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NPR reports on the Rapture / Jesus is coming May 21st

When I was studying psychology many years ago, I remember hearing of an amusing paper about that sort of thing. A couple of social psychologists joined a sect in California that believed that the world would end at midnight on a certain day, and documented their activities over several weeks. When the appointed date and time passed, and the world didn't end, the members were despondent. However, the leader of the sect then announced that their prayers had averted the disaster, and everyone rejoiced!
 
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Ladewig said:
You missed the Christian in another JREF thread that suggested that while God did indeed say that no one will know the date, there is no rule that says God couldn't have changed his mind and now allows people to discern the date.
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I was too busy reading the thread saying that christian can believe pretty much anything and everything without having anything in common without With other christian, and still call themselves christian. Making it a pretty much irrelevant word.

Anyway as far as I can tell the rapture is pretty much an american stuff invented in 18th century (or was it 19th).
 
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Kilaak Kommander said:
They should have released an addendum at least. You know, in case God has changed his mind about anything else in the Bible.
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This is an outrage! I would have expected at least some sort of disclaimer along the lines of "I reserve the right to modify without notice any guarantee made within this text."
 
Beelzebuddy said:
Good age to teach 'em evidence. That just because someone says something, even if they really believe it, doesn't mean it's true. For corroboration, find a clip of the Daily Show where they mention Fox News's latest baseless assertions, then mockingly dig back a week to where Fox contradicted themselves.
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Well, I am a public school employee, so I walk a fine line. Just like I would be unhappy if an employee tried to proselytize to my children, I don't push non-belief on the students. In fact, I don't even talk religion unless they bring up the subject first. For example, recently an older student asked if I thought God hates gay people and I responded with "IF you believe in a loving God, who created everything, why would he hate people for being the way he created them?" As far as the apocalypse, when kids ask about it, I respond with "the Bible says no one knows the date".
 
Quote:
"Knowing the date of the end of the world changes all your future plans," says 27-year-old Adrienne Martinez.

She thought she'd go to medical school, until she began tuning in to Family Radio. She and her husband, Joel, lived and worked in New York City. But a year ago, they decided they wanted to spend their remaining time on Earth with their infant daughter.

"My mentality was, why are we going to work for more money? It just seemed kind of greedy to me. And unnecessary," she says.

And so, her husband adds, "God just made it possible — he opened doors. He allowed us to quit our jobs, and we just moved, and here we are."

Now they are in Orlando, in a rented house, passing out tracts and reading the Bible. Their daughter is 2 years old, and their second child is due in June. Joel says they're spending the last of their savings. They don't see a need for one more dollar.

"You know, you think about retirement and stuff like that," he says. "What's the point of having some money just sitting there?"

"We budgeted everything so that, on May 21, we won't have anything left," Adrienne adds.
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Wow. These people need help! How stupid can one be?! I guess there will be lots of broke people in 2013...

Where does this whole May 21 thing originate? I'm literally stunned how gullible someone can be. I mean, lets say I'm a gullible person. I get told the World will end May 21st 2011. Don't I check on this guy? Cause I mean, knowing when the world is gonna end is not an exactly tiny claim. And when I find out he's previously done so, and obviously wasn't right, why do I still believe him?! Some people need to change the batteries in their BS-Detectors...

An interesting thing: These people must have heard all these other predictions. 2012 for instance. What makes them dismiss those? (or do they even) Quite...peculiar.
Originally Posted by Lisa Simpson
There are children at my work who are terrified the end is coming this month. I've tried to reassure them, but my words probably don't hold much weight compared to what they hear at home.
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:mad: Some people just shouldn't have kids. Children subjected to CTs and this whole end of the world fearmongering is very very bad. Groving up to be a total nut job. Not to mention the fear they must go through!
The fact that these parents tell their kids in the first place is just fudged up. :hb:

Teachers should inform them that is is, like all end-time predictions, total baloney. :mad:
 
leon_heller said:
When I was studying psychology many years ago, I remember hearing of an amusing paper about that sort of thing. A couple of social psychologists joined a sect in California that believed that the world would end at midnight on a certain day, and documented their activities over several weeks. When the appointed date and time passed, and the world didn't end, the members were despondent. However, the leader of the sect then announced that their prayers had averted the disaster, and everyone rejoiced!
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I wonder if this latest 'prophesy' is working from a revised script...

;)

I'm attending a 'Neener' party on the 22nd ... in the reception hall of a local church ...

:D
 
leon_heller said:
When I was studying psychology many years ago, I remember hearing of an amusing paper about that sort of thing. A couple of social psychologists joined a sect in California that believed that the world would end at midnight on a certain day, and documented their activities over several weeks. When the appointed date and time passed, and the world didn't end, the members were despondent. However, the leader of the sect then announced that their prayers had averted the disaster, and everyone rejoiced!
Click to expand...

I'm praying right now that the end will not begin on the 21st.
Rejoice with me when that prayer is answered!
 
Ladewig said:
Yeah, because if you are announcing to the entire human race that the world will end, it is not that important to "work through all the relevant scripture" before setting a date.



