Results: For some Christians, 'rapture anxiety' can take a lifetime to heal
Published on 09/28/2022
**As we have members who believe in all different religions and ideas, please respect each other in the comment section below.** From the moment they are old enough to understand, millions of people raised in certain Christian communities are taught that the rapture is something that can happen at any time. Though there are different schools of thought as to how such an event would go, the basic idea is the same: Righteous Christians ascend into heaven, while the rest are left behind to suffer. However it happens, it is something to be both feared and welcomed, to be prayed about and prepared for every moment of a believer’s life. -CNN Article: https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/27/us/rapture-anxiety-evangelical-exvangelical-christianity-cec/index.html
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Do you believe that the rapture will happen?
I consider myself a Christian and yes
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919 votes
I consider myself a Christian and no
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I do not consider myself a Christian and yes
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I do not consider myself a Christian and no
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Other (please specify)
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"Rapture anxiety," as it is often called, is recognized by some faith experts and mental health professionals as a type of religious trauma. Darren Slade, the president and CEO of the Global Center for Religious Research, has been studying religious trauma across several faiths and denominations for years. "This is a real thing. It's a chronic problem," he says of rapture anxiety. "This is a new area of study, but in general, our research has revealed that religious trauma leads to an increase of anxiety, depression, paranoia and even some OCD-like behaviors. Have you ever experienced rapture anxiety? Yes
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No
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Undecided
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Not Applicable
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Slade left the Christian faith and focused his energy on the academic side of religion. It was a devastating transition. "I lost my family, I lost my community. I lost everything," Slade says. Eventually, he was diagnosed with complex PTSD from his experiences. For Christians who begin to question their beliefs, the fear of what could happen if they name their doubts out loud can be just as overwhelming as rapture anxiety itself. If you are connected to any type of religion, have you ever been worried about what might happen if you questioned your beliefs out loud? Yes
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No
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Undecided
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Not Applicable
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The number of Americans identifying as Christian has been steadily dropping for years A 2022 Pew Research Survey estimates about 64% of Americans identify as Christians, but that number could drop below half by 2070 – and could be surpassed by a majority population with no religious affiliation. Do you consider yourself to have a religious affiliation? Yes
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No
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Undecided
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