The Rapture Family

The Rapture Family is a belief-based brotherhood, similar to a cult, founded by Dr. Sofia Lamb, that consists mostly of Splicers. After the deaths of Andrew Ryan and Frank Fontaine, the Family emerged as the dominant power in Rapture.
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==History==
The Rapture Family had its genesis in the philosophies of Dr. Sofia Lamb. She gained many supporters for her collectivist ideals through her attention to the troubles of the poor citizens in Pauper's Drop. During Rapture's economic depression, she offered free counseling sessions there, and she encouraged any of the patients who were interested in her ideas to wear a butterfly pin, symbolizing metamorphosis. This would become one of the most revered symbols of the Rapture Family.
Simon Wales was one of the down-on-their-luck citizens who attended these sessions. He was dramatically affected by Lamb's counseling and adopted the name "Father Wales."Daniel Wales' Audio Diary: Father Simon Wales He began to conduct services in Siren Alley, initially with the promise that all faiths and creeds were welcome.Jackie Rodkins' Audio Diary: Sunday Services However, after the Civil War in Rapture had ended, the Family became more powerful, and it began to persecute other faiths. The bodies of nonbelievers in Siren Alley were often left next to their bibles under the scrawl "Nonbelievers are not welcome here anymore."
After Jack's journey through Rapture in 1960, Father Wales proclaimed him as a god-like figure who punished the wickedness of Andrew Ryan.Simon Wales' Audio Diary: A Silent God After 1960, Sofia Lamb also began to present her daughter, Eleanor Lamb, as a savior. The death of Ryan and the collapse of Rapture's economic system left a leadership vacuum in which the remaining citizens of Rapture struggled to find something to believe in. As a result, the membership of the Cult grew enormously. Even some of the brightest remaining minds in Rapture, such as scientist Gilbert Alexander, turned to Sofia Lamb for the hope she offered.
==Philosophy==
The Rapture Family's message was made very simple, so that even the Splicers could comprehend it. Many of their beliefs are heavily modeled on Christianity, including the reverence for a single god, but the cult also draws upon Gnosticism, especially its concept of the "Demiurge."Simon Wales' Audio Diary: Before the Lamb I and Demiurge on Wikipedia Sofia Lamb published her philosophies in the book Unity and Metamorphosis, and this is treated as a religious document by the Rapture Family.
The core belief of the religion is that every citizen of Rapture owes each other a sense of unity and brotherhood. This collectivist belief is a stark contrast to Andrew Ryan's objectivist philosophy, which extolled the virtues of one's own happiness and use of rational self-interest to pull everyone forward. The Rapture Family promotes a cult of personality, dedicating shrines to Sofia and Eleanor Lamb, as well as putting emphasis on the theme of rebirth, using butterfly imagery as well as evangelical graffiti on the walls of Rapture. To the Rapture Family, the Blue Morpho butterfly represents rebirth, or "Imago".Imago, the stage after metamorphosis; Wikipedia The people of the Cult strive to be released from the self, and be reborn as a selfless being in service of the family, ultimately leading to the salvation of Rapture and its inhabitants.
The Rapture Family reveres Jack, viewing him as an incarnation of their god, in keeping with Sofia Lamb's admiration of him as a being (temporarily) without free will. Simon Wales preaches that this god "smote down the false Father, Andrew Ryan — who tempted us away from (his) radiant gaze." Throughout Rapture there are numerous shrines with murals depicting the events of Jack's travel through Rapture, including his chain tattooed wrist in the act of injecting a hypo, and the plane crash at the Lighthouse. 
Another main theme is the worship of Eleanor Lamb, who is revered as a holy vessel by members of the cult. Throughout Siren Alley, the central location of the cult, there are sealed cases holding items allegedly belonging to Eleanor, including a Big Daddy doll (bears the inscription "Her vanquished captor's effigy"), an ADAM extraction needle ("By which we are saved") and a white dress ("Her purgatorial vestments"). Murals of a woman in a flowing dress with a butterfly for a face can be seen prominently throughout Rapture, showing the Splicer's worship of her as a holy vessel of their salvation.
Members of the Rapture Family revere all Little Sisters and often decorate the Little Sister vents with sacrificial altars. Members (more likely, if not, commonly Splicers) of the cult that wish to sacrifice their lives for the greater good go to these vents and offer themselves up to the Little Sisters, who harvest their ADAM, thereby returning it to the great cycle."GameZone Interviews 2K’s Hogarth De La Pante on Bioshock 2" article by Steven Hopper at GameZone.com (archived from the original on 1/27/2010)
Those who choose not to accept the Rapture Family's tenets are seen as enemies to the family, and can risk their lives against Lamb's loyal followers. Certain districts of Rapture became more dangerous than others for non-believers, whose bodies were even displayed as a warning, typically with admonishments painted about the corpse.
==BioShock 2==
The Rapture Family represents many of Rapture's declining population by the time of Delta's resurrection in 1968. Several of its leaders play roles as significant enemies, and each one possesses resources necessary for Delta's progression towards his final goal. Grace Holloway, Gilbert Alexander, and Simon Wales are all within this category, although Simon is the only one to pose direct physical harm to Delta. Delta also encounters many Splicers of the cult, although their only difference from normal Splicers is the butterfly insignias upon their masks and pinned to their clothing.
==Members of the Rapture Family==
*Sofia Lamb (leader)
*Augustus Sinclair (forced)
*Carl Wing
*Edward Grimes
*Gideon Wyborn
*Gilbert Alexander
*Glidden
*Grace Holloway
*Harold Parson
*Leo Hartwig
*Margie
*Mark MeltzerSofia Lamb's Audio Diary: Meltzer's Choice (forced)
*Mike NovakMike Novak's Audio Diary: Doctor Lamb
*Naledi Atkins (presumed)
*Nigel Weir
*Simon Wales
*Stanley Poole (only as a double agent)
*Numerous anonymous Splicers.
==Gallery==
Ryan debased.jpg|A Ryan automaton defaced by the Rapture Family.
Bio2 Siren Alley Pumping Station 5 Jack Paintings.png|Painting of Jack's hands.
RED Mural HandsofGod Diptych01 diffuse.png
RED Mural HandsofGod Diptych02 diffuse.png
RED Mural FireonWater diffuse.png|Mural of the plane crash.
Steinman mural.jpg|Painting of Dr. Steinman's "failures."
RED Mural Steinman Side1 diffuse.png
RED Mural Steinman Middle diffuse.png
RED Mural Steinman Side2 diffuse.png
RED Mural Eleanor DNA diffuse.png|Blue Morpho butterfly constructing DNA strands.
RED Mural Eleanor LittleSister diffuse.png|Little Sister painting.
RED Mural Eleanor Savior diffuse.png|Blue Morpho painting.
Lamb 1.jpg|An amateur drawing of a Blue Morpho.
RebornOcean Diffuse.png
EndofRyan diffuse.png
Reborn Diffuse.png
GUL graffiti sheistheway color .png
EDN graffiti sunburst C diff.png
EDN graffiti sunburst A diff.png
EDN graffiti sunburst B diff.png
WeWillMeetAgain diffuse.png
RED Graffiti Non Believes Diffuse.png
RemembertheSun diffuse.png
==Behind the Scenes==
*Much of the Rapture Family graffiti was designed by C.J. Green.Christopher Green's Portfolio
*The murals were designed by Joshua Viers.Joshua Viers Portfolio
**Josh Viers' signature is visible on several of the murals in-game.
==References==
de:Die Rapture Familie
es:Familia de Rapture
fr:La Famille de Rapture
ru:Семья Восторга
Category:History
Category:BioShock 2
Category:The Rapture Family