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Ask Slashdot: What To Do When the Rapture Comes?

Okian Warrior writes "Since the rapture is tomorrow (May 21) at 6:00 pm local time (everywhere), I was just wondering: what plans does everyone have? I've got no specific plans for what to do. What will you be doing around 6:00 pm tomorrow?" If you're on the IT staff, you might want to consult this checklist of things to do or not do in the interim.

673 comments

  1. I live in Vegas so by makubesu · · Score: 4, Funny

    I'll probably have to check the internet to see if it actually happened tomorrow night.

    1. Re:I live in Vegas so by betterunixthanunix · · Score: 1

      Why wait? It should already be happening in Asia right now; I imagine it has already made the news.

      Too bad that guy on Usenet refused to sign the "You can have all my possessions after the rapture" contract with me.

      --
      Palm trees and 8
    2. Re:I live in Vegas so by DJRumpy · · Score: 5, Funny

      Last Post!

    3. Re:I live in Vegas so by TheWanderingHermit · · Score: 2

      It's all in the question -- ask the right question and the answer is obvious.

      It's not if something happened because you're in Vegas.

      It's not what we should do.

      It's who we can contact for help -- in other words, "Who ya gonna call?"

      And that question pretty much tells us who should be dealing with this whole thing.

    4. Re:I live in Vegas so by A+nonymous+Coward · · Score: 1

      We shall never see a better post.

    5. Re:I live in Vegas so by superdave80 · · Score: 0

      REALLY last post! See, it can get better...

    6. Re:I live in Vegas so by Aeternitas827 · · Score: 1, Redundant

      Ghostbusters?

      --
      I don't post AC. I like my -1, Flamebaits. Trump/Sheen 2012 on the Batshit Insane ticket!
    7. Re:I live in Vegas so by interkin3tic · · Score: 1

      Why wait? It should already be happening in Asia right now; I imagine it has already made the news.

      Oops! I'm really sorry I'm late I just got caught up watching the Pirates of the Caribbean marathon have you seen those things?

      -Jesus

    8. Re:I live in Vegas so by Golddess · · Score: 1

      Not knowing the details of the contract, would seem he'd have nothing to lose.
      If the rapture happens, he can't take it with him.
      If the rapture doesn't happen, then there is no "after the rapture" time, so he keeps his stuff.

      So yeah, why not sign a contract like that? Unless... he thinks the rapture will happen, but that he will be unworthy of ascending at that time?

      --
      "I'm not sure I like the fugnutish tone you used in your post!" -RogL (608926)-
    9. Re:I live in Vegas so by morari · · Score: 3, Insightful

      The Rapture? I'd celebrate finally be rid of all of those self-righteous assholes. If only I could wake up one day and hear "all of the religious nut jobs disappeared today", I'd be a happy person.

      --
      "He who can destroy a thing, controls a thing." --Paul Atreides, Dune
    10. Re:I live in Vegas so by qubezz · · Score: 1
    11. Re:I live in Vegas so by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You, sir, win two internets for that post.

    12. Re:I live in Vegas so by Yvan256 · · Score: 1

      Mythbusters?

    13. Re:I live in Vegas so by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I just do not understand why God, being who He is suppose to be, would follow the time zones. The prediction would have sold better if it was midday in Jerusalem or something like that.

      Also with the end of the world coming in Oct 21, 2011, cause it is 5 months after the rapture, it would have been smart to tie that into the Mayan and have the Rapture on July 21, 2012 so that the end of the world would be the same as the Mayan. Having 2 things correlate, gives more credence to both.

    14. Re:I live in Vegas so by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      the ghost busters?

    15. Re:I live in Vegas so by oliverthered · · Score: 1

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e4NtSqZcT_4

      Could try the evening standard too.

      --
      thank God the internet isn't a human right.
    16. Re:I live in Vegas so by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      This guy is a quack - even if it were to take place today, it would be at 9PM, not 6PM. Everyone with the faintest idea of theological teachings understands that 7 is the end, 6 is the work. 666 (ie 1800 hours) would just be the climax of the whole event before it occurs, 2100 would be the actual end.

    17. Re:I live in Vegas so by monkeythug · · Score: 1

      Here let me explain it to you:

      [evangalist on tour - California]

      Evanagalist: YEAH JESUS IS GOOD, JESUS IS GREAT, JESUS WANTS YOU TO GIVE ME MONEY!!!! BTW The rapture happens 6pm on 21st May 2011.

      Audience: PRAISE JESUS!!!

      [Florida]

      Evangalist: YEAH JESUS IS GOOD, JESUS IS GREAT ... Hello sir, your left leg is longer than your right - [slides left shoe back on] - YOU'RE CURED!!!! BTW The rapture happens 6pm on 21st May 2011

      Audience: PRAISE JESUS!!!

      Guy in audience: Errm, excuse me - I attended your show in California and you said the rapture was at 6pm there too! What gives?

      Evangalist: Errm, (bugger), Errm, yeah it's 6pm local time - PRAISE JESUS!!!

      Guy in audience: So the rapture it sweeps across the earth from east to west and hits every time zone at 6pm?

      Evangalist: Errm, (shit), Errm, yeah that's right - JESUS IS OUR SAVIOUR!!!!

      Guy in audience: Why exactly?

      Evangalist: Errm, (fuck), Errm - BECAUSE BROTHER, GOD MOVES IN MYSTERIOUS WAYS!!!!

      Guy in audience: Oh yeah, that old chestnut. What about DST?

      Evangalist: [looks around for where those bloody bouncers have got to] Errm, yeah Jesus takes care of that too - PRAISE THE LORD!!!

      Guy in audience: [getting dragged away by bouncers] But that's bollocks!!! Gaaghhh Let Go!!! You're just a charlaten!!! Hey Put Me Down!!! Give me back my life savings you piece of shit!!!

      Evangalist: (where was I, oh yeah) PRAISE JESUS!!!! JESUS WANTS YOU TO GIVE ME MONEY!!!

      Audience: PRAISE JESUS!!!

      --
      Don't you wish you hadn't wasted 3 seconds of your life reading this sig?
    18. Re:I live in Vegas so by sorak · · Score: 1

      Why wait? It should already be happening in Asia right now; I imagine it has already made the news.

      Why would it be an Asian time? God isn't from Asia. When Jesus died for our sins, he didn't come back an hour later. /ducks

    19. Re:I live in Vegas so by thehostiles · · Score: 1

      Majora's Mask: Final Hours. High volume

      Oh and laugh at the people who believe this crap

    20. Re:I live in Vegas so by canadian_right · · Score: 1

      There is a guy who is taking money to look after peoples pets after the Rapture.He has a strict no refunds policy.

      --
      Anarchists never rule
    21. Re:I live in Vegas so by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Rapture? I'd celebrate finally be rid of all of those self-righteous assholes. If only I could wake up one day and hear "all of the religious nut jobs disappeared today", I'd be a happy person.

      Don't hold yer breath-

    22. Re:I live in Vegas so by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The Rapture? I'd celebrate finally be rid of all of those self-righteous assholes. If only I could wake up one day and hear "all of the religious nut jobs disappeared today", I'd be a happy person.

      Yes, no more justification for war, at least from that moronic sector

    23. Re:I live in Vegas so by geekoid · · Score: 1

      Wrong contract.

      You need the 'I get all your stuff on May 22nd' contract. they won't need it anyways. And they believe right? right?

      funny how so many don't believe quite that much.

      And then when their insane loonicy doesn't actually happen, you get their stuff anyways.

      In fact, to make it legit, make the deal a month ahead of time and buy it fro them. say, I'll give x dollars NOW and you can use it to preach salvation, and I'll get your stuff on the 22nd.

      None of this would be that bad if they said 'huh, I guess i'm' wrong about the God stuff' And then went o to live rational and thinking live. Instead they will make up a stupid excuse to hang on to there irrationalities.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    24. Re:I live in Vegas so by geekoid · · Score: 1

      Copying someone in a vain attempt to be funny isn't funny..it's pathetic.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    25. Re:I live in Vegas so by geekoid · · Score: 1

      becasue they are claiming it will happen in ALL TIME ZONES and 6pm. Yes, a rolling armageddon, if you will.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    26. Re:I live in Vegas so by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Except that if Rapture would be real and they would have disappeared, it would've meant those 'religious nut jobs' would have been right all along, making you the 'self-righteous asshole'.

    27. Re:I live in Vegas so by superdave80 · · Score: 1

      Wow, I make some little offhand joke post, and you act like I plagiarized his latest novel or something. And you took the time to post about it, and I'm pathetic?

    28. Re:I live in Vegas so by j-beda · · Score: 1

      If he is trustworthy enough to care for your pets - is there not a risk that he might be considered worthy enough to get taken himself? Similarly for all of his employees. If he is one of the unsaved - can you trust him with the care of your precious babies?

    29. Re:I live in Vegas so by darkgrayknight · · Score: 1

      the self-righteous and religious nut jobs will still be here. it would be the nice, sane ones that'll be raptured.

  2. Set piles of clothes out by PitaBred · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'm planning on setting piles of clothes out on the sidewalk. Should be good for a laugh :)

    1. Re:Set piles of clothes out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      The nasty plan I saw was spare shoes with dry ice in them. Or inflatable... dolls filled with helium let to float into the sky.

    2. Re:Set piles of clothes out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      THis! I've got an outfit ready and waiting to grace the lawn of my apartment building.

    3. Re:Set piles of clothes out by X86Daddy · · Score: 1

      Add dry ice.

    4. Re:Set piles of clothes out by Merls+the+Sneaky · · Score: 1

      Pews in the local church would be better.

    5. Re:Set piles of clothes out by c6gunner · · Score: 0

      Headquarters of the local Atheist group would be even better.

    6. Re:Set piles of clothes out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Chive on!

    7. Re:Set piles of clothes out by arth1 · · Score: 1

      Or inflatable... dolls filled with helium let to float into the sky.

      I knew there was a legitimate purpose for pointing Spyder III Arctic lasers at the sky!

    8. Re:Set piles of clothes out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm going to see Blondie. I hear she's performing for The Rapture.

    9. Re:Set piles of clothes out by houghi · · Score: 4, Interesting

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1F1OpRxY-k
      That should scare the living hell out of people if you have enough.

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    10. Re:Set piles of clothes out by JanneM · · Score: 1

      "Pews in the local church would be better."

      Or the local strip joint. Add clerical collars to some of the outfits for extra effect.

      --
      Trust the Computer. The Computer is your friend.
    11. Re:Set piles of clothes out by Black+Parrot · · Score: 1

      I'm planning on setting piles of clothes out on the sidewalk. Should be good for a laugh :)

      Surely God isn't going to fill Heaven up with nekkid people. He'd have to kick most of them right back out for lascivious thoughts.

