Monday, April 25, 2011

It's All Over, Folks

Damn, just when I was starting to feel pretty confident about my future after my heart surgery... This billboard just popped up in town:

The Apocalypse is near - Repent before it is too late! Seriously, we really mean it THIS time. "The Bible Guarantees It", according to the billboard. This ain't no heathen Aztec calender.

42 comments:

CiCi said...

Speaking of your surgery, you must be feeling pretty darn good to have your blog humor back. I say hooray.

Paul said...

Nice one Robert...:-)

mapstew said...

Well, if the bible guarantees it...

Shit!

Though I might defer this months mortgage repayment until the 22nd! :¬)

Me said...

You've been fighting it for so long now!

DJan said...

Those doomsday people just never go away. And right when you had everything going your way, they pull the world out from under you!:-)

Rain Trueax said...

There was one of those along the freeway heading south also. I have heard of it but haven't heard who is behind it. Can't be Christians though as they would 'know' the Bible says no man will know the day or hour :)

The Mother said...

Darn! And we were throwing our end of the world party on Dec 12, 2012!

Mandy_Fish said...

On a related note, I found this article on the science of why we don't believe in science interesting. It also addresses people like the billboard-makers:

http://motherjones.com/politics/2011/03/denial-science-chris-mooney?page=1

Anonymous said...

Well, okay then. Guess I can ditch all of my plans-and spend all of my money. No use wasting it by saving for the future now.

Robert the Skeptic said...

TechnoBabe I'm getting beter every day. The frequency of doctor visits should fall off significantly starting next month... at least until the 21st.

Paul Glad you liked it.

Mapstew Yeah, well you can't argue with the bible!

Orhan Well, the fight will be over next month, apparently.

DJan I would love to talk to some of these people after-the-fact, doesn't it shake their confidence?

Rain It does indeed specifically say that in the bible. These predictions contradict the "holy book", I think that makes them guilty of blasphemy !!

Buz said...

The really scary part is "FamilyRadio."

Kay Dennison said...

LOL Glad you're your regular, feisty self. Love it!!

I saw a sign here that read "The end is near." and asked, "Of what?"

Robert the Skeptic said...

Dr. Mom You weren't believing that heathen Aztec nonsense, were you??

Mandy It is extremely difficult to change someone's thinking patterns, particularly when our brains are so naturally oriented toward belief in what is first presented to us. People generally tenaciously hold onto their beliefs; change happens only incrementally and over time.

BackRow I was thinking about going onto some Christian web sites and encouraging them,, that if they wanted to look good in the eyes of god, they should send all their "tainted" evil money to me.

Nance said...

Good photo grab!

There was one near us that I called Jesus On Steroids: Showed a bulked up, ripped Jesus flexing his biceps against a background of flames; Spanish language message I couldn't read, but I don't think it was "Suffer the little children..."

Here's where your billboard originated, in case you want to get that research nailed down: http://www.wecanknow.com/

This is seriously gonna feck with some plans I've got.

Robert the Skeptic said...

Buz Well they want to project that timeless wholesome nuclear family image (without the slave ownership part, that is).

Kay The first thing that hit my mind that is near an end is "our Democracy".

Jerry said...

Sorry --- I'll be on vacation and miss it.

billy pilgrim said...

well let's party like it's 1999!!

Buz said...

The reason I say "FamilyRadio" is scary is because it brings to mind all the children who are being indoctrinated into this kind of thinking.

Jon said...

How many times has the world ended? Back in the early 70's I read "When Prophecy Fails" for a sociology class. I might want to read that again.

Robert the Skeptic said...

Jerry I take it you are vacationing on Mars, are you ???

Billy I was a regional computer network tech back then. Because the State (my employer) was terrified of the public criticizing us if ANYTHING went wrong, I had to show up at work before midnight, January 31st 1999. I was in this huge building waiting for the computers to burst into flames. By 12:15 I was allowed to go back home to bed.

Buz Ah yes, I agree. Though they are equally as frightened that children will be indoctrinated with SECULAR HUMANISM in our evil public schools.

Jon I actually ran across that book online today. Is it a sign, ya think?

