Saturday, February 9, 2013

The 'Gun Control Playbook.'

Tom's Journal. http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/ tschuckman@aol.com

The Only Problem with Lies, Cover-ups, and Hiding things, is that sooner or later some smart investigator will bring it to light -- so that the entire public can see and learn about it !!  This is especially true with obama too.  When Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini were in power -- and killing millions of innocent people -- it must have felt like an 'eternity' to those poor souls oppressed,  but all 'bad things' must come to an end... according to the Bible.  But go figure, when a 'controlled, subjected country or people somehow let a tyrant into power, so many good and precious things can be 'lost forever' and people can lose their religion in a generation or two....   Look at Belarus, Bulgaria, Combodia, Russia,  and some African nations.    Sad.. Tragic.   How many people went to hell because a generation didn't have the courage to defeat a tyrant and/ or a dictator?  People roll their eyes and WONDER how a leader in education, inventions, well built autos, motorcycles, good looking, healthy populations, high IQ's,   the Arts, Music, Culture, Books, inventor of the Printing Press, etc., the Diesel engine,  and a supposedly 'Christian Nation' --- allow a "Mad man" to ascend to the top slot of leadership back in the 1930's...  like Germany.   Ha!  Now, just look at how the most advanced, wealthy, cultured, helpful, generous nation of America was hood winked into electing a man who cannot even prove he was born in this country and show his college records, etc !!!  He and his Socialist buddies have already destroyed America, and it only gets worse!  "You ain't seen nothin' yet !" -- the name of a song by BTO...    Ponder on this.

Tom Schuckman




Great information shared by our member by Jim Fogarty. You will see this resembles the Feinstein bill shared in another discussion.

The following is excerpted from a 1994 agenda memo from Handgun Control, Inc. (Now the Brady Campaign) The memo was mailed to me by a federal police officer I used to know, so I trust the source:

"Notes and minutes of Meeting of Friday, December 17, 1993. Rough Draft Proposal for Internal Memo and Five Year Plan"."Confidential Not For general Distribution".

"Special praise to Senator Dianne Feinstein was mentioned for her courage in standing up to the ever diminishing number of GUN CRAZY EXTREMISTS who are actually pushing to make our society a KILLING FIELD."

"What is pending now and can be law in 1994!...Ban ON ALL SEMIAUTOS WHICH CAN FIRE MORE THAN 6 BULLETS WITHOUT RELOADING." ..."Ban of all machine guns, DESTRUCTIVE DEVICES , short shotguns/rifles, assault weapons..."...."Ban on possession of a firearm within a home located within 1000 feet of schoolyard." ..."Ban on all realistic replicas/toy guns or non-firearms capable of being rendered realistic."..."The right of victims of gun violence to sue manufacturers and dealers to be affirmed and perhaps aided with money from government programs."...."Taxes on ammo, dealers licenses & guns to offset the medical costs to society."...."the eventual ban of all semi-automatics " – 1994 HCI Agenda Memo

"Five year plan: Licenses:"...."It is reasonable to require that all individuals must prove to the signers that they require a firearm."..."Reduction of the number of guns to require an arsenal license"..."due to the fact that any number of guns constitutes a grave threat to the safety of the community"..."no arsenal licensing be permitted in counties with populations of more than 200,000"..."requirement of federally approved storage safe for all guns"...

"Public Safety Regulations": "Ban on Manufacturing in counties with a population of more than 200,000". Guns are being built all the time and the number of licensed manufacturers are too great to justify the threat to public safety"..."The pending national ban on all assault weapons... can be expanded to eventually cover any firearm with a remotely military appearance."...."We hope that this point system can eventually be expanded to high powered air guns and "paint ball" weapons, which can inflict great damage, and with a little effort can be easily converted into real guns." ..."Banning the carrying of a firearm anywhere but home or range or in transit from one to the other."..."Control of ammunition belonging to certain surplus firearms: Senator Moynihan has already proposed a tax or ban on .22LR, 32 ACP, and 25 ACP , and 9 MM ammo,..."......"Eventual ban of handgun possession: This may be closer to reality than many of us think. Handguns are becoming increasingly unpopular and we think that within five years we can enact a total ban on possession at the federal level."...