      --
      Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
    12. Re:Set piles of clothes out by a_hanso · · Score: 1

      cd /

      rm -rf *

      on all servers. I'm sure nobody will mind.

    13. Re:Set piles of clothes out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > Surely God isn't going to fill Heaven up with nekkid people.
      U mean, like, Adam and Eve?

    14. Re:Set piles of clothes out by Dr.+Cody · · Score: 1

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c1F1OpRxY-k
      That should scare the living hell out of people if you have enough.

      A classic Six Feet Under opening.

    15. Re:Set piles of clothes out by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 4, Informative

      Actually, yes, most fundamentalists believe you will be naked in Heaven. However, there will be no lascivious thoughts because that sort of nastiness just doesn't happen in Heaven.

    16. Re:Set piles of clothes out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ARKANSAS CITY (EAP) – A Little Rock woman was killed yesterday after leaping through her moving car’s sunroof during an incident best described as a “mistaken rapture” by dozens of eye-witnesses.

      Thirteen other people were injured after a twenty-car pile-up resulted from people trying to avoid hitting the woman, who was apparently convinced that the rapture was occurring when she saw twelve people floating up into the air, and then passed a man on the side of the road who she believed was Jesus.

      “She started screaming `He’s back! He’s back!’ and climbed out through the sunroof and jumped off the roof of the car,” said Everet Williams, husband of 28-year-old Georgann Williams who was pronounced dead at the scene.

      “I was slowing down but she wouldn’t wait till I stopped,” Williams said. “She thought the rapture was happening and was convinced that Jesus was gonna lift her up into the sky,” he went on to say.

      “This is the strangest thing I’ve seen since I’ve been on the force,” said Paul Madison, first officer on the scene.

      Madison questioned the man who looked like Jesus and discovered that he was on his way to a toga costume party, when the tarp covering the bed of his pickup truck came loose and released twelve blow-up sex dolls filled with helium, which then floated up into the sky.

      Ernie Jenkins, 32, of Fort Smith, who’s been told by several of his friends that he looks like Jesus, pulled over and lifted his arms into the air in frustration and said “Come back,” just as the Williams’ car passed him, and Mrs. Williams was sure that it was Jesus lifting people up into heaven as they drove by him.

      “I think my wife loved Jesus more than she loved me,” the widower said when asked why his wife would do such a thing.

      When asked for comments about the twelve sex dolls, Jenkins replied “This is all just too weird for me. I never expected anything like this to happen.”

    17. Re:Set piles of clothes out by sosume · · Score: 1

      I know I'm missing some joke or internet meme here concerning clothes on the sidewalk and dry ice. I just haven't been able to find it on google.

    18. Re:Set piles of clothes out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The dry ice is intended to be placed inside pairs of shoes.

    19. Re:Set piles of clothes out by Mindcontrolled · · Score: 2

      Which reminds me - anyone heard of Dawkins today? Not me. Guess you haven't either. This leaves only the conclusion that Dawkins alone has been raptured. In other news, Hitchens is furious.

      --
      Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
    20. Re:Set piles of clothes out by asto21 · · Score: 1
    21. Re:Set piles of clothes out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I'm planning on setting piles of clothes out on the sidewalk. Should be good for a laugh :)

      I think it's easier just to be r-r-r-raptured!!! http://youtu.be/vejWjn2egj4

    22. Re:Set piles of clothes out by geekoid · · Score: 1

      SON OF A BITCH! why didn't I come here yesterday and read this. I so would of done that.

      grrr.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    23. Re:Set piles of clothes out by mog007 · · Score: 1

      And I thought Heaven was supposed to be paradise...

    24. Re:Set piles of clothes out by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      LOL good one

    25. Re:Set piles of clothes out by WildBlueYonder · · Score: 1

      However, there will be no lascivious thoughts because that sort of nastiness just doesn't happen in Heaven.

      More evidence that they are actually describing hell.

    26. Re:Set piles of clothes out by c6gunner · · Score: 1

      Naw, Hitchens is just really, really hung over.

  3. At work by Nidi62 · · Score: 5, Funny

    I'll be at work, waiting for my shift to end in 3.5 hours. At that point, I would probably welcome an apocalyptic earthquake.

    --
    The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
    1. Re:At work by ColdWetDog · · Score: 5, Funny

      I'll be at work, waiting for my shift to end in 3.5 hours. At that point, I would probably welcome an apocalyptic earthquake.

      I'll be at work and an apocalypse would be just Business As Usual.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    2. Re:At work by realityimpaired · · Score: 1

      I'll be signing out of my workstation, laughing at the poor saps who have to stay at work through it all, and enjoying the fact that there'll be no traffic on my commute home because of the rapture. :)

      As Ghandi said... I like your Christ. I don't like your Christians. Your Christians are nothing like your Christ. :)

  4. Killing zombies by saleenS281 · · Score: 4, Funny

    I will be killing zombies. With fire. Just brushed up on my cardio and stocked up on twinkies so I think I'm legit.

    1. Re:Killing zombies by chill · · Score: 2

      Been reading the Centers for Disease Control website, have you?

      --
      Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
    2. Re:Killing zombies by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The dead are supposed to rise, the Christians to rise in the Rapture, and the rest to suffer with us

    3. Re:Killing zombies by MagikSlinger · · Score: 1

      Zombieland, FTW.

      --
      The bitter lessons of a veteran coder: http://bitterprogrammer.blogspot.com
    4. Re:Killing zombies by Aeternitas827 · · Score: 1

      Just be careful around Bill, will ya?

      --
      I don't post AC. I like my -1, Flamebaits. Trump/Sheen 2012 on the Batshit Insane ticket!
    5. Re:Killing zombies by Mitsoid · · Score: 1

      No zombie killing this year, maybe after the crazy guy carries the 1 we can try again next year... It's Saturday@6:45pm in New Zealand and apparently they are all still there :-(

    6. Re:Killing zombies by Sparx139 · · Score: 1
      --
      Our culture doesn't get smarter, it just finds new ways of being retarded.
  5. Loaded question! by DWMorse · · Score: 5, Funny

    You're just trying to get us to admit that we'll be gearing up to loot our local Frys, Best Buys, and other such electronic appliance stores.

    --
    There's a spot in User Info for World of Warcraft account names? Really?
    1. Re:Loaded question! by oldmac31310 · · Score: 1

      I suppose the mention of electronic stores makes this story somewhat relevant on /.

      --
      http://www.acetonestudio.com
    2. Re:Loaded question! by arth1 · · Score: 1

      You're just trying to get us to admit that we'll be gearing up to loot our local Frys, Best Buys, and other such electronic appliance stores.

      Yes, cause you know that the creme de la creme who the supreme being wants to spend his eternity with are going to be store clerks at low price corporate chains.
      So those stores will naturally be all empty.

    3. Re:Loaded question! by mellon · · Score: 0

      Hm, it says here "...but the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace." So I think the clerks will still be working, but there won't be many people shopping. Conclusion: if you have a lot of stuff, you're probably going to be raptured.

    4. Re:Loaded question! by theMoleofProduction · · Score: 1

      Only those righteous few who are pure in faith and charity will be spirited away to heaven. Best Buy will be fully staffed.

      --
      Chemists do it with moles.
    5. Re:Loaded question! by Yvan256 · · Score: 1

      I knew there was a typo in mine. It says "...but the geek shall inherit the earth".

    6. Re:Loaded question! by Just+Some+Guy · · Score: 1

      I see no reason to believe Best Buy will be unstaffed.

      --
      Dewey, what part of this looks like authorities should be involved?
  6. Going out on a limb here... by t33jster · · Score: 5, Funny

    RTFM. Matthew 24:36.

    Even if the world does happen to end tomorrow, it's not because this kook knew it.

    --
    Take off every 'sig' for great justice.
    1. Re:Going out on a limb here... by ZaphDingbat · · Score: 5, Informative

      Then perhaps you missed the one two verses before that: "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened."

      Perhaps even a little of: "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." Matthew 16:28.

      Or: "After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." I Thessalonians 4:17.

      "Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour." I John 2:18

      "This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none..." I Corinthians 7:29.

      "They said to you, 'In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.' These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit." Jude 18-19.

      I don't think Harold Camping was the first kook by a looong shot.

    2. Re:Going out on a limb here... by biryokumaru · · Score: 2, Insightful

      What makes this kook any more kooky than the kook who wrote that trash?

      --
      When you're afraid to download music illegally in your own home, then the terrorists have won!
    3. Re:Going out on a limb here... by oztiks · · Score: 1

      I take my mortality advice from http://www.deathclock.com/

      He really should look into that site before making any rash judgments it tell ya!

    4. Re:Going out on a limb here... by nickb64 · · Score: 1

      there are those who claim the quote about some not tasting death was fulfilled with the Tranfiguration, according to my NIV study Bible's notes in the bottom of the pages.

    5. Re:Going out on a limb here... by arth1 · · Score: 1

      He has radio?

      Seriously, as long as there is a negative correlation between intelligence and fecundity, there will not be a shortage of kooks and followers.

    6. Re:Going out on a limb here... by timeOday · · Score: 1

      You can always find a loophole. That verse just says nobody knew the day and hour a couple thousand years ago. Who's to say it hasn't been determined or revealed since?

    7. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Matthew 24:36 is "correlation does not equal causation"? I'll have to remember that one...

    8. Re:Going out on a limb here... by jamesh · · Score: 5, Funny

      I don't think Harold Camping was the first kook by a looong shot.

      We can take some comfort in knowing that if he's right, he'll be the last kook.

    9. Re:Going out on a limb here... by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 1

      well, at least my dog is finally getting enough cheese.

      --

      --
      "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
    10. Re:Going out on a limb here... by mellon · · Score: 2

      The implication I've always understood for "[they] shall not taste of death" was that some people present at that sermon would in fact be brought up to heaven without dying first. So either they're still alive, and really bloody old, or they got raptured long ago, and hence aren't our problem anymore. The bit about it being the last hour is that we don't live as long as we think we do, and we will run out of runway sooner than we think, so we'd better gun it and rotate.

    11. Re:Going out on a limb here... by mellon · · Score: 3, Insightful

      This "nobody knows the day and hour" stuff is about your own death. People make it be about armageddon and rapture because that's more abstract, less personal, and hence easier to face.

    12. Re:Going out on a limb here... by gandhi_2 · · Score: 3, Informative

      To be fair, most people who are sure that tomorrow ISN'T the rapture have exactly the same amount of evidence behind them as those who think it IS.

    13. Re:Going out on a limb here... by the_saint1138 · · Score: 5, Informative

      Mod parent informative... Even Jesus didn't know when the rapture was to occur. This guy somehow knows better?

