Doomsayers Grounded by Their Failed Rapture Predictions

[Hissyspit]

Source: PNJ.com (Pensacola FL)

Doomsayers grounded by their failed rapture predictions
12:00 AM, May. 22, 2011 | Comments

Written by
Garance Burke

OAKLAND, Calif. — They spent months warning the world of the apocalypse, some giving away earthly belongings or draining their savings accounts. And so they waited, vigilantly, on Saturday for the appointed hour to arrive.

- snip -

Bauer, a tractor-trailer driver, began the voyage west last week, figuring that if he "worked last week, I wouldn't have gotten paid anyway, if the Rapture did happen." After seeing the nonprofit ministry's base of operations, Bauer planned to take a day trip to the Pacific Ocean, and then start the cross-country drive back home Sunday with his wife, young son and another family relative.

The May 21 doomsday message was sent far and wide via broadcasts and websites by Camping, an 89-year-old retired civil engineer who has built a multi-million-dollar Christian media empire that publicizes his apocalyptic prediction. According to Camping, the destruction was likely to have begun its worldwide march as it became 6 p.m. in the various time zones, although some believers said Saturday the exact timing was never written in stone.

In New York's Times Square, Robert Fitzpatrick, of Staten Island, said he was surprised when 6 p.m. came and went. He had spent his own money to put up advertising about the end of the world. "I can't tell you what I feel right now," he said, surrounded by tourists. "I don't understand it. I don't know. I don't understand what happened."

Read more: http://www.pnj.com/article/20110522/NEWS03/105220320/Doomsayers-grounded-by-their-failed-rapture-predictions?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews%7Ctext%7CFRONTPAGE

[Lucian]

1. Really?

Robert Fitzpatrick doesn't know what happened? I'll tell him what happened: he got duped. He was stupid, fell for it, and paid the price.

:nopity: from me.

[Cali_Democrat]

4. Here's a picture of Robert Fitzpatrick checking his watch as the moment arrives....

...of course he's being laughed at! :rofl:




http://www.nydailynews.com/ny_local/2011/05/21/2011-05-21_despite_preparations_believers_of_apocalypse_shocked_when_doomsday_time_passes_w.html

[KG]

26. too funny...

[bowens43]

33. wait for it.....wait for it........wait for it..... LOL nt

[brooklynite]

40. He's actually is fairly good shape...

...as a retired Govt employee, he has a guaranteed pension for life from the State of New York.

I hate to think about the others.

[Locrian]

45. caption - "how does stupid feel?" - nt

[ejbr]

46. Did he synchronize his watch? n/t

[underseasurveyor]

58. Fool.

P.T. Barnum anyone.

[leeroysphitz]

76. The mocking laughter of rational people around the country is like sweet music.

[roguevalley]

84. actually, my personal feeling is that laughing at him is as stupid and cruel as this

whole thing. These are manipulated people just like anyone manipulated. I take no joy in this and that idiot laughing next to him looks as stupid as this man probably feels. Its all terribly sad.

[iemitsu]

92. no, those laughing don't look as stupid

as those who believed.
it is not a requirement for people to be polite about other's idiocy. if we are then it legitimizes the idiocy.

[roguevalley]

98. in your opinion. Frankly, this makes the laugher in that picture look

revolting. IMO. Opinion. Your opinion. My opinion.

[iemitsu]

138. yes, in my opinion.

[customerserviceguy]

100. Agreed

That's why this needs to be a teachable moment, in the past, society as a whole has refrained from calling stupid stupid, this time, we need to use this example to tell our side of reality, that the bad acid trip that is Revelations just isn't ever going to happen.

[jberryhill]

108. Yes - the "polite" would rather people continue to be duped

We need to put up big flashing lights and warning signs whenever there is...

...Danger, Stupid People At Work

[Beartracks]

129. But that's just it -- many of these people are not idiots.

They may have made some profoundly idiotic decisions, but are otherwise normal, productive people with families, jobs, friends, neighbors. But clearly they're extremely gullible, just like the people who get duped into believing that their bank really did send them an email requesting account numbers and passwords. They were conned, taken advantage of, completely manipulated, and no one likes to think that it can happen to them so they have to persist in their belief right on up to the appointed time despite ridicule or evidence or common sense. You know: "just in case."

I'm certain many of those that got "taken" in Camping's Rapture are zealots and crackpots, but far too many are people that really should have known better. And that's probably the saddest part of all of this.