"Ammunition and explosives: Banning of any quantity of smokeless powder or black powder which would constitute more than the equivalent of 100 rounds of ammunition. With the bombing of the World Trade Center, it has been made clear that WE MUST CONTROL ( yes the key phrase here is "we must control" everyone else's life and allow no freedom! ) the amount of explosive materials in public hands." ..."Ban on the possession of explosive powders of more than I kilogram at any one time. GUN NUTS ARE NOTORIOUS FOR CIRCUMVENTING THE INTENT OF THE LAW..."..."This additional language can be useful in preventing "Bomb-Maker" Hobbyists and other DANGEROUS INDIVIDUALS ."..."Banning or strict licensing of all reloading components. Ammunition regulation laws can be regularly bypassed by home loaders..."..."National registration of ammunition or ammo buyers"..."with a possible background check to eliminate the purchase of dangerous ammo by felons or MENTAL PATIENTS."

"Gun ranges: ...waiting period for rentals on pistol ranges"

"Activities which promote gun violence: Banning Gun Shows..."BANNING OF MILITARY REENACTMENTS: THE QUESTIONABLE "HISTORICAL" VALUE OF THESE EVENTS HAS ESCAPED PUBLIC SCRUTINY FOR TOO LONG. MANY OF THESE SO CALLED HISTORICAL EVENTS ARE A MERE EXCUSE FOR GUN NUTS TO BLAST THE COUNTRYSIDE WITH AUTOMATIC WEAPONS. WHAT IS TO KEEP THEM FROM LOADING LIVE BULLETS AND HAVING THOSE STRAY BULLETS KILL INNOCENT CHILDREN?"... Begin to curb hunting on all public lands. Blood sports are an anathema to a civilized society..." ..."MAKING GUN OWNERS RECORDS AND PHOTOS MATTER OF PUBLIC RECORD"...SO THAT COMMUNITIES CAN HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE OF WHO POSES A DANGER TO THEIR COMMUNITY BEFORE DISASTER STRIKES" ..."Random police checks for weapons "...

"Banning of military accouterments: Essential to the NEANDERTHAL GUN CULTURE are the typical military clothing, CAMOUFLAGE, POUCHES, and gear, BOOTS and other combat gear ....Elimination of the future sale of these items will cripple the culture of violence well into the 21st century"...

"Stricter guidelines for violence in television and the movies: We should look at the possibility of victims of violence initiated by copying an act on television and the movie or video screen, suing the makers of such shows for compensation to their suffering."...

"THE TOTAL ELIMINATION OF ARMS FROM SOCIETY: "

"CONTROL OF DANGEROUS LITERATURE ( bomb making, machine gun conversions, etc.) Too much irresponsible material is purportedly covered by the 1ST AMENDMENT, however the time will come when our nation has to agree THAT SOME LITERATURE DOES NOT BELONG IN A SAFE SOCIETY..." ... "We must realize that THERE CAN BE SUCH A THING AS TOO MUCH FREEDOM where such literature poses a serious threat to the public safety."

"1994 sounds like the death knell for the bully tactics of the NRA and the culture of violence in America!!"..."With the loss of power and clout of the NRA and their various smaller crony organizations crumbling to dust, we can eliminate a 200 YEAR OLD LICENSE TO MURDER into history and enter the 21st century a safer place for our children and our children’s children."

"THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION IS CONFIDENTIAL!! DO NOT DISTRIBUTE BEYOND THE OFFICES OF HCI UNLESS HAND DELIVERED TO AN APPROVED STATE OF FEDERAL LEGISLATOR OR LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL . ..Handgun license fees: year 1 to 2"..."year 3 to 4"..."year 5 to 8: ...$550-625 annual fee...suggested penalties for non-compliance...failure to turn over guns for destruction...$15,000/18 months in jail...The federal government estimates that around 65-75 million Americans own guns. These fees and licensing requirements would allow us to take guns out of the hands of an estimated 30 million unsuitable or ineligible individuals. The fees for the remaining qualifying individuals would additionally reduce the number to about 14 million gun owners"....

