Is this what singer Skeeter Davis was talking about when she sang “The End of the World” when I was a kid?
I feel like I am watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Buffy has to save the world from the forces of whatever. What is this all about? Who is Mr. Camping other than someone who graduated from college before I was born, thus making him one terribly old dude. What does the rapture mean? What time does it start? What happens if Sunday comes and we are all still here? How does the End of the World group explain that? The New York Times is slipping.
From the NY Times:
Mr. Camping, whose ministry is fundamentalist Christian but not affiliated with mainstream churches, described Saturday as the beginning of five months of hell on earth: the Rapture. Beginning by time zone until the world is encompassed, the relative few saved by God will ascend to heaven, while seven billion will be left to suffer and die.
Devastating earthquakes will strike, he said, unearthing corpses of previously dead sinners to be “desecrated and shamed,” followed by a series of calamities until Oct. 21, when the planet will be obliterated.
Mr. Camping said that Saturday is the 7,000th anniversary of Noah’s flood. Once again, he said, God has been angered by mankind’s sins, like the growing acceptance of homosexuality.
Jay Johnson, a professor at Berkeley’s Graduate Theological Union who has studied doomsday religious sects, said such beliefs tend to coincide with times of strife or change and “sometimes have troubling consequences.”
A similar end-of-days movement, Millerism, in the 19th century — a tumultuous time due to immigration, abolitionism and women’s rights — eventually spawned the murderous Branch Davidian cult, Mr. Johnson said.
“This is not a laughing matter when people engage wholesale in one interpretation of biblical text,” Mr. Johnson said.
Working-class people have reportedly liquidated bank accounts to support Family Radio’s campaign. On Monday, during a ministry call-in talk show, a man said he intended to go to work this week and proselytize colleagues about May 21, knowing he would probably be fired.
Such deeds have ramifications — should Sunday come. While Mr. Camping refuses to consider that possibility, others close to the ministry do.
Zeke Piestrup, an outside documentary maker working with the ministry, said, “I’m a little nervous for these people.”
Is there a magic number of people who will not be “offed?” I am certainly no biblical scholar but I don’t recall seeing the world “Rapture” in the Bible. Is this group some off-shoot of Westboro Baptist?
The NY Times also interviewed families who believe that tomorrow is the end of the line, so to speak. (or is that the beginning of the line?) Parents have quit their jobs and scared their children. Go figure.
How about those robed men hanging out on street corners in cartoons carrying signs that announce the end of the world? Is that what these people are doing? I have noticed that this Saturday isn’t being heralded by the Lame Stream Media. Is this part of a conspiracy so some of us won’t know and will become vaporized?
Help us all out. Believers sound like reactionary people rather than people with a belief system. There is nothing like getting punked by your own calendar and wrist watch. When Sunday comes someone will have some explaining to do.
As a lay leader in a mainstream Protestant denomination, this sort of thing is very distressing to me. It conveys the notion that Christians are irrational nutcases. Most people do not want to be associated with such nonsense, and thus turn against the church.
Christ said that no one knows the day of His return. We are to live our lives every day as if He were returning today. My church preaches the Gospel of Jesus Christ, but devotes its efforts to ministries that make a difference in peoples’ lives locally and globally. We don’t waste time scaring others and driving them to idiotic moves such as selling their homes, quitting their jobs, taking their kids out of school, etc.
I believe that one can have faith and think rationally at the same time. I’ve taught Christian education programs in my church on how faith and science are consistent.
I don’t know that Christ won’t return Saturday any more than these people know that He will. However, I plan to thaw and brine a chicken Saturday night to roast for our family dinner after services Sunday.
Pickled chicken? Is that good? Recipe please!
All this is obviously extremism and fanaticism. I see it no differently than Westboro Baptist. And you are correct. In my world, they do not represent the Christian Church I know.
Moon – absolutely! Brining poultry before cooking it improves the flavor and makes the meat much more tender. You should see my giant pot with the turkey soaking at Thanksgiving.
Use about one-half cup of Kosher salt and a couple of tablespoons of corned beef spices per gallon of water. Simmer for about fiteen minutes, or until the spices have turned the water slightly brown. Have enough of this mixture to completely cover the bird in the pot you will use. Let it cool completely. Then cover your bird in the pot with the mixture, including the spices. Soak overnight in the refridgerator or outside, if the temperature is cold enough. Next day, take the bird out of the brine, and rinse and dry it thoroughly. Cook it as you please.
Don’t leave the bird in the brine too long or you will have a salty, pickled chicken.
http://www.slate.com/id/2295122/
What will be on the billboards on May 22 ?