      For those who don't want/care to look this up, Matthew 24:36 states (in reference to the rapture) "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." - NIV translation

      Unrelated note: For some reason, I mis-read the slashdot headline as "What To Do When the Raptors Come?"

      what do you do when the raptors come?

    14. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Interesting

      You missed the original question(s).
      They asked him what they thought was one question (with several parts.) They thought these things would happen at the same time.
      He gave an answer with several parts - because these things (didn't/wouldn't) happen at the same time.
      Ever since then, people have let themselves be confused by that.

      The important thing isn't when the world will end for everybody.
      The end of the world for the individual is more significant.
      And more importantly, how did the individual live his/her life.
      Was it a good life or selfish one?

      There is an even more important question, but I see your mind is already made up.

    15. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      it all means that the last times started with Jesus. We are in the last times. We've been on them for 2000 years.

    16. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Plenty of people know the day and hour they will die.

    17. Re:Going out on a limb here... by LearnToSpell · · Score: 1

      Unrelated note: For some reason, I mis-read the slashdot headline as "What To Do When the Raptors Come?"

      How is that unrelated? What the hell do you think is going to happen at 6 pm, earthquakes?

    18. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You're mixing two messages, here. One is about struggles of the time, the other is about EOTW.

      This is the problem with literal, out-of-context verse-slinging.

    19. Re:Going out on a limb here... by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      So what you're saying is that we missed the rapture by, oh, at least 1900 years, and all of us left down here should really have been having lots of casual sex in the meantime? According to the bible, of course.

    20. Re:Going out on a limb here... by ceoyoyo · · Score: 3, Informative

      Yes, books that tell you how to live your life should always be written in such a way that they are unclear and require lots of interpretation, preferably by highly trained specialists. Because there's no way THAT system could be abused. God is so wise!

    21. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Hognoxious · · Score: 1

      Unrelated note: For some reason, I mis-read the slashdot headline as "What To Do When the Raptors Come?"

      Don't worry, I read the last bit as "things to do or not do to the intern".

      --
      Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."
    22. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Wow, so you think the book that provides guidance for a person's salvation should be "completely incomprehensible" to someone? You and your version of God must both be real assholes.

    23. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      what do you do when the raptors come?

      it depends. if they're anything like this we're pretty much fucked:

      http://s881.photobucket.com/albums/ac19/quasisonic/?action=view&current=rocketraptor.jpg&&newest=1

    24. Re:Going out on a limb here... by uncqual · · Score: 1

      Simple probability and statistics. According to some upstream quotes (sorry, I never made it past the first page of the New Testament when I was 8 years old -- it was just too absurd - I'm not into Sword and Sorcery), no one knows when The Rapture will happen. So, anyone claiming it will happen at a specific instant (in local time no less) seems to have a pretty long odds of being wrong. Therefore, the "it's not happening at 18:00:00.000 Local Time on May 21, 2011" is, IMHO, much less likely to be correct than those that take the opposite position -- sort of like betting that a specific sequence of numbers WILL hit the lottery vs. betting that the same sequence WON'T hit.

      --
      Why is there an "insightful" mod and why isn't it "-1"? If I wanted insight, I wouldn't be reading /.
    25. Re:Going out on a limb here... by philljcool · · Score: 1

      To be fair, most people who are sure that tomorrow ISN'T the rapture have exactly the same amount of evidence behind them as those who think it IS.

      This may be true, but the burden of proof is on those arguing that it is the rapture. Just like aliens or crazy 9/11 conspiracies, I'm not going to entertain the thought of the rapture without some good evidence.

    26. Re:Going out on a limb here... by astrodoom · · Score: 4, Informative
      "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened."

      You should probably read the section before that. At the beginning of the chapter, Jesus said in reference to the temple that not one stone would be left on another. The disciples then asked him when these things would happen, and he proceeded into a rather lengthy explanation with one "rabbit trail" into the end times to address/correct the idea that Jews thought the end of the world would come when the temple was destroyed. He then wrapped it up by answering their initial question of when the prophecy about the temple would come to pass. The structure of the passage makes a lot of sense when you think of the flow of a conversation. People tend to not really look at the surrounding text when talking about this verse and instead take it out of the context of the conversation, a dangerous practice albeit a common one on both sides.

      FYI, destruction of the temple was around 70 A.D. Within the timing of the current generation prophecy.

    27. Re:Going out on a limb here... by nedlohs · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I'm as sure that tomorrow isn't the rapture as I am that the Moon won't sponteneously turn into cheese tomorrow, and that my house won't become a monster and eat the local children tomorrow, and that the sun won't go supernova tomorrow, and that 1+1 will still equal 2 tomorrow.

      Yes I could be wrong on any of those, but if you are going to say I can't be "sure", then the word is meaningless since no one can be sure of anything.

    28. Re:Going out on a limb here... by astrodoom · · Score: 1

      Unrelated note: For some reason, I mis-read the slashdot headline as "What To Do When the Raptors Come?" what do you do when the raptors come?

      meteors worked last time...

    29. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, but that would reversing the burden of proof, not considered a fair thing to do in a debate.

    30. Re:Going out on a limb here... by bryan1945 · · Score: 1

      "And ye shall be touched by his noodley goodness."
      Pastafarians 42:3.14

      --
      Vote monkeys into Congress. They are cheaper and more trustworthy.
    31. Re:Going out on a limb here... by interkin3tic · · Score: 1

      Even if the world does happen to end tomorrow, it's not because this kook knew it.

      The bible verse ""No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" could still apply here. This guy has previously predicted the end would come a few years ago, incorrectly I might add. It's possible no one believes this prediction, not even the guy making the prediction.

      It is when we LEAST expect it, therefore it's EXACTLY when God will strike!

    32. Re:Going out on a limb here... by interkin3tic · · Score: 1

      To be fair, most people who are sure that tomorrow ISN'T the rapture have exactly the same amount of evidence behind them as those who think it IS.

      Hard evidence maybe, but we DO have a much longer track record of being right. Plus, the rapture has failed to occur FAR more often than it has occurred.

      Statistics are really on our side here.

    33. Re:Going out on a limb here... by shutdown+-p+now · · Score: 1

      Curiously enough, the radio has got raptured wholesale, apparently...

    34. Re:Going out on a limb here... by sonamchauhan · · Score: 1

      John 21:22
      Jesus said to him, "If I desire that he stay until I come, what is that to you? You follow me."

    35. Re:Going out on a limb here... by jez9999 · · Score: 1

      Unrelated note: For some reason, I mis-read the slashdot headline as "What To Do When the Raptors Come?"

      what do you do when the raptors come?

      Dunno about the raptors, but Revelation gives us some very important information about the dragon (Revelation 20):

      And I saw an angel coming down out of heaven, having the key to the Abyss and holding in his hand a great chain. He seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil, or Satan, and bound him for a thousand years. He threw him into the Abyss, and locked and sealed it over him, to keep him from deceiving the nations anymore until the thousand years were ended. After that, he must be set free for a short time.

    36. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Johann+Lau · · Score: 1

      We can take some comfort in knowing that if he's right, he'll be the last kook.

      That would also make him not a kook :P

    37. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yep, Patmos had some great mushrooms.

    38. Re:Going out on a limb here... by digitig · · Score: 1

      I don't think Harold Camping was the first kook by a looong shot.

      From the article: "The end of the world has been predicted more than 100 times in the last 100 years."

      Expect Hallmark to be announcing an annual "Apocalypse Day" and marketing cards anytime now. But what date should they choose? It's not always 21 May.

      --
      Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?
    39. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Sulphur · · Score: 1

      well, at least my dog is finally getting enough cheese.

      That's no cheese or moon.

      --

      Freshness Date: Use by 05/21/11.

    40. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Mister+Transistor · · Score: 1
      --
      -- You are in a maze of little, twisty passages, all different... --
    41. Re:Going out on a limb here... by jamesh · · Score: 1

      He was a kook once before though

    42. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Mana+Mana · · Score: 1

      > "What To Do When the Raptors Come?"

      YOU HAVE ME LAUGHING OUT LOUD. Seriously, thanks, man. *G*

    43. Re:Going out on a limb here... by nyctopterus · · Score: 2

      Problem of induction aside, all the current evidence suggests such events are physically impossible, so I would say all the evidence suggests that tomorrow isn't the rapture.

    44. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      what do you do when the raptors come?

      hope they don't learn to open doors.

      http://xkcd.com/900/

    45. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Pesticidal · · Score: 1

      God: "Oh damn it, he guessed it again! Cancel the rapture!"

    46. Re:Going out on a limb here... by peragrin · · Score: 1

      ooh forgot mistranslated several times from the original's too.

      As in the older books the sign of the beast is not 666.

      --
      i thought once I was found, but it was only a dream.
    47. Re:Going out on a limb here... by JohhnyTHM · · Score: 1

      From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none...

      I have to do my own ironing?

    48. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Unrelated note: For some reason, I mis-read the slashdot headline as "What To Do When the Raptors Come?"
      what do you do when the raptors come?"

      Nothing. I'm not much of a fan. The season is over for now.

      Oh, wait, you mean the other raptors. Sorry. I usually watch them on a webcam. They're here now, and usually fledge later in the summer.

    49. Re:Going out on a limb here... by mario_grgic · · Score: 1

      That's a rather silly statement. You can't be sure of anything really, but there are degrees of sureness. I'm more sure rapture won't happen not just on May 21 this year, or ever than I am sure that Earth will continue on its predicted path around the Sun.

      --
      As the island of our knowledge grows, so does the shore of our ignorance.
    50. Re:Going out on a limb here... by dumeinst · · Score: 1
    51. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Then perhaps you missed the one two verses before that: "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened."

      Perhaps even a little of: "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." Matthew 16:28.

      Or: "After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." I Thessalonians 4:17.

      "Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour." I John 2:18

      "This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none..." I Corinthians 7:29.

      "They said to you, 'In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.' These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit." Jude 18-19.

      I don't think Harold Camping was the first kook by a looong shot.

      I'm not an expert, but ...

      Your first verse about "this generation" is referring to the generation that sees all the things mentioned before that verse. Not the "current" generation.

      The second one, some of the apostles saw Jesus transfigured into his heavenly glory, and later John saw the future of Jesus coming in a vision.

      The third one, That refers to dead and living believers all together. It is true that early on people thought they would be that generation but Jesus never said that.

      The last hour refers to the end of that dispensation.

      The one about wives, read the verses before and after. The Christians of that time were under tremendous pressure. His point was serving Christ during this time ... "He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. 33 But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife."

      I don't know your point with Jude, he is obviously talking about future events.

