May 21st

People are saying that May 21st is going to be judgement day. This prediction doesn't happen all the time but it's not necessarily uncommon either. It's been unsuccessfully predicted many times in the past. Just for fun I listened to a Family Life Radio Broadcast today that was hosted by Harold Camping, the man who made the May 21st prediction. In a way I feel bad for him more than anything else. He's got this slow rambling voice that makes me think of a kind grandfather. He never raises his voice, gets angry or tries to be controversial. He just seems like a senile 89 year old man. I'm sure there are plenty of 89 year old men out there who would sound ridiculous if people listened to them and spread their ideas. 

He didn't really come across as a bad guy, just a guy who's spent his whole life thinking about the wrong stuff, or at least what I consider to be the wrong stuff. He's spent the last 50 years or so with the delusion that knowing when the end of the world was going to happen was important for people to know. From a Christian perspective though, why is knowing that important? If the end of the world was tomorrow or the end of the world was 1000 years from now or if there is never supposed to be an end to the world, would that change how we are supposed to act now? If we are supposed to do unto others as we would have them do unto us, would the world ending Saturday as opposed to 1000 years from now change that? I don't think so. So why would it be of utmost importance to spend your time trying to know something that is irrelevant to how you should live your life? The answer is that it's probably not important. After Saturday he's likely to be the most recent laughing stock of the world. That sucks because I think he's a senile 89 year old guy who spent his time unwisely but I don't necessarily think he's any worse than anybody else who misspent their time. Is the guy who did drugs till the day he died better? The billionaire who never gave two shits about the poverty stricken planet we're in? They alcoholic who thinks the whole world is meaningless? The self-absorbed woman who eats junk food all day and watches TV while her kids get raised by the school they attend? The list goes on and on. It's rare to find someone who lives well and I feel bad for all of us but especially Mr. Camping because he's no crazier than anyone else, he's just unfortunate enough to be listened too.