Taichiliberal
Shaken, not stirred!
Now I've witnessed several well publicized "predictions" of the End-of days and the rapture come and go in my life thus far....and I've noticed several constants. 1 - the self proclaimed prophets NEVER give up their claim to religious insight or paranormal abilities. 2 - these prophets and preachers/reverends STILL have a sizeable amount of followers after their very public screw up. 3 - only a brief follow up of all the followers and their leaders is done after the humiliation of publically being proven wrong. 4 - the word CULT is NEVER used when talking about these folks.
And #4 is what really concerns me. Think about it...you had people all over this country actually give up their possessions, take time from their lives and jobs to run around handing out leaflets and standing on corners with bull horns "preaching the message", and giving their hard earned money to various "churches" where the clergy leader(s) has given them the "word". One joker, 89 year old Harold Camping who's a millionaire owning dozens of radio stations for his "Family Radio" programs (aimed at "christian" families) made millions of dollars in donations prior to the predicted doomsday....the idea that those left behind and NOT raptured would need to be guided by Campings church to survive the apocalypse and get right with God.
Sounds like a cult to me....but our media will NEVER (in my humble opinion) call these actions "cultish" because they are based on an interpretation of the Bible....and let's face it, the Catholic church wields a lot of political power in America...and although the neither the Arch Bishop or the Pope in Rome have condoned or supported all this doomsday nonsense, they're hesitant to just come out and say that the parts of the Bible that talk about doomsday is more metaphorical than prophetical. Maybe they're annoyed at all these people NOT waiting for the "official" word on the rapture and doomsday? Anyway, calling any derivative of catholicism a "cult" if NOT something we're likely to see soon.
And what would happen if the Pope or one of his arch-bishops actually sounded the doomsday alarm? Would we see a repeat of the last week increased 100 fold? I mean, what the hell is the difference between this and a bunch of Scientologists, or "moonies" or followers of "Rama" or what have you? This scares me to some degree, because like some grade B horror movie from the 1970's, these people are EVERYWHERE in our society...here in New York City you had a retired Metro Transport Authority worker give up his life savings to buy billboards and such to announce the coming rapture. Did this guy seem rational during his years of service? What would happen if the preachers of this nonsense decided that God and the Bible decrees that heretics, atheists, agnostics, blasphemers and worshippers of false gods be "smited"...or made war against as decreed by Revelations? Because remember, there is no set number of folk that are supposed to be raptured, so a few of the faithful go into hiding, the preachers cry "rapture", and the war between good and evil begins.
Well, the befuddled retired MTA worker was swarmed by the press yeserday after the deadline for death/rapture came and went without incident, he stated, "...I don't know what happened. I don't understand". Well, now financially strapped, maybe he can borrow a few dollars from his relgious mentor Camping...unless Camping has been "raptured" to parts unknown that does not have extradition agreements with the USA.
And #4 is what really concerns me. Think about it...you had people all over this country actually give up their possessions, take time from their lives and jobs to run around handing out leaflets and standing on corners with bull horns "preaching the message", and giving their hard earned money to various "churches" where the clergy leader(s) has given them the "word". One joker, 89 year old Harold Camping who's a millionaire owning dozens of radio stations for his "Family Radio" programs (aimed at "christian" families) made millions of dollars in donations prior to the predicted doomsday....the idea that those left behind and NOT raptured would need to be guided by Campings church to survive the apocalypse and get right with God.
Sounds like a cult to me....but our media will NEVER (in my humble opinion) call these actions "cultish" because they are based on an interpretation of the Bible....and let's face it, the Catholic church wields a lot of political power in America...and although the neither the Arch Bishop or the Pope in Rome have condoned or supported all this doomsday nonsense, they're hesitant to just come out and say that the parts of the Bible that talk about doomsday is more metaphorical than prophetical. Maybe they're annoyed at all these people NOT waiting for the "official" word on the rapture and doomsday? Anyway, calling any derivative of catholicism a "cult" if NOT something we're likely to see soon.
And what would happen if the Pope or one of his arch-bishops actually sounded the doomsday alarm? Would we see a repeat of the last week increased 100 fold? I mean, what the hell is the difference between this and a bunch of Scientologists, or "moonies" or followers of "Rama" or what have you? This scares me to some degree, because like some grade B horror movie from the 1970's, these people are EVERYWHERE in our society...here in New York City you had a retired Metro Transport Authority worker give up his life savings to buy billboards and such to announce the coming rapture. Did this guy seem rational during his years of service? What would happen if the preachers of this nonsense decided that God and the Bible decrees that heretics, atheists, agnostics, blasphemers and worshippers of false gods be "smited"...or made war against as decreed by Revelations? Because remember, there is no set number of folk that are supposed to be raptured, so a few of the faithful go into hiding, the preachers cry "rapture", and the war between good and evil begins.
Well, the befuddled retired MTA worker was swarmed by the press yeserday after the deadline for death/rapture came and went without incident, he stated, "...I don't know what happened. I don't understand". Well, now financially strapped, maybe he can borrow a few dollars from his relgious mentor Camping...unless Camping has been "raptured" to parts unknown that does not have extradition agreements with the USA.