And as long as there is economic hardship, war, crime, and other negatives to contend with, far too many people can be manipulated into spending their energy and dollars on propagating "escape" fantasies like this rapture event rather than on real solutions.

--------------------------

[BobbyBoring]

135. NOT

If one believes that at 6:00 PM, massive earth quakes will start around the world and people that have been dead for thousands of years will rise up and go to heaven, they are idiots.

They also believe that as long as we cut taxes for the wealthy, vote republican, and pray and pay tithes, jobs will be created and they will get their piece of the pie.

IDIOTS with a capital I

[Beartracks]

137. Okay, I'll concede that point.

If they're that gullible about something like Camping's Rapture, they're likely quite gullible about all sorts of things, and such a frequent pattern of idiotic decisions or behavior would, in fact, classify someone as an idiot. I was thinking of some kind of "isolated idiocy" where everything else they do is pretty mainstream and normal, except for this one thing -- but really, Camping's Rapture was such a doozy that the likelihood of a believer NOT being manipulated and deceived in other areas of his or her life is probably very, very small.

------------------------------

[iemitsu]

139. yes, this is called cognative dissonance.

and it applies to our collective belief that capitalism is a good system too.
many who are harmed by it and who should know better cling to the notion that it is the best we can do.
crazy.

[bjobotts]

142. Of all the millions that have died since Jesus only an egotist would believe he's in the 144,000.

What are the odds...several million good Christian people are dead already but you must be one of the chosen. Better chance of winning the Powerball.

Goodness and kindness are not bound by religion and certainly not ignored by any God. How do they cope with their tremendous "chosen few" ego?

6000 yr old history and 144.ooo only let in is 2,400/yr. The rapture buss id filled idiots. No more room...Unless you believe in fantasy and travel the King Constatine express. Another Israeli land and power grab leaving out the 'magic hat' of MOrmons. They are all delusional with their fearmongering of... faith through fear of punishment mindset. Yep, Jesus had a better plan...but the Christians killed it.

[iemitsu]

146. yep, the christians killed the dream.

[demwing]

143. The only think cruelty legitimizes is cruelty /nt

[struggle4progress]

94. +

[salin]

99. I agree. eom.

[cprise]

103. Those people badly wanted to see the rest of us suffer

And they have a large subculture of movies and books (like 'Left Behind') describing it for their enjoyment.

Your feelings are misplaced. Those rapturists could be manipulated because they were both stupid and MEAN.

[Matariki]

104. Agreed. It's sad. I feel for him.

You can just see the Dark Night of The Soul he's about to have.

Hopefully he comes through it with a clear understanding of himself, a more spiritually mature understanding, and can eventually laugh at himself. As opposed to despair or suicide.

[jberryhill]

110. Perhaps you can go to the Hell he wished upon you, and cheer him up

[Matariki]

141. Or I can choose to have as much hate in my heart?

[jberryhill]

144. It's very difficult to help a wounded dog who is determined to bite you

And there is a choice of wounded dogs in need of help in this world.

[Matariki]

148. Who said anything about "helping" the guy? I was talking about Compassion.

You could argue that Compassion is a progressive value. It certainly benefits the person feeling it - in that it keeps you from becoming a bitter little man Jberryhill.

[jberryhill]

117. Perhaps we can cheer them up by burning some gays at the stake?

Since they are so disappointed that sinners are not suffering and envious of them?

[primavera]

121. So everyone who chooses to believe something stupid is a victim?

I appreciate your point, but doesn't there have to be some point at which people bear some share of responsibility for allowing themselves to be duped by something so patently absurd? I mean, if you sell me a timeshare with the ghost of Elvis on the remote planet of Skyron, okay, you're a jerk for lying to me, but c'mon, don't I have to take some of the blame for agreeing to something so colossally stupid?

[leeroysphitz]

124. These "manipulated" people have been butchering burning and oppressing the rest of us for 2000 yrs

I take a great deal of joy in their discomfiture and humiliation.

[annabanana]

133. What YOU said. People who take advantage of the

simple, slow and gullible are the bad guys in this. Dullness is regrettable and makes one vulnerable.

[BuddhaGirl]

136. +1

:thumbsup:

[GoddessOfGuinness]

140. I agree that it's sad...

But I'm thinking these poor idiots' only hope for their future is to learn to laugh at themselves. I hope, when they see others laughing at them, that they'll join in...and never, EVER, allow themselves to be fooled by false prophets again.