"OUR EVENTUAL GOAL IS TO REDUCE THE NUMBER OF LICENSEES TO ZERO . The revenue itself can be utilized to achieve this goal." ....Establish a nationwide system of toll free numbers for reporting violators of the new gun restrictions and non-licensees. " ..."Suing gun organizations under the RICO statute: It would be expected that gun groups and lobbying groups such as the NRA would encourage non compliance. Thus nationally recognized groups will be technically "organizing to break the law. Once this can be proven, these groups will be vulnerable to lawsuits based on the RICO statute and drained of their financial resources through repeated legal action."

"Suing the makers of toy/replica guns, toy weapons and violent entertainment:....The items could include: violent video games, television shows, movies, video tapes, WATER GUNS, SUPER SOAKERS, electronic noise guns, toy weapons like swords, batons, martial arts items."

"TORT LAW AS WE KNOW IT MAY NOT HAVE TO UNDER GO A CHANGE IN ORDER TO FACILITATE THESE ACTIONS. AS MANY PEOPLE KNOW IT IS NOT NECESSARY TO ACTUALLY WIN IN ORDER TO AFFECT CHANGE, SINCE THE CONSTANT THREAT OF LEGAL ACTION WILL INDUCE CHANGE IN THE WAY PEOPLE DO BUSINESS. "

" A QUICK GUIDE TO ARGUING WITH GUN ZEALOTS:....Our children are being threatened, murdered and cut down in the street...With tens of millions of people owning guns, the potential for lawlessness and gun massacres increases ten fold each year...THERE IS NO SPORTING PURPOSE FOR A SEMIAUTOMATIC FIREARM ...HANDGUNS HAVE NO PURPOSES OTHER THAN KILLING PEOPLE .....SELF DEFENSE IS NO LEGITIMATE REASON FOR OWNING A GUN ... MOST GUN DEALERS SELL THOUSANDS OF GUNS ILLEGALLY TO GANGS AND CRIMINALS EVERY DAY."

" Repeat these FACTS over and over and eventually the public will begin to see the light. They cannot casually dismiss these devastating facts any more.....REMEMBER THAT THEY ARE DEFENDING THE RIGHT TO MURDER IN OUR COUNTRY. THIS ALONE MAKES THEM LOOK BRUTISH AND NEANDERTHAL...IT IS BECOMING LESS AND LESS POLITICALLY CORRECT TO OWN A GUN. Ultimately society as a whole will look upon gun owners with dread and disdain."

"Other pressing points: Military assault weapons: The confusion by the general public between semi-automatic and automatic weapons can work in our favor. Constantly dropping the words- submachine gun, fully automatic , machine gun, military weapon, high tech killing machine are good debaters tricks to instill a sense of dread over these weapons. Ultimately people will learn to dread these weapons..."

"Remember that there is no place for any kind of semi auto weapon in a safe society regardless of how it looks, since many so called sport rifles can be easily converted to military configuration. Thus all semi automatic weapons are capable of being called "assault weapons". Never let up on this fact."

"Endangerment of children: It is difficult for Gun groups to counter arguments which call attention to the endangerment of children. Making the opposition look callous creates an image of brutality and indifference to the audience...Enough is enough: Americans are sick and tired of the violence that is infecting our society...it is time for action, to take back our streets from crime, if we don't take action now this crime wave will engulf America" ( crime's been going down, sorry to disappoint you )

"Assault weapons are the weapons of choice for gangs , mentally deficient individuals and criminals across the board. The gun lobby argues that anyone at any time should have the right to buy and own these weapons of mass destruction"

Friday, February 8, 2013

The Hal Lindsey Report- 2013 -Feb.

