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Ideas Wankers

The Lost Shepherd

I’ll say at the outset that I’m not religious. So maybe this isn’t news to you, but it was to me when I heard about it a few days ago. Apparently, some Christians think the world is going to end on May 21st, 2011. That’s right, in eleven days!

I first heard a story about it on NPR; so it’s a big enough story to even get some traction in the mainstream media.

It seems that a broadcaster with a religious radio program is the main figure behind the story. His name is Harold Camping and his station with 150 outlets reaches lots of listeners. By making some arcane calculations based on timetables provided in the bible he and his supporters are convinced the end is at hand. Camping isn’t an ignorant hillbilly, he has a civil engineering degree from UC Berkeley, but he mustn’t have paid very close attention in school.

There are billboards, bus caravans, and of course the radio station out there spreading the news that the judgement day will happen on May 21st and then on October 21st the world will be destroyed.

Religion is darkness. And this sort of thing is particularly dark since the believers are quitting jobs, leaving families, or spending their savings, and why not I suppose, if you think it’s true that the world is ending. But the sheep that just want an answer, even if it’s wrong, are hard to feel sorry for. I’m sure some overlooked chunk of time from the pages of the bible will reveal itself after the morning of May 22nd dawns. Get in line Harold Camping. The line isn’t going to heaven; it’s the line of other end-of-the-world dates have previously been predicted and  gone unfulfilled.

At first I thought it would be interesting to post this blog on Friday the 20th just for effect. But the whole thing is silly enough that if you haven’t already heard of it, you might want to so you can throw an end of the world party on the 20th . I’m sure I’ll be talking to you on Tuesday the 24th.