Well, that part of human history can be put to bed now and added to the long list of previously failed end of the world scenarios. It was a fun day for me yesterday, but not all the people who took a part in this 'epic fail' can say the same.
I don't know how many willingly chose to believe what Harold Camping was spouting or how many actually participated in spreading the message of doom throughout the world, but one thing I know for sure... not one person who followed him got what they wanted. And for sure,
many lost a lot in the process. Their money, their dignity and in many cases, their lives, as they knew them. And some, literally, lost their lives.
The innocents in this are the children. Some would say the adults are, also, victims and in a sense, yes, they are because when you are irrational or have been brainwashed, you forget how to think, but realistically, they are not victims because no one forced them to make the decisions they made. They participated whole heartedly in this delusion, as adults, and chose to suspend rational thinking. Had they not put away their thinking caps, they might have had an entirely different reaction to Camping's prediction that their last day on earth would be May 21, 2011.
Aol news reported that in 2009, the non-profit reported in IRS filings that it received $18.3 million in donations, and had assets of more than $104 million, including $34 million in stocks or other publicly traded securities. According to the Friendly Atheist, Camping took in
$120,000,000 for this campaign. Who knows how much of this actually went to the campaign and how much went into Camping's pocket. My guess would be A LOT!
I think the other losers in this and I don't mean they lost anything... they ARE losers; these would be the people who are
cashing in on the rapture. What they did is no different than how Camping deceived his flock. Both profited from it and succeeded in making these people look stupid while taking everything from them. What motivated them doesn't matter if the end result is that it fucks over a whole bunch of people... you might say innocent people, I can't help but say ignorant people. Either way, I believe this should be a valuable lesson for them, but sadly, many of them will just wait for the next prediction.
This prediction and all the rest are ridiculous. Naked Pastor says it best in his
jesus is coming soon edition. As a non-believer in jesus, christ, god... whatever the hell you refer to him as, I concur with the sentiment that it's never going to happen and has never happened. Maybe because I've allowed information to enter my brain through taking an active part in acquiring knowledge. Here's some history that was talked about yesterday during Rapture Day at the Wichita State University campus. Zoroaster was one of the original monotheistic gods and helped to establish a lot of the things Christians believe in today. If people would take the time to understand history and learn something (with an open mind), it would truly change their perspectives. Learning is FUN, especially when it makes so much sense and gives you the ability to take in the big picture and helps you make rational decisions! Maybe if religious people stopped only cracking open a bible or as we know, only holding it in their hands and repeating what they hear from others, they might not be so gullible.
Funny thing, many of the religious people would agree with me that the prediction was flawed, yet they are out there claiming 'yeah, Camping was wrong because according to the bible, no one knows when jesus' second coming really is, not even jesus'. They are STILL CHOOSING to be irrational! They are not losing anything by just 'waiting for it to happen' but, really, disassociation with reality still means you are GIVING UP something! It's called - letting your brain take a vacation while your body is still at work!
*picture me shaking my head right about now.
wall photo from Religion Sucks