      Most prophecies don't make complete sense until after they happen, then after they happen people say "ohhhh now I see I was unbelieving." If even the angels don't know when it is, I just don't know why these so called preachers do this. Money and attention I guess, all the while being yet another bad testimony for the Lord.

    52. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Reply to: "I'm as sure that tomorrow isn't the rapture as I am that the Moon won't sponteneously (sic) turn into cheese tomorrow, and that my house won't become a monster and eat the local children tomorrow, and that the sun won't go supernova tomorrow, and that 1+1 will still equal 2 tomorrow."

      I agree with everything except the 1+1=2 part, everyone knows 1+1=10.

    53. Re:Going out on a limb here... by LordRobin · · Score: 1

      Camping's next radio broadcast is going to be AWKward!

      ------RM

    54. Re:Going out on a limb here... by DRMShill · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I remember this verse quite well from Christian school. And the following verses: And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all [these things] must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these [are] the beginning of sorrows. These are often quoted as signs of the Apocalypse. The thing is these events have occurred on a regular basis since the dawn of time so they really aren't very good signs. I don't think Jesus and his apostles were that stupid so I can only conclude that this section really should have been written in Sarcastica. I kind of imagine it going like this: Apostle: When will you return. Jesus: None of your God Damn Business. That's when. Apostole: Come on tell us. Please!! Jesus: (rolls eyes and groans, then says in his best Dr. House mocking tone) Okay I'll give you the signs. There will be wars! Men will do anything for sex and money! People in power will screw over their subjects!! Apostole: OK Jesus, I was just asking. You don't need to be an ass about it.

    55. Re:Going out on a limb here... by LordRobin · · Score: 1

      what do you do when the raptors come?

      Here's a forum discussing the topic: The Raptor Is Coming

      I believe we're supposed to anoint ourselves with A-1 Steak Sauce.

      ------RM

    56. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Attila+Dimedici · · Score: 2

      As an Anonymous Coward pointed out, the problem with understanding this passage is that Jesus is answering two questions posed by the disciples as one. "When will this happen,.." referencing the comment that Jesus had just made about not one stone being left on another (a reference to the Roman sacking of Jerusalem in 70AD). And "...what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?" The reason for believing that the part that says no one knows the day or the hour applies to the end is that there are one or two other passages in the New Testament that refer to the Second Coming being as a "thief in the night" or otherwise coming as a surprise.

      --
      The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison
    57. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Chemisor · · Score: 1

      Jesus may not know when he's coming back, but data-mining advertisers no doubt already know what he is going to buy when he gets here.

    58. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Thing+1 · · Score: 1

      Eagles and not vultures? Yeah, the religious types sure get science right...

      --
      I feel fantastic, and I'm still alive.
    59. Re:Going out on a limb here... by icebraining · · Score: 1

      Jesus is the Father, so he must have known. "Thus, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit are also eternal, omnipresent, omnipotent, infinitely wise, infinitely holy, infinitely loving, omniscient."

    60. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Thing+1 · · Score: 1

      Many more of us saw the recent XKCD as well. :)

      --
      I feel fantastic, and I'm still alive.
    61. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      He's just the current kook. And tomorrow when he's proved wrong, another will shortly come along to take his place.

    62. Re:Going out on a limb here... by realityimpaired · · Score: 1

      Certainly not 21 May if they expect to sell anything in the Commonwealth....

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

    63. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Registered+Coward+v2 · · Score: 1

      Mod parent informative... Even Jesus didn't know when the rapture was to occur. This guy somehow knows better? For those who don't want/care to look this up, Matthew 24:36 states (in reference to the rapture) "No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father." - NIV translation

      Well, since some Christian religions believe that the Father and the Son (along with the Holy Spirit to be complete) are all one in the same God. So if the Son doesn't know; then neither must the Father or the Bible is wrong.

      Of course, a Trinity solves this but arguing about faith is like reasoning with a cat.

      --
      I'm a consultant - I convert gibberish into cash-flow.
    64. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Artifakt · · Score: 2

      The common raptors of the Middle East include the Golden Eagle, the Greater Spotted Eagle, the Imperial Eagle, and the Steppe Eagle (which winters in locations such as Oman but is a European bird in the summer.), All of these species are frequent carrion eaters, and historically existed in numbers much larger than the (more specialised) vultures. (for non-biblical reference, see Pliny or just about anyone commenting on what the Romans stocked for their games.).

      So yes, in this particular case, the religious types got their science exactly right.

      --
      Who is John Cabal?
    65. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Except for the fact that the kook has predicted it before and failed at that.

    66. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Unrelated note: For some reason, I mis-read the slashdot headline as "What To Do When the Raptors Come?"
       

      You've probably been reading too many webcomics ;-).

    67. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Jawnn · · Score: 1

      To be fair, most people who are sure that tomorrow ISN'T the rapture have exactly the same amount of evidence behind them as those who think it IS.

      Not quite, if you buy the reasoning behind Occam's Razor. If you do, the safe bet is clearly, "What is 'just another in a long line of kooks?' for $200, Alex."

    68. Re:Going out on a limb here... by noc007 · · Score: 1

      The bible verse ""No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father" could still apply here. This guy has previously predicted the end would come a few years ago, incorrectly I might add. It's possible no one believes this prediction, not even the guy making the prediction.

      This is why I'm surprised this has gotten so much media coverage. I haven't seen any of the billboards or signs except in the mass of media coverage. Based off of my observations of Christians and non-Christians, I figured that by now most people would just ignore this sort of thing.

    69. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Play basketball.

    70. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      yeah...and a sprinkling of rational thought.

    71. Re:Going out on a limb here... by toriver · · Score: 1

      Yes, a numerologist at the time would be more likely to focus on Plato's 6*6*6, i.e. 216.

      216, the number of the neobeast.

    72. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You underestimate the power of kookiness.

    73. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Guns, and hallways. They can't hunt like a pack in halls, and If I'm lucky I can shoot them before they can run down the hall.

    74. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ronald Wilson Reagen....666

    75. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Yvan256 · · Score: 1

      667, neighbor of the beast.

    76. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So we know that he must be wrong about his interpretation of the Bible, because of a different interpretation of the Bible?
      You really don't see the problem with this?

    77. Re:Going out on a limb here... by jimicus · · Score: 1

      Given the societal upheaval going around at the time, you did not need to be the son of God to predict the destruction of the temple.

    78. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Mindcontrolled · · Score: 1

      Most prophecies don't make complete sense until after they happen,

      You mean not until they find something that loosely fits their bullshit after the right amount of retconning?

      --
      Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
    79. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Jesus is the Father, so he must have known.

      So did Matthew just get it wrong, or was Jesus having an identity crisis? If you're right, Jesus apparently also spent a lot of time praying to himself.

      The New Testament is incompatible with pure monotheism.

    80. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Mindcontrolled · · Score: 1

      Dude, the raptors are steak snobs. You are to anoint yourself with a light dose of salt - fleur de sel - and pepper - freshly ground - and stay the hell away from steak sauce, or else it will get REALLY painful.

      --
      Ubi solitudinem faciunt, pacem appellant.
    81. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Mahalalel · · Score: 1

      That's right. I hardly see why because one guy predicts the end of the world, it's Slashdot worthy. And as is pointed out below, Christians for the last 1900 years have understood the "this generation will not pass away" as referring to the judgement at Jerusalem in the destruction of the temple (a sort of coming of Christ). And keep in mind that some of the best logicians in history have been Christians. There are some in modern times that send their brains on a vacation but Scripture has been well-defended over the years as completely consistent with itself. Every single supposed contradiction has been dealt with if you're willing to give an honest look and not quote out of context.

    82. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Hell, this isn't even Mr. Camping's first attempt to predict the end of the world! Remember all the way back in 1994...

    83. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You either did not read the chapter or you are simply lying. Here is the relevant passage:

      So GP said he was talking about the second coming when he said "this generation will not pass away" and you say he was obviously talking about the temple. Look at the verses, in order:

      30 Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. 32 “Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. 33 Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door. 34 Truly I tell you, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.

      It's amazing the tricks so-called literalists pull in order to maintain the delusion. I wonder if this is the kind of stunt Camping's followers will try to pull after the epic fail.

    84. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And the beast shall come forth surrounded by a roiling cloud of vengeance. The house of the unbelievers shall be razed and they shall be scorched to the earth. Their tags shall blink until the end of days.

      from The Book of Mozilla, 12:10

    85. Re:Going out on a limb here... by TuringTest · · Score: 1

      For some reason, I mis-read the slashdot headline as "What To Do When the Raptors Come?"

      Obligatory... hope they can't figure how to open doors.

      --
      Singularity: a belief in the "God" idea with the "demiurge" relation inverted.
    86. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Especially if you write about it 20-30 years after the fact. Prophecy my ass.

    87. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You guys get all this crap from some book? losers

    88. Re:Going out on a limb here... by jessejohanna · · Score: 1

      Then perhaps you missed the one two verses before that: "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened."

      Perhaps even a little of: "I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom." Matthew 16:28.

      Or: "After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever." I Thessalonians 4:17.

      "Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour." I John 2:18

      "This is what I mean, brothers: the appointed time has grown very short. From now on, let those who have wives live as though they had none..." I Corinthians 7:29.

      "They said to you, 'In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.' These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit." Jude 18-19.

      I don't think Harold Camping was the first kook by a looong shot.

      I'm not an expert, but ...

      Your first verse about "this generation" is referring to the generation that sees all the things mentioned before that verse. Not the "current" generation.

      The second one, some of the apostles saw Jesus transfigured into his heavenly glory, and later John saw the future of Jesus coming.

      The third one, That refers to dead and living believers all together. It is true that early on people thought they would be that generation but Jesus never said that.

      The last hour refers to the end of that dispensation.

      The one about wives, read the verses before and after. The Christians of that time were under tremendous pressure. His point was serving Christ during this time ... "He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord—how he may please the Lord. 33 But he who is married cares about the things of the world—how he may please his wife."

      I don't know your point with Jude, he is obviously talking about future events.

      Most prophecies don't make complete sense until after they happen, then after they happen people say "ohhhh now I see I was unbelieving." If even the angels don't know when it is, I just don't know why these so called preachers do this. Money and attention I guess, all the while being yet another bad testimony for the Lord.

    89. Re:Going out on a limb here... by maxwell+demon · · Score: 2

      and that 1+1 will still equal 2 tomorrow.

      Yes I could be wrong on any of those

      No, you can't be wrong on the last one (the one I quoted), because it's not a fact of nature, but a fact of math. Basically, 1+1=2 because we defined it that way. What could change is that there are processes in nature which are adequately described by this equation. But that doesn't affect the validity of the equation any more than the fact that even today there are processes not well described by it; e.g. one drop of water and one drop of water going together give one (bigger) drop of water, not two.