One more thing – overnight is fine for a chicken. You might want to give a larger bird, such as a turkey a day or two.
Alternatively, I cut the breast/wing part from the leg/thigh/back part of a turkey and roast them separately. The leg/thigh typically takes longer to cook than the breast, and you don’t want to overcook and dry out the breast. To serve, put the cooked leg/thigh/back on your platter first, and then the breast/wing part on top, all on your serving platter. It will appear as though you didn’t chop up your turkey prior to cooking and your Thanksgiving guests will wonder how you got the thigh done completely without drying out the breast.
A dismembered turkey should soak in the brine only overnight, like a chicken.
Also, while the turkey is cooking simmer the neck, giblets, etc. slowly in water. Don’t brine the giblets. When the turkey is done, use this broth to deglaze the roasting pan. Strain this mixture, skim off some of the fat, and use this liquid as the base of your gravy and/or in baked dressing. Use the turkey fat you skim off to make a roux for your gravy.
Does the chicken absorb the salt like Smithfield ham?
You ought to start a catering service, NTK. That all sounds good.
I had never heard of brining but I don’t cook much now. Stouffers is my friend.
No – cured hams like Smithfield use a dry rub of salt and spices, and are allowed to cure/dry for an extended period of time. The chicken and turkey will absorb some of the salt, but as long as you don’t add too much salt to the brine, and don’t soak them too long (see instructions above) they won’t taste salty at all. I suggest you start with a chicken and graduate to turkeys.
Slow roasting a turkey after brining will produce the best tasting turkey you’ve ever had. It beats by a long shot deep-frying (and is much safer) and other trendy ways of cooking turkey.
We’ll cover the details of making fresh sage dressing, gravy, and homemade cranberries sometime before next Thanksgiving.
By the way, I’ve taught cooking and wine appreciation classes before. It’s a lot of fun.
http://hamptonroads.com/2011/05/judgment-day-dogs
258x$135 — a lttle financial “rapture” for sure.
The rapture of the Church is the second coming of Christ, when Christians will be called to heaven.
I don’t see them much anymore but remember the bumper stickers that said – In case of Rapture, this car will be unmanned.
Anyways, here are a couple verses from the Bible that talk about the second coming.
Matthew 24:30-36
Matthew 24:40-41
Also, Moon I very good series to learn about the rapture is the Left Behind by Tim LaHaye.
I thought it was the Mayan calendar that ran out tomorrow?
@Alanna
That’s December 21, 2012. There’s already been one movie made about that by Roland Emmerich, who also made “The Day After Tomorrow” and contributed to the special effects for Al Gore’s movie. All three had good special effects and some entertaining fiction.
I’m kinda like Moe mentioned on a FB page–should cut the grass on Saturday, but will wait until Sunday. I have some bills I could pay on Saturday, but will hold off until Sunday.
NTK–is your “mainstream Protestant denomination” so insecure that “…this sort of thing is very distressing to me. It conveys the notion that Christians are irrational nutcases. Most people do not want to be associated with such nonsense, and thus turn against the church.”
I think you do your denomination a disservice by stating that nutcase, “conveys the notion that [all] Christians are irrational nutcases.” Most people turn against churches because they feel the denomination/church’s dogma obscures the messages of Christ and Christianity in general. I gave up on organized religion because of that and I have many friends who feel the same way. And I won’t even discuss how I feel about the Catholic Church.
Man…are we going to have egg on our faces if the world does start shaking and coming to an end on the 21st…….
We are going to be so embarrassed.
it’s already been May 21st for over 5 hours in Fiji and New Zealand, 6 hours in Tonga and 7 hours in the Line Islands. Not to offend, but the rest of the world will be getting on as normal whilst the east coast of america dreads the approach of midnight…
http://i.imgur.com/XgnEY.jpg
Moon,
Please don’t lump all “believers” in with the “doomsdayers”. There is much debate within theological scholars as to whether or not the “rapture” has been foretold. I’m not decided either way, as I don’t reconcile “pre-ordination of the elect” with “free will”.
I do believe the Bible. I do believe there will come a time when everything written about in Revelation will come to pass, but every generation has had its doomsday predictions, going back to the 1st century Christian Church. The early church believed the 2nd Coming would happen within their lifetime. I am sure they believed “the end is here” when Rome was being sacked. Later Christians must have believed the same when a third of the population of Europe died of the “Black Death”. Those experiencing the horrors of WWI & WWII may have thought this must be the period of tribulation written in the book of Revelation.