Antares Cryptos said...

Dangit, I thought I had until December.

To quote a Whedonism: "What's the plural of Apocalypse?"

Anonymous said...

I'm not going to bother washing my windows then.

Wait--you don't think that's one of the categories, do you?

Antares Cryptos said...

I gave you a few awards, just in time apparently.

Robert the Skeptic said...

Cryptos There is no plural, there is "supposed" to only be one. However, some people are pondering this very thing here.

Thanks for the awards. Do any involve cash?

Marylee Generally, no - but if you wash your windows on the Sabbath, expect to be stoned.

adrielleroyale said...

I have to laugh. And then shake my head. It's pretty bad when even "heathens" know that the bible says, as Rain noted, that no man will know the day or hour! LOL

Oye.

Gutsy Living said...

According to Ric Elias (one of the passengers on the plane that crash landed on the Hudson River) "Dying is not scary; sad but not scary."

Paul said...

The world will end not with a bang, but with a whimper some sage once said Robert...

Kay Dennison said...

@Paul: That was from T.S Eliot's "The Hollow Men" It's an excellent poem. And I'm going out kicking, kvetching, and screaming.

Robert the Skeptic said...

adrielle I was curious about that as well, do these people profess to know the mind of god and ignore the holy book??!!

Gusty I guess each of us will eventually find out.

Paul I have heard that saying as well.

Kay ... and thanks for revealing to us it's origin.

Which reminds me of something else I once heard said:

"When I die, I want to die peacefully and quietly like my grandfather did, not kicking and screaming in panic like his passengers."

adrielleroyale said...

That is precisely what they are professing..and ignoring. Again, Oye.

Antares Cryptos said...

Just a thank you for showing up.

Virtual check is in the mail.

Stafford Ray said...

Man! That is lousy value. Billboards cost a mint. And to pay all that and only need it for a few weeks! EEEEK!
But hang on there... I guess the billboard company offered the space cheap as a closing down special!
On third thoughts, I guess they could paint out the date and leave it there for the next nut and date festival.
Why don't more people laugh at these fools? Oh, I see, you say they might be right! They swear it's Gospel! I'll shup up then.

Jayne said...

Is there some kind of fallout shelter for this sort of thing. I've already inked it in on my calendar. ;)

Robert the Skeptic said...

Ray One of the people in our secular group had a suggestion: On the 22nd, paint across the billboard - "So what else is the bible WRONG about?"

Jayne Oh you could not dig a fallout shelter deep enough to escape the wrath of god.

♥α§ђ£ε¥™♥ said...

This means I'll never graduate college!! After 6 years of hard work and tens of (maybe more than 100) thousands of dollars!! :( The thought makes me a bit disappointed. *sigh*

I did chortle when I saw my captcha was menchlo, though. I don't know why. But it was funny.

http://perpetuallyashley.blogspot.com/

Robert the Skeptic said...

♥α§ђ£ε¥™♥ Well look on the bright side, you won't have to pay back all those student loans either.

Snowbrush said...

It's here in Eugene too. I LOVE it. If only i could see the looks on these people's faces when the 22nd rolls around! I also wish they would all give me whatever money they have since they don't figure on needing it anyway.

Heidrun Khokhar, KleinsteMotte said...

I find the words of those old books hard to accept. Yet I am somehow caught up in the feeling that there's some sort of vibe we all give off. At times it appears the vibes can pick up or repel input. But we do not recognize how to "read' it. We have a lot to learn.

Adam said...

This reminds me of some googling I did a while ago to map out when folks on the internet thought the world would end.

Turns out 1995 and 2010 were pretty popular.

http://calicogames.com/blog/?p=19

Snowbrush said...

"Copyright © 2009-2011 WeCanKnow.com"

Maybe they're hedging their bets in case the 22nd arrives.

secret agent woman said...

Where would the world be without all the crackpots? (Yeah, I know - in a much better state!)

Marylinn Kelly said...

Haven't we been here before? In the meantime, I guess I'll just remain flexible. No knowing what comes next may be all that we do know. Please continue your recovery - hope all is going well. xo