Billboards warning of the End of the World

[fascisthunter]

several blocks away from my house there is a billboard warning us the end is near.

My question is this: when nothing happens, meaning the "end" never occurs, what will they all do then?

[mak3cats]

1. They'll put REALLY big sticker on it...

...printed with a "new and improved" date.

[FarLeftFist]

2. Possible suicide pact?

I hope not. I hope they just realize the foolishness of their ways and come back to planet Earth to join the rest of us in society.

[Adsos Letter]

5. I doubt any suicide pact; I don't think this is that kind of apocalyptic group.

Maybe some individuals who have made life-destroying financial decisions because of this. I certainly hope not.

[FarLeftFist]

6. I wouldn't put it past them though.

Think of how absurd their claim sounds and how crazy it actually is to believe something like that so strongly. These are those kind of people. Lets hope not.

[Adsos Letter]

18. I understand what you're saying, but look at the Millerite movement in the mid-1840's

I did a lot of study on Millerism over a couple of years of Grad School, and I think these people have some significant similarities with the current followers of Family Radio.

That included a substantially larger number of people (as a percentage of the population) and was thoroughly preached/pamphleted/tent-meetinged/newspaper-exposured during the years preceding the date-set.

They, too, received a ton of public scrutiny and ridicule both before and after the "Great Disappointment," from pulpits, newspapers, general passers-by on the street, etc. After the event, some had their houses and places of meeting attacked by mobs (it was an ecumenical movement; most Protestant denominations contributed to the Millerites, with the majority coming from Methodism or Baptism).

Despite the claims of mass suicides after the passing of the time, the most thorough historical studies have demonstrated that suicides were very few, although some people lost crops because they felt no need to harvest (the date was set for October and some of their neighbors actually harvested their crops for them), and some others lost properties because of decisions made (choosing to sell properties and donate the proceeds to help "get the message out," as at least one couple has done in this case).

I'll be sadly surprised if any mass suicide occurs as a result of the failure of this prediction, although individual cases may occur (sad enough, in any event).

I actually hope the Christian community (those with a heart, anyway) will step up to the plate and offer to help some of these folks when this thing fails. An interesting note about the Millerites is that those non-Millerites who harvested their neighbors crops for them did so for a couple of reasons:
1. Those crops were a fundamental source of local food supplies.
and
2. Many recognized the foolishness of their neighbor's behavior and actually took the necessary steps (hard work to harvest your own crops plus your neighbors) to ensure that they would not be ruined financially by their decision.

Anyway, I agree with your hopes; I hope there is no loss of life from this.

[fascisthunter]

35. me too

[Renew Deal]

17. Didn't that happen in Jonestown?

I saw a documentary about this and some guy said he plans to jump off a mountain that day. He might not be the only one. And the irony is that he won't be there to know he was wrong all along.

[Adsos Letter]

20. Jonestown and this movement were two different types of apocalyptic groups

I think this movement can be much more accurately compared to the Millerite movement of the 1840's.

If you will excuse me, I'll point you toward my post #18 (directly above yours) to save me the re-typing of my reasons for saying this. :D

[Pab Sungenis]

19. No, but

these billboards are being paid for by people who quit their jobs and emptied their bank accounts in anticipation of the "big day," expecting to reap big rewards from Jesus for "saving unbelievers" with them.

When whole swaths of these people are unemployed, broke, and in huge credit card debt, who knows what they will do?

[Adsos Letter]

22. You may be right (I sincerely hope not) but I have reason to believe they are more akin

to the Millerite movement of the 1840's, and the results which followed from that. If you will allow me, please see my post #18 above for my reasons why I think this. It will spare this hunt-and-peck typist a lot of work. :D

[Pab Sungenis]

29. I studied the Millerites

and I hope you are right. But I live near a major pocket of these people (in Southern NJ, in spitting distance of one of the stations pumping this crap day and night) and I'm afraid a lot of them are going to go suicidal or even homicidal when their "god" abandons them on the 22nd.

[Adsos Letter]

31. They are pumping out plenty of it here in the Bay Area

Camping's organization is based here, and we've plenty of billboards and radio.