[wysingm]

112. ... pastor silent

Mark Wassberg of Richmond waits outside the home of Family Radio's founder, Harold Camping, in Alameda on Saturday. Wassberg, who used to be a member of Camping's church, believes the Rapture will take place Saturday.



A sign on the front door of the headquarters of Family Radio in Oakland on Saturday.



The man on the left drove his car from North Carolina to be near the Family Radio's headquarters.



Santa Claus pours Kool-Aid for the large group gathered outside the headquarters of Family Radio in Oakland on Saturday.



Source: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2011/05/21/MNP41JJA8B.DTL

.

[gtar100]

127. Santa pours kool-aid for the people? Hahaha!! How ironic is that!!

:rofl:

[snooper2]

145. That look on his face is fucking priceless

:rofl:

And to think there are people here who feel sorry for these saps...

[Beartracks]

128. But he really did get taken.

Just not the way he believed he would be.

-------------------------------

[EFerrari]

2. Darn, Camping makes Miss Cleo look like a slouch.

I never realized that prophecy could be so lucrative.

[No Elephants]

15. Wrong spot.

[NJCher]

30. yeah, prophecy's a big money-maker, and there's one other

Fear-mongering.


Cher

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. And let the great disappointment begin

Some will find a new false prophet and date... while a few, equally few... will move on with their lives, and become agnostics\atheists. Most will find a middle road.

And as much as I make fun of them... have a little empathy. We have folks like this in every generation

[tavalon]

21. Normally, I would be right with you

But I grew up as a Southern Baptist and was "saved" when I was thirteen. But, being a savvy, smart young thing, I had them figured out by the time I was 19. And anyone who would condemn their fellow man to torment on earth and want to be taken up bodily into heaven to watch the show is no one I would consider a Christian.

[dotymed]

23. Amen. That is WWJD,,,,

Take the "cream of the crop" of "believers....lol...and allow the rest to suffer. Honestly, These people do not NOT believe in a caring God.

No wonder our country is so fucked up.Mainly the repubs have these superstitious, (many) well-off, idiots who can not think for themselves. They fall for any crook that says what they want to hear, and they do so wholeheartedly.

To bad they can not "follow" a person (like the Dali Lama, as far as I know) who walks the walk. He plainly states (as does the Christian Bible) that the poor should be the first among us.

[Love Bug]

79. Yep. I call it "fundamentalist revenge fantasies"

They feel so superior to the "unsaved" yet are commissioned by Christ* to try to convert them. They probably resent this on a deep level and want the rapture to happen so they won't have to proselytize anymore.




*By "Christ" I mean whatever interpretation their ministers put on the carpenter from Nazareth who allegedly lived, died and rose from the dead some 2,000 years ago.

[savannah43]

54. Some people are so desperate to feel superior to others

that they will believe anything that allows them to do so. It would be sad if it wasn't so offensive. "Christians" my ass. Self-important tw...never mind.

[Taverner]

95. After the first great disappointment, a myriad of new cults and religions arose

Seventh Day Adventists, Jehovah's Witnesses, and about that time the Mormon church started seriously growing.

“You can't convince a believer of anything; for their belief is not based on evidence, it's based on a deep seated need to believe” - Sagan

[rpannier]

5. I don't understand it

I do...
You listened to a charlatan

[Scottybeamer70]

6. Having business cards printed........

"Can BEAM YOU wherever!"

[DeadEyeDyck]

7. happened to me

written from heaven...

[Throckmorton]

68. Heaven has wi-FI?

Who Knew?

[SoapBox]

8. What a maroon!

...and a bafoon...and a boob.

SUPPPPPPER Genius, he is!

Not.

[Avant Guardian]

9. The opiate of the masses

[DeSwiss]

10. K&R

[MrMickeysMom]

72. Oh, PLEEZE tell me where I can get that emoticon...

Float-icon, IQ of a dote-icon, DeSwiss!

:rofl:

[BumRushDaShow]

83. Just right-click on it and save the image

like I just did! That IS hilarious! :rofl:

[LastLiberal in PalmSprings]

11. Attention! Brooklyn Bridge for Sale!

Just contact Rev. Camping.

[craigmatic]

12. Happens everytime somebody pulls this stunt.

[leeroysphitz]

125. SO FAR. n/t

[Harriety]

13. It's not the nutty messenger but the nutty people who beleived him that are truely nuts!

[divvy]

14. darn it. now I am depressed.