      --
      The Tao of math: The numbers you can count are not the real numbers.
    90. Re:Going out on a limb here... by FoolishOwl · · Score: 2

      I have Occam's Razor, by which I mean the reasonable assumption is the null hypothesis, by which I mean that unless I had some reason to believe that some unprecedented phenomenon would occur, I shouldn't expect it to occur.

      In addition, given the text that Harold Camping is supposedly basing his beliefs upon says, specifically, that neither he nor anyone else can know when the Rapture will occur, it's obvious that Camping is too stupid to think coherently even within the bounds of his own declared belief system.

      The real pity is that Camping and his followers are among the most foolish people in the world, that almost all of them will still be here tomorrow, and that most of them won't even reconsider their own beliefs in light of this spectacular folly.

    91. Re:Going out on a limb here... by rgbatduke · · Score: 5, Informative

      Superb example of Bayesian reasoning and the application of maximum entropy! Bravo!

      The real problem isn't Harold Whacko. The problem is cognitive dissonance. Even though he will be proven wrong -- again -- in a little over three and a half hours (or less -- I would guess that the Bible doesn't account for EDT) will his followers, the ones who have showered him with money, go "Gee, were we dumb! We actually believed this crazy loon!"? No, instead they will find a way of making the non-event into the event, or they will start rumors of some people disappearing, and pretty soon all of them will "know" somebody that was taken up, and then there will be an after the last minute second chance or the good news that Jesus decided not to end the Universe after all because of the faith of Harold's followers.

      Leon Festinger observed all of this, documented it, and named it way back in the 60's, and it is what keeps religion alive in spite of the lack of evidence, in spite of the positive evidence that they are wrong, that their predictions are false, that their theistic scripture is a collection of lies and myths, that many of those that preach it are con artists who suck the blood of the gullible.

      rgb

      --
      Even when the experts all agree, they may well be mistaken. --- Bertrand Russell.
    92. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You aren't the only one

    93. Re:Going out on a limb here... by icebraining · · Score: 1

      I don't know, ask Mr. Wayne Grudem who is a research professor and has a PHD on "Theology and Biblical Studies" and wrote the citation I gave.

      The doctrine of the Trinity is confusing, yes, but what isn't in Christianity?

    94. Re:Going out on a limb here... by DG · · Score: 1

      1/666 - Numerator of the Beast.

      34B - Number of the Breast

      DG

      --
      Want to learn about race cars? Read my Book
    95. Re:Going out on a limb here... by js_sebastian · · Score: 2

      FYI, destruction of the temple was around 70 A.D. Within the timing of the current generation prophecy.

      Except that the gospels, that contain the prophecy in question, where written a couple centuries later... Let me see... I can make a prophecy that civil war will break out on the united states, and the slavers will lose...

    96. Re:Going out on a limb here... by ildon · · Score: 1

      Just hope no one tries to use that logic on a meteor impact prediction. :P

    97. Re:Going out on a limb here... by chill · · Score: 1

      Not a Heinlein fan, are you?

      If so, you'd realize it was 6^6^6, or 10,314,424,798,490,535,546,171,949,056, which is the number of parallel universes accessible through the continua device.

      --
      Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
    98. Re:Going out on a limb here... by astrodoom · · Score: 1

      The date of their writing is disputed, and you're assuming a historic account is inaccurate merely because it was written after the event? You can't assume they made it up, you can certaintly think that, but you can't assume it.

    99. Re:Going out on a limb here... by LordLimecat · · Score: 1

      People tend to not really look at the surrounding text when talking about this verse and instead take it out of the context of the conversation, a dangerous practice albeit a common one on both sides.

      But then, parent was never concerned with understanding what was meant, or by learning whether or not he was mistaken. His goal was to try to make christians look ridiculous at any cost, even if it meant being dishonest about it.

    100. Re:Going out on a limb here... by canadian_right · · Score: 1

      The people who think there will not be a Rapture have billions of years of evidence on their side. For billions of years there have been zero supernatural events. There is not one good bit of evidence for any supernatural event ever. This is pretty strong evidence that there will be no Rapture.

      The "evidence" for the Rapture is a few ambiguous passages in a book written about 2000 years ago by ignorant villagers. This is not slur, just a fact as they were living in a time that was ignorant of a great deal of knowledge we take for granted about how the world, space, and time, really are.

      --
      Anarchists never rule
    101. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      ...and, conveniently, around the time the gospel in question was written?

    102. Re:Going out on a limb here... by monkeythug · · Score: 1

      Can we get those guys to work on Doctor Who canon, if they've finished with the Bible?

      --
      Don't you wish you hadn't wasted 3 seconds of your life reading this sig?
    103. Re:Going out on a limb here... by CyberDragon777 · · Score: 1

      Unrelated note: For some reason, I mis-read the slashdot headline as "What To Do When the Raptors Come?"

      Obligatory XKCDSW

      --
      We both said a lot of things that you are going to regret.
    104. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That makes me wonder how the whole trinity/god is one thing works. If the Father knows but the Son doesn't, how can they be one? I can lie to my self, but I can't keep myself from knowing something that I know.... Or is it that in being all knowing you know how to keep your self from knowing something? Just a thought.

    105. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Quinn_Inuit · · Score: 1

      That depends. Did you remember to activate the gene for extreme dwarfism first, or have they already gotten lightsabers?

      --

      Stop learning! Only you can prevent esoterrorism.
    106. Re:Going out on a limb here... by RobertM1968 · · Score: 1

      That's a wonderful apologist reinterpretation. It's supposed to be 6 months in happening - not an individual thing. Face it, believing in myths is stupid.

    107. Re:Going out on a limb here... by RobertM1968 · · Score: 1

      To be fair, most people who are sure that tomorrow ISN'T the rapture have exactly the same amount of evidence behind them as those who think it IS.

      Ummm, no. We actually have more... like the lack of environmental precursors to massive earthquakes and other natural disasters that are predicted. Like the fact that "peace in the Middle East" is probably millenia away (if that soon) - and is also a necessary precursor to the rapture. I could go on and on, but the simple fact is, we've got a lot of evidence (if one is to believe the Bible's requirements for this event to happen) that the rapture is not today. OTOH, these "rapturists" have a book that claims such an event will happen, but NO ONE will know when - meaning their beliefs have evidence AGAINST them in their very own belief structure.

    108. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      In general, the early Christians teachings all agreed with the imminent coming of paradise. This is why it appealed to those who had little, or those who would or could not produce much. This is why the biblical Christ emphasized on sharing in the consumption of immediate goods and paid no mind to the production of them. It was a feel good end of the world so you might as well use up your savings sort of emphasis.

      For the most part, that has changed now. No society could be founded upon the idea of only consuming and not producing, so early Christianity changed to reflect this as Christianity became popular. Imagine how long a nation would last if it followed the literal ideas of the biblical Christ. We'd be starving in the streets in a month. So only a few people here and there really get into the idea that it will not just occur sometime within their life, but within the immediate future. Those kinds of people just can't sustain such a belief(if they actually act upon it, that is). A lot of people will say 'in my lifetime' but still go to work every day and raise a family and such.

    109. Re:Going out on a limb here... by lucian1900 · · Score: 1
    110. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      To argue such a point requires a whole number of implicit statements about reality, perceptual reality, universal and logically consistent rules that describe it, the preference for the truth of such things and so on. Thus to make your claim(unless you are just typing random letters like a cat and happen upon this meaningful claim) you have to support the internally logical rules of reality and then in the content of your argument, deny that such a thing can be done.

      That is what is known as a self detonating statement. It is not the same as being hypocritical, because it doesn't depend on the speaker but the argument itself. It is the same as saying 'words have no meaning' for instance. The form of the argument contradicts the content of the argument.

      And as a positive proof of the non-existence of the religious: anything in nature that can be measurable(not equivalent to is currently possible to be measured by human, but is measurable at all, as in it is a part of nature) is simply natural. If the object or event in question consists of matter and energy it is natural. So a 'rapture' would be nothing more than a fancy alien abduction. Anything outside of this(non-interacting with reality) is by definition non-existent and thus has no reason to be given a special name other than the non-existent.

      So, if one were to define rapture as a natural event of some fancy but fully within the realm of reality beings, then sure, we cannot apodictically deny the possibility. But that isn't what 'rapture' is so I have no problem saying that I am certain it will not occur, by definition axioms and deduction.

    111. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Abstrackt · · Score: 1

      what do you do when the raptors come?

      Pray they don't figure out how to open doors?

      --
      They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance. - Terry Pratchett
    112. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      what do you do when the raptors come?

      Just make sure you're flying a Viper.

    113. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's more certain that it will never happen than that it will ever happen. It's as certain as the fact that the Earth will continue to spin around its axis and around the Sun. if you just apply algorithms and base your affirmations on cause-effect patterns, then claiming anything using the Bible as the proof doesn't make sense.

    114. Re:Going out on a limb here... by mog007 · · Score: 1

      What about people who commit suicide?

    115. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 1

      "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened."

      Then the Bible itself is a crock, since everybody who was alive in AD 50 (or whenever) is surely dead now.

    116. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Chris+Mattern · · Score: 1

      No, 668 is the Neighbor of the Beast. 667 is Across the Street From the Beast.

    117. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      in Toronto when the Rapters come people buy tickets.

    118. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So a bit like Apple fanboys

    119. Re:Going out on a limb here... by t2t10 · · Score: 1

      Ah, but as Christians and their churches will tell you: you do not grasp the subtlety and nuance of these phrases. You may think you know what they mean, but it takes an addled, brainwashed Christian to understand their true meaning! If you don't understand their meaning and think they contradict what actually happened you are an EVIL UNBELIEVER!

    120. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Unrelated note: For some reason, I mis-read the slashdot headline as "What To Do When the Raptors Come?"
      what do you do when the raptors come?

      What can you do? I would start running around and screaming like the physically-unfit geek I am, until one of them is fed up and finally decapitates or disembowels me.

    121. Re:Going out on a limb here... by camazotz · · Score: 1

      By that logic, my claim that I will spontaneously start extruding gold nuggets from my nostrils today has exactly as much merit as a chemist who tries to explain why snot doesn't convert to gold. I have 4.5 billion years' worth of reasons to believe that the Rapture was not destined to happen, ever. I think that's a bit weightier than some old cook on TV having punishment and affirmation delusions with a date attached.

    122. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      no,
      1+1=2
      is a claim of a different nature.

      All the others can turn out to be false, but 1+1=2 will still be true.

      On the other side it is NOT possible that 1+1 is not equal to 2.
      Because 2 is defined as the successor of 1. And by definition of the natural numbers
      "Successor of n"=n+1.

