June 29, 2009
Atheists and Their Invisible Enemy
For the past several weeks, Rapture Ready has experienced a series of attacks from various atheist groups. Like moths to a flame, they are endlessly fascinated with what we poor, right-wing, fundamentalist wackos are up to. They manifest their presence by logging onto the message board and sending me nasty emails. Several times I've received comments that talked by about my invisible friend. I assume they were referring to the Lord of the universe.
Atheists don't really do their cause much good by being so hateful. If God doesn't exist, there should be no need to attack Him on a personal level. Atheists’ willingness to fight with an invisible enemy only helps prove there is some supernatural being causing their irritation.
Here is one example of this boiling hatred atheists have for God:
"No, God did not write the bible, nor did he write any other books (such as the Koran). But there is one thing we can say about God. More deaths have been result of his name than the combination of all the wars that America has been in. Apparently, God is responsible for more deaths than Hitler; and let me add that there has been no evidence of 'Him' ever saving anyone's life. So I say: He is a tyrant, an oppressor, and a ruthless killer. He is a commander of death. If he created us, why does he have to allow so much death? Has he abandoned us? Has he gone on vacation? Why does he influence us to kill?"
There obviously has to be a fixation on God when I see leading atheist sites bearing such titles as "God Is for Suckers," "God Is Imaginary," and "God Is Pretend." You can’t hope to erase the existence of a deity by making him your enemy. If someone is your foe, he must exist.
The key problem with the whole atheist movement is that it's an empty shell. The atheists’ hatred of God is the only thing they have in common. If religion is the result of ignorance, atheists should be doing their best to educate people. The death blow to Christianity will only come from neglect. This is what killed off thousands of other gods; they died when people quit believing in them. If you want to remove a God-based religion from society, you need to replace it with a better system.
One key quality that atheists lack is charity. Thousands of Christian organizations offer humanitarian services to people. I couldn't think of any major atheist charities, so I did a search of the Internet for answers. I quickly found that atheists are equally stumped by their lack of social conscience. I found one atheist blog that tried to point to groups like the Red Cross and Doctors without Borders as examples of atheist charities. At best, these groups can only be called secular in nature. None of them carries the banner of good will in the name of atheism.
One of the strangest gripes we have received from the godless is their disdain for the rapture. They are angry over an event they believe will never happen. Author Richard Darkins took me personally to task in his book the God Delusion for asking people who are left behind to look after RR when I’m gone. Several other atheist writers have also cited the rapture as one of the evil attributes of Christianity.
Not all the animosity is pointed at God. Atheists have been extremely vicious in their attacks on believers. When Rev. Jerry Falwell died a couple of years ago, atheists came out of the woodwork to spew venom on his corpse. Christopher Hitchens was probably the most vile example. Here is Hitchens' response to CNN's Anderson Cooper, who asked whether he believed in heaven and whether "you think Jerry Falwell is in it." Hitchens said he did not believe in it, but "I think it's a pity there isn't a hell for him to go to."
The disdain atheists have for God is one of the reasons I believe there is a supernatural being. The Bible tells us that unsaved man would manifest his demonic nature in such a way. Atheists can’t ignore God because they are instruments in fulfilling His will.
Despite all the recent coverage by the liberal media, atheism still has very few followers. A recent Pew Forum survey on religion found that only 1.6% call themselves atheists, with another 2.4% weighing in as agnostics (a group despised as wishy-washy by atheists). I think the main reason for the lack of success in the atheist movement is that man is hardwired to believe in a divine creator.
The ultimate doom for atheism is coming very shortly. When the rapture takes place, only non-believers with the hardest of hearts will be able to still say there is no God. For those few people who still hold out, they will meet their invisible enemy face to face at the Great White Throne judgment.
-- Todd
The King Is Dead—Again
Michael Jackson’s death has dominated news since Thursday, June 26. The “King of Pop” sent the performer’s fans and media types into a frenzy of mourning and recounting his prolific successes over the years. We remember how fans and the world reacted to the death of the “King of Rock & Roll” in August of 1977. Elvis Presley’s death reverberates to this day, but now will have to share the posthumous stage lights of idolization with the man who gave the world “Thriller” and many other mega sellers, and who was at the center of producing the globalist anthem, “We Are the World.”
