And Now for Something Slightly Different...

I used to listen to this song, as done by my cousins in a barbershop quartet. But Skeeter Davis, who made this a top hit, does it even better.

Check out her version of "The End of the World" -- fitting for this blog, don't you think?

The End of the World Is Still Coming!

Well, now you know --
   Harold Camping, the engineer-turned-broadcaster of the Family Radio International, has amended his earlier announcement that the world was going to end on May 21: he was wrong. Sort of. Not that the world is going to end -- he's says he's still right on that -- but it's not going to happen slowly, over coming months, until Oct. 21, when the whole world bursts into a fireball.
   Naah. It's all going to happen -- and fast -- on October 21!
   There you go.

Camping's explanation is here. In short:
   "We have to be looking at all of this a little bit more spiritual, but it won't be spiritual on Oct. 21," he said. "Because the Bible clearly teaches that then the world is going to be destroyed altogether." When asked if his group would return donations slated for publicizing the end of the world, he said, "We're not at the end. Why return it?"

So see? He wasn't wrong. It just happened spiritually, instead of physically. (Responses to Camping's lack-of-Rapture are here. More here, as well.)
     I'm just waiting for his explanation on Oct. 22.

Well...It Didn't Happen

People at church today had fun ribbing each other: "What? You're still here??")

   Now that Harold Camping has officially messed up on his second prediction that the world will end, I sincerely hope he will quietly fade back into the sunset.
   Maybe take some time to read his Bible more closely, as well.

We celebrated by going to the park and eating KFC fried chicken in the warm sun, watching teenagers chase each other, squirtguns in hand. More kids were mining in the sandbox, or wandering through, stopping to pet Charley. ("More! More! Preferably with snacks!")
    It was a good day.

Wake Up - It's the End of the World!

It's going to happen today -- well, the start of it, anyways, according to Harold Camping, a broadcaster located in, appropriately enough, Boulder, Colorado. (I have a lot of affection for this wacky college town -- we lived there for a few years -- but it's not for nothing known locally as the 'land of fruits and nuts.') At 6 p.m., according to Camping (Mountain Standard Time?), it will begin with a huge earthquake:

   In other words, when we get to May 21 on the calendar in any city or country in the world, and the clock says about — this is based on other verses in the Bible — when the clock says about 6 p.m., there’s going to be this tremendous earthquake that’s going to make the last earthquake in Japan seem like nothing in comparison. And the whole world will be alerted that Judgment Day has begun. And then it will follow the sun around for 24 hours. As each area of the world gets to that point of 6 p.m. on May 21, then it will happen there, and until it happens, the rest of the world will be standing far off and witnessing the horrible thing that is happening.
   The Christians won't have to worry about this, though -- we'll be headed up to Heaven via the Rapture.

I'm not the only believing Christian that is struggling with this man's predictions. First, because Jesus himself said, "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." (Look it up for yourself: Mark 13:32.) Apparently the Lord ACTUALLY meant to add, "oh...and Harold Camping."
    Secondly, he may mean this seriously -- but his group's actions have brought on a lot of ridicule for a cause I and others strongly believe in -- a faith we've staked our lives on. How does this honor Christianity and its tenets, and dignify the King? I can't figure it out...

Do I believe that Jesus will return? Yes. Will it be via a Rapture (which you'd have a tough time absolutely proving, other than hints or assumptions) or the real End of the World? Beats me. I welcome His coming back -- it just won't be on Harold Camping's terms.

Gotta go set up Ana's chocolate fountain. See you tomorrow.
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   Another columnist's take on the subject: "I better say Happy Birthday to my daughter early this year because that’s her birthday. Look what I brought you for your birthday this year, honey, it’s the end of the world! It was too big to gift-wrap, sorry."