Tom's Journal. http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/ tschuckman@aol.com

Hi Folks,
It feels so nice when we are surrounded by brothers of like Faith with reputed accurate prophecy track records!    And Hal Lindsey  is only following the Scriptures as the rest of us are.  Yes,  it sure feels good to hit the nail on the head and be correct in your older years, using History and the Bible as a guide.    Some of us had to learn the hard way, paying a steep $$$ price for our ignorance and foolishness when younger.  And an individual can start over a few times IF he/ she has the years available...  But right now we don't have much wriggle room and space to navigate as we are at the 'end of the race.'    Whose fault is it that we wasted our precious TIME, YOUTH, MONEY, AND ENERGY when we still had that POWER and STAMINA, and more teeth, hair, vision and hearing ! ??

Of course we cannot "earn" or work our way to heaven, but there is that certain "Bema Seat" in heaven as we all will have to give an account of our actions on earth from our past.  We have God's GRACE that allows us to be Saved.  Ephesians 2:8 says,  "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves:  it is the gift of God:  9.  Not of works, lest any man should boast."  KJV Bible  [of course....].  What a straight, blunt, forward, powerful statement !!  And that particular book, Ephesians, written by the Apostle Paul has only 6 chapters, and is very beneficial for relationships, between man and wife, etc.  

I am still so surprised and disheartened at how many people who call themselves 'Christians' [CINO's...lol] are still deluded as they don't even know what the RAPTURE is!!  And they also don't get the cold, hard fact that our immoral country is near being  'toast' as we rush to get more in debt $$$.  I can only imagine how the evil countries who own us are licking their chops, waiting in the back ground -- in the wings, to carve us up like the giant beast that we are living in a modern day Sodom!  Voting and electing an alien who TOLD THE PUBLIC THAT HE OK's ABORTION AND THE GAY AGENDA, besides throwing Israel under the bus!!  And corruption in high places runs deep, both parties must realize what is happening behind the scenes, in the Socialist WH, but within the RINO party too!!   I can bet my last dollar that there will most likely be huge violent riots in the streets this Spring and Summer - 2013!    I for one, am NOT looking forward to that, and everyone will be hurting.  And what is an old, Disabled  Combat Veteran like me going to do, as I cannot even walk very far, and depend on some VA meds and power scooter to help me, etc.  The Bible is my meat and my bread, as I use it, study it every day that I breathe!  I am not afraid to suffer for Christ, or even lose my head and be martyred for the Lord, but the Rapture would be nice -- yet no one knows exactly when that will happen-- except soon.   My only fear is that I have the habit of being self reliant, working out problems and challenges for myself -- and God may not like that.  Again, 'Trust in the LORD with all thine heart and lean not upon your own understanding...' Proverbs 3:5.  
     And if we don't yet have the right heart, to follow and obey Christ, we need to ask God for a 'new heart' that will follow God, instead of rushing ahead.  God will provide and protect.  Read the Psalms for encouragement.  And stock up on dog food...



Tom Schuckman


February 8th, 2013
This week on 'The Hal Lindsey Report'

For several years, at the beginning of the new year, it has been my custom to review the events of the past twelve months that have special prophetic significance. I call it "The Prophetic Year in Review."

Last New Year's Eve, I delivered my "Prophetic Year in Review: 2012" at Calvary Temple Church in Kerrville, Texas, in the heart of the Texas hill country. Pastor Del Way graciously welcomed me into his pulpit to share with an overflow crowd my thoughts about the past year's developments.

This week on "The Hal Lindsey Report," I want to share with you another portion of that presentation.

When I wrote The Late Great Planet Earth in 1969, I said, "The United States will cease being the leader of the West and will probably become, in some way, a part of the new European sphere of power."

It breaks my heart to think that our beloved country will fade from power and stop being the world's most dominant force for good. I believe, though, that it has to happen for the Bible's prophetic scenario to be fulfilled.

