Not my First Barbeque/Rapture
Well, we’re well past the September unfilled expectation of the “catching up” of Christ’s church. I’m thinking I can safely suggest, without upsetting anyone too much, three talking points you can discuss with your children when non-events like this occur.
Christians, depending on the social media consumed and faith tradition, likely found themselves in one of two camps: either very disappointed or not surprised. Many in the first category, “very disappointed,” may eventually find themselves in the “not surprised” group. That’s the way it worked for a popular TV comedian, Sherri, who tells her story here.
Sherri’s story may seem like hyperbole. Is it completely factual? Who knows? Being part of a church in the 70’s that held this belief, I lived through several rapture alerts myself. People, based on what they were being told was what about to happen, made some very bizarre and costly decisions. We knew people who ran up credit cards, put their pets to sleep so they wouldn’t suffer during the coming tribulation, and moved up wedding dates. The motto from the pulpit was “home in heave in ’77”.
Anyway, here are three thoughts, potential topics to discuss with your children in light of the “rapture that never was”. Their application is not just for religious opinion or dogma.
Teach your children to:
- Not be afraid to question what they hear. If you’re part of a faith tradition that promotes this teaching, you need to address the subject. Don’t ignore the elephant in the room. “Deconstructing your faith” is a phrase you’re likely to hear on podcasts produced by more and more young adults. Many of them, while not having bailed completely from Christianity, have lost confidence in church leadership that is unwilling to face and admit the truth. The truth is not just about the timing of the rapture but more serious issues in which scandals, abuse, and infidelity, are covered up. Where just going with the flow and not questioning the obvious is the expected behavior.
- Fact check. Dig into the history of what someone is espousing. Who taught what you’re asked to believe? When was it taught? What happened as a consequence?
- The book, Commonitory, written by St. Vincent of the 5th century has been turned into a useful rule, or standard that can be applied today:
- We hold that faith which has been believed everywhere, always, and by everyone.
- Avoid vilifying those you disagree with. Teach your children to distinguish the difference between attacks on opposing viewpoints and attacks on the people expressing those viewpoints. Attempting to discredit a point of view by attacking a person’s political affiliation, faith tradition, credentials, etc. is called ad hominem (Latin for “to the man”) and only serves to further polarize people.
To have any chance of returning to a more civilized climate of public discourse, we must acknowledge our tendency to use ad hominem arguments and help our children to see when they use them themselves.
I like what Michelle Obama said years ago. She said, “When they go low, we go high.” Kristen Welker of Meet the Press in interviewing Gavin Newsom recently asked him, “Is there still room for that mindset for Democrats?” He replied, “I would love to go back to that, but politics has changed. The world has changed.”
I’m hoping he’s wrong. As individuals and families, we can choose how we express our opinions among each other and publicly.
Thanks for Reading!
Curt Bumcrot, MRE
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