I was hoping that god really would take all the fundamentalists off the planet. then we really would have 1000 years of peace

[Yon_Yonson]

39. I see it sort of like the same way.

You know in spring time when JC rolls back the rock, steps out of his cave and sees his shadow. Shakes his head and goes back into the cave and the boulder rolls back into place for another 2,000 years of war, hatred and allsorts of other human nastiness.

[olegramps]

61. That is great. Thanks, needed a laugh.

[ooglymoogly]

107. +1 nt

[JohnyCanuck]

16. Well at least there is a "logical" explanation for it all.

from the post at pnj.com:
Many followers said though the sun rose Saturday without the foretold earthquakes, plagues, and other calamities, the delay was a further test from God to persevere in their faith.

It was just almighty God dicking with our brains again to see exactly to what lengths of stupidity we would go to to show we really, really do have faith in him.

[No Elephants]

18. In the year 999 c.e., believers were so convinced the world would end

that they had sold their land (from which of them made their living by farming), gave alway all they owned and went to the Vatican on December 31 to await the end of the world.

Imagine how they felt on January 1, 1000. Oddly, enough, we saw a secular version in 1999, with all the dire Y2K predictions. Those seemed plausible to me, so I'm guessing I would have been among those outside the Vatican on December 31, 999.

[harmonicon]

20. Are you sure of that?

The new year wasn't widely considered to start on January 1st in 999.

[No Elephants]

29. I'm sure of the scenario and the year it occurred, but not of December 31

I spent days researching the calendar years ago and should have known better--at least known enough to fudge! I should have avoided the issue by saying "New Year" and "New Year's Eve" and leaving it at that.

Ancient Rome was the first to start its year on or about January 1. (Sometimes the Roman in charge of such things either speeded up or delayed the start of the New Year for political reasons.)

I also know that the U.S. switched from early Spring to January 1 well after Catholic nations, like Italy, resisting January 1 as "Popery." But, no, I don't remember what Catholic Western European nations were observing as New Year in 999.

Maybe it was January 1; maybe it was on or about the equinox or some other date entirely.

Thanks for the catch.

[geardaddy]

49. And the princes sang, we're gonna party like it's 999.

:hide:

[AlbertCat]

66. In the year 999 c.e.

Yes, but they were PROFOUNDLY ignorant in those days. There was no science. Only guesses. Everything was magic.

Back then, god opened every flower himself. Today we know about plant hormones.

There's no excuse today for believing such nonsense.

[relayerbob]

109. A sufficiently advanced technology

will be viewed as magic to those who don't understand it (paraphrase Clarke).

Now, go take a look at our educational system.

[hadrons]

24. Yeah, because an all-powerful God loves saying "PSYCH!!!" to his followers ....

I can't feel much for these idiots because they really do believe in a bitter angry God that punishes .... that's why they believe in this end of times garbage

[Frank Cannon]

34. According to the fundies, God LOVES to fuck with us all the time.

I mean, it's the reason He planted all those dinosaur fossils and created all of those homosexuals who go around tempting all of us good, upstanding straight guys. It's also the reason He doesn't do anything about all the killing, suffering, and misery that the Devil unleashes in the world. It's all a test of faith! God LOVES you. Here, let Him give you some stomach cancer to show how much he cares.

I prefer to think that it IS a test... of how gullible and easily led we are.

[Taverner]

105. Also why he "cures" Cancer but not Amputees

[jberryhill]

118. God cares more about a Texas high school football game than Haiti earthquake victims

[Taverner]

119. We could go on all day about this - sadly, the believers don't care

They believe because they want to believe, not because they think its true

[No Elephants]

17. I'm thinking doomsday prophet looks like a good job.

Jack Van Impe repeatedly predicted on TV that the world would end when the shofer was blown in Israel in the year 1999, to signal the start of that year's Yom Kippur obvservance. Jack Van Impe, too, had it all worked out from Biblical clues.

For those who do not know, the exact day the shofer is blown to signal the start of Yom Kippur is determined by the lunar calendar and the exact moment the shofer is blown to signal the start of Yom Kippur is determined by the time of the sunset on that day.

