May 21 countdown

[jaja111]

I heard a story recently (likely on NPR) about rapture believers so convinced that they not only needed to believe the end is nigh but also having to act it out and really live like it was, that they really had made bad financial decisions. Truly a terrible thing, it is really quite sad. Folks that literally lived like there was no tomorrow, spent all their money, and planned on having nothing left financially by today... perhaps as a show of their faith. I hope all you folks making fun don't have any questionable beliefs of your own. Just sayin'...

I imagine I have tons of questionable beliefs; crows are dead people, cameras really do steal a tiny piece of your soul, tv is carcinogenic, etc.

But I cannot and will not have any sympathy for someone so naive, so stupid, and so backwards as to believe that a midwest preacher can predict the end of the world and they should shed all of their earthly possessions for said event. If they do it, and they wind up poor and destitute, they should be absolutely disqualified from any social assistance. If they do this and their innocent kids starve they should be held accountable for endangering the welfare of a child and have their parental rights abolished.

I had a coworker actually say goodbye to me on the last Harold Camping end of the world day. He grossly neglected his duties to the job that week, and then come Monday morning when the end was not the end he was forgiven for the transgression on the basis that holding him accountable was a discriminatory act on the basis of religion. I - was - enraged. And now he's gonna pull this stunt again?

I only feel bad for those without a voice in this and its the children of these morons.

 

[Nick]

I had a coworker actually say goodbye to me on the last Harold Camping end of the world day. He grossly neglected his duties to the job that week, and then come Monday morning when the end was not the end he was forgiven for the transgression on the basis that holding him accountable was a discriminatory act on the basis of religion.

Wow

 

[bvibert]

I imagine I have tons of questionable beliefs; crows are dead people, cameras really do steal a tiny piece of your soul, tv is carcinogenic, etc.

But I cannot and will not have any sympathy for someone so naive, so stupid, and so backwards as to believe that a midwest preacher can predict the end of the world and they should shed all of their earthly possessions for said event. If they do it, and they wind up poor and destitute, they should be absolutely disqualified from any social assistance. If they do this and their innocent kids starve they should be held accountable for endangering the welfare of a child and have their parental rights abolished.

I had a coworker actually say goodbye to me on the last Harold Camping end of the world day. He grossly neglected his duties to the job that week, and then come Monday morning when the end was not the end he was forgiven for the transgression on the basis that holding him accountable was a discriminatory act on the basis of religion. I - was - enraged. And now he's gonna pull this stunt again?

I only feel bad for those without a voice in this and its the children of these morons.

People do crazy stuff all over the world everyday in the name of whatever religion they believe in. How is this any different?

To a non-christian celebrating the birth of Jesus by spending way too much money on gifts for one's friends and family and then pretending that they're being delivered by a magical fat man in a red suit with flying reindeer may seem a little crazy too.

 

[wa-loaf]

I had a coworker actually say goodbye to me on the last Harold Camping end of the world day. He grossly neglected his duties to the job that week, and then come Monday morning when the end was not the end he was forgiven for the transgression on the basis that holding him accountable was a discriminatory act on the basis of religion. I - was - enraged. And now he's gonna pull this stunt again?

I only feel bad for those without a voice in this and its the children of these morons.

I think the employer needs to act carefully so not to get sued, but it shows a definite lack of judgement and the dude should be phased out.

 

[ctenidae]

I think the employer needs to act carefully so not to get sued, but it shows a definite lack of judgement and the dude should be phased out.

Seems to me that slacking off and shirking your duties, no matter how earthly, is not the best choice of actions leading up to the Rapture. I mean, you don't really get to retire from religion once you've been "good enough" do you?

I should look into that- go ahead and bank some karma and then just live off the interest. I like it.

 

[wa-loaf]

Seems to me that slacking off and shirking your duties, no matter how earthly, is not the best choice of actions leading up to the Rapture. I mean, you don't really get to retire from religion once you've been "good enough" do you?

