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.

[paulycy]

No rapture here, and there seems to be a lot of people left on the TV, too. I wonder if there are people left on the radio?

FReep on!

[Allegra]

Well, we still have about forty minutes before the Rapture here, so we’re grillin’ pork ribs in honor of that pedophile Mohammed.

[50mm]

I wonder if there are people left on the radio?

I think Air America is defunct.

[Eaker]

Apparently the crew is still around.

Can’t believe gunner is still here.

[Allegra]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SIRG0QOEkyM

[paulycy]

I think Air America is defunct.

I'm not quite sure they were scheduled for rapture anyway.

[Allegra]

We got half an hour...we need to blow some stuff up.

[DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis]

Apparently the crew is still around

Guess so. ;-)

[DeoVindiceSicSemperTyrannis]

Hehehehe. Lol

[Bean Counter]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHCdS7O248g

[paulycy]

You should sing this one sometime yourself.

[Eaker]

I just started the dishwasher and used soap instead of gun powder.

Damn it!

[50mm]

Make sure you take video and post it.

[TheOldLady]

I thought I’d wait a little longer just in case that old nut bucket was wrong about the time, but I’m still here, and it’s after 9:00.

But then again, I have no neighbors, so I’d have no way of knowing if the Rapture happened or not. Sigh...

[TheOldLady]

Yeah, gunner’s bragging about those ribs inspired me to buy some baby backs for tomorrow night’s dinner. Hubby is pleased that we weren’t raptured, and so won’t miss the nice barbecue tomorrow.

[right way right]

If you can read this there has not been a Rapture because
I am surely the most humble follower of Christ on FreeRepublic!

Here goes..................

[TheOldLady]

Oh, phew! I dodged one that time. Better watch my P’s and Q’s from now on.

[FourPeas]

Can’t believe gunner is still here.

Are we *sure* that it's really gunner, though? Maybe he was taken before he could log off....

[TheOldLady]

The   ~OVERLORD~   got taken in the Rapture and the rest of the Pimpbusters were Left Behind?

Oh, dear.

[Bean Counter]

"Necessita 'l ci 'nduce e non diletto"

"Necessity brings him here, not pleasure"

Inferno, XII, 87



In a famous painting, humblegunner defeats yet another blogpimp while the bodies of his previous victims litter the ground around him. AdMinnMod hovers on his black wings in the background while Pauley and Allegra view the vicious yet necessary attack...