By Randi Locke, Northend Agent’s
Well here we are. Another supposed rapture has come and gone. Leaving millions of people who believed South African Pastor Joshua Mhlakela’s theory with regret, or in Sherry Shepard’s case, a potential visit from the IRS. Pastor Joshua Mhlakela’s rapture prediction makes this the fourth major rapture prediction to hit the main stream in fourteen years according to Newsweek. But what makes this time different from predictions like Harold Camping’s judgement day prediction in 2011, is the amount of people that believed the claim. Though Camping’s prediction was formed based on what he believed was a correlation between same sex marriage and the earthquakes in Costa Rica, Hati, the Phillipines, and Japan, he amassed such a large following that one of his followers, Robert Fitzpatrick, spent $140,000 on billboards to spread Camping’s message. After his prediction failed to come true on May 21st 2011, Camping was left standing in the middle of Times Square, dumbfounded that the math was wrong. According to New York times he claimed that he must have misread the text or, that some of the pages in his bible were stuck together. But since this prediction came during the early days of popular social media platforms like snapchat and Instagram, outside of his followers, Camping’s theories were still considered wild to most. Especially considering that the 2010’s were a time where progressive ideologies were beginning to take off. Now unfortunately thanks to the alleged veil between Church and State being dropped, ideas of raptures that would once be shrugged off by the masses are now being taken seriously.
According to Newsweek, Mhlakela’s proclamations have always been far fetched. He claimed that in the year 2000 he spotted a massive Angel that was hunting for demons. When he described the circumstances of his birth he claimed that his mother was being “strangled by a spiritual force” according to Newsweek. Mhlakela aligned his rapture prediction to come true on the Jewish New Year. After he shared this prediction on youtube, this prompted thousands to take drastic actions like quitting their jobs, selling their possessions, or in one womans case surrendering her six children to child protective services. Now those who believed Mhlakela’s words are trying to piece together their lives or find something else to hang on to. Considering that this prediction was shared on September 9th, the day before Charlie Kirk was shot, one could not help but wonder if this is just a random coincidence or, a convenient excuse for evangelicals to share outlandish beliefs or to shield themselves from addressing current world events.
After Charlie Kirk’s death there was (and continues) to be an influx of right wing evangelicals claiming that he was a man of god. Donald Trump even called him “our greatest evangelist for American Liberty” according to the Irish Times. Some even went as far to compare his death to Jesus dying on the cross. Thus making him a martyr in the eyes of evangelicals. When Mhlakela’s prediction began to spread throughout the internet, the idea of leaving a world where they believe that “Christians” like Kirk were being murdered for their beliefs was something to cling on to. Though Christians in the United States holding the belief that they are being targeted for their faith despite the United States prioritizing Christian values, and funds over having a Government free of religious interference is not new; the evidence of Christian Privilege is no longer hidden in plain sight. Christian Privilege is advantages provided to Christians in majority Christian nations. These privileges include openly practicing without persecution, having majority of political figures practicing the same faith, and having media (television, movies, news) tailored to Christians that is readily accessible. Kirk’s memorial for instance, was broadcast on nationwide channels like ESPN and was described as a mass revival. Though evangelicals live in a nation that prioritizes Christian values over the well being of all, they are just now realizing that having a society dominated by religion comes with grave consequences.
For example, the overturning of Roe V Wade in 2022, which made legalized abortion a state matter, is now putting reproductive health at risk as a whole. With States now going as far as criminalizing abortion. Roe V Wade was able to be overturned due to major Christian Legal groups like the Alliance Defending Freedom (they have won 16 Supreme Court Cases since 2011) by providing legal and financial support to cases that provide a pathway to the Supreme Court. Because of this, outside Christian groups like the ADF have been able to gain political power without even having to hold a position in office. Allowing those who were once considered unqualified to hold seats of political power, to instantly become political figureheads. Though evangelicals do not want to acknowledge it, having incompetent people in positions of power solely based on beliefs, is hurting them as much as other marginalized groups.
So instead of addressing how having a Christian society is doing more harm than good, they choose to cling to the notion that God is in control. If that means God will send a rapture to save them from a collapsing economy and dwindling healthcare so be it. Now that the rapture is not happening, perhaps evangelicals can take a moment to think about whether supporting leaders that caused harm to millions under the guise of Christian values was worth it.
