Doomsday May 21, 2011
Apr. 3rd, 2011 09:57 pm"Of that day and hour knows no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my father only..."
-- Matthew 24:36
I came across a story at Huffington Post about one of the high holy rollers of American Christendom prophesying that the world will end next month. I know that these prophecies now come at about a dime a dozen, but I like their write-up on this one, giving us some nice notes on biblical interpretation. It should be noted at the outset, though, that this new prophet, Harold Camping, also came out with a book in 1992 forecasting the end of the world on September 4, 1994, saying later that he made a mathematical error. But who doesn't like a good 'end of the world' story? It feels a little like suicide but better, because we all go together (notwithstanding the Christian bit about how some go one way and some the other).
( article )
"It’s true, I am afraid of dying. I am afraid of the world moving forward without me, of my absence going unnoticed, or worse, being some natural force propelling life on. Is it selfish? Am I such a bad person for dreaming of a world that ends when I do? I don’t mean the world ending with respect to me, but every set of eyes closing with mine."
- "Everything Is Illuminated", Jonathan Safran Foer
-- Matthew 24:36
I came across a story at Huffington Post about one of the high holy rollers of American Christendom prophesying that the world will end next month. I know that these prophecies now come at about a dime a dozen, but I like their write-up on this one, giving us some nice notes on biblical interpretation. It should be noted at the outset, though, that this new prophet, Harold Camping, also came out with a book in 1992 forecasting the end of the world on September 4, 1994, saying later that he made a mathematical error. But who doesn't like a good 'end of the world' story? It feels a little like suicide but better, because we all go together (notwithstanding the Christian bit about how some go one way and some the other).
( article )
"It’s true, I am afraid of dying. I am afraid of the world moving forward without me, of my absence going unnoticed, or worse, being some natural force propelling life on. Is it selfish? Am I such a bad person for dreaming of a world that ends when I do? I don’t mean the world ending with respect to me, but every set of eyes closing with mine."
- "Everything Is Illuminated", Jonathan Safran Foer