News & Politics

Rant

Is It the End of the World as We Know It?

Posted 12 months ago|29 comments|864 views
Written by
Coloranter Raver
Denver, CO
If you're a believer and regular listener to Family Radio then you know that tomorrow is our last day on earth. (click here for a complete story from CNN)

According to the believers, tomorrow at 6 pm earthquakes will begin dismantling the earth at the international date line and the sweep around the globe until, at 6 pm, time zone by time zone, the entire world it wiped out and judgement day will commence. Apparently, it will take a full five months before the process is complete and everyone is judged. Sadly, only the few chosen will go to heaven and the rest will endure unspeakable suffering. We all, apparently, should have been taking things more seriously the last couple of years, getting our good will in order, and so forth.

This, therefore, could well be among the last rants I write. If it is, I guess I shouldn't be too sad, it's been a good run. I guess I'll know by tomorrow morning here in the Mountain Time zone since surely word of the destruction of the far East will be upon us before then.

Do I actually think the world is going to end? No. I don't but here is what I do think on the topic...

(a) I think the reaction to the doomsdayers by the Christian / Jewish / Muslim establishment has been fascinating. The man behind the prediction who shall get no free PR here from me is being vilified. How come? He supposedly used the Bible to make his prediction. Well, if he's wrong, and he used the Bible then either the Bible's wrong or his method is wrong. Either way, the world's Abrahamic religious are in a lose-lose proposition. If he's wrong, he makes them look bad, if he's right he makes them look really, really bad. Plenty of the world's clerics have been aligning against the movement saying it's sinful to try to predict the end of the world.

(b) Like members of a cult, thousands upon thousands of people have joined in the movement, given away all possessions, and so forth figuring it's all over what's the point? Does this all stem back to Sarah Palin quitting her governorship? Quit when the going gets tough or you no longer see any point? It's difficult to imagine if there is a God, that would be what He wanted. How about do good deeds until the end? How about do good deeds? How about give up on the hate agenda – this means you Tennessee the senate just passed a bill banning curriculum materials in elementary school and middle schools that in any way talk about homosexuality. (source)

(c) It would be a shame if the world ended before the Iraeli-Palestinian conflict were ended once and for all, however, it seems President Obama is the only one in the world who gets how to end the conflict. Really? For decades the US has appeased Israel and allowed settlements etc. That policy not only failed, it painted a gigantic target on the back of the USA which gave Osama bin Laden the justification he needed to attack the US. Despite all the treaties and truces and time, nothing much has changed for the Palestinian people. They have no where to go. Great Presidents and awful ones have tried. The problem is that this isn't going to be resolved effectively by anyone who doesn't see the validity of both sides and empathize with them both equally. The minute you favor one over the other, you're toast. People who actually read and listen to what President Obama said will see he put important language together for both sides to let them both know what he will and won't accept. He won't accept negotiations with Hamas. He won't accept continued Israeli occupation of territories accumulated post 1967. In the end, that's really the point isn't it. Both sides have to give in for their to ever be a solution. It's too bad that alarmists and extremists don't understand this, but then they are the ones who have fueled this fire for decades. What is too bad is that Israel has all the power in the world to solve this problem, if they wanted to, they obviously do not. (source)

I apologize that this was not my strongest rant ever, but if the world ends, there won't be anybody to care. I personal hope is that the world does not end; but, rather, we seize this moment as a species to take a step back and think about our planet and what we are doing to it. It would be sad if we bring doomsday upon ourselves.
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COMMENTS
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
12 months ago: Remember Y2K? People are so gullible.

But if ,out of the billions of Abrahamic based religion followers, only a few thousand are panicked into acting foolishly, that's a pretty good percentage of level headed Christians, Muslims, and Jews.

I sat through Y2K watching George Carlin on HBO, laughing my ears off. I didn't buy even a single bottle of water, loaf of bread, or can of peas. My neighbors, being the good concerned people that they were, called several times giving me updates on which stores still had what. On the up side, my friends were giving stuff away a couple months later when they got tired of walking around it.
BadCyborg
BadCyborg
San Antonio, TX
12 months ago: I expect the world as we know it to end soon, but not on this coming Saturday. What happened to December of 2012? My money is some time in '13 or '14 - after Obama is given his 2nd term and has time to REALLY make the changes he (and it would appear a goodly number of people frequenting RR) wants to bring about.

