepresent Romanism; the least you can do is stop your childish misrepresentations.

-- David Ortiz (cyberpunk1986@hotmail.com), July 18, 2004

Answers

If you really want to learn what we believe about the Rapture, please visit this site: http://www.gospeloutreach.net/pre-trib.html

-- David Ortiz (cyberpunk1986@hotmail.com), July 18, 2004.

"childish"???

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-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), July 18, 2004.

Techniclaly not all Protestats beelive in the Rapture...

-- ZAROVE (ZAROFF3@JUNO.COM), July 18, 2004.

Dave

frget about the "Rapture". there are more impotant things you need worry about.

LEO XIII: "Those who acknowledge Christ must acknowledge Him completely and entirely. The Head is the only-begotten Son of God; the Body is His Church. All who dissent from the Scriptures concerning Christ are not in the Church, and all who agree with the Scriptures concerning the Head but who do not communicate in the unity of the Church are not in the Church. They can in no way be counted among the children of God unless they take Jesus Christ as their Brother and, at the same time, the Church as their Mother ... Consequently, all who wish to reach salvation outside the Church are mistaken as to the way and are engaged in a futile effort ... Christianity is, in fact, incarnate in the Catholic Church; it is identified with that perfect and spiritual society which is the Mystical Body of Jesus Christ and has for its visible Head the Roman Pontiff ... This is Our last lesson to you: receive it, engrave it upon your minds, all of you: by God's commandment, salvation is to be found nowhere but in the Church."

"There can be nothing more dangerous than those heretics who admit nearly the entire cycle of Catholic doctrine and yet, by a single word, as with a drop of poison, infect the real and simple faith taught by Our Lord and handed down by Apostolic Tradition ... For such is the nature of the Faith that nothing can be more absurd than to accept some of the things and reject others. If, then, it be certain that anything is revealed by God, and this is not believed, then nothing whatever is believed by divine Faith ... But he who dissents even onone point from divinely-revealed Truth absolutely rejects all Faith, since he therefore refuses to honor God as the Supreme Truth and formal motive of Faith. In many things they are with me, in a few things they are not with me, the many in which they are will not profit them. And this, indeed, most deservedly, for they who take from Christian doctrine what they please lean on their own judgment, not on Faith ... and they obey themselves more truly than they obey God ... We are absolutely bound to worship God in that way which He has shown to be His will ... You who believe what you like and do not like of the Gospels believe yourselves rather than the Gospels."

-- Ian (ib@vertifgo.com), July 18, 2004.

"Dave frget about the "Rapture". there are more impotant things you need worry about. " - Ian

Yes Ian! You are right, the rapture is a non-essential issue, that isn't the dividing line on whether or not one is Christian.

-- David Ortiz (cyberpunk1986@hotmail.com), July 18, 2004.

well, yes and no:

"But he who dissents even onone point from divinely-revealed Truth absolutely rejects all Faith, since he therefore refuses to honor God as the Supreme Truth and formal motive of Faith"

-- Ian (b@vertifgo.com), July 19, 2004.

Ian,

Are you an Aussie? Or Brit?

-- David Ortiz (cyberpunk1986@hotmail.com), July 19, 2004.

neither.

European, and that's my final answer.

-- Ian (ib@vertifgo.com), July 19, 2004.

PS of interest in detemining who is a "Christian", see this:

CCC 1289 Very early, the better to signify the gift of the Holy Spirit, an anointing with perfumed oil (chrism) was added to the laying on of hands. This anointing highlights the name "Christian," which means "anointed" and derives from that of Christ himself whom God "anointed with the Holy Spirit."100 This rite of anointing has continued ever since, in both East and West. For this reason the Eastern Churches call this sacrament Chrismation, anointing with chrism, or myron which means "chrism." In the West, the term Confirmation suggests that this sacrament both confirms and strengthens baptismal grace.

is this where the term "Christian" derives?!?!

-- Ian (ib@vertifgo.com), July 19, 2004.

Uh......earthling.....I mean "What is an 'earthling'?" Last time I checked, that's what I am.

Common David?? remember my french?..."silver plates" (If you please).

.............................

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), July 19, 2004.

And...."Mercury sport coupe"....that means "thank, you".

................

-- rod (elreyrod@yahoo.com), July 19, 2004.

Acts 11:25-26 Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch. For a whole year they met with the church and taught a large number of people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians**.

**"Christians" is first applied to the members of the community at Antioch because the Gentile members of the community enable it to stand out clearly from Judaism.

-- Ian (ib@vertifgo.com), July 19, 2004.

Ian is an Irish name, David. It is the same as John.

Though I doubt Ian was born in Ireland.

-- Elpidio Gonzalez (egonval@yahoo.com), July 19, 2004.