    123. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You know... just a slight difference in tone and the Bible could be very entertaining.

    124. Re:Going out on a limb here... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Actually, I've got some pretty good evidence.

      - Posted May 23rd, 2011

  7. Im going to be jerking off by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    In my own face

    1. Re:Im going to be jerking off by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

      It's the Rapture. I don't know, it just seems like we should do something out of the ordinary for once.

  8. Re:Fap, fap, fap! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Masturbating.

    Can I watch?

  9. The Brain by chill · · Score: 5, Funny

    The same thing we do EVERY night, Pinky -- try to take over the world!

    --
    Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
    1. Re:The Brain by Scott64 · · Score: 1, Funny

      NARF!

    2. Re:The Brain by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Barney Fwank will be doing something involving a German Shepherd and a bottle of Astroglide.

    3. Re:The Brain by Moryath · · Score: 2

      I'm on a rampage!

    4. Re:The Brain by Samantha+Wright · · Score: 1, Funny

      I'm on a horse.

      --
      Bio questions? Ask me to start a Q&A journal. Computer analogies available for most topics!
    5. Re:The Brain by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I wish I was on you. Let's hook up tomorrow, say 5-ish?

    6. Re:The Brain by countertrolling · · Score: 2

      with no name?

      --
      For justice, we must go to Don Corleone
    7. Re:The Brain by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Look at my horse. My horse is amazing.

    8. Re:The Brain by sconeu · · Score: 2

      Dammit! You've been on that thing for two weeks. Give him a fucking name already!!!

      --
      General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
    9. Re:The Brain by lpp · · Score: 2

      Yeah, pouring the astroglide on the linoleum and locking a cat in with the German Shepherd *IS* pretty amusing...

      That's what you were talking about right?

    10. Re:The Brain by dumuzi · · Score: 1

      I'm on my couch.

    11. Re:The Brain by MachDelta · · Score: 1

      The horse is now diamonds!

    12. Re:The Brain by TheRaven64 · · Score: 1

      I'm on a pale horse, and my three friends are on red, black, and white horses.

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    13. Re:The Brain by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Give it a lick, it tastes justs like raisin.

    14. Re:The Brain by chill · · Score: 1

      There is no such thing as a white horse.

      --
      Learning HOW to think is more important than learning WHAT to think.
    15. Re:The Brain by karnal · · Score: 1

      shut up woman, get on my horse

      --
      Karnal
    16. Re:The Brain by Thing+1 · · Score: 1

      Of course; of course.

      --
      I feel fantastic, and I'm still alive.
    17. Re:The Brain by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      We took over the world last night Brain...Narf

    18. Re:The Brain by Jeremi · · Score: 1

      If you want to ride; don't ride the white horse.

      --


      I don't care if it's 90,000 hectares. That lake was not my doing.
  10. How can it be tied to local time zone? by Joe+The+Dragon · · Score: 1

    How can it be tied to local time zone? and not just 1 time for all of them?

    1. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by saleenS281 · · Score: 3, Funny

      Because God created timezones, duh!

    2. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think I have read that the guys theory is it will be an earthquake that ripples west, and probably happens to go at the exact speed to affect every time zone at 6PM locally every time.

    3. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by LordRobin · · Score: 5, Insightful

      This is by far and away the single most hilarious thing about this prediction. Time zones are established by man's laws, yet this heavenly event is supposed to follow them. So let me get this straight:

      -- If I live on the border of the Eastern and Central time zones, and see my friends floating into the air, and I don't want to go yet (because I want to tweet to everybody about what I saw), I can run a few feet to the east, and God will grant me 60 more minutes on Earth?
      -- Will God start the Rapture in Venezuela 30 minutes before the rest of South America?
      -- What about the International Date Line? Will some islands have to wait a full day to be raptured?
      -- And God respects Daylight Savings Time too?

      That last one makes me think... Y'know, if God is bound to obey the local time set by the local laws of the local humans, what's to stop a government from passing a law turning the clocks ahead one hour precisely one minute after 5:59 PM? No rapture for you, comades!

      ------RM

    4. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by retroworks · · Score: 1

      Used all my mods up, but you are 4 baby

      --
      Gently reply
    5. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by hawguy · · Score: 2

      This is by far and away the single most hilarious thing about this prediction. Time zones are established by man's laws, yet this heavenly event is supposed to follow them. So let me get this straight:

      Timezones were created so everyone sees the sun rise and set at the same (approximate) time. Timezones don't obey Man's law, they obey God's law.

    6. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by Allicorn · · Score: 2

      Any time you see something that doesn't make sense... ...a wizard did it.

      --
      OMG!!! Ponies!!!
    7. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by HornWumpus · · Score: 1

      Time shift with longitude obeys God's law.

      1 hour integer jumps are mans (railroad operators actually) invention.

      Railroad schedules where hell when each stop had it's own time offset.

      --
      John McAfee 'It was like that time I hired that Bangkok prostitute; to do my taxes, while I fucked my accountant'
    8. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by oztiks · · Score: 2

      The problem I have with this Mayan and other silly calendar based EOD prophecies. Since I was indoctrinated by Roman Catholic values (thanks mom and dad!) one thing I know is that the Caesar occupation of Rome lead to the butchering of our 10month calendar ... October is the 10th month of the year FFS and July and August was introduced out of some need to satisfy a bunch of ancient egotistical usurpers.

      I never really did the math but if you were to ever use our contemporary calendar to predict anything that factors in events pre AD events your going to over shoot it by at least few years!

      Surprising no body ever factors in the little details :)

    9. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by ndogg · · Score: 1

      It can be tied a local time zone because of TIMECUBE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

      --
      // file: mice.h
      #include "frickin_lasers.h"
    10. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Time zones are established by man's laws, yet this heavenly event is supposed to follow them. So let me get this straight

      Our product follows proper internationalization guidelines. We do also have full Unicode support.

      -- If I live on the border of the Eastern and Central time zones, and see my friends floating into the air, and I don't want to go yet (because I want to tweet to everybody about what I saw), I can run a few feet to the east, and God will grant me 60 more minutes on Earth?

      Yes. You can actually can get a full day if you're fast. Think of it like a consolation prize.

      -- Will God start the Rapture in Venezuela 30 minutes before the rest of South America?

      Yes, if there's a Christian Anglo Saxon expat there. Otherwise it'll be skipped like the rest.

      -- What about the International Date Line? Will some islands have to wait a full day to be raptured?

      Yes.

      -- And God respects Daylight Savings Time too?

      Unfortunately this feature is not supported on this version.

      Y'know, if God is bound to obey the local time set by the local laws of the local humans, what's to stop a government from passing a law turning the clocks ahead one hour precisely one minute after 5:59 PM? No rapture for you, comades!

      This will show up as a bug in our issue tracking system and the responsible will be sent to hell manually. Also, additional charges will be billed against your account.

      Hope this helps,
      Vijay
      Heaven Customer Service Representative.

    11. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by hawguy · · Score: 4, Interesting

      But Camping's prediction is that the earthquakes will follow the sun... just as man's timezones do:

      Harold Camping: Beginning at about 6:00p May 21st in New Zealand there will be a great earthquake. This earthquake will actually follow the Sun and as each timezone reaches 6:00p it too will experience this earthquake.

      The timezone is just a convenience to describe when the earthquake will start -- as he says, it will be about 6:00pm, so someone on East side of the timezone will feel it before someone on the West side. Since the earthquakes will follow the sun, then man's definition of "timezone" doesn't matter - whether there are 24 timezones or 36 timezones, the earthquake would still appear to follow the timezones.

      There may be many reasons to discredit his prediction, but timezones aren't one of them.

    12. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by zoloto · · Score: 1

      we have very few people who know about the "adjustment" to bring the calendars into harmony and the other adjustments made so things could make sense for those who didn't want to learn them.

    13. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 1

      look, in these last hours, can you PLEASE not bring up time-cube guy!

      --

      --
      "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
    14. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 1

      ah, there it was. came for the timecube ref.

      went away, satisfied.

      --

      --
      "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
    15. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by TapeCutter · · Score: 1

      The Earthquake will start at the international dateline and head in a westerly direction.

      --
      And did you exchange a walk on part in the war for a lead role in a cage? - Pink Floyd.
    16. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by countertrolling · · Score: 2

      ...I can run a few feet to the east, and God will grant me 60 more minutes on Earth?

      Go West young man...

      --
      For justice, we must go to Don Corleone
    17. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by mevets · · Score: 1

      Your problem with this nonsense is the difficulty in calculating dates? I don't think the Mayans used a Roman or Gregorian calendar, at least not before the catlicks exterminated them.

    18. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by lpp · · Score: 1

      What happens in Soviet Russia?

    19. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by camperdave · · Score: 1

      There is such a thing as local solar time. Before standard time zones were introduced, places set their time by the sun.

      --
      When our name is on the back of your car, we're behind you all the way!
    20. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by Black+Parrot · · Score: 1

      Timezones were created so everyone sees the sun rise and set at the same (approximate) time. Timezones don't obey Man's law, they obey God's law.

      Actually, they were created so people would *not* go by solar time. In the age of transcontinental railroads it was real inconvenient when every stop had its clocks set by the local meridian.

      --
      Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
    21. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by Black+Parrot · · Score: 4, Interesting

      The problem I have with this Mayan and other silly calendar based EOD prophecies. Since I was indoctrinated by Roman Catholic values (thanks mom and dad!) one thing I know is that the Caesar occupation of Rome lead to the butchering of our 10month calendar ... October is the 10th month of the year FFS and July and August was introduced out of some need to satisfy a bunch of ancient egotistical usurpers.

      Actually January and February were the late additions. The early Roman agricultural year started in March (named after the God of war, of course - this is Rome we're talking about). The Sept- Oct- Nov- Dec- are off because we start our year at (approximately) the solstice rather than the beginning of spring.

      July and August were merely renamed.

      --
      Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
    22. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by RobbieThe1st · · Score: 1

      Mod parent funny! That's just awesome.

    23. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by dhj · · Score: 1

      You and the GP are missing the point here. God, obviously, will borrow Santa Clause's sleigh. Santa doesn't deliver all the presents at once, right? It takes time for him to ride his sleigh across the sky. So *logically* God will be driving Santa's magic sleigh across the sky approximately 6 hours behind the sun. Or maybe he's hitching a ride with FSM.

    24. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by monoqlith · · Score: 1

      Why even introduce a whole bunch of bureaucratic red-tape to enforce such a provision?

      Just be even more on-point: Pass a law that bans rapture.

      God will obey, but I doubt Blondie will.

    25. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by ChunderDownunder · · Score: 1

      Without supplies, won't those poor folks on the international space station starve to death?