I remember the whole Y2K lunacy. I was a Software Test Analyst for a small company. The boss tasked me with determining what - if anything - bad our software would do. After researching the various proposed failure modes for software, I came up with a comprehensive test plan. I tested the software for 1997, 98, 99 (to get a solid baseline of behavior), 2K, 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50. None of the software we had ever shipped showed any inclination to hiccough at all. I turned in my results including documentation of the anticipated failure modes and results. The boss (VP over the facility I worked at) thanked me and then promptly ordered that programmers be on duty all through the night. My shift (since I probably understood how our software worked better than anybody) started at 02:00. Since New Year's Day fell on a Saturday it was FUN. I worked a full day Friday. Drove home, grabbed a couple of hours' sleep and was back at work (34 miles from my house) before 02:00. Mostly I sat in the help desk/tech shupport area and played solitare or read.

Nothing happened. I expect the same result tomorrow. These dates keep getting set and passing. Actually religious numbskulls have been predicting the end of the world since around AD 1000. We're still here. Reckon we will be come Saturday evening.
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
12 months ago: The only difference between the Harold Camping fellow and the guy on the corner with his "THE END IS NEAR!!!" sign is that Camping had a lot more money, and a lot more coverage.

I still can't fathom why a person would use Biblical prophecies and "hidden codes" to reckon the end of the world, and yet be able to ignore Matthew 24:36. In Jesus' own words:
"But of that day and hour knoweth no [man], no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only."
markbyrn
markbyrn
 Moderator
12 months ago: As I understand it, this Harold Camping fellow spent $3 million dollars on billboard advertising to announce his latest false prophecy. He's another charlatan in the vain of the phony faith healer Benny Hinn and I'll concur with OOTB's observation - "people are so gullible" but they are gullible for a reason. Once you jettison rational thought and accept pure fantasy as fact, it's the equivalent of opening Pandora's box.
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
12 months ago: ..."people are so gullible" but they are gullible for a reason. Once you jettison rational thought and accept pure fantasy as fact, it's the equivalent of opening Pandora's box. ..."

Then I'll hazard to follow your reasoning: the billions of religious people who did not fall for this latest scam are not jettisoning rational thought?
markbyrn
markbyrn
 Moderator
12 months ago: What percentage of religionists that buy into Camping's fantasy or another ridiculous fantasy is not really the point. The point is once your gullible enough into buy into a fantasy, you're likely to buy into another one. That doesn't mean you'll accept all of them because you might be manipulated to believe that all the other fantasies are heresies compared to your fantasy. But as for the numbers, I'll quote an article:

"Of the 10,000 respondents poll by IBTimes.com, 8.7 percent believe the end of the world corresponds to the Mayan prediction of December 21, 2012, versus just 3.5 percent believing Harold Camping."

3.5% might sound small but if you're talking billion of people, that's a whole lot of gullible folk. Also, see:

"Harold Camping Ruining families in the name of Jesus: Why your Family may separate"

http://haroldcamping-21.blogspot.com/201...


http://www.ibtimes.com/articles/149505/2...
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
12 months ago: More to the point would be, as you pointed out, more than twice as many secular respondents believe in the Maya Calendar Doomsday myth. Exactly which myth predicated their abandonment of reason?
sunny2
sunny2
12 months ago: Many travelers dig in these Mayan temples looking for treasure and think nothing of the end. I suppose the Crystal Skulls that have been strategically placed all over the World, as the story goes, absorbed most people's sense of reason from their ever abounding fear. One person I came across recently who is educated and articulate is frightened of the year 2012 approaching. I was shocked at how much he believes in the end of the world coming, and this guy works with people all day long and looks scared to death every minute of the day.
sunny2
sunny2
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sunny2
12 months ago: I can't wait to see and hear their reaction when the sun comes up tomorrow, and they see life goes on. Why are people so gullible?
sunny2
sunny2
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12 months ago: Ever heard, "Any publicity is good publicity!"? A false prophet especially of the end of the world variety doesn't have to worry about cause and effect because they hide under the banner of good intentions. They ride their fictitious gravy train till it runs dry then board another one. It is morally culpable to say the least! I guess that is why the Bible promises' it's own set of punishments for those false prophets. The truth of the just and unjust is not as complicated as jumping on board the right movement at the last minute. If it was then we would all be screwed, because there are far too many permutations claiming almost the exact same thing. In fact justice is simple and being just even simpler. If you seek justice you will be just. If you are unjust then you will seek injustice.
BadCyborg
BadCyborg
San Antonio, TX
12 months ago: It's well past 1800 here and I'm still here. Oh, well. Not the first time I've seen the "end of the world" not come as predicted. Next shot is December next year. The Mayan calendar thing. I don't expect anything to happen then.

