Yes...how could beliefs based off of an ancient acid trip about three headed dragons and magical men flying back to earth and palaces built of gold be considered absurd? How could the notion of people suddenly disappearing and being zapped to a meeting with a grand magician be absurd? How idiotic of me.
The fact that you don't find it self evidently absurd says a good deal toward your frame of mind concerning this issue, which is why I have so far not responded to your pointless question. No matter what I say, you will respond that I don't understand your views, then go pat yourself on the back for your Enlightened perspective, shaking your head that I should be so blind.
Thankfully, I have never listened to or considered the arguments for such things, and have no concept of what could be metaphorical because I have my Faith in Nothing to close my mind. I'll go weep and flagellate myself in the name of Not Believing.
I'm not interested in whether you understand my views. I'm interested in knowing why it is "nuts" to think that the world could end. If there is something irrational about it, I would like to know, so I can stop believing in it.
But if it makes any difference to you, Sarah Palin probably doesn't believe there will be any three-headed dragons or magicians involved. At least I've never met any Christians that did. Don't recall any gold palaces, either, but that could just be me.