rapture noun
1. Great delight; ecstasy.
Thesaurus: ecstasy, delight, bliss, euphoria, happiness, joy, exaltation, rhapsody, cloud nine (slang).
2. Great enthusiasm for or pleasure in something.
Example: was in raptures about the concert
Form: raptures
Derivative: rapturous
adj
Showing great enthusiasm or delight
Thesaurus: rhapsodic, delighted, euphoric, happy, exalted, overjoyed, enthusiastic, ravished, transported, ecstatic, joyful, blissful.
Derivative: rapturously
adverb
Etymology: 17c: related to rapt.
How ever it's used it translates to big bucks for all the preachers and movie makers and authors and printers and the sellers thereof. This is a big money maker and as long as people come along to believe and buy, these people will have a stream of income from people so hard up for something to believe in that makes them feel better about themselves.
[ February 10, 2004, 12:39 AM: Message edited by: Bob Woods ]