Which is interesting for a believer, inasmuch as the New Testament quotes Jesus as saying only God knows the date and hour-- not even I know ("I" meaning Jesus, aka "God made flesh"). Yet, Impe had it down to the second. Impe would deny he was predicting a day and time, which was not even "plausible deniability." That Christian guy was actually purporting to know more than the NT says Jesus knows, which comes dang close to violating the First Commandment.

Anyhooo, Yom Kippur came and went that year and Jack Van Impe and his broadcasts are still nonetheless supported by donations, just as they've been for decades.

Apparently, predicting the day the world will end is a very secure job that can last until you die, or become disabled or retire, or until the world actually ends, whichever comes first. And you make money just by talking, even if what you say turns out to be wrong. Sign me up!

[tavalon]

22. It IS a pretty good gig, but you need to be sociopathic to do it consistently and well

I suspect you aren't, so I think you'll just have to keep on caring about your fellow man.

[No Elephants]

31. Shoot. There's always some catch standing between me and my fortune.

I'm too honest to steal and have too much empathy to exploit my fellow man for my own gain.

Curses! Foiled again!

[Frank Cannon]

36. Harold Camping is 89 years old and worth many millions

It sure seems like a hell of a retirement plan. You can't make anywhere near that kind of scratch wearing a blue vest at the front door of a Walmart. Maybe when you get old enough not to give a shit, you can reconsider.

[No Elephants]

50. Does getting old mean not caring about your fellow man, 'cause I can always use

another retirement plan.

So far, my retirment plans have been:

Die young(ish).

Become a nun, so the Church will have to support me until I die.

Get caught smuggling something into Bermuda. (The women's prison there is on prime real estate--lovely view of the sea.)

Adding "Become sociopathic prophet" to that list would make my future even more secure.

[EFerrari]

63. I"m not giving up that easily.

Couldn't a little social consciousness be in the mix? "The world is going to end, give me your money, be kind to animals"? "The end is nigh, I take checks, rotate your tires" -- it could work.

[tavalon]

19. The only good thing about this whole stupid farce

is maybe enough lambs of God got fleeced this time so that they'll learn to spot a wolf in their midst. Or maybe, just maybe, they'll decide to adopt the form of their religion that isn't petty, childish, selfish and well, just plain mean.

[Orrex]

37. In many cases, a failed prophecy of doom has led to an increase in the number of believers

They buy into that whole "by God's mercy we were spared" bullshit, and they sign on the dotted line.

[Viva_La_Revolution]

69. .. or that they successfully prayed hard enough that God changed his mind..

that's my favorite.

[tavalon]

131. Damn, that's really too

[SemperEadem]

25. these knuckleheads act like they can divine the mind of God

I'm so glad they're all standing around with egg on their faces.
yeah, you're still stuck here with all of us, so get to the back of the line. Your turn came and went.

[AlbertCat]

67. ct like they can divine the mind of God

Hell, I can do that!

Here's what's in the mind of god:

[SemperEadem]

71. ooh, a pretty fractal!!!

[Iggo]

75. Is that one of theose mandelbrot thingies?

I used to have a video of like a fifteen minute dive-bomb into one of those things.

Felt like I was 8 years old all over again, trying to imagine the closest you could get to touching something without actually touching it, and realizing that no matter the distance, it could always be halved. Infinity inside the finite. Heady days for a little dude. Quite enjoyable.

[tanyev]

27. That God. He's such a prankster.

[trud]

28. Here's the only Christian in the bunch

"Doan said she is a Christian and while she respects her neighbor, she doesn't share his views.

"I wouldn't consider Mr. Camping a close friend and wouldn't have him over for dinner or anything, but if he needs anything, we are there for him," Doan said."

[bowens43]

35. A lot of people think that Mr Camping is a nut job

but he's no different then anyone else that believes that this is going to happen sometime in the future. Putting a time on it doesn't make him any crazier then other believers.

[No Elephants]

53. If you are going to believe the Bible literally, at least be internally consistent.

If you can't manage internal consistency, maybe your mind is in worse shape than those who can manage internal consistency?

[janet118]

96. Nut job? I'll believe that when he gives the money to charity.

I was thinking more along the lines of fraud or crook or con man. Are other industrialized countries so prone to mass, religiously induced delusions? Just wondering.

[Frank Cannon]

102. If he had given HIS entire fortune away as his followers did, he'd be a misled nut.

But it's really looking like he knew EXACTLY what he was doing the whole time, and he's laughing all the way to the bank.