You missed the Christian in another JREF thread that suggested that while God did indeed say that no one will know the date, there is no rule that says God couldn't have changed his mind and now allows people to discern the date.
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That is very similar to a point of contention i have about the christian god.

What if he changes his mind? What if he now wants to see if the world would work if everyone killed each other randomly? What if just one legit prophet was locked up and a huge instruction missed from the guy upstairs?

What if one single page with something important on it was lost from the bible? Maybe saying god changes up his thinking style every so many centuries.

When it comes to the mind of an omnipotent being, people put a lot of faith in what they want to be true. And not much time is spent thinking about what could be true.
 
I heard this piece this morning. It might be funny, if it wasn't so sad and infuriating. I wonder if they'll be willing to be interviewed again after May 22?
 
Lisa Simpson said:
Well, I am a public school employee, so I walk a fine line.
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You could say something like "People have predicted the end of the world many times in the past, and the world is still here." It's not offering a personal opinion, just pointing out a historical fact.

Steve S
 
I propose that all nonbelievers/sceptics should make a video of themselves standing with their arms spread upwards, right on the moment the rapture is supposed to happen.

Believers are welcome too, although I would advise them to put the camera on a standard, or that a nonbeliever hold the camera, because maybe the cameraman could go "up" as well, ruining the camera in the process, or maybe even taking it with them.




Or maybe we should just continue living like always, not giving heed to this at all, because it will go away the sooner if we do.

Cheers
 
Quote:
"Knowing the date of the end of the world changes all your future plans," says 27-year-old Adrienne Martinez.

She thought she'd go to medical school, until she began tuning in to Family Radio. She and her husband, Joel, lived and worked in New York City. But a year ago, they decided they wanted to spend their remaining time on Earth with their infant daughter.

"My mentality was, why are we going to work for more money? It just seemed kind of greedy to me. And unnecessary," she says.

And so, her husband adds, "God just made it possible — he opened doors. He allowed us to quit our jobs, and we just moved, and here we are."

Now they are in Orlando, in a rented house, passing out tracts and reading the Bible. Their daughter is 2 years old, and their second child is due in June. Joel says they're spending the last of their savings. They don't see a need for one more dollar.

"You know, you think about retirement and stuff like that," he says. "What's the point of having some money just sitting there?"

"We budgeted everything so that, on May 21, we won't have anything left," Adrienne adds.

Can you imagine someone like this as a medical doctor?

"I only have to keep my patients alive long enough to reach the rapture!"
 
steve s said:
You could say something like "People have predicted the end of the world many times in the past, and the world is still here." It's not offering a personal opinion, just pointing out a historical fact.

Steve S
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That's a good one. I'll use it next time someone asks, which should probably be soon as the "end" comes closer and closer.
 
Business Opportunity!

Need to quickly form a corporation, get some fast cash from the rich heathens out there, and start offering these crackpots pennies on the dollar for their stuff, with possession taking place on the 21st. We'll offer a buy back for only 100% interest, good until June 20th.

Selling point will be having cash to enjoy their last days.

:D
 
This Guy said:
Business Opportunity!

Need to quickly form a corporation, get some fast cash from the rich heathens out there, and start offering these crackpots pennies on the dollar for their stuff, with possession taking place on the 21st. We'll offer a buy back for only 100% interest, good until June 20th.

Selling point will be having cash to enjoy their last days.

:D
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Don't give them cash for their worldly goods, give them Bibles for their worldly goods. Tell them that they can use the books to convert people up until the last minute.
 
I'm, unfortunately, scared that this will actually happen. I've read the bible, I see the hatred and discrimination that it inspires and how it slows scientific and human progress, not to mention the contradiction contained within it. But, for some reason, I just can't shake the feeling that it *can* happen.

I've always had the problem of believing most end-of-the-world predictions when they surface. I try to convince myself that's it most likely wrong, as all others have been wrong so far, but there's always that "what if" feeling that takes me over.
 
wollclark said:
I'm, unfortunately, scared that this will actually happen. I've read the bible, I see the hatred and discrimination that it inspires and how it slows scientific and human progress, not to mention the contradiction contained within it. But, for some reason, I just can't shake the feeling that it *can* happen.

I've always had the problem of believing most end-of-the-world predictions when they surface. I try to convince myself that's it most likely wrong, as all others have been wrong so far, but there's always that "what if" feeling that takes me over.
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Don't worry. May 21st is going to come and go, and nothing is going to happen.

If you find yourself believing most end-of-the-world predictions, I think you need to look inward to see what it is in you that makes you believe in them. This is likely something that you need to deal with.

For now, don't worry. Nothing is going to happen.
 
@wollclark it might be more of sign of over anxiety (or even depression) than a real sign something will happen, you know.

My mother in the mean time is fighting a depression , and it seems she stopped doing what you do (worrying about random stuff like you do).

FYI there has been lots (literraly hundreds) of end world prophecy, and none came to pass. What make you think this one will happen ? Especially knowing the kind of calculation behind it , were making the world end in 1994 until the guy said afterward "oops I made an error it is may 2011".
 
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