Remember that memorable day last Spring when the world didn't end... May 21st?
It had been predicted by one charlatanical biblical interpreter and Christian media mogul Harold Camping.
No one believed it but for some evangelical Rapture rubes, and some entertaining End Times hobbyists, a few of whom who sold off their worldly posessions, got into bed with their Bibles, and pulled up the covers. For the rest of us, it was a pleasant laugh break from the groaning load of bad news that greets us each day.
Ever wonder what happened to Harold? Turns out the 90-year-old Family Radio Network founder had a stroke June 9, and has been convalescing in a nursing home. He's been missing from his daily Bible talk show, (KARR m-f, 5:30-7p) another summer bummer for so many of us.
There was no face lost as far as far as Camping's concerned: it was just a slight miscalculation- a misreading, if you will, of the Bible.
"What really happened is that God accomplished exactly what He wanted to happen. That was to warn the whole world that on May 21 God’s salvation program would be finished on that day,"
"For the next five months, except for the elect (the true believers), the whole world is under God’s final judgment. To accomplish this goal God withheld from the true believers the way in which two phrases were to be understood. Had He not done so, the world would never have been shaken in fear as it was."
It's just that there are so many different meanings to the words "earthquake" and "rapture" They got messed up. Shit happens.
Despite the fiasco in May, The Christian Post reports the suckers are still legion:
Many in America think the end of the world is near. Surveys show nearly six in 10 white evangelicals believe Jesus will return in judgment by 2050, as opposed to 41 percent of all Americans, according to Religion News Service. Two-thirds of white evangelicals also believe recent natural disasters are signs of the end times. However, many do not perhaps believe in predictions with exact dates.
Never fear, American entrepreneurism endures. Bloomberg Business Week's Peter Savodnik reports that after some tough times, the Rapture industry, with the help of the Republican-created debt ceiling crisis, is back in the bubble:
A proliferation of earthquakes, a plague that may or may not be sweeping Brazil, the Greeks, and Kim Kardashian, among other things, may be conspiring to create a Rapture bubble. In addition to Camping’s revised forecast—the world is definitely going to end on Oct. 21—many Rapture-seekers now believe the Aug. 2 debt-ceiling deadline signals that the end may be very, very near. “If the economy goes, that’ll be fertile soil for the antichrist to take power,” says Todd Strandberg of Little Rock, Ark. “Hitler came out of the Depression. A lot of us believe the antichrist will use the same stepping stone.”
Apocalypse profiteers are back to offering everything from iPhone apps to help those left behind, to placement services for raptured family's dogs and cats with pet-friendly atheists, since pets aren't allowed in Heaven. (We did not know that).
Savodnik: "There’s even a new genre of chick lit called Rapture Erotica. Apocalypse Sex: Love at the End of the World ($4.99) focuses on characters who stare down the end of days by, according to its publisher, having 'the best sex of their lives.'”
Seems Believers are willing to give their doomsday prophets many chances. Savodnik writes that Dr. William H. Sledge, a Yale University professor of psychiatry, says believers in the Rapture tend to be either psychotic or very “suggestible.”
He also quotes Karen Kessler, president of public-relations firm Evergreen Partners in Warren, N.J., who told him, "Failed prophets looking to reenter the market need only 'come up with some rationale why you swore what was the case was not the case,' she says. 'Then you just have to hold your head up high and keep walking, and hope that if you sold enough memorabilia that’ll ease the pain.'”
Meanwhile, Camping's multi-million $ media company has been selling off valuable chunks of the FM band in the Baltimore/DC and Philadelphia markets to commercial stations. Seems they're raising some cash while Camping is safely in the nursing home.
I know, what a kook, aren't you glad you have a sane rational Reverend on your side and one who has his own bully pulpit and to whom you can turn for advice and direction.
Of course I refer to your leader, the wise, reasoned and articulate Rev. Al Sharpton.
Posted by: StarTheWonderDog | August 11, 2011 at 01:13 PM
Bla'M, I'm very, very disappointed that you did not seek out the opinion of the esteemed professor Dr. Cheech Manana here. Dr. Manana has been studying this very phenomenon for years and doubtless would have many great insights to contribute.
Posted by: Pete | August 11, 2011 at 01:16 PM
Apocalypse Sex! Sounds good to me...
Posted by: AprilMayJune | August 11, 2011 at 04:10 PM
Why don't you pray for the man instead of making fun of him?
Posted by: Mohammy | August 11, 2011 at 04:40 PM
I'm too busy lining up neighbors luxury cars after the rapture to pray for him.
Posted by: Coiler | August 11, 2011 at 05:03 PM
And you see no one to pray to, these libs only believe in themselves. And Rev Sharpton, of course.