And when one begins to consider America's suffocating debt, our unbelievable and unexplainable determination to spend ourselves into bankruptcy, our leaders' complete incompetence at providing meaningful leadership in the world any more, and our nation's breathtaking plunge into moral destitution, it becomes clear that not only is America destined to become a second-rate power, but we are at the threshold of it even now.

I think Satan's Antichrist and his False Prophet are alive and well on planet Earth. And that can only mean that our Savior's anticipated call to "Come up here!" and join Him in heaven must be just around the corner.

If you've never accepted the free gift of pardon from sin that Jesus died to purchase for you, do it now. I believe our time in this world is growing very short. In fact, I quite possibly may have just delivered my last "Prophetic Year in Review" on this earth!

Don't miss this week's Report on TBN, Daystar, The Word Network, CPM Network, various local stations,
www.hallindsey.com or www.hischannel.com. Please check your local listings.


God Bless,

Hal Lindsey

mail: HLMM, P.O. Box 470470, Tulsa, OK 74147
email: comments@hallindsey.com

Would You Believe ?

Tom's Journal. http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/ tschuckman@aol.com

Would you believe ???

Today, after I took my wife out for lunch, she had to do a few chores and being in a certain part of town in the Great Northern Woods of U.P. -MI, I asked her to buy a few boxes of ammo for me, just some .22 LR's, etc.  [I have been hunting and fishing most of my life, as well as raising rabbits, beef cattle on the farm of my childhood, and then learning how to butcher too]  The 'Sporting store' in IM was crowded on Friday afternoon and I parked away where I could see people going in and out of that store in a steady stream, as I planned to pick my wife up when I saw her come out... not much parking space left on this busy day.  After she did finally come out of the door, she told me that the girl selling her the products put the items in a bag on top of the counter -- and then some man grabbed that bag along with his own and walked out the door quickly before anyone was the wiser...Ha!!  Well, the clerk refunded my wife's money and told her that they would set aside the next load of product as soon as it came in next week, or so.
    I did not yell at my wife, but tried to tell her firm voice that she MUST keep her eyes OPEN and her HAND ON THE MERCHANDISE ALL THE TIME while at the store !!  Don't worry, folks... you WILL see a lot more of this 'dog eat dog' desperate mentality, and worse, as these evil days continue.   See:  2nd Timothy, Chapter 3, verses 1- 17, etc.... "This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.   2. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, etc etc."  We are just starting to see the violence now!  But when people see that obama and both parties have lied to the people and sold them out -- watch out for major fire works.  You ain't seen nothin' yet !

I honestly fear that I am going to get myself into trouble for just publishing the truth as I see it, one of these days, but on the other hand, I feel that it's my duty-- just like sharing the pure Gospel of Jesus Christ !   These 'Grapes of Wrath' critical times we are seeing now, in Feb. 2013, are what some smart folks are calling, the "Engineered, purposeful American Melt down" caused by OBAMA and his hand picked criminal element staff/ thugs!!  If you've read any of my recent blog posts, you will know these terms, and hence, take heed and action !  Unfortunately, MOST of earth's inhabitants  will just continue to 'party with the devil.' 

I am not a rich man, nor do we hoard things or unduly stock up.  I am just a simple, humble dumb, auto factory worker-- retired, living from a small pension, and DISABLED!  My wife still has to work to pay off her bills, even as she is physically hurt from heavy lifting at her work place!   I am trying hard to sell an old, 120 year old house in WI that no body seems to want, just to get rid of it!  And all I have is my beat  up 2007 Dodge truck to scoot around with, that is just starting to 'nickel and dime' me...  but I feel that the Lord has blessed me,  because I know that I am Saved by the ransom blood of Jesus Christ, my Savior. 

Well, I need to take my dog outside now.  Be safe.  Be Warned.  Be smart.  Be Warm.

