May 21st: The End of the World?

Are we just a few hours away from the beginning of the end of the world? Highly unlikely, however, that does not stop the preaching by a certain group of people that believe the end of the world is upon us. By now many of us have heard about this cult who has tirelessly driven in RVs across the United States preaching that the end of the world is today, and not only that, but that major earthquakes will hit the world to signal that destruction.

This cult, led by Harold Camping, has been featured on all the major news networks, and quotes the bible to justify this random date of May 21, 2011 as the end of the world, the second coming of Christ, the Rupture, the beginning of the end. However, if one firmly believes in the bible, one only has to turn to Matthew 24:36 to know what Jesus told his disciples when they approached him at Mount of Olives and asked when the end of the world was to come: “Concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father.” (New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures). If Jesus, the son, did not even know about the day and time of the end of the world, what can possibly make anyone think this cult has validity in the date(s) they vaticinate?

We live in a pretty tolerant country, and we try to respect everyone’s opinions no matter how bizarre they may seem. However, it is only when the people behind those opinions have a hidden agenda that results in the use of fear tactics to manipulate people into giving away their hard earned money and jeopardizing the life they worked hard to attain that I take offense to. In fact, Camping’s organization, Family Radio, is at the center of such an agenda. The websites dedicated to Camping and his followers, wecanknow.com and familyradio.com, are perfectly content with taking people’s money via requests for donations. It is at this point that one must use logic to prevent from falling victim to these so-called organizations.

Already a large amount of people have left their families, friends, and jobs behind as well as spent their live savings all to accommodate the notion by Harold Camping that the end of the world is here. Even if the end is here, wouldn’t one want to spend it together with one’s family?

This great performance by Camping was further noted in a letter he sent to his staff at Family Radio in which he bids “farewell.” Camping looks pretty old so it could be he feels some illness creeping up. The fact of the matter is many lives have already been ruined by following this leader, and even if these people do not acknowledge that, they will soon realize they made a mistake leaving their families behind, their jobs, and spending their hard earned money when Sunday comes and everything remains the same; a bad economy and a war still being fought. And of course, if the end of the world should come later today, there is nothing one can do to stop it so why not go out in style by throwing a party or going to the beach, or perhaps even relaxing at home with a cold one in one hand and popcorn in the other watching American Pie?