Posted by: StarTheWonderDog | August 11, 2011 at 05:25 PM
Good grief! KS suffers from chronic Sorositis and Algoreum and now you suffer from chronic Sharptoneum which is especially toxic to dogs. Ask Dori to take you to the vet, please.
Posted by: joanie | August 11, 2011 at 05:32 PM
This blog appears to be infiltrated with what seem like Purity Product wanna'be's and quite frankly it's getting out of hand and extremely distracting.
Posted by: StarTheWonderDog | August 12, 2011 at 07:35 AM
Damn, those spammer posts read like Joanie taught 'em English.
Posted by: Puget Sound Blathers | August 12, 2011 at 08:25 AM
It can’t be the end of the world, republicans are still trolling Craigslist.
Phillip D. "Phil" Hinkle is a Republican member of the Indiana House of Representatives, representing the 92nd District since 2000. Though Hinkle co-sponsored a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, in 2011 he was identified as the man who paid an 18-year-old man for "a really good time" in a hotel room. The man claimed that when they were in the hotel room, Hinkle "grabbed him in the rear, dropped his towel and sat down on the bed — naked."
Posted by: excessive moderate | August 12, 2011 at 10:13 AM
Pray? It would do more good to piss in the wind. Is anyone in the modern world still so ignorant to believe in "God"?
Posted by: Dori | August 12, 2011 at 02:09 PM
Yes, master da bater, I do!
Posted by: StarTheWonderDog | August 12, 2011 at 02:46 PM
Joanie suffers from foxnews hives, tea party diarrhea, progressive-osis and dreamt of producing a love child with Soros 40 years ago.
Posted by: KS | August 12, 2011 at 07:17 PM
As a trucker for over 50 years, I am not unfamiliar with profanity, but I would never make a comment on here that I be would ashamed to make in front of a female member of my family. I guess you must have gotten your basic vocabulary from Fox News. Or some other Gutter
Posted by: saint rudy | August 12, 2011 at 09:35 PM
Yeah, right. Make us laugh ! ROFLOL
Posted by: South King County | August 12, 2011 at 09:56 PM
You know, I'm sorely disappointed in Obama. I can admit it. And I post about it. What keeps you guys on the right so stuck in your ideology that you can't see your own side's faults? That's why you get called hypocrites so often. And like The Queen above, you find red herrings to throw out which do nothing to further the conversation or encourage political change.
Posted by: joanie | August 09, 2011 at 11:42 AM
Not true, Joanie. You've been a strong Obama supporter and now just figured that he is a centrist who managed to take overwhelming veto proof majorities and get very little done. (unless you count retaining USAPATRIOT, GITMO and Bush Tax Cuts as accomplishments. Oh wait, he started a third war and doubled down on Afghanistan).
Folks like you are just PINOs. IF you were a true Progressive you would be supporting someone like Russ Feingold and encouraging him to enter the 2012 primary. But you won't.
And now this insult. See below.
APNewsBreak: Some unions to skip 2012 convention
By SAM HANANEL, Associated Press – 1 day ago
WASHINGTON (AP) — About a dozen trade unions plan to sit out the 2012 Democratic convention because they're angry that it's being held in a right-to-work state and frustrated that Democrats haven't done enough to create jobs.
The move could pose a larger problem for President Barack Obama next year if an increasingly dispirited base of labor activists becomes so discouraged that it doesn't get the rank-and-file to the polls in the usual strong numbers.
The unions — all part of the AFL-CIO's building and construction trades unit — told party officials this week they are gravely disappointed that labor was not consulted before Democrats settled on Charlotte, N.C., where there are no unionized hotels.
"We find it troubling that the party so closely associated with basic human rights would choose a state with the lowest unionization rate in the country due to regressive policies aimed at diluting the power of workers," Mark Ayers, president of the building trades unit, wrote in a letter to Democratic Chairwoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
The decision by the building trades came after a vote by leaders of the unit's 13 affiliate unions, including the Laborers, Painters and Electrical Workers unions. Overall, they represent about 2.5 million members.
"There is broad frustration with the party and all elected officials, broad frustration with the lack of a union agenda," said Michael Monroe, chief of staff of the building trades division. "People are looking for outlets to express that frustration."
DNC spokeswoman Melanie Roussell said the organizers "look forward to working with labor leaders from across the country to make the convention a success."
"We were thrilled to have the support of local labor leaders including the (state) AFL-CIO for Charlotte's bid," Roussell said.
Despite the strong language in the letter, at least one of the 13 unions says it is still considering whether or not to go.
"The Teamsters Union has not gone through our own internal decision process about the Democratic National Convention," said spokeswoman Leigh Strope."
