What I still can't wrap my mind around is why so much faith (excuse the pun) and airtime was given over to an 89-year-old ex-engineer turned "family" (read "Christian") radio station owner who used a series of convoluted calculations to predict the end of the world. If you read his "proof" (it's on his website and I don't care to promote him more in providing a link), it's based around random dates during biblical times and the number 23. You remember the number 23, don't you? Yes, a terrible movie in which Jim Carrey goes emo, but also a number doomsday whack-a-doos have been hanging their hats on for decades.
I wonder about the people who bought in to this "prophecy." Sadly I'm even loosely connected to someone who quit his job in preparation. On the front page of Reddit this morning, one of the top stories is a personal account of someone saving a German Shepard puppy from owners who wanted it put down before Jesus showed up. I wonder how many others quit their jobs, left their families, gave away their possessions for the coming of something that logic says isn't likely...even if you believe that the Rapture at some point is even a possibility.
I wish there was some real-world punishment that could be wrought on on our doomsday soothsayer. If he really believed his own hooey, one might think that would be punishment enough. No Jesus on a chariot to bring the believers to Heaven; he as the right-hand given his prediction to humanity. No fire and brimstone for the heathens.
But our non-hero has been here before making a similar end-of-times prediction in 1994. The sad truth is he'll do it again if given the chance. He may be concerned about his own salvation, but clearly he likes the attention too. The fact we gave so much to him when there's real news happening says more about us than it does about him and his followers. I heard more this week about the coming Rapture than I did about either President Obama's speech in Egypt or Queen's Elizabeth's visit to Ireland and those events are, you know. real.
I suppose the Rapture is an easier story though. People understand The End of Days. After all there's a movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger (the subject of an equally silly, heavily reported Baby Mama story from this week) for easy reference. Besides despair breeds despair and there's nothing like God and his power to smite the non-believers as the ultimate Magic Bullet to life's problems.
I fear this won't be the last we hear about the Rapture coming to a neighborhood near you. The only good news is the centerpiece of this failed attempt is 89 years old. Time isn't on his side. He may not get another shot at scaring the shit out of us. That's okay--we're pretty good at doing it to ourselves.