Warm Regards,
Tom


  • Advertise
  • DHS Purchases 21.6 Million More Rounds of Ammunition

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    Federal agency has now acquired enough bullets to wage 30 year war
    Paul Joseph Watson
    Infowars.com
    February 7, 2013
    The Department of Homeland Security is set to purchase a further 21.6 million rounds of ammunition to add to the 1.6 billion bullets it has already obtained over the course of the last 10 months alone, figures which have stoked concerns that the federal agency is preparing for civil unrest.
    A solicitation posted yesterday on the Fed Bid website details how the bullets are required for the DHS Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Artesia, New Mexico.
    The solicitation asks for 10 million pistol cartridge .40 caliber 165 Grain, jacketed Hollow point bullets (100 quantities of 100,000 rounds) and 10 million 9mm 115 grain jacketed hollow point bullets (100 quantities of 100,000 rounds).
    The document also lists a requirement for 1.6 million pistol cartridge 9mm ball bullets (40 quantities of 40,000 rounds).
    An approximation of how many rounds of ammunition the DHS has now secured over the last 10 months stands at around 1.625 billion. In March 2012, ATK announced that they had agreed to provide the DHS with a maximum of 450 million bullets over four years, a story that prompted questions about why the feds were buying ammunition in such large quantities. In September last year, the federal agency purchased a further 200 million bullets.
    To put that in perspective, during the height of active battle operations in Iraq, US soldiers used 5.5 million rounds of ammunition a month. Extrapolating the figures, the DHS has purchased enough bullets over the last 10 months to wage a full scale war for almost 30 years.
    Such massive quantities of ammo purchases have stoked fears that the agency is preparing for some kind of domestic unrest. In 2011, Department of Homeland Security chief Janet Napolitano directed Immigration and Customs Enforcement to prepare for a mass influx of immigrants into the United States, calling for the plan to deal with the “shelter” and “processing” of large numbers of people.

    Thursday, February 7, 2013

    More on the Rapture -- by Popular Demand.

    Tom's Journal. http://tomschuckmanjournal.blogspot.com/ tschuckman@aol.com




    Andy WoodsBy Dr. Andy Woods Sugar Land Bible Church

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    My previous articles commenced a series on the rapture of the church. We began with the question, "What is the Rapture?" This question can best be answered by noting ten truths about the rapture from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 and 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. In previous articles from 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, we saw that the rapture is an important doctrine and not something that can be marginalized or explained away as a secondary doctrine. We also noted that the rapture is an event that is distinct from the Second Advent of Christ. We further observed that the rapture will involve the catching up of every believer to meet the Lord in the air, and that the rapture will involve a reunion between living and deceased Church-Age believers. We then began to examine several more points from 1 Corinthians 15:50-58. We noted that the rapture will be a resurrection, will exempt an entire generation of believers from death, will be an instantaneous event, is a mystery, and is an imminent event. We now move on to our tenth point.
    bible