Some look for signs that have been prophesied throughout both the old and new testaments. Sort of an “Armageddon Checklist”. If you are checking them off, a few things still need to happen, like a massive war against Israel, and the rebuilding of the temple in Jerusalem. Some, like Mr. Camping, think it’s a matter of numerology. The Bible is replete with numbers (Seven Seals, Seven Bowls, triple-sixes, and the like), and they seem to think that by cracking the secret cypher, they will know what comes next.
Me? I read and accept this:
“But the day of the Lord will come like a thief. The heavens will disappear with a roar; the elements will be destroyed by fire, and the earth and everything done in it will be laid bare.” 2 Peter 3:10
It means no one knows when the end will come. It could come when world events are bad, or when everything seems to be pretty good. I believe that a bunch of things have to happen before the “tribulation” begins, and I am not convinced they have happend. I don’t believe we are in the period of “tribulation”. I believe this period will be the worst ever experienced in human history. Having a degree in History, I think I’ve a pretty good comparitive perspective on “bad things”. We could have a period of upheval rivaling that of the fall of the Roman Empire, or the Black Death, and still not be in the “end times”. Could we be at the begining of the end? Yes. But we could be at the end of the beginning too. The end-times started at the crucifixtion. What the clock was set to, and how fast it is counting down to zero, on He knows.
According to my understanding, the folks who are convinced the end is tomorrow aren’t preaching condemnation. Condemnation is ALL that Westboro Baptist preaches. This may not seem like a big difference to some, but to me, this is a difference akin to day and night.
So, who is stayin’ behind with me?! Moonhowler, are you in?
So, I guess my question is, what qualifies one to be caught up in the “rapture”?
@Steve, I hope I didn’t leave the impression that I thought all Christians believe this. I grew up with the notion of Alanna’s first quote…well, the last sentence was all Ms. Mainstream (me) paid much attention to. In other words, no one knows but God. Therefore I have ignored all the doomsdayers.
I will say this. I never heard the expression ‘the Rapture’ until I was an adult.
Tribulation, I can’t recall. I sure hope I am not driving when it happens. I don’t want to get hit by all those unmanned vehicles. Then again maybe the Mayans were right.
anyone remember this event? Not religiously driven, but this group believed in some impending visit from UFO’s.
http://www.cnn.com/US/9703/27/suicide/index.html
@George S. Harris
George, you don’t even know which church I belong to, much less anything about what we do. If a denominational church is not right for you, I wish you well in your chosen path. However, don’t blindly attack others who choose something else. I’m very satisfied with how people in my church practice their faith.
My problem is with irrationality. This “nutcase” puts his own interpretation on scripture and announces a date for the end of the world, contrary to how the vast majority of Christians, both fundamentalist and liberal, understand it. Some small number of people follow him and the media portrays the situation as if they represent most Christians. That’s what distresses me.
I will never attack how you choose to excercise your faith and would appreciate the right to choose my own as well. I never force what I believe on anyone, but would gladly share it with them if they want.
I never attack or look down on someone who believes differently than I do. We had a thread just recently about Elena’s concerns about patronizing a business that forced their religious views on customers. We must find a balance between honoring our own faith and respecting the right of others to have theirs.
@Moon-howler
The concept of Rapture was developed during the late reformation period, and was part of mainstream Puritainism. Cotton Mather was a main proponent of this doctrine. That would mean that the concept is primarily American in origin. Those who would be “taken up” are the “elect”. The LDS church, as well as others, believe this number is 144,000. The scriptural basis for this belief is in Revelation 7: 3-8, 14:1, 3-5. These are references to a number of people from the 12 tribes of Israel who will be spared the horrors and suffering of the tribulation.
The tribulation is the period when the Antichrist is in charge, and during the ride of the 4 horseman of the apocalypse: War, Famine, Pestilence, Death, which is a prelude to the final judgement. The period is said by some to last 7 years, and will end when Christ returns and establishes His kingdom as “The New Heaven and New Earth” , beginning a 1000 year reign of peace.
Elena, how ’bout you and I drive by Corey’s house at 6:05. I would love to hear whom Corey blames for his being passed by.
@Mom
That’s funny.
I can probably go with you also, Mom.
Perhaps you should stop by Newt’s house also.
So what are the qualifications for being raptured? If only 144,000 get raptured, I probably won’t know them anyway. Will they all be living people?
“So what are the qualifications for being raptured?”
According to The Book, you have to be from one of the 12 Tribes, and of those, one of the 12,000 from each tribe. Not a whole lot beyond that.
Well, Steve,
First you have to find a raptor.