[jberryhill]

113. Yeah.. I felt the same way when Charlie Manson moved in next door

Odd family, but we always gave them whatever they needed... food, clothing, cutlery...

[jberryhill]

114. Yeah.. I felt the same way when Charlie Manson moved in next door

Odd family, but we always gave them whatever they needed... food, clothing, cutlery...

[AllyCat]

32. Wonder if they'll ask for their money back? Maybe 3 time's a charm for Camping

or did he take the millions and retire to Fiji?

[dipsydoodle]

38. Was just a covert attempt

to get Debbie Harry to re-release Rapture http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pHCdS7O248g

[Zambero]

41. Do Expedia, Priceline, et al offer Rapture trip cancellation insurance?

If so, that would have been $20 per disgruntled earthling well spent!

:wtf:

[tomm2thumbs]

42. the TeaBaggers are going to feel the same way when Obama is re-elected in 2012

they are going to be circling and picking their noses saying, "I don't understand it. I don't know. I don't understand what happened."

of course they should be used to that phrase as they use it for probably just about everything that goes on in their pitiful little lives

[ReturnoftheDjedi]

101. you got that right!

:)

[HughBeaumont]

43. Fundamentalpatients and faith-based thinking - a world-wide embarassment.

"I SO believe that killing arabs will truly CONVINCE them to turn democratic!"

"I SO believe that the rich would trickle down their wealth and create tons of jobs if we simply just shut the heck up and give them everything their hearts desire. That grandfather-like figure with the Brylcreem said that's how it's supposed to work, so you have to believe it only makes SENSE!"

"I SO believe that not helping the poor/working/middle classes will make them stronger & motivate them to innovate and compete. Never mind that I don't really know HOW that works, but I know an eyeball is just too complicated to be explained by 'eva-lushin', so something like this HAS to be right! And I know I'm RIGHT!"

"I SO believe that I'm going to ascend into heaven despite there never being an instance in recorded history of anyone ever having done so! This book is the book of books! It wouldn't lie to me! 'The Bible guarantees! That means something!"









" . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . doesn't it? .. . . . . . . . "

[geardaddy]

52. You got it down pat,Hugh

:thumbsup:

[bvar22]

81. Right with you , Hugh.

The Giant Invisible Hand will save us all.
All Hail the Giant Invisible Hand!

[Quantess]

123. Best post of the thread

...and this whole thread is awesome.

[theHandpuppet]

44. Time for Mr. Camping and his ilk to start paying their fair share of taxes

"As the day drew nearer, followers reported that donations grew, allowing Family Radio to spend millions on more than 5,000 billboards and 20 RVs plastered with the doomsday message. In 2009, the nonprofit reported in IRS filings that it received $18.3 million in donations, and had assets of more than $104 million, including $34 million in stocks or other publicly traded securities...."

Just think how much of the national debt could be wiped off the books if such "churches" had to tithe to the federal gov't!

[rocktivity]

47. Candidate for this year's "You Call This NEWS?" Award

I understand what happened, Mr. Fitzpatrick -- the real tragedy is that you'll have to die and go to heaven to get a refund!

:headbang:
rocktivity

[obxhead]

48. waaaaa

"I don't understand it. I don't know. I don't understand what happened." *pout*


:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

[DeeDeeNY]

51. He doesn't understand what happened. Unbelievable.

[radhika]

55. Most $ to Camping was likely tax deductable....

wouldn't things be much better if we abolished tax exemptions and deductions for religions? MSNBC calaculated he increased his worth by $18 million for this stunt, not to mention a ton of free publicity that will probably keep more in his fold despite this fiasco.

[PatSeg]

60. And the so-called nonprofit has assets

of $104 million, $34 million of which is in stocks and securities. All tax free!

If the world was supposed to end, what did FamilyRadio need stocks for?

[Deep13]

56. So, no free cars then?

:-(

[onager]

89. That was yet another Xian scam - the Miracle Cars!

The miracle cars scam was an advance fee fraud that ran from 1997 to 2002. It was one of the largest advance fee frauds in world history, as well as the largest automobile fraud in American history. In its run of just over four years, over 4,000 people bought 7,000 cars that did not actually exist, losing over $21 million.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miracle_Cars_scam

Subject of the excellent book, "God Wants You To ROLL!"

[Mosaic]

57. It's Amazing how gullible and childish Americans are

Even the corporate media kept talking about this all day yesterday. This is exceptionaism? I call bullshit.

