Just thought I'd share this link to an article by NT Wright called "Farewell to the Rapture". I am increasingly encountering people whose beliefs include such anti-Biblical concepts as Jesus returning in secret and taking them up into the sky. This belief comes from a whole system of belief that has infected the church in the US and making inroads over here, it's often known as Premillennial Dispensationalism (as opposed to simply "Premillenialism" which is an orthodox Christian theology thats been around for ages). Premillennial Dispensationalism comes originally from the writings of JN Darby in the 19th Century and was unknown before that. It has been popularised by the "Left Behind" series of novel and movies. NT Wright deals with the subject of the Rapture very well in this typically excellent article.