    26. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by hldn · · Score: 1

      well, it's now 6:33pm, may 21, in new zealand.

      i have not heard about any world shattering earthquakes yet.

      --
      http://www.accountkiller.com/removal-requested
    27. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by meglon · · Score: 1

      Sony, is that you?

      --
      Fascism: An authoritarian and nationalistic right-wing system of government and social organization. See also: NAZI's
    28. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by astrodoom · · Score: 1

      Most calendar EOD prophecies have very little to nothing to do with our current calendar. Campings is based on solar and lunar movements, not the calendar itself. The mayan thing is about the Mayan calendar, which I'm fairly confident wasn't butchered by Caesar. Now, that certainly doesn't give them any credibility, but let's at least not mock them beyond the extremely deserving amount :-)

    29. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by interkin3tic · · Score: 1

      An earthquake is also supposedly going to happen in each time zone. That is going to be some interesting plate tectonics.

    30. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by slackzilly · · Score: 1

      The problem with prophecies regarding the mayan calendar is that nutjobs think it marks the end of the world, when it really only marks the end of the calendar.

      --
      - "If one man can create that much hate, you can only imagine how much love we as a togetherness can create."
    31. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by Nursie · · Score: 1

      It's true, at some point in the past there were two less months.

      Personally I'd like to add one more to our current lot, because then we could have 28 day months all year round, and the lunar cycle would match up with the new calendar.

    32. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by rikkards · · Score: 1

      That plus I have issue believing it would be the end of the world if they couldn't even predict their own demise.

    33. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by Bratmon · · Score: 1

      More importantly, could I go west one timezone wait until 5:01 and return home safely?

    34. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by jpapon · · Score: 1

      Yes, it would make much more sense to have 28 days x 13 months. But then we would have 13 months. People just don't seem to like that number.

      --
      -- Let us endeavor so to live that when we pass even the undertaker shall be sorry. -- M. Twain
    35. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by Bratmon · · Score: 1

      Sorry, meant to reply to the parent.

    36. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by Bratmon · · Score: 1

      More importantly, couldn't someone go west one timezone (or even east actually,) wait until the time at their house is 6:01P and safely return?

    37. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by Kwpolska · · Score: 1

      In US, the rapture comes to the world. In Soviet ussia, the world comes to the rapture.

    38. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by oztiks · · Score: 1

      It's not my _only_ problem, and yes if the calendar wasn't the basis of the EOD event then 21/12/2012 wouldn't hold it's numerology value to it .... And if you factor in the 2 extra months it voids the whole correlation theory these nuts proclaim.

    39. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by Thing+1 · · Score: 1

      I liked the Skyline version: sure, the Rapture has been predicted and will happen, but it is not at all anything religious; they want our brains.

      --
      I feel fantastic, and I'm still alive.
    40. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by Attila+Dimedici · · Score: 1

      What does the Mayan calendar have to do with this? The nutjobs who think the Mayans predicted the end of the world say that it will end next year in December (except for a handful who believe it will be in May of 2013).
      I know a Christian who sent Harold Camping a letter asking Camping to sign over all of his assets to him as of May 22, since Camping would no longer need them after the Rapture. I have not heard if Camping replied.

      --
      The truth is that all men having power ought to be mistrusted. James Madison
    41. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by nschubach · · Score: 1

      Even if it does make sense... it was by design. Obviously, nothing important happens at random.

      --
      Every time I start to have faith in humanity, I ruin it by driving to work between 7 and 8 am.
    42. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by oztiks · · Score: 1

      I was going for generalization here, if your to use a modern calendar to predict historic events to conclude an apocalypse date. These people are missing the fact the old school calendars were based on a 10 month system not a 12 ....

    43. Re:How can it be tied to local time zone? by ildon · · Score: 1

      Don't accidentally float over the time zone if you're too high up, that'd be a shitty way to die.

  11. Money by igreaterthanu · · Score: 1

    You still have time to mail me a check. I promise not to bank it until the 23rd :)

    You have nothing to lose!

    --
    I dream of a nation where a man is not judged by his skin color but by an number assigned by a credit rating agency.
  12. It's not a coincidence... by PhilipOfOregon · · Score: 1

    The Zombie Apocalypse happens at the same time! PhilipOfOregon

  13. No sense holding back. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    I'm going to turn my virus scanner off and just enjoy the shit out of the extra speed.

  14. Looting by Qatz · · Score: 1

    Probably looting the houses of those who disappeared. After all they won't be needing the stuff.

  15. Do Over in 2012 by retroworks · · Score: 1

    This is the PSAT Rapture tomorrow. The SAT Rapture, according to the (Americas) Mayan Calendar is 2012. There may be some delays and syncronizing tomorrow, but be sure to pay no attention to the man behind the curtain.

    --
    Gently reply
    1. Re:Do Over in 2012 by unity100 · · Score: 1

      there is no rapture in mayan calendar. tzolkin count of mayan calendar, which is the REAL mayan calendar (tracks cycles of the sun) ends in oct 2011. not 2012. the two calendars that end in 2012 vicinity are long count and the other. they are both adjusted for daily life, tasks etc with 360 earth days. tzolkin count, is the calendar that pyramids were built to represent. (all pyramids have nine levels).

  16. So if this doesn't happen... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    does that mean religion is proved to be bullshit? Cause I really hope it does.

    1. Re:So if this doesn't happen... by bky1701 · · Score: 2, Funny

      Silly atheist. Religion doesn't have to be true for people to buy into it. That's the beauty of it. Most Christians would probably shit themselves if it turned out to be true.

    2. Re:So if this doesn't happen... by captjc · · Score: 3, Insightful

      No, just that some dude and his followers are whack-jobs.

      --
      Slow Down Cowboy! It's been 1 hour, 47 minutes since you last successfully posted a comment
    3. Re:So if this doesn't happen... by VirginMary · · Score: 0

      No, just that some dude and his followers are whack-jobs.

      You mean like all religious believers?!

      --
      When 1person suffers from a delusion,it is called insanity.When many people suffer from a delusion,it is called religion
    4. Re:So if this doesn't happen... by interkin3tic · · Score: 1

      does that mean religion is proved to be bullshit? Cause I really hope it does.

      Does the smear campaign against Al Gore disprove the evidence for global climate change? No. One bad representative does not change the truth of what they are saying

      Though... it would be really useful if it did. "Sorry Al, it's a little too hot. Gotta photoshop some pictures of you kicking a puppy." Or "Gee, Mr. Dentist, you say I need an expensive and painful root canal, but you're parked in a handicap space. Wow, my tooth suddenly feels better!"

    5. Re:So if this doesn't happen... by gox · · Score: 1

      This is unfair. At least this dude made a testable prediction. For that, I applaud him. I wish more religious people were like him.

  17. Hmm... by joocemann · · Score: 1

    I can't handle the crazy porn you get tricked into already... Hell on earth versions will be horrifying!!

    trust no one

    Lol. See yall in december 2012, worried about the same babble.

  18. nt by shentino · · Score: 1

    I'm going short on holy water.

  19. Make the story end by Mean+Variance · · Score: 0

    The only thing worse than the attention to this ridiculous "story" is all the predictable jokes that come from it.

    "I guess I don't to pay my bills since the world is going to end." If I had a nickel for every variant of that joke I've heard, ...

    Get a life everyone.

    1. Re:Make the story end by jewelises · · Score: 1

      You could create a lot of variants if you just randomly drop a word from each one.

    2. Re:Make the story end by Dachannien · · Score: 0

      The only thing worse than the attention to this ridiculous "story" is all the predictable jokes that come from it.

      Can I have your stereo?

    3. Re:Make the story end by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

      Get a life everyone.

      I see what you did there....

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    4. Re:Make the story end by Chuq · · Score: 3, Informative

      The sad thing is some people *are* arranging their finances on such a decision...

      http://www.npr.org/2011/05/07/136053462/is-the-end-nigh-well-know-soon-enough (Search for "Martinez", about 1/2 way down)

      --
      - Chuq
    5. Re:Make the story end by ceoyoyo · · Score: 1

      That's not sad. Idiots shouldn't have money. They might hurt themselves or someone else.

    6. Re:Make the story end by nschubach · · Score: 1

      Now must be a great time to start looking for foreclosure homes!

      --
      Every time I start to have faith in humanity, I ruin it by driving to work between 7 and 8 am.
  20. Left Behind by oldmac31310 · · Score: 1

    I think I'll be left behind. I certainly don't want to be 'raptured' with the kind of assholes that believe in that nonsense! So does this mean I shouldn't bother buying new shoes tomorrow?

    --
    http://www.acetonestudio.com
    1. Re:Left Behind by hawguy · · Score: 1

      I think I'll be left behind. I certainly don't want to be 'raptured' with the kind of assholes that believe in that nonsense! So does this mean I shouldn't bother buying new shoes tomorrow?

      Isn't there supposed to be 5 months of pain and suffering after the Rapture and before the end of the world? If that's the case, you may as well buy those shoes - after all, there may be plenty of suffering in the post rapture world, but that's no reason you should have to suffer in worn out shoes.

      Look for something that's brimstone resistant.

    2. Re:Left Behind by myotheridislower · · Score: 1

      Depending which version of Christian craziness you subscribe to, it could be 1000 years of chaos and suffering before things really actually end.

      --
      The Pirate Bay is my App Store.
    3. Re:Left Behind by TheRaven64 · · Score: 1

      I reread revelations last night. There's actually a stretch of 1,000 years in the middle of it, which doesn't sound entirely fun. Mind you, 1/3 of the population of the earth is killed, and 1/3 of the Sun, Moon and stars is destroyed quite close to the start, so it should be quite spectacular. Oh, and lots of angels, some with trumpets and some just here for the mindless violence (seriously, read it - angels are complete bastards according to the bible, their portrayal in Supernatural is pretty tame by comparison).

      --
      I am TheRaven on Soylent News
    4. Re:Left Behind by hierofalcon · · Score: 1

      Skimming is always dangerous. The length of the tribulation period is seen in Daniel and will be 3 1/2 years of lesser tribulation and 3 1/2 years of greater tribulation before Christ returns. After the Antichrist's defeat, there's a 1,000 year millennial period while He reigns on earth. That 1,000 year period may not seem much fun and it is clear that the rebellion we see against God doesn't get eradicated even during this time of peaceful reign as God has to put down another uprising at the end of it.

      Revelation doesn't say the celestial items are destroyed. It simply says the sun doesn't give as much light. Since the moon appears light due to the sun, if the sun is darker then the moon would also appear darker. If the sun itself isn't changed, it could also be pollution (natural or man made) that increases drastically and simply makes things seem that much dimmer. It is also possible that the object that hits the earth earlier throws up a bunch of dust or causes some other cataclysmic event that increases relative atmospheric pollution to levels that make it seem 1/3 darker and make it impossible to see 1/3 of the other stars. It isn't so much that these other stars are gone as that they can no longer be seen from the ground.

