Betting Against the End of the World

The Atlas Society - The Center for Objectivism ^ | May 17, 2011 | Edward Hudgins

[Ed Hudgins]

Throughout human history and especially in recent centuries, cults of all kinds have predicted the end of the world. You’ve probably noticed that they’ve all been seriously wrong.

The latest such silliness has come from 89-year-old Harold Camping’s Family Radio network of 66 stations. Based on his study of the Bible, Camping calculates that doomsday will be on Saturday, May 21, 2011.

Christianity is particularly prone to such nonsense. After all, the Book of Revelation is all about doomsday, though with details from a clearly delusional mind. The “son of man” appears out of the clouds with a two-edged sword coming out of his mouth: that makes it tough to eat and talk! He has seven stars in his hand: a star is a million miles in diameter and a million degrees at its core, making things pretty hot and crowded on the Earth. You get the picture.

American history is full of cults that saw no future for the world. Starting in 1843, William Miller and his followers predicted a dozen doomsdays. One would think that after the first few predictions failed, followers of the cult would disappear. Remarkably, more such cults and followers followed.

The problem is not only found in fringe Christian sects. The landscape of the twentieth century is littered with the failed predictions from a plethora of mystic and New Age groups. The members of the Heaven’s Gate flying saucer cult, to get ahead of the game, all committed suicide.

Rich Suckers

What is perhaps most disturbing about the adherents to cults that make such failed predictions or, more generally, are as crazy as March hares, is that they are not just the most poor, ignorant, or downtrodden in society.

[stuartcr]

Maybe he believes his words, but doesn’t know if he’ll get raptured?

[Salvation]

I am currently reading this book. A much different story than Camping's

BTW, this book was written in 1881; you wouldn't believe how accurate it is!

 

Reading this book was one of the greatest graces of my life!"
— St. Thérèse of Lisieux

In the late nineteenth century, Father Charles Arminjon, a priest from the mountains of southeastern France, assembled his flock in the town cathedral to preach a series of conferences to help them turn their thoughts away from this life’s mean material affairs—and toward the next life’s glorious spiritual reward. His wise and uncompromising words deepened in them the spirit of recollection that all Christians must have: the abiding conviction that heavenly aims, not temporal enthusiasms, must guide everything we think, say, and do.

When Father Arminjon’s conferences were later published in a book, many others were able to reap the same benefit—including fourteen-year-old Thérèse Martin, then on the cusp of entering the Carmelite convent in Lisieux. Reading it, she says, “plunged my soul into a happiness not of this earth.” Young Thérèse, filled with a sense of “what God reserves for those who love him, and seeing that the eternal rewards had no proportion to the light sacrifices of life,” copied out numerous passages and memorized them, “repeating unceasingly the words of love burning in my heart.”

Now the very book that so inspired the Little Flower is available for the first time in English.

Let the pages of The End of the Present World and the Mysteries of the Future Life fill you with the same burning words of love, with the same ardent desire to know God above all created things, that St. Thérèse gained from them. Let them also enrich your understanding of certain teachings of the Faith that can often seem so mysterious, even frightening:

• The signs that will precede the world’s end
• The coming of the Antichrist, and how to recognize him
• The Judgment and where it may send us: heaven, hell, and purgatory
• Biblical end-times prophecy: how to read it and not be deceived

  Jesus commands us to be ever-watchful for his return, and ever-mindful that we have no lasting city on earth. The End of the Present World and the Mysteries of the Future Life is an invaluable aid to inculcating in your spirit that heavenly orientation, without which true human happiness cannot be found—in this world or the next.

[Ed Hudgins]

I do ridicule the pseudo-science, Gaia-worshipping cult of global warming. See Carbon, Cults, and Control Freaks and Reducing Humans to Carbon Ash

[BenLurkin]

I got $100 that says the world will not end on May 21, 2011.

Come one come all.

[Ed Hudgins]

We believe in individual liberty. Thus when government treads on anyone, especially those honestly trying to make their way from poverty to prosperity, we are most concerned.

[DManA]

Where is the government in this story?

[jda]

You’re on. Please provide bank account information so I can deposit the bet.

[Smokin' Joe]

“Caring” has become such a programmed, choreographed, and scripted thing among those who really couldn’t care less, that it would be almost difficult to tell on camera. Behind the lens, off the record, it becomes patently obvious.

[DManA]

Why did you post this same story twice?

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2721730/posts

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/2721734/posts

[dadgum]

Yes, it did, actually.

To me it is not idiocy to confront a heretic.

I am only one, but at least I did something.

[Ed Hudgins]

So that more folks can see and read the piece, of course.

[Revolting cat!]

What time, though, and in what time zone?
That’s the only complaint I have against Mr Camping.
Such matters ought to be regulated by the Feds, doncha think?

[DManA]

Actually he is a heretic. The good news is he has left himself absolutely no way out so his heresy ends Sunday. (or not)

[Erasmus]

The only difference is the scientific cults expect us to pay them for our salvation.

I presume you would not quibble with the term "pseudo-scientific" to describe these cults.

And religious is what they are. Carbon credits==indulgences. Cute trick for a bozo who flunked out of divinity school, methinks.

[Brett66]

I really can’t believe any end-of-the-world prediction if it doesn’t involve zombies.

[Ed Hudgins]

Couldn’t Mr. Camping just check God’s calender and clear the matter up for us?

[DManA]

Bad form.

[MondoQueen]

I keep paraphrasing that quote from Matthew for my fearful friends who scare themselves with these predictions.

There’s another prediction out that says, according to the pagan Mayan religion, that it’s all over for everyone in 20l2. And these are Christians who believe that!

I think there should be a study done of these types of people!

[BenLurkin]

Mail it to Jim Robinson as a donation to FR.

Thanks!

[Graneros]

But wait. I thought the Mayans said it will be Dec 21st 2012. What a quandary!