2013 - that's when I'm bettin' the fertilizer impacts the wind machine.
12 months ago: Harold "Stoney" Camping is a joke.

What's even funnier though is that the same folks that criticize him have no problem believing in fantasy and science-fiction regarding the creation of this universe. Amazing.
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
12 months ago: "...He won't accept continued Israeli occupation of territories accumulated post 1967...."

I really don't think he's in a position to accept or not accept what Israel or Palestine does. Isn't that what you accused the Republicans of doing, meddling in foreign affairs and putting a bullseye on America? Demanding that other countries behave like we think they ought to?

It also makes me wonder. Is he going to accept our own post-1848 boundaries, or should we cede California, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, Texas, Arizona, and half of Colorado back to Mexico?
sunny2
sunny2
12 months ago: If you live long enough, you will see things are never resolved and keep coming around again. No one so far has done anything good or earned their stay in the White House.
12 months ago: Osama Bin Laden's life was ended because of things our President did. Bush's team had reduced our efforts. Obama ramped them up again. We got Bin Laden because of Obama's decision.

Hey, in 2008 we were headed full steam into a really big depression. Estimates were that it would be worse than any in American history. Worse than the 1929 recession.

That didn't happen because our man in the White House did things.

Greece is not so lucky. They don't have the same man. Greece is going downhill at a full gallop.
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
12 months ago: You sure we didn't know where bin Laden was all along? Are you sure he's even dead? Or that he even ever existed?

But, assuming he did exist as the head of a terror organization, precisely what "things" did Obama do any differently to get bin Laden?

I'm not even going into the "Great Recession of 2008". That would be pointless.
sunny2
sunny2
12 months ago: Box...I tend to agree. They got rid of him too quickly. Why bury him at sea? I get the religious part of it, but he wasn't very God fearing when he killed all those people in 911. He didn't care about their religion or beliefs.
2008 hit us like a bomb at least it affected me that way and many many others. It did such damage we can't recover from that year. It is going to take a long time.
sunny2
sunny2
12 months ago: Terreo in 2008 things started to come apart. Businesses were starting to fail because they couldn't cover payroll. They lost their line of credit. People were not able to pay their bills. I was part of that wave .
The original job I had in 2006 was sold in 2007 and it lasted one year.
They wanted us to work for nothing without any pay at all.
Man in the White House did nothing for me. I had to scrape and fight to get schooling in order to get a new job and that took me one full year.
Another member of my family lost their job at the same time only just before Christmas. Laid off. 2008 was the beginning of a nightmare.
sunny2
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sunny2
12 months ago: Terreo in 2008 things started to come apart. Businesses were starting to fail because they couldn't cover payroll. They lost their line of credit. People were not able to pay their bills, and I was part of that wave.
The original job I had in 2006 was going under in 2007 and was sold in 2007 and it lasted one year to the day with the heartless new owners.
This employer wanted us to work for nothing without any pay at all. Stuck us for months of back pay.
Man in the White House did nothing for me. I'm still waiting for that back pay and they said it might take 10 years to recover. I had to scrape and fight to get schooling in order to change my career and that took me one full year of persevering and battling with the State. The State wouldn't give me the time of day.
Another member of my family lost their job at the same time only just before Christmas. Lay off Christmas 2008 and that was the beginning of a nightmare.
Because of ourselves, we are making it better. President hasn't done one thing to help families like us. The unemployment benefits were to stimulate the economy. If it were solely to help the people get back to work, they would of found another alternative by now instead of letting people practically starve and have their homes taking away. You probably missed the whole thing because you were working.
12 months ago: You've said your position cleanly, I would say. You've made that easy to understand. We're not all happy and glowy, I don't mean to say that.

The reason I said something was because Bush brought us from a pretty good economy into a nose-diving economy. Whereas Obama slowed the nose-dive and the economy has begin to recover. There were some unemployment benefits from Congress, supported and signed by Obama, but they were not a lot. More money (instigated by Obama's team) that was allocated to projects that improved internet connectivity and other modern construction. Some of those are just beginning construction now.

