Two things.
First, I remember a TV evangelist who told us weekly that the Soviet Union was the Kingdom of the North promised in the Book of Revelation. Until around 1991, when suddenly Iran became the bad guy.
Second, for fun watch 'Dig' a TV thriller about a plot by ultra-extremist Christians and Jews to bring about the End Times. A red cow features prominently
The churches are the heart of Donnys support. People wonder how this could happen its because of these guys.
Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world."(John 18:36)
I disagree two-fold. At least in the deep South where I'm from, the rise in popularity of the idea of the rapture did not cause Christians to be any less fervent in their rush to convert everyone else. It did not make the vast majority of them self-isolate at all. The author's viewpoint is likely affected by his parents making him live in a commune. Secondly, even if evangelicalism is moving in some new directions lately, I don't think the idea of the rapture is falling out of fashion at all. Christians have no problem with both thinking they should assist in bringing about the end of the world and also believing that the rapture can happen any second. As we all know, cognitive dissonance never bothered them anyway.
For some of them, it's not even cognitive dissonance. They believe certain things must happen before for the rapture can happen. Most of them believe these things have already happened or will soon™, though.
Oh sky cake, why are you so delicious.