The difference in the times we live in may account for a different outcome than that of the Great Disappointment, but I don't expect it to. The economic depression of 1837 was just coming to an end in 1843 (and Millerism was being heavily preached at that time, the first time period was set for 1843) but I don't know if there is any real equivalency there.

The first time period was for 1843 rather than 1844, and it has been observed that the failure of the original prediction caused an ever-increasing fervency in the run-up to the Great Disappointment. I don't know if Camping will produce another date, or simply surrender the idea of date setting.

Anyway, I don't expect many suicides from this and I definitely don't expect any homicides. At least I hope not, for their sake.

Time will tell, as they say.

What sparked your interest in the Millerites?

EDITED TO ADD THE PHRASE: "time period was set for 1843)" :dunce:

[uppityperson]

3. The beginning of the end is approaching.

[Adsos Letter]

4. Regret the decisions some made because of it.

And suffer the consequences of those decisions for some time to come.

[NYC Liberal]

7. They'll claim it DID happen. Remember, not everyone is raptured.

Of course that also means that anyone who is left behind must not be a "true" Christian.

I think we should make sure to remind them all of that fact. Tell all the right-wing fundies that God hates them and they aren't true Christians because they weren't raptured on May 21, 2011.

[formercia]

8. Figure out how to pay their bills.

Those Billboards aren't free.....and they thought they wouldn't have to pay. :rofl:

[Beaverhausen]

9. they will claim that prayer stopped it from happening

[Tommy_Carcetti]

The end is coming!

The end of the NBA playoffs, that is.

Although not by May 21st.

[JuniperLea]

10. My sister is throwing a big party that day...

She didn't know about the end timer deal with the date 5/21/11... it was just a lucky pick of a free Saturday, ripe for a party! Now that she knows, she feels "God led her" to choose that date:D We'll party it down to 5/22, no question.

[patrice]

14. Hope we get an "End of the World party" thread going here. nt

[JuniperLea]

28. That would be awesome!

I'll be sure to bring my BlackBerry to the party and check in! I normally hate bringing that thing to parties... the boss's tether, donchano.

[Drahthaardogs]

11. I think it is tomorrow, right?

May 12th is what they say.

[niyad]

23. nah, all the billboards around here say 21 may

[Sal Minella]

30. Only for dyslexic end-timers. n/t

[fascisthunter]

38. close... the 21st

that's probably what you meant.

[RegieRocker]

12. Perception and justification. They will perceive a reason to justify

the continuance of the world.

[Adsos Letter]

25. This is precisely what happened among one of the groups that emerged from Millerism

The Advent Christian Church, which formed after the dissolution of Millerism, simply marked it up to a mistake in calculations, and proceeded to condemn date setting; the Seventh Day Adventist Church, one of the three groups to emerge from the break-up, insisted that they were mistaken in the NATURE of the meaning of October 22, 1844, and formed their doctrine of the Investigative Judgment as a result.

[dipsydoodle]

13. Will this wind ?

Secret Policeman's Ball - End of the World sketch : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hJQ18S6aag

[Renew Deal]

15. They'll get ready for 12/21/12

The real end of the world. :hide:

[liberal N proud]

16. Get some inflatable dolls and a tank of helium

Go over there and fill the dolls and tie some string on them and let them float above the billboard.

See how many accidents it causes.

:rofl:

[niyad]

24. oh my, that is toooo funny

[LongTomH]

26. Oh, that's evil!

I love it!!!!:evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin:

[JuniperLea]

27. Love it!

Just love it to pieces!


:rofl:

[fascisthunter]

36. lol... you know, I'm seriously tempted

and crazy enough to try.

[niyad]

21. "after the rapture, can I have your house?"

[Shagbark Hickory]

32. I wonder if the billboard owner asked for payment in advance. nt

[fascisthunter]

37. Ha! Good One!!!!

[Solly Mack]

33. Can I have their stuff?

[fascisthunter]

34. I should do something... calling Banksy

[felix_numinous]

39. Who is making money off this scam?

That is the only question I have.