    A Traditional Doctrine Now Being Recovered

    Tenth, the rapture is a traditional doctrine now being recovered. It is common to hear anti-rapturists attack the doctrine of the rapture on the grounds that such an idea is not found in church history until very late. They argue that the doctrine did not exist in church history until the writings of John Nelson Darby in the 1800's. They ask, "if the rapture is such a clear biblical teaching, then why do we not find the idea prevalent in the writings of the church fathers, in Christendom's great creeds and confessions such as the Apostles' Creed or the creed of Nicaea, and in church tradition?" Why do none of the great sages of the past such as John Calvin or Martin Luther ever mention the rapture? Some even go so far as to link Darby's rapture teaching to spurious and suspicious sources such as a young female charismatic prophetess named Margaret MacDonald. Several responses can be given to these common contentions.
    First, arguments such as these epitomize a host of logical fallacies. One such fallacy they commit is called the recency fallacy. This fallacy assumes the veracity of an idea based upon how recently the idea was taught in the history of the Christian church. In other words, if something is not taught until late in church history, it cannot be true. Such misguided thinking represents a logical fallacy, because the veracity of something is not determined by what time in history the teaching arose. The standard for truth is, "does the concept harmonize with biblical revelation regardless of the chronological era when the idea arose?" Just because an idea is taught early on in church history does not necessarily make it true. For example, many of the earliest church fathers taught baptismal regeneration (salvation by baptism rather than by faith alone in Christ). Although this idea arose early on in church history, this fact alone does not make it true since it contradicts the biblical record (Eph. 2:8-9). Early ideas are untrue if they are not biblical. Conversely, late ideas can be true if they are biblical. Consistency with Scripture determines an idea's truthfulness and not when the idea originated.
    Another logical fallacy committed by those who seek to discredit the rapture by linking the doctrine's origins to Margaret MacDonald is the genetic fallacy. This fallacy assumes the truth or falsehood of something based upon the source of an idea. Such thinking is fallacious since truth is determined by consistency with biblical revelation rather than where or from whom the idea supposedly originated. Paul speaks of those who preach the gospel out of corrupt motives and yet rejoices since at least the gospel is still being preached (Phil. 1:15-18). In other words, because the gospel is objectively and biblically true, it remains true even if it proceeds from the mouths of those who have impure motives. If an idea is biblically verifiable, it is true even if a questionable source reiterates the same idea. As a side note, scholars have carefully refuted the notion that Darby got the idea of the rapture from McDonald. [1] However, even if such a refutation did not exist it would not detract from the doctrine's truth as long as the rapture can be found in the pages of God's Word. All of this to say, the rapture cannot be discredited simply on the basis of the alleged recency of its origin or in seeking to anchor its source in Margaret MacDonald as long as the rapture doctrine is found in the Bible.
    Second, it must be remembered that this argument from silence in church history has been used before. In fact, it was used against the Protestant Reformers. At the Diet of Worms in A.D. 1521, John Eck sought to discredit Luther's teachings of faith alone (Sola Fide) by grace alone (Sola Gratia) through Christ alone (Sola Christus) based upon the Scripture alone (Sola Scriptura) to the glory of God alone (Sola Deo Gloria) by arguing that such teachings cannot not be found in the teachings of the popes, priests, and church fathers. Luther responded by noting that his doctrines could be found in the writings of a church father who was far more significant than any source that Eck could produce. Luther's source was none other than the Apostle Paul. Luther built his theological case upon Paul's writings in general and upon the Book of Galatians in particular (Gal. 2:16). In other words, Luther's ideas were true because they could be found in Scripture. Since this was so, whether these ideas could be sourced in the writings of the theologians and tradition was somewhat immaterial and irrelevant. Such a scenario is analogous to the rapture debate. The rapture stands or falls ultimately on whether it is a biblical truth regardless of what church history has said about it. To those who seek to diminish the rapture teaching on the basis of its lack of prevalence in church history, our response is the same as Luther's: Sola Scriptura! Because the doctrine is found in the Bible, it is true.
    Third, there is a very good reason why the rapture is not conspicuous in the church's creeds and confessions. Two centers of Christian thought developed early on in church history. The Antiochene school in Syria insisted that the Scripture, including its prophetic portions, be interpreted in a literal or normal way. Thus, the early church fathers connected with the Antiochene school became premillennialists or chiliasts. They were given this later title because chilia is the Greek word for "thousand" which is mentioned six times in Revelation 20:1-10. They arrived at the eschatological position of believing in a future thousand year reign of Christ on the earth because of their literal or normal approach to the prophetic Scripture.