Then get close enough that it eats you.
Done. Now you’re in Heaven.
What a great idea! Tomorrow, start talking about all those people you saw disappear. Ask about so n’ so…show wonder that you didn’t ascend. Tell people about the empty clothes you found on the street and the car slowly going down your street with no one in it….
Better idea, whack Mother-in-Law with a baseball bat (think Joe Peschi in Vegas). When police arrive, explain that the rapture made you do it and that you are merely a tool of the Lord dispensing his almighty justice on evildoers. If you get an all male jury, worst case scenario is a small fine and time served.
If you believe you will be taken up in tomorrow’s Rapture, feel free to send me cash, PIN numbers, new cars, fine art, whatever, since you won’t be needing them after 6 pm tomorrow anyway. I promise to make good use of it all.
I’m considering blowing off exercise and eating chocolate and Big Macs until the world ends. Seriously – if we’re all gonna be in Hell for the next 5 months why should how I look in a bathing suit matter at all……..Look out Wegman’s – here I come!!!!
What if you go by Corey’s house, and he isn’t there? Hmmmmm?
Then we will know he was either an annointed one or he is on a walk with some of his earth bound buddies????
@Need to Know
My point which you obviously missed is that your denomination feels threatened by this nutcase. I could care less what denomination you belong to, but if you feel this clown is a threat, then I must say, do you really believe that what the media is saying has any effect on most believers? I would disagree that many people accept his predictions except some other nutcases. So take off your pack, stand at ease and remember that it is already the 21st of May on the other side of the international date line and that half of the world has not disappeared.
It’s the end of the world for some, and 72 virgins for others. Both equally ridiculous beliefs!
Just to CMA I’m putting off my yard work ’til Sunday in case they’re right after all ; )
George, feed the foxes just in case. 😉
@Moon-howler
I think the foxes have exited the scene–haven’t seen them for days. Maybe they know something about tomorrow!
Moderate earthquake in west Turkey.
Moon, let us know if your dogs start to act strange.
@Wolverine, I will. I am checking them hourly.
@George, that is unusual for foxes, especially if they are snacking in the area.
http://www.slate.com/id/2295099/
Good old “cognitive dissonance”!
T-minus 8 hours and 15 minutes until the Rapture. Stay off the roads!
@Emma,
I sure hope that the Rapture won’t interfer with the Preakness. If horses start disappearing off the track I am gonna get worried
I don’t practice a particular religion anymore, but with K-8 at a Catholic School, and four years of CCD during High School, figure I got my bases covered just in case 😉
M-H,
Just my luck – the long shot horse I wagered my goose egg on
is leading by two lengths just before the finish line, a dream come true,
and then – POOF!
Don’t you get it 20:12 not 2012 the world might end today at 8:12 pm
http://www.theatlanticwire.com/national/2011/05/world-fails-end/37999/
But to be safe, the Nats used all their run allocation for the rest of the season
last night —17 — hitting like there was no tomorrow.
And this is a good thing!
Big Dog, I can feel your pain about that race horse. THAT is what would happen to me.
So who are you rooting for? My money goes on Animal kingdom. It is time for a triple crown winner. I didn’t do a thread because I didn’t want to jinx him.
no triple crown winner and I wasn’t raptured, nor was anyone I know. Am I hanging out with the wrong crowd?
@Steve Thomas
“Raptured” or “Ruptured”. Don’t know about the former, but in the case of the latter, for a male, it means having a loose inguinal ring and straining too hard.
@Moon-howler
One young fox still in the area. He/she was in our her garden today, having captured a squirrel. I think he/she may have been looking for some rosemary and garlic for a good old fashioned squirrel roast. I am wondering, do you serve white or red wine?
@Steve Thomas
What part of the Bible do you “believe?” Do you believe Old or New Testament? More validity to the Old than the New. What version do you believe? Is your belief founded on the King James version? Do you understand that Christ was not a Christian? As a matter of fact–what is a Christian? The disciples were not Catholics or Protestants–at best they were rabbis and followers of the teachings of Christ. They originally demanded that any male gentiles who wanted to follow the teachings of Christ must first be circumcised–WHOA!!! So what do you REALLY beleive Steve?
@George S. Harris
I believe the whole thing, old and new testament. I have read several of the translations throughout the years, but currently use a NIV study bible. Jesus was a Jew. The desciples were jews, and worshipped as jews. Paul brought the Gospel to the gentiles. This isn’t a matter of belief. It is a matter of fact.
As to what I believe, if you’d really like to know, lets have a cup of coffee and I’ll tell you. I’ll even buy.