[TNLib]

59. What a scam! I wish these people would stop being so fucking dumb.

nt

[AlbertCat]

62. I don't understand what happened."

I do!

You were so stupid and caught up in ancient superstitions and your own self-worth that you fell for a bunch of stupid crap.

Nothing new. Happens all the time.

Try thinking like a modern human and not a stone age ignoramus next time. :eyes:

[Zorra]

64. Please remember, the overwhelming majority of these same stupid people all vote republican.

Many, probably most (if the truth was known) of them would dearly love to make it legal to execute lgbt's. Look at Uganda.

Heck, just look at Tennessee.

The really scary thing is, this is just a small segment of the total number of RW religious fundamentalist wackos in the US.

And this small segment of RW religious crazies donated $18 million dollars to a corrupt, lying fascist like Camping.

Think of what would happen if these Good Americans ever co-opted our government and put someone like Camping, or Bradlee Dean, in the White House.

They're crazy, and they are extremely dangerous.

Another thing to consider when you go to the polls in 2012.

[lunatica]

65. My feeling is that the time to laugh has passed

Laughing at them now, in their most confused and bemused and disappointed time will only drive them to the arms of the first preacher who soothes them and welcomes them, which will give that preacher the same power that Camping had.

Right now we should be the ones reaching out in friendship and understanding. Have any of us here or anywhere NEVER been deceived by grifters and sociopaths?

I laughed up to yesterday because there was no way my laughter bothered or moved them, but I don't laugh at them today. My memories of how I've felt in my life when my childlike trust was violated won't let me. Their belief of the Rapture was childlike. These are the shocks that people must feel in order to tumble out of extreme religious beliefs and into some semblance of reality. they may well continue to need a strong religious leader to dictate what they should believe, but hopefully they will choose a better preacher than the likes of Camping.

[nolabear]

88. I totally agree.

I've had a ball with the Rapture jokes but for those who disdain the lack of compassion in the so-called Christian fundamentalists, now is the time to model it ourselves. People make mistakes, sometimes huge. People get deceived. Living isn't never making mistakes (even bonehead ones, which we all do at some time), it's what happens then. If you want to drive them away and concretize their belief that only they are right then humiliate them. If you want to give them--and yourself--a chance to grow and possibly benefit from a truly awful thing, then show some compassion while not giving up your own point of view. If we could do more of that then there would actually be a better world, imo.

[jberryhill]

115. Yes, let's make it all better so there are no monuments to warn the next crop of rubes

[Maineman]

70. So, did Mr. Camping disappear with all that money?

He and some associates, or family members, are in financial heaven, I guess.
Damn, I guess we still have to put up with Sarah Palin and Glen Beck.
Likely response from Palin and Beck: "Why didn't we think of that?"
And, yes, Camping should be paying taxes. He is a entertainer,
or a scam artist, or a one-man carnival.

[MrMickeysMom]

73. They took off with the OTHER financial terrorists!

Their sales pitch was slightly different from the Wall Street terrorists.... "Give us you money to ensure the message gets out (to all the rest of the chumps who are controlled by fear and religious dogma)

[NikRik]

78. Imagine the good use the $ could have gone towards !

Instead of donating all that money to the con artist, why not to a cause thats shows compassion for those in need?A locale charity,childrens hospital, a foundation that helps the homeless and unemployed. There are to many options to mention, certainly one of them is not to give it to a "man of God" who is only predicting gloom and doom!I really wonder how we ended up with so many stupid gullible idiots in our country?

[esau]

74. All Good God relapse

Score 1 for the God of all goodness and perfection. He decided not to regret his miserable creation just yet. Keep it up Timmy...I mean God.

[jerseyjack]

77. While I enjoy laughting at their silly asses, it really is sad.

Sad that our educational system failed. The purpose of education is so that fraudsters and Republicans can't pull the wool over our eyes. Or as Neil Postman said, to produce "Bullshit Detectors." As a teacher, I failed. As an educational system, we failed. As a society, we are failing big time and we all pay for it.