More at
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5igpv1TMnaSD6BMZfN7Z3YOgvodmA?docId=c4376f207714471e9ad1a567c9afa48b
Posted by: Puget Sound Blathers at PINOs | August 13, 2011 at 04:55 PM
Coils, Sparkles, msteele, 'sarah', et al, any of you gonna be Progressives or PINOs that support Pres Obama for a second term, i mean a second helping of Bush-lite?
Should make for an interesting year on Blather...LMAO
Posted by: Puget Sound Blathers at PINOs | August 13, 2011 at 05:05 PM
Yeah, PS - they're just a bunch of blog attention whores who want to feel important by blathering their emotionally charged nonsense. To set the record straight, B.O. is a PINO of the first order and is really much closer to a radical one-worlder marxist, out to cloak himself as a centrist. As per chux - Obama never lies (much)....
Posted by: KS | August 13, 2011 at 06:48 PM
ha ha, this should be interesting.
i say Pres Obama is a PINO but a centrist.
KS says Pres Obama is a PINO but a leftist.
Somewhere off in BirchBay Joanie's head just exploded...
LMAO
Posted by: Puget Sound Blathers as Joanie's head explodes... | August 13, 2011 at 08:06 PM
In Joanie's world, anything is possible, especially if it's certifiable bullshit. Don't forget PS, Obama never lies (much) LMAO
Posted by: KS | August 13, 2011 at 08:26 PM
Earlybreakfast with Dr, Bill here at the hotel. Dr. Bill just said that scientists have found thst satellite images of the eartha show tha much more heat is escaping the earth , than projected by the computer models of global warming, due to the wild card of cloud formation. This seems to destroy the accuracy of current global warming science in a shocking way. Now watch Joanie rush in and try to ridicule a man ( she calls him "insane", and a lunatic) who is head and shoulders her superior in both intellect and level of education.
Posted by: Tommy008 | August 13, 2011 at 11:23 PM
Now just...now just wait a minute little tommy 08 or whatever the hell.. no,hold on, I'm going to have to explain this to you. Ohkay, I never said, no, wait, I said , are you going to let me talk/ ok. I said the heat escaping is from all the hot air of day traders. that's right. My pappy predicted this 60 years ago when I was pulling bulldozers out of the mud with nothing more, now just wait, with nothing more that a mule and some railroad ties, wanna know how that was done, huh? do you?
Posted by: Dr Bill | August 14, 2011 at 08:49 AM
World will not end as predicted because another Texan will save it and our Country. Man, does Rick Perry look like a Presidential candidate straight out of central casting, or what. Pres Obama could find the going somewhat rough if he (and what's his name, the VP?) has to go up against Perry and his running mate Michelle Bachmann.
Posted by: StarTheWonderDog | August 14, 2011 at 11:15 AM
wonder if he looks as hawt eating a corn dog as Miss Michele does. mmmmmmmmmmmmm
Posted by: Monteray Bay | August 14, 2011 at 01:47 PM
Gotta admit it, watching Rick Perry is like watching someone doing a bad impression of George Bush.
And given my problems with the original, a copy of same ain't good.
Posted by: Puget Sound Blathers | August 14, 2011 at 08:15 PM
I decided to do some research on Rick Perry, since there are a lot of rumors and malicious stuff out there about him. One thing that will be noticed; Karl Rove will not be in his corner - there's some bad blood between those two in Texas- the following link elaborates more about it. I expect that PS blathers and a few other non-progs will check it out, while certain indigenous progressive species will scoff at it or ignore it.
http://peskytruth.wordpress.com/2011/07/19/rick-perrys-negatives/
Posted by: KS blathers for the halibut | August 14, 2011 at 10:10 PM
nice article, very helpful.
thanks KS.
Posted by: Puget Sound Blathers | August 15, 2011 at 04:10 AM
"I decided to do some research on Rick Perry, since there are a lot of rumors and malicious stuff out there about him."
Did you use Hot Rod magazine this time?
Posted by: Johnny Sombrerro | August 15, 2011 at 09:01 AM
Spoken like a true librarian, Bwhahaha
Posted by: StarTheWonderDog | August 15, 2011 at 09:21 AM
Perry was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 for then-governor George W. Bush. No thanks. Not another Bush pretender.
Posted by: TeaPower | August 15, 2011 at 11:02 PM
I took the time to read all the comments, but I really liked the article. It proved to be very helpful to me, and I believe all the critics here! Always good when you can not just be told.
Posted by: atlanta braves replica uniforms | August 16, 2011 at 12:38 AM
Rick Perry = George Bush. I heard on Randi a caller from south Florida who is in Perry's corner all the way. She asked him why: he's decisive. OMG! Another decider. When she said he was putting feelings over facts, he denied it saying it was "gut instinct."
KS, are you posting from south Florida?
Posted by: joanie | August 16, 2011 at 09:21 PM