I worked for the U.S. Census from Mar 2009 to Aug 2010. I don't believe Congress or the President would do anything for me, personally. But in broad, general terms, it was Obama and his team who got the USA economy turned around. (my opinion) And they did it by spending money, not by conserving. Now that the economy is doing better, the Presidency is economizing.
sunny2
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sunny2
12 months ago: I beg to differ with you, I am happy. It takes more than that to knock me down.
When did the economy turn around? Millions are out of work and can't recover their homes that they lost. Who recovered the economy? I met a Census Bureau taker and he was earning $25.00 an hour. Why? This guy was very inexperienced and was blabbing everyones personal business out loud for everyone and anyone to hear. What money did Obama spend that helped people who are starving? He spent money on going along with the Republicans to give the rich a tax break. How about the inheritance tax. Rich again. They get the breaks. Look at all the layoffs. Firemen, teachers, State employees lost their jobs. It hasn't stopped yet. The administrative jobs are non existant. State benefits have been cut to people who need it and have no health insurance for the families. School programs have been cut.....The President does what he wants to. The worse thing this man does is ignor people's cries for help. He ignors the crowds protesting and needing help. Not one word came out of his mouth to directly address the people's problems. What about all the promises. NO NO NO. Economizing..he hasn't done anything for anyone in need. Where do you get your information.
12 months ago: Out of the Box - What things did Obama do differently? As stated in by U.S. World and News Report (a weekly news, print publication with a long history and a reputation to uphold):

(Bush) The former president, distracted by his obsession with Iraq, gave up the hunt for bin Laden in 2003. Thankfully, things changed with the election of a new president. In his first meeting with his new CIA director, Leon Panetta, President Obama told the director that his first priority was to bring bin Laden to justice.

http://www.usnews.com/opinion/blogs/brad...
I hope that prints as a link for you, but there are many sources that tell how Bush gave up the hunt, while Obama made it his first priority.
Out Of The Box
Out Of The Box
 Moderator
12 months ago: And just as many telling a different story, like this one:

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/wo...

Written in 2008, it was painfully obvious even then that bin Laden was in Pakistan, and that it was only a matter of time before he died of natural causes or was captured or killed.
sunny2
sunny2
12 months ago: Maybe his first priority should of been taking care of his own Country. He has a mind set of someone who lives in a Country where poor people don't exist to him. They would of gotten Bin Laden anyway that started a long time ago.
sunny2
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sunny2
12 months ago: If you rely on what you read and hear in the News, you will never get it straight. You will be easily manipulated and that's what they want.
Fox for example. Propaganda.
All the news media either favors the Democrats or Republican. They lean toward supporting one or the other in spite of the truth. For months we have had to hear and swallow propaganda and it is spoken with a blank face and as if it is the truth. This is not utopia and far from over. It is going to get worse before it gets better. Millions will be falling off of their benefits before the end of the year. Where are the jobs going to come from. Government has done nothing to create jobs.
12 months ago: yeah, its pretty bad, sunny.

I agree that news media is not very helpful, generally, not very helpful when you want to understand a situation. Apparently they sell more news when news articles rouse fear or anger.

Under Obama, Chrysler was bailed out with a 7.5 billion dollars loans, saving the company and keeping those jobs. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-ch... There were other government loans that kept large companies going.
sunny2
sunny2
12 months ago: T .............I agree.
I'm glad that you see it for what it is.
11 months ago: Hello everybody! I am in California and much more at ease because I am not in Arizona. Most of the people cannot see or hear what is happening all around them. There really is an escalation of global destruction and a slow systematic decline of human civilization. I am waiting for the Tsunami in California and I have scoped out several tall buildings to climb when it happens. I can only hope that the warnings of the zealots will at least be considered food for thought. Better to be prepared than to be oblivious to your natural surroundings. I do not have much material wealth to lose as I am still homeless,.......so the only reson I bother to prepare for destruction is because I consider it a direct challenge and threat to my existence. Where do you think you're all going after death anyway? We all gotta live somewhere,....
sunny2
sunny2
11 months ago: Ricardo...The best news is that you got out of Arizona.
So, what are you going to do next.
You said you are a chef. The biggest thing you did was to leave that place that made you unhappy. I wouldn't think too much about global devastation. If that is going to happen, you can't do anything about it, so live your life each day and shake off that other stuff.
Sunny

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