Back in June, a South African YouTube show about religious prophecies and visions featured an interview with a guest named Joshua Mhlakela. Though later described by viewers as a “pastor,” Mhlakela only said that he was a “simple person” without a church title who had experienced a vision of the biblical end times.

“The rapture is upon us, whether you are ready or not,” he said. “God took me to see the future, and then he brought me back.” He recounted meeting Jesus Christ, whom he claimed told him, “I am coming soon.” Mhlakela further revealed that the Christian messiah had given him the date of his return: Sept. 23-24, 2025.

History is full of countless predictions like this, none of them fulfilled thus far. For whatever reason, some of these have captured the public imagination in a

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