In my feeble attempts to establish myself as a writer I have posted a new blog every Saturday morning for almost two years.
I have numbered each posting and, indeed, today’s effort represents blog number 94.
I am well aware that my 100th blog is only a few weeks away and, naturally, I have been eagerly looking forward to this milestone for quite some time.
So you can imagine the immensity of the wave of disappointment that swept through my very being when I turned on CNN the other day and discovered that the world will cease to exist after 6pm today, Saturday, May 21, 2011.
It seems a man named Harold Camping and his many devoted followers believe a massive earthquake will destroy our planet on Saturday, May 21. This will be day one of a five month period of catastrophes before the world ends completely in October.
His organization, Radio Family, purportedly has tens of thousands of followers who contribute some $20,000,000 each year to his groups coffers to ensure that funds are readily available to spread the word of impending doom as far and wide as possible.
We are told that many of his followers have forsaken their families, careers and worldly possessions to spend the last few months travelling, caravan style, from city to city in the hopes of recruiting others to their cause.
Of course, these are the only folks who will survive the upcoming planetary implosion.
Many of them have given away their homes, cars and other material goods as, after this evening, they will have no further need for them.
What was their purpose in giving these possessions away? Surely the recipients of these treasures will have no need for them either?
I don’t get it.
I am not ridiculing the religious beliefs of others. I fully respect the right of all to believe as we wish.
I just find their conviction so interesting because we have spent many of the previous 93 postings discussing the one thing that unites many of us.
It is also the same thing that divides many of us.
It is what we uniquely, separately and individually believe to be true.
And it holds extreme power over us.
We are what we believe to be true.
We define ourselves by what we believe to be true.
It drives how we think, and governs what we do.
We view the entire world through the filters of what we believe to be true and we frequently forget that just because we believe something to be true does not mean that it may only be fantasy masquerading as fact.
And when our beliefs are strong enough and passionate enough, we often develop blind spots to the possibility that those beliefs may not be fact.
We sometimes become so convinced in the truthfulness of what we believe that even in the face of overwhelming evidence to the contrary we are unwilling to entertain the possibility that our beliefs may not represent fact.
And so, assuming we are still here tomorrow, I wonder how Mr Camping will explain our ongoing existence to his flock and I would be very interested in learning how much success they have in regaining ownership of all that they have given away.
Of course, there are those folks, millions of them, who don’t believe that the world will go kaboom today.
They believe these people are nuts, bonkers, deluded, crazy and just plain wrong.
They believe all this to be true with the same intensity of conviction as those other folks believe that after today we’re all done.
So, who’s right?
I guess we’ll have to wait until Sunday to find out.
If there is a Sunday.
I sure hope they’re wrong.
I really want to get to 100.
Till we read again.
P.S. ACT NOW before it’s too late. Order your very own copy of my book Life Sinks or Soars – the Choice is Yours right now. This may be your last chance. Email me at rael@raelkalley.com or click here and the folks at Self Connection will ship the book right to your door. Hopefully it will arrive in time.
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I have been in Armenia for the last two weeks (seven more to go) working for the UN (Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe) on police reforms in this former Soviet country. This is my 6th mission in the last 5 years and it has opened my eyes to an incredible and undeniable reality. The City I live in is 2,792 years old. It has withstood earth quakes, invasions from the Turks, Azerbaijan, Persia, the Ottoman Empire, the Roman Empire, the Soviets. The people understand tragedy and famine, no water or electricity for weeks on end, and yet they survive as a proud nation that is unique in a sea of Muslim countries. They embraced Christianity in 300 A.D. as the state religion. Guess what? It is Sunday morning here (we are 11 hours ahead of Alberta) and I see street sweepers, florists opening their shops, bakers delivering their goods and dogs lolling in the park across from the apartment I live in. With the exception of the heavy rain and thunderstorms we had last night the City is pretty much as it was yesterday. We are often quick to listen to the Messiah who shouts loudest and says the things we want to hear or believe inside us. They play to our bias, our fears and our prejudices and we feel so much better when we are able to blame someone else for our lot in life. Historically we have seen many examples of the false prophets who are really only interested in profits and self interest. Today I am confident will rise in the gifted West has it has done for Eons and the Camping following will be left to interpret this reprieve. Must have been a hell of a party last night though, don’t you think? Thanks Rael and congratulations on nearly 100 (you’re almost pregnant). John
Sorry about the last paragraph. It should have read something like this instead, “I am confident the SUN will rise in the gifted West AS it has done for Eons….” Well at least Mr. Camping has until October to be right. Most of us make decisions that have more urgent ramifications. And if not, there is always the Mayan Calendar showing the end next year (much like the Flames) we wait with much anticipation.
Sunday, May 22, 2:44pm.
Oops.
Someone was wrong, and Rael, I’m glad it wasn’t you!