[louslobbs]

80. "A fool and his money are soon parted" I hope this fool doesn't sit around wondering what happened

for the rest of his life, continuing to wear the label "fool". By the way, to all the loons who put their children through hell with this "doomsday" garbage, you should be ashamed of yourselves, what you subjected your children to was severe psychological abuse and you all need to apologize to your kids and find a way to get the mental help you need so that your children don't continue to suffer under your psychotic rules and brainwashing. Your children didn't ask to be brought into this world and they don't deserve to be mentally abused by parents who are supposed to love, guide and protect. I'm just going to assume, knowing what I know about Christians, that this latest failure predicting the end of the world, will just be ignored, they will backtrack, make excuses, and set a new date based on some other false prophets insane calculations. To me, this just means that these same kids, will continue to be subjected to their parents psychotic religious beliefs. If I were a kid today in one of these households, with all of the avenues to get help, I would be searching feverishly on ways to get out fast. One more thing, it's Sunny, clear blue skies, 81 degrees with a slight breeze down here in Palm Springs California, I knew it would be on Wednesday by watching the weather forecast, so while I was waiting for Sunday May 22nd to come to enjoy the nice weather by my pool, the poor children of these religious psychotics were being forced to prepare for death. I feel really sad for those kids and disgust for the parents.
Lou

[dixiegrrrrl]

82. aargghhhh...swimming in the shallow end of the gene pool, aren't they?

[underseasurveyor]

85. The reason why you 'don't understand what happened' Mr. Fitzpatrick IS

Because NOTHNG HAPPENED you moron. The only thing you need to understand is.... you are a gullible, brainwashed idiot!

[Jester Messiah]

86. Rather disappointing.

I was hoping for a golden age of rationality and sanity after all the goddballs left.

[proud patriot]

87. I feel a little sad for the Gulible, a lot sad for their families

[existentialist]

90. "Don't you see how every thing leads up to this day?

"Then it's just like any other day that's ever been
"The sun a coming up and then
"The sun a going down."

Grateful Dead lyric

[onager]

91. Cheer up, Bob - it's not the end of the world.

:rofl:

Sometimes I just slay myself.

Right now, I'm hoping that Brother Harold's church isn't having a Kool-Aid Kommunion today.

The only people I feel sorry for in this clusterf!ck are the innocent dependents - the kids and elderly parents who are now destitute because the "responsible adults" in the household gave away all their money. But looking on the bright side, Harold Camping may have just created a whole bunch of Gnu Atheists.

[JohnWxy]

93. the Tea-Party awaits.

[Arkana]

97. Morons who followed an even bigger moron.

[mackerel]

106. Camping is crazy like a fox. A wealthy fox.

[ooglymoogly]

111. Gee who knew? kr nt

[Corruption Winz]

116. You don't understand what happened....

I'll explain it to you.... You believed in something without any proof or evidence. Then, you tried to force other people to think about it and believe in it. Then, it didn't happen and you now look like a fool.

Simple enough. Moral of the story? Don't believe in something that has no evidence or proof to support it.

[Phlem]

120. This crap has got to end.

People have died because of this fundamentalist vomit, including innocents. He has caused death.


-p

[jberryhill]

122. You are in luck - it WILL end

Send me $10 and I'll tell you when it will end, and how you can prepare.

[SoapBox]

126. Weak minded losers! Ah-HA!

...but, if you are giving away any saleable stuff, homes or plain old cash before the NEXT rapture, contact me...I'll be happey to take all that off your hands for free!

LOLOL

[WHEN CRABS ROAR]

130. Someone once said "shake the dust off your feet and move on".

[alarimer]

132. I hope all those idiots are now bankrupt.

Serves those delusional fools right.

[Irritable Liberal]

134. The Rapture did happen

It's just everyone was judged not to be worthy enough so life goes on and the only suckers are those who thought they were 'worthy' enough to be swept up in it.

[0rganism]

147. how irresponsible is it to drive professionally if you're "rapture ready"?

Reading the article, I note this part:
"Bauer, a tractor-trailer driver, began the voyage west last week, figuring that if he 'worked last week, I wouldn't have gotten paid anyway, if the Rapture did happen.'"

This guy's a rapture ready trucker, maybe drives long haul, and he apparently believes that he's got a shot at getting vaporized into heavenly mist any day now, leaving his rig to crash, obstruct traffic, and otherwise mess up the works for the rest of us hell-bound sinners. I call IRRESPONSIBLE on his ass.

Same with any True Believer who
- operates heavy equipment of any kind
- drives in traffic more than 1 hour per day
- flies for a commercial airline
- performs or assists with surgery
- handles emergency response
- etcetera

Responsible participation in such career areas is fundamentally incompatible with belief in an imminent rapture.