World appears to still be here, what about you?
Well, the day after the end of the world. I don't know if you've all got 'em, but here there's a billboard or two by that Harold Camping guy who predicted the end of the world yesterday. (Oh, and in 1994. But he was really really really sure this time!)
I just think about the poor souls who believed him. Some people squandered all their money, to the last cent, getting the message out, or just... doing various stuff... because they were a hundred percent certain that there was not going to be a May 22. There's this one woman who, in preparation for this day, turned down medical school in favor of joining Camping's efforts... a lot of stories like that leading up to this. I'm trying to find blogs, etc. by the people who believed it, seeing what they're feeling about now, and planning to do after having completely thrown away everything that would make having a life to go back to on May 22 possible.
They didn't sound like evil people. The message (as far as I can see; I didn't follow it closely from day one or anything, but I've seen the billboards and heard a speech or two, and did some googling out of curiosity. If there's any Fred Phelps in 'em, it's buried deep enough to not show up if you give 'em a once-over.) doesn't seem to be "Muahahahaa! Burn, heathens! BUUUUUUUUURN!!" so much as doing what they thought was making sure people were duly warned. Yeah, they were dead wrong, but who isn't about something at some point?
I'm going to keep looking for anything written by his former followers. It has to be interesting to see someone trying to go forward after letting their entire life, for a long time, revolve around the idea that there is no more 'forward,' that once and for all the universe has run out of 'forward.' Both in terms of having to create a new worldview, and planning for the future for the first time in a long time... and what you do if you sold your house, ditched your car, and haven't gone to work in a month or two.
I suppose some need to believe it still, if only because they have for so long and it's hard to make the jump to thinking otherwise. For them, they'll simply hop to the next theory. The next apocalypse is only a year away, folks!
I just think about the poor souls who believed him. Some people squandered all their money, to the last cent, getting the message out, or just... doing various stuff... because they were a hundred percent certain that there was not going to be a May 22. There's this one woman who, in preparation for this day, turned down medical school in favor of joining Camping's efforts... a lot of stories like that leading up to this. I'm trying to find blogs, etc. by the people who believed it, seeing what they're feeling about now, and planning to do after having completely thrown away everything that would make having a life to go back to on May 22 possible.
They didn't sound like evil people. The message (as far as I can see; I didn't follow it closely from day one or anything, but I've seen the billboards and heard a speech or two, and did some googling out of curiosity. If there's any Fred Phelps in 'em, it's buried deep enough to not show up if you give 'em a once-over.) doesn't seem to be "Muahahahaa! Burn, heathens! BUUUUUUUUURN!!" so much as doing what they thought was making sure people were duly warned. Yeah, they were dead wrong, but who isn't about something at some point?
I'm going to keep looking for anything written by his former followers. It has to be interesting to see someone trying to go forward after letting their entire life, for a long time, revolve around the idea that there is no more 'forward,' that once and for all the universe has run out of 'forward.' Both in terms of having to create a new worldview, and planning for the future for the first time in a long time... and what you do if you sold your house, ditched your car, and haven't gone to work in a month or two.
I suppose some need to believe it still, if only because they have for so long and it's hard to make the jump to thinking otherwise. For them, they'll simply hop to the next theory. The next apocalypse is only a year away, folks!