I should look into that- go ahead and bank some karma and then just live off the interest. I like it.

If you are Catholic you can do whatever you want as long as you get a priest to confess all your sins to on your deathbed. Total absolution.

 

[ctenidae]

If you are Catholic you can do whatever you want as long as you get a priest to confess all your sins to on your deathbed. Total absolution.

Yeah, but that's tough to arrange right at the end- I mean, who wants to run the risk of the priest being drunk when you need him, or getting Raptured first? No, I'd rather pay up front, if I can. I know there's a town in Ireland that a Pope siad 6 pilgrimages to earned the same Indulgence as 1 trip to Rome, so maybe that offer still stands. I think there's a good pub down teh way, too.

 

[wa-loaf]

Yeah, but that's tough to arrange right at the end- I mean, who wants to run the risk of the priest being drunk when you need him, or getting Raptured first? No, I'd rather pay up front, if I can. I know there's a town in Ireland that a Pope siad 6 pilgrimages to earned the same Indulgence as 1 trip to Rome, so maybe that offer still stands. I think there's a good pub down teh way, too.

Yeah, doesn't work well with sudden death situations. I've been to Rome (and attended mass by the Pope in the Vatican) does that make me good to go?

 

[ctenidae]

Yeah, doesn't work well with sudden death situations. I've been to Rome (and attended mass by the Pope in the Vatican) does that make me good to go?

I think that counts as a plenary indulgence, so yeah, that helps a lot. Apparently, if you die suddnely but have been int eh habit of saying prayers regularly, you go ahead an qualify for absolution. Otherwise, you have to draw on the Treasury of Merit (Jesus' whopping big deposit to teh karma bank).

I'm guessing "I swear to god, if you don't move that car out of the left lane I'm going to have an anurism" doesn't count as a daily prayer.

 

[jaja111]

........

To a non-christian celebrating the birth of Jesus by spending way too much money on gifts for one's friends and family and then pretending that they're being delivered by a magical fat man in a red suit with flying reindeer may seem a little crazy too.

But at least it doesn't acutely endanger the welfare of their family. There was a news article, maybe a few, prior to the May 21st prediction that interviewed a family, of whom only the parents believed in this garbage. The kids were quite upset, especially with the fact that no plans for any future had been made for the family as a whole, their college savings had been spent or given away, and more or less their parents were abandoning them. I believe the parents had also told their children how sorry they were that they would not likely be "raptured" as they were sinners for not believing. These poor kids had no choice in the matter.

I think the comparison is closer to a culture condoning suicide bombing as martyrdom (hamas, hezbola), abstaining from medical treatment as a belief structure (christian scientists), or excepting sexual interaction with minors as normal (fundamentalist LDCS churches like William Jeffries), etc, etc. Going "all in" on an apocalyptic theological date and time is different than Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, of course IMHO.

 

[ctenidae]

Going "all in" on an apocalyptic theological date and time is different than Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny, of course IMHO.

Robot Santa disagrees.

 

[jaja111]

Robot Santa disagrees.

I stand corrected. That's probably a more accurate portrayal of the future than the world ending Friday.

 

[legalskier]

Bad Santa?

 

[ctenidae]

Watched part of "Doomsday Preppers" on NatGeo last night. While the industriousness and creativity of the preppers is pretty impressive, the fact that they're all bat-shit crazy and identify themselves as "Preppers" does take something away form their credibility.

 

[bvibert]

Does anyone know what time the world is supposed to end today?

 

[ctenidae]

Does anyone know what time the world is supposed to end today?

HArd to say. Camping's not answering his phone. Considering how dodgy his math is, might be next week sometime.
Or next millenium.

Even the Christian Science Monitor is making fun of him.

 

[bvibert]

HArd to say. Camping's not answering his phone. Considering how dodgy his math is, might be next week sometime.
Or next millenium.

Even the Christian Science Monitor is making fun of him.

Damn, I wanted to plan the rest of my day... :-?