You've Been Left Behind.com Sparking Local Controversy (open)

Is it a handy tool for Christians who believe in the rapture - or is it a way to exploit those fears?

KLTV 7 News' Lakecia Shockley take a closer look at this website and what east Texas religious leaders have to say about it. Christians disappear...and unbelievers are left behind.

The rapture has sparked a series of bestselling books, a 1995 movie, and now a new website.

At www.you'vebeenleftbehind.com, you can write and save e-mails which will be sent to your loved ones who are 'left behind'.

The website claims e-mails will automatically be sent when at least three of five staff members fail to log in to their computers for six consecutive days - presumably after the rapture.

The website's creators say it's a last ditch effort to save souls - all for a $40.00 annual subscription fee.

"It's just amazing to me that people think that you can sell the gospel in a sense." Renata Hood, a Biblical scholar from Letourneau University, doesn't buy it. "First of all, not every Christian believes in a rapture. One thing we're all united in is that Christ returns one day, but I don't think that we need to have something around like this."

Everette Wright with East Cotton Street Church of Christ agrees, and he says the proof is in the Bible.

"'But I would not have ye to be ignorant, brethren,'" he reads from the Bible. "I would say if we haven't studied the Scriptures thoroughly that we are ignorant to God's word, and these people are playing on that and collecting money of people that are gullible enough to send them money."

So, what do east Texans think about it - and would they subscribe to the website?

"I think they're after money and trying to take advantage of people's fears," says James Parrish.

Mandie Kerr says she doesn't think she would use it. "I don't think I would subscribe to it."

Whether you believe or not, these Christians say to take this website with a grain of salt.

"Those that I would speak to personally, I would say go check and have a good laugh," says Pastor Phil Fenton, of the Lutheran Church of Longview.

“Is it a handy tool for Christians who believe in the rapture - or is it a way to exploit those fears? “

I'm not impressed with the Left Behind series.

In no way shape or form is speaking about the “rapture” exploiting anyones “fears”. Anyone can be a Christian.

John 3:15-18

[15] That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

[16] For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

[17] For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

[18] He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

It is NOT about rituals. It is NOT about being baptized or taking Communion. It is ALL about BELIEF! NO “work” that you do is EVER good enough.

THe thief on the cross know this. He didn't have time for the rituals. Christ looked at his heart.

Luke 23:38-45

[38] And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

[39] And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

[40] But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?

[41] And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.

[42] And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.

[43] And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

[44] And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

[45] And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

Christ doesn't lie. Mere humans DO lie - all the time - even about what it takes to have eternal life - NOT RITUALS - BELIEF!!

It's pleasing to God to take Communion and be Baptized but that will NOT get you to heaven - it's ALL ABOUT BELIEF. Many go through these rituals ... and their HEART is FAR FROM HIM. Don't be fooled by those that push rituals and NOT BELIEF.

The "day no one knows" is Feast of Trumpets, or Rosh Hashanah. If you ask a Jew, they will know this just as if you ask an American when "turkey day" is. The question then becomes which Feast of Trumpets will it be. Daniel talks of 49 years in the "weeks of weeks" prophesy, so it's just a matter of counting the days from when Jerusalem was back under Jewish control. Most scholars would put that date at June 6, 1967. So you figure the 49 years at 360 x 49 =17,640 days. The Jewish Biblical calendar uses 360 day years with 7 "leap" months every 19 years.

Anyway, to make it short, The day Jesus comes back to split the Mount of Olives and rule for 1000 years would be Yom Kippur 2015. Now subtract 7 years from that( for Tribulation), and we get Rosh Hashanah 2008 for Rapture, or Sept, 29-30, 2008. You have just a few months to get ready to leave.

Now the parables come into play. Read the wise and foolish virgin parable and you find the foolish virgins were virgins( Christians), but they weren't ready so The Groom told them to go where they buy and sell and when they returned they were "left behind" and their portion was with the unbelievers. These aren't "lost" people. they are Christians that weren't watching. The same for the "servants" that were caught being disobedient while the "Good Man of the House" was away. These were "servant's", not unbelievers, but they weren't doing what they were supposed to be doing. How about the parable of Talents" Have we "invested" what was given to us, or buried it in the ground?

Jesus was a Jew. He lived His life as a Jew. His teachings and religion was Jewish. He taught in a synagogue, not a church. His Sabbath was Saturday, not Sunday. We were "grafted in" to the Jews. We have been adopted by God into His family, which is Jewish. To consider that somehow being Christian is different from Jewishness is wrong. It is Satan's attempt to confuse the Church. Changing the Sabbath, the calendar, and what holidays we celebrate is a lie from Satan to confuse people. The commands in the Bible to "keep" the Feast Days really mean they are Divine Appointments from God. Just as Passover was kept by Jesus, so was Unleavened Bread, First Fruits, and Pentecost. The fall feasts will be kept by His Second coming. Rapture on Trumpets, Second Coming on Yom Kippur, and the 1000 year reign starts on Tabernacles.

1 Thessalonians 5: 1-10 tells us that we can know the day and should know the day.We are the "sons of light" and should know what the Bible says about this most important day. The Jews know these terms, why don't we as Christians know these things? We have been taught the Sabbath as Sunday, knowing full well Jesus went to Synagogue every Sabbath on Saturday and even taught there. He never changed the Law, He came to fulfill it. Why do we celebrate His birthday on Dec 25, knowing full well it was on Tabernacles? Why did we change Resurrection day to "Easter"? What do eggs and bunnies have to do with the Resurrection of Jesus? All this is for confusion of the saints. Now we have Christians pooh poohing others saying they can't know the day of Rapture. This is what happens when you stay on "milk" instead of going to the "meat". God has told us what we need to know, but we are "lukewarm", or out and out apostate. I don't know anything about this website, but it should get everyone to re evaluate if they are "ready" to go. If you are left behind, your way out then would be death. You will be forced to take the "mark" to live and if you do Jesus said, "If you deny me before men, I will deny you before the Father". The age of Grace will be over and you will be required to deny Satan and embrace Jesus to be saved AFTER the Tribulation. If you can survive the Tribulation, then you will be saved. What a choice! Either be ready now, or go through the Tribulation and most likely die in the process.

DON'T MAKE YOUR PORTION WITH THE UNBELIEVERS! There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

PS. I left out the part about there being a total Lunar and Solar eclipse in 2015 over Jerusalem, and also Jesus will build the Temple, not man, after He returns on Tabernacles. The man made Temple will be the Antichrist's making. Revelation 14:6 tells us the Gospel will be proclaimed throughout the Earth by an angel, not some TV evangelists TV station. TV preacher say they nee your money to reach Africa so Jesus can come back. He's not waiting on them. Some say the Temple must be rebuilt, but that's isn't true for Jesus to return. The moon turns to blood and Sun is black refers to total eclipses. God builds His Tabernacles in the Old Testament in the Jubilee years, and 2015 is a Jubilee year.

Of course, all this could be wrong if the day used to restore Jerusalem to Israel is wrong. Are you willing to take that chance? I believe I will be awake on Sept 29, watching and waiting for my Lord.

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