My friend Chris of New York City sent an article that sparked this week’s commentary. He said, “I think that it's interesting that Google servers were shut down temporarily when it was announced that Michael Jackson had died.” Chris called me Friday morning while I sat with my younger son, Nathan, in a restaurant at the Minneapolis-St. Paul airport. Chris said he had sent me a newspaper article, and made the observation that it was amazing, even eerie, how the death of a single performer could so affect a massive Internet entity. The article excerpt explains:
“The shocking news of the King of Pop's sudden death yesterday sparked so much Web traffic that Google's news-link Web site had to put a temporary block on "Michael Jackson" search requests.
Google's computers incorrectly interpreted the flood of requests as a "denial of service" attack meant to crash the news site.
The flood of chatter and tributes did bring down sites across the World Wide Web.
The superstar's home page barely functioned after the announcement.
Eventually, the site's links were removed, leaving only a depiction of Jackson in his trademark white T-shirt and black jacket and hat shown against a blood-red background with the words: ‘King of Pop.’
Also inaccessible was the home page for London's O2 concert venue, where Jackson was set to kick off an epic, 50-date tour next month.
Three of the top five searches on Google last night related to Jackson.
Twitter also was abuzz when rumors of the pop star's death -- the subject of hundreds of thousands of blog postings -- first began to circulate late yesterday afternoon…” (Tom Liddy,
“Mass Mourning Results in Web Crash,” New York Post, June 26, 2009,)
My phone conversation with Chris the Friday following Jackson’s death and the subsequent Google crash centered around what will happen when millions upon millions suddenly vanish from earth. Specifically, we thought about Todd’s---I believe—Holy Spirit-engendered thinking and planning for the immediate reaction following the Rapture.
Reaction to the death of the “King of Pop” far surpassed in sheer global response the death of the “King of Rock & Roll.” The reaction almost instantly, because of the electrifying advances in communications since Elvis‘ death in 1977, touched the senses of every person within societies that have the technical capabilities to be informed.
When the Rapture of the church (all believers in Christ for salvation) happens, as Todd constantly reminds, the people of the planet will think of one word after the panic subsides a bit and people start searching in earnest for answers: “RAPTURE!”
When they type in the word, www.raptureready.com will leap at the searching eyes of a shocked, left-behind people. I believe the Lord has been preparing the senses of the people of this world for thinking this word--Rapture--for when the stupendous event occurs. Although I am the least person of technical savvy, especially when it comes to computers and the Internet, I understand enough to know that Todd plans to continue working toward mirror sites, and in other ways, to delay as long as possible the meltdown of the tremendous information about the Rapture and God’s salvation message when the Rapture takes place. More than that, however, is the conviction that the Lord himself will perform whatever miracles necessary to keep Rapture Ready and other websites containing His message of truth open for all who search the Net. I take the Lord at his Word when He said, “ Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away” (Matthew 24:35).
The “King of Rock & Roll” has passed away, the “King of Pop” has passed away, and so too one day, all of the hoopla surrounding those humanity has made their idols will pass away with the fallen world system. But, the King who truly deserves the praise, honor, and glory—His Word will never pass away. It is the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of all kings and Lord of all lords we are looking for to come again to make all things right. It is this truth, and all attendant to God’s glorious plan for mankind, to which Rapture Ready is committed and dedicated.
--Terry
***Report on History Channel filming***
The “shoot,”--as the LA types call it--for The History Channel documentary went very well last Thursday, June 26. I honestly sensed the presence of the Lord while fielding the interview questions from the interviewer.
My thankfulness goes to Him, and my profound thanks goes to each of you who prayed for that endeavor, as I know you did. Your prayers were felt, I assure, and made all the difference in being able to do what I know is God’s will and work in this filming.
The History Channel folks were most kind, generous, and accommodating. I am indebted to them for their warm hospitality.
Thanks again to each of you for your prayers and thoughts, as together we strive to put forth God’s Word at every opportunity He presents to us.
--Terry
