Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: No 'rapture,' world still here Date: Tue, 3 Nov 92 15:19:55 EST Message-ID: \SE A;WORLD \SS (WS) \HD No 'rapture,' world still here \BY ASSOCIATED PRESS \DT SEOUL SEOUL (AP) - Judgment day caught up with the largest of the South Korean churches that were predicting the impending end of the world. It disbanded yesterday and apologized to the nation. "We are sorry for creating problems to the nation and the established churches by misinterpreting the Bible," the Mission for the Coming Days said in a statement. The "doomsday" churches had predicted that Oct. 28 would bring "the rapture" - the faithful's ascension to heaven. According to the biblical Book of Revelation, that was to be followed by seven years of tribulation, culminating in Armageddon and the world's end. Hundreds and possibly thousands of believers sold property, left families, quit schools and jobs, and deserted military posts. When the day passed uneventfully, some people attacked preachers, but there were no reports of suicides or other extreme actions by followers. Police set up centers to receive complaints from worshipers who lost property or money and said they would investigate illegal activity. The signboard for the church in western Seoul was removed Sunday. The church said that it had 10,000 followers, and that another 10,000 doomsday believers belonged to other sects. The national newspaper Chosun Ilbo said the decision to disband was approved by Lee Jang-rim, 46, the church's founder who is in jail on charges of swindling parishioners. Lee was arrested last month on charges of swindling followers of up to $4 million in donations. Police said Lee had $380,000 in bonds that are to mature in May, proof he did not believe his own preaching. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM