I am finding myself increasingly boggled by the actions of my fellow human beings. Over the last month or two, I have been seeing an increase in the “May 21 – Judgment Day” posters and preachers. These people, of which there are apparently quite a few, believe that the world will end tomorrow, Saturday May 21 2011. They honestly believe that angels will sound the trumpets, releasing the seals and sending the world into a cataclysmic nightmare after all the Christians have been transported up to heaven. How modern, reasonable people can dilute and deceive themselves into believing this prediction is beyond my ability to comprehend. Some of these people, over the last months or even years, have gone so far as to quit their jobs, stop saving money for their children’s college education, and squandered all of their funds on spreading the news of the coming Apocalypse. These people should not have been allowed to reproduce.
Just so everyone is clear, the guy behind this movement, Harold Camping, is a 90-something year old retired civil engineer turned preacher who runs a very fundamentalist Christian talk radio show. Here is how he knows the world is going to end tomorrow. (He says he is 100% certain of this, that there is no chance or doubt involved). Ready? Here we go:
Some numbers repeat a lot in the Bible, and these numbers are associated with particular themes. The number five is associated with “atonement”, ten with “completeness”, and 17 with “heaven”. If we multiply those numbers by each other, then square the total, we get 722,500. If Jesus hung on the cross on April 1, 33 AD, then it will have been 722,500 days since then on Saturday, May 21, 2011. Oh ya, and for some reason, it’s going to start at 6 p.m. (pacific standard time, of course).
Yep. That’s his basis for claiming the world will end. Also, he had originally predicted that the world would end on Sept. 6, 1994. Nothing happened that day. He then changed his prediction immediately thereafter, to March 31 1995. I’m pretty sure the world didn’t end then, either.
Now, I’ve read the Bible. I honestly have. I am fairly certain Jesus actually tells us, in plain-as-day language, when Judgment day will occur. Spoiler Alert: he said it would happen within one generation of his death. Twice. He says this twice (see my post about Prophecy in the Bible). I am also fairly certain he never says that 722,500 days after his crucifixion the world will end.
Some believers are very reasonable people. Some of them are brilliant, and I respect their perspective and arguments. Sadly, people like Harold Camping and the Muslims claiming the US didn’t respect Islamic burial rights in regard to Bin Laden are making it harder and harder.
Anyway, see you all on Monday.
i read this
ReplyDeletepeople don't seem to understand THEY don't get to make up the rules of christianity. If there is a god, he's the only one that has a say in these kinds of matters.
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I'm working on my own bible code that pretty much will spell out to believers how utterly wrong they are. Cross your fingers and hope it works. So far, i have two words that i've been able to decipher from a number-letter association code that only works every so pages (i've had to adjust the code as i go along but, though).... It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it!
I've also heard that someone has used a copy of Moby Dick to make all sorts of crazy predictions, just as many do with the Bible.
ReplyDeleteI learn something new everyday.
ReplyDelete