Day 141

'The End was Nigh'

It seemed that the end was supposedly nigh today, however the predicted time of the Rapture has come and gone and prior to the forecast of widespread fire and brimstone, earthquakes sweeping westerly and spells of judgement across most of the world thus far it has been fairly subdued.

It was one of those things that I was not particularly au fait with until I overheard some people talking about it in the last few days and then saw some of the news reports on California's own Nostradamus Harold Camping, the man behind the not one but now two failed predictions of the end of the world, a man that was able to generate a massive influence on millions of people who then became devout followers. After reading some of these reports it is disturbing to see how those who were believers in Camping's so called 'teachings' reacted to their impending doom. Many of them quitting there jobs, selling there possessions and donating all their money to warning others of the oncoming rapture by purchasing billboards and advertising all in the name of Harold Camping. I've expressed some issues with religion before and while I can understand the need for some people to devote their lives to it, again it is things like this that show how easily it can be manipulated. To all of us whose train of thought is firmly placed within the realm of logic it is difficult to understand how people can actually get wrapped up in these things so easily but it happens. There is a mass hysteria that can come about by preying, forgive the unintended partially homophonic pun, on people's unflinching faith creating a destructive force capable of ruining peoples lives and the lives of those around them. Most of these people spent yesterday preparing like there was no tomorrow, the unfortunate truth being that it seems tomorrow will indeed come. What then happens for them next? after quitting their jobs, giving away their money, breaking off ties with friends and family that were non believers and devoting what was left of their lives to an event that failed to materialize. If the hand was on the other foot so to speak and the rapture did in fact occur I think whilst we may be have been red faced, possibly from the torrent of flames licking around us, we would have been able to put our hands up and say, 'well don't I look silly'. For some reason I fell though that it's possible that many of the 'believers' will still be unwavering, too stubbornly fervid in their convictions that some other recalculation will occur or some sign from god will explain the lack of bright flashes, the lack of millions floating to the heavens and the lack of smoten heathen carcases left behind to eternal torment. In saying this though there will still be those who must feel utterly dejected and it's going to be awkward to understand how to deal with their disappointment let alone console them... I mean it's not like you can use the usual tactic, 'ah... don't worry it's not like it's the end of the world'.