May 21, 2011 is ...

[smileyeagle1021]

The end is coming. Ends come all the time (by galactic time standards). Hell, if we keep fucking up our own envirnment, we'll end ourselves properly. Or, we could clean up our act and get ended by an asteroid.

Hell, even without allowing for asteroids and us destroying ourselves, the sun will begin to balloon up in size as it starts to run low on fuel and burn the Earth... that cannot be avoided or stopped. So, yes, the end is coming, no matter what we do.

[derangedperson]

It appears that Harold has suffered a stroke.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/atlantic/201...sstroke38757_1

Maybe this will finally shut him up.

How's that karma taste, you lying cocksucker?

[KnitShoni]

I haven't seen them in person, but I've seen the pictures posted online. Funny, I guess. But from the point of view of a non-Christian, the billboards completely miss the point. The end of the world is NOT imminent. There's NOT going to be a Rapture. There's no invisible mafia boss who's going to reward those who follow his tyrannical rules and punish those who don't.

It seems that the billboards are pointing out that the book this guy is claiming to use to predict the end of the world very clearly states it cannot be predicted. You don't necessarily have to be Christian or believe in the end of the world to see the irony in that.

[Hyena Dandy]

It appears that Harold has suffered a stroke.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/atlantic/201...sstroke38757_1

Maybe this will finally shut him up.

How's that karma taste, you lying cocksucker?

As much as I don't like him, I never want to see someone else be hurt...

[Ghel]

The end is coming. Ends come all the time (by galactic time standards).

For the purposes of this discussion, "the end" means the end of humanity or the end of the Earth. "Galactic time standards" do not apply.

Hell, if we keep fucking up our own envirnment, we'll end ourselves properly. Or, we could clean up our act and get ended by an asteroid.

Entirely possible, but it will not be a supernatural event that causes the end of humanity or the Earth.

It seems that the billboards are pointing out that the book this guy is claiming to use to predict the end of the world very clearly states it cannot be predicted. You don't necessarily have to be Christian or believe in the end of the world to see the irony in that.

If everyone involved agreed that we were discussing fiction, that would be one thing. But Camping and the billboard author each think that they're debating different interpretations of the truth. I don't accept their presupposition that their holy book is accurate in any way that matters. I suppose it would be funny if it weren't so sad.

It appears that Harold has suffered a stroke.

It was probably stress + age. Not surprising that he's got some health issues at 89 years. Still, I don't wish him harm, despite the harm he caused for people who fell for his line of BS.

[Rapscallion]

It was probably stress + age. Not surprising that he's got some health issues at 89 years. Still, I don't wish him harm, despite the harm he caused for people who fell for his line of BS.

I think the harm people encountered was not just his fault - I think they had a duty of care to themselves in which they failed. They had a duty to question, and they erred by not doing so.

Rapscallion

[KnitShoni]

If everyone involved agreed that we were discussing fiction, that would be one thing. But Camping and the billboard author each think that they're debating different interpretations of the truth. I don't accept their presupposition that their holy book is accurate in any way that matters. I suppose it would be funny if it weren't so sad.

Actually, you can't really tell what the billboard author believes. You don't need to be a Christian to read the bible and find that verse.

[Ghel]

I think the harm people encountered was not just his fault - I think they had a duty of care to themselves in which they failed. They had a duty to question, and they erred by not doing so.

I see what you're saying, and I agree to a certain extent. I still think Camping is partially at fault for preying on the minds of gullible people. Someone can't make a logical assessment of a claim if they've never been given the tools to do so.

Actually, you can't really tell what the billboard author believes. You don't need to be a Christian to read the bible and find that verse.

I suppose it's possible that a non-Christian might have put up the billboard. But it doesn't seem likely to me, for two reasons. One, it went up after May 21. If the message is "Ha! Your beliefs are inconsistent even within your own worldview," then I would have expected the billboard to go up before the prophesied end of the world. Two, the "That was awkward" statement makes it sound like the author is either embarrassed on Camping's behalf or embarrassed to be associated with him.

[SkullKing]

to me the "akward" statement just means he is poking fun of the guy, but i can see how it can be seen as a "I understand the bible better then you so am a better cristhian" statement.

I should note that I find quoting the bible to counter-argument churchians very fun, even if I don´t believe in it.

[Ipecac Drano]