Any idea why the doctrine of the rapture causes such hostility in Christians? I believe in the pre Trib rapture because as you so eloquently point out, the Bible supports it. But if someone believes otherwise, so be it. Our salvation isn’t based on our rapture or any doctrinal beliefs other than total faith in Jesus to stand in for us. Why is the rapture so upsetting? Some Christians seem moved to threats and I really don’t get it at all. Why all the hate mail about something designed to give us comfort?
I’ve noticed the same thing and like you I’ve have wondered about it. I don’t remember ever seeing a pre-trib believer “go off” on a post trib believer the way some of them do on us. There’s a principle in human behavior that the less certain we are about a position or belief we hold the more quickly we’ll become emotional in trying to defend it. Maybe that’s what causes the hostility.
I think the real motivation behind the post-trib view is the belief that the Church needs to be purified in the fires of judgment before being taken to heaven. Pre-trib believers are convinced that all that happened at the cross and no further purification is necessary. We’re a new creation (2 Cor. 5:17) having been given a righteousness from God (Romans 3:21-24) made perfect forever in His sight (Hebrews 10:12-14).