    Despite reigning supreme for nearly two centuries, the influence of the Antiochene school was eventually eclipsed by the Alexandrian school located in Alexandria Egypt otherwise called North Africa. This school, which took an allegorical or non-literal approach to prophecy, eventually won the day and consequently became the dominant force in church history. Dominant thinkers emerged from the Alexandrian school including Origen of the third century and Augustine of the fourth century. Augustine's book The City of God, which was the first formal exposition of amillennialism (a view that there will be no future earthly reign of Christ based upon a non-literal approach to the prophetic portions of Scripture) became perhaps the most influential book in all of church history. Here, I am using the word "influential" not in a positive sense but rather in a negative sense. Augustine by and large put the church under an allegorical spell. From Augustine onward the majority opinion within the church was to interpret prophecy allegorically. The church did not start crawling out from this shadow until Protestant Reformers began insisting on a literal method of interpretation. Even then, these reformers were inconsistent and did not apply literal interpretation to the Bible's prophetic sections. Such inconsistency was not rectified until the budding of the Dispensational movement in the 1800s. As the early Dispensationalists began to consistently apply the reformers' literal hermeneutic to prophecy, premillennialism, which had been submerged by amillennialism for nearly 1600 years, began to make a comeback.
    The important point to grasp is that the creeds, confessions, tradition, and theologians cited by the anti-rapturists are all post Augustine. Since they were developed in the wake of the rise of the influence of the non-literal Alexandrian school and Augustine, it stands to reason that these creeds would omit the rapture. The rapture doctrine is built upon a literal approach to interpreting Bible prophecy. Had these creeds been developed pre Augustine or after Augustine's influence was diminished when literalism in prophetic studies again became the norm rather than the exception, it is likely that these creeds would have conspicuously mentioned the rapture.
    Fourth, despite the prevalence of nonliteral methods of interpreting prophecy during the so-called prophetic dark ages when Augustine's influence dominated, it is interesting to observe the writings of those who still approached prophecy literally and consequently still taught the biblical doctrine of the rapture. Although certainly not the majority opinion, we do have record of those who either resisted or remained unaffected by Augustine's pernicious influence and thus found the rapture in the Bible simply by following a consistently literal interpretive approach. One such individual was Pseudo Ephraem, who lived at some time during the 4th to the 6th century A.D. Recently, one of his ancient writings was discovered, which contains the following statement:
    Why therefore do we not reject every care of earthly actions and prepare ourselves for the meeting of the Lord Christ, so that he may draw us from the confusion, which overwhelms all the world...For all the saints and the elect of god are gathered, prior to the tribulation that is to come, and are taken to the Lord lest they see the confusion that is to overwhelm the world because of our sins (italics mine). [2]
    If one were unfamiliar with who made this statement, they would mostly likely attribute it to one of the modern exponents of the pretribulational rapture theory. Yet, in actuality, it is an early medieval church rapture citation. Those who study in this area have told me personally that eventually we are going to find so many statements similar to the one made by Pseudo Ephraem that it will once and for all put an end to the contention that the rapture teaching is erroneous since it cannot be located anywhere in church history prior to Darby. As more and more of such discoveries are made in the coming months and years, the rapture, which was eclipsed by Augustinian Amillennialism, is gradually being retrieved from the dust bin of history and brought back into a place of prominence within the church. For the time being, it is sufficient to say that those who argue against the rapture on the basis of the alleged silence of church history are guilty of committing various logical fallacies, ignore the origin of the Protestant Reformation, fail to consider the influence of Augustinian Amillennialism upon Christendom's most popular creeds and confessions, and do not fully consider a minority of early interpreters who held to a rapture in spite of the dominance of the Alexandrian school of interpretation.
    In sum, not only is the rapture an important doctrine, an event that is distinct from the Second Advent of Christ, an event that will involve the catching up of every believer to meet the Lord in the air, a reunion of living and deceased Church-Age believers, a resurrection, an event that exempts an entire generation of Church-Age believers from death, an instantaneous event, a mystery, and an imminent event that can take place at any moment, but the rapture is also a traditional doctrine now being recovered.
    (To Be Continued...)
    Endnotes
    [1] Paul Richard Wilkinson, For Zion's Sake: Christian Zionism and the Role of John Nelson Darby, Studies in Evangelical History and Thought (Milton Keynes: Paternoster, 2007).
    [2] Timothy J. Demy and Thomas D. Ice, "The Rapture and an Early Medieval Citation," Bibliotheca Sacra 152, no. 607 (July-September 1995): 305-16.