    5. Re:Left Behind by oldmac31310 · · Score: 1

      Crap. I'll hardly get a millennium's use out of a $40 pair of shoes. Guess I'll have to loot a Fifth Avenue store...

      --
      http://www.acetonestudio.com
    6. Re:Left Behind by oldmac31310 · · Score: 1

      The book of Revelations is completely bonkers and merely the ravings of the lunatic St. John on Patmos pasted in to the cobbled together rag that is the 'New Testament'. Interesting if often impenetrable reading, but certainly nothing to take the least bit seriously. I'm not suggesting that you are taking it seriously of course, but sadly there are many that do.

      --
      http://www.acetonestudio.com
    7. Re:Left Behind by HTH+NE1 · · Score: 1

      The Rapture happened: everyone was left behind.

      --
      Oh, say does that Star-Spangled Banner entwine / The myrtle of Venus with Bacchus's vine?
  21. Steal all of the catholic church's gold! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    They've been acquiring it for a millenia.

  22. EAT TO THE BEAT !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Toe to toe
    Dancing very close
    Barely breathing
    Almost comatose
    Wall to wall
    People hypnotised
    And they're stepping lightly
    Hang each night in Rapture

    Back to back
    Sacrailiac
    Spineless movement
    And a wild attack

    Face to face
    Sadly solitude
    And it's finger popping
    Twenty-four hour shopping in Rapture

    Fab Five Freddie told me everybody's high
    DJ's spinnin' are savin' my mind
    Flash is fast, Flash is cool
    Francois sez fas, Flashe' no do
    And you don't stop, sure shot
    Go out to the parking lot
    And you get in your car and you drive real far
    And you drive all night and then you see a light
    And it comes right down and lands on the ground
    And out comes a man from Mars
    And you try to run but he's got a gun
    And he shoots you dead and he eats your head
    And then you're in the man from Mars
    You go out at night, eatin' cars
    You eat Cadillacs, Lincolns too
    Mercuries and Subarus
    And you don't stop, you keep on eatin' cars
    Then, when there's no more cars
    You go out at night and eat up bars where the people meet
    Face to face, dance cheek to cheek
    One to one, man to man
    Dance toe to toe
    Don't move too slow, 'cause the man from Mars
    Is through with cars, he's eatin' bars
    Yeah, wall to wall, door to door, hall to hall
    He's gonna eat 'em all
    Rapture, be pure
    Take a tour, through the sewer
    Don't strain your brain, paint a train
    You'll be singin' in the rain
    I said don't stop, do punk rock

    Well now you see what you wanna be
    Just have your party on TV
    'Cause the man from Mars won't eat up bars when the TV's on
    And now he's gone back up to space
    Where he won't have a hassle with the human race
    And you hip-hop, and you don't stop
    Just blast off, sure shot
    'Cause the man from Mars stopped eatin' cars and eatin' bars
    And now he only eats guitars, get up!

    1. Re:EAT TO THE BEAT !! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      wish I had mods...

  23. HR gets in the way of planning by hawguy · · Score: 5, Funny

    My HR department vetoed my plan to survey the IT staff to see if they were expecting to be raptured. Some crap about religious discrimination or something.

    Not that I'm worried, I think we're only going to lose one IT guy to Rapture, and no one wants to hang out with him anyway.

    1. Re:HR gets in the way of planning by Tumbleweed · · Score: 1

      Not that I'm worried, I think we're only going to lose one IT guy to Rapture, and no one wants to hang out with him anyway.

      Let me guess - it's the guy who keeps going on about how great .NET, isn't it? Or is it the one who likes Unity?

    2. Re:HR gets in the way of planning by goodgod43 · · Score: 1

      Nah, It's the guy who thought up Unity.

      --
      "On the Internet, nobody can hear you being subtle." -Linus Torvalds
    3. Re:HR gets in the way of planning by hedwards · · Score: 1

      You could have just rephrased the question. I mean how many IT workers haven't sold their soul to Satan at some point when they desperately needed to know where that dagburned backup tape was?

    4. Re:HR gets in the way of planning by FoolishOwl · · Score: 1

      I'm an atheist who likes Unity. I suppose all that gets me is not feeling compelled to switch to Xubuntu.

    5. Re:HR gets in the way of planning by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My HR department vetoed my plan to survey the IT staff to see if they were expecting to be raptured. Some crap about religious discrimination or something.

      Not that I'm worried, I think we're only going to lose one IT guy to Rapture, and no one wants to hang out with him anyway.

      Contingency plans change, the Rapture Requirements Document probably caught them a little by surprise. No need to assemble large numbers of Virgins on call. HR probably doesn't remember why they needed an IT Staff to begin with ...

       

  24. I live in Japan so... by shoemilk · · Score: 1

    I live in Japan so that magical time is only 6 hours away. I'll be hitting it first, so be sure to follow me on twitter @SoThisIsRapture to find out what you're in store for!

    1. Re:I live in Japan so... by telekon · · Score: 5, Funny

      Pfft... Everyone knows God calculates the rapture as a 32-bit unsigned int representing seconds since beginning of epoch UTC. So, sometime before 2038, obviously, but 'local time'? Please.

      --

      To understand recursion, you must first understand recursion.

    2. Re:I live in Japan so... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      The local time stipulation also means that local DST legislation can effectively control when God actually gets round to the Rapture...

    3. Re:I live in Japan so... by The+Archon+V2.0 · · Score: 1

      Of course God complies with the laws. Imagine if Jesus landed in the middle of the Interstate on his way to collect the faithful. He'd get run over and they'd have reload him from backup and that would fuck up the ENTIRE rapture timetable, which is rather embarrassing when you're trying to be to-the-minute accurate.

    4. Re:I live in Japan so... by Migity · · Score: 1

      Me too...but I was busy so I missed it. Can somebody out there provide a breakdown of events?

  25. Finding people... by bky1701 · · Score: 4, Funny

    ...who thought the rapture would come, and asking them the obvious question, "Where is your god now?"

    1. Re:Finding people... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You got to find them BEFORE it is suppose to arrive so you can point and laugh afterward. Then again I'm already laughing.

    2. Re:Finding people... by jamesh · · Score: 3, Funny

      Finding People ...who thought the rapture would come, and asking them the obvious question, "Where is your god now?"

      Or even better... ask them why they didn't ascend when some of your other Christian friends did.

    3. Re:Finding people... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      God is surely sad for these people. They have rejected his word and are making stuff up.

    4. Re:Finding people... by Black+Parrot · · Score: 5, Funny

      Finding People ...who thought the rapture would come, and asking them the obvious question, "Where is your god now?"

      Or even better... ask them why they didn't ascend when some of your other Christian friends did.

      Or even bester, ask them why they're still here and your Hindu friends aren't.

      --
      Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
    5. Re:Finding people... by Provocateur · · Score: 1

      Don't forget the boom box with the ominous music on it, so that when you ask the question, hit play thus:

      Where is YOUR GOD NOW!?

      Dum dum DUUUUUUM!!

      --
      WARNING: Smartphones have side effects--most of them undocumented.
    6. Re:Finding people... by JackDW · · Score: 2

      If you are Christian and you expect to be raptured, you have already committed a major sin, namely pride. If you find any Christians who actually think they're good enough to deserve priority entry to Heaven, you could always point out that just entertaining that particular belief probably excludes them.

      --
      You're an immobile computer, remember?
    7. Re:Finding people... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Or even besterer, ask the Buddhist lads, ladettes and ladies why there are neither here nor there.

    8. Re:Finding people... by RockDoctor · · Score: 1

      More fun than pulling the wings off flies, and ethically far more defensible!

      --
      Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
  26. why does that sound like a bad sci-fi moive by Joe+The+Dragon · · Score: 0

    why does that sound like a bad sci-fi moive?

    1. Re:why does that sound like a bad sci-fi moive by admiralranga · · Score: 1

      because its from a bad fantasy novel?

  27. soap box derby by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'll be at the soap box derby in down town LA

  28. Watch the Preakness... by doctechniqal · · Score: 1

    ... and see if Animal Kingdom can pull off another win.

  29. I Will Remain Calm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I plan to remain calm as the rapture happens. I have full confidence that our political leaders will not be ascending to heaven. So I am comfortable knowing that when rapture based emergencies transpire, our leadership has committed enough sins to be here on earth when we need them.

    1. Re:I Will Remain Calm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh, like any of them would actually be helpful during these "rapture based emergencies"?

      Seriously, if all religious nuts (of all kinds) and politicians went away during this event, we would all probably be much closer to paradise on earth afterward.

    2. Re:I Will Remain Calm by hierofalcon · · Score: 1

      Then I hope you're not on the freeway during rush hour or on a suddenly pilotless commercial airplane. I might find it difficult to remain calm in such circumstances.

  30. Visiting rapturefail.org by g_adams27 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Visiting and/or updating rapturefail.org, and hoping that Harold Camping's followers take to heart the open letter on that site:

    Many of you will be tempted to go back to the scriptures in search of new clues for a new date. Let me plead with you to consider instead the importance of solid, basic, principles of reading and interpreting the Bible and stop looking for hidden or secret “truths.” In particular, let me encourage you always to be suspect of any major emphases in any person’s teachings that are founded on allegorical teachings. In particular, be very careful around those who push numerological interpretations. Numerology has some basis in truth, but it is highly subjective and should be approached very humbly, very cautiously, and definitely with a “less-is-more” attitude. The Bible is not a puzzle to be unraveled or a set of hidden numerical clues. What God says He says openly. Live in the clear passages of the Bible and be very suspect of those who claim to have discovered major truths in some of the more obscure portions.

    1. Re:Visiting rapturefail.org by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      I just wish Christians would figure out that the Old Testament is just Jewish myth and that the New Testament has been edited so much that many of Jesus' teachings have been overshadowed by the hocus pocus BS and the BS about him being the Son of God.

      Jesus - awesome spiritual teacher and philosopher.

      Christianity - One fucked up superstitious horseshit - well, RELIGION.

      Some brilliant individual comes along and teaches the truth and then people have to add bullshit, superstition, and other garbage and turn it into a religion. All religions have this problem.

      An old story: A demon in a panic runs up to the Devil and says, "Master, we're doomed!"

      The Devil asks, "What? What?"

      "There's someone up there teaching the Truth!"

      "Silly Demon! Someone will turn his teachings into a religion and we'll have more business than ever!"

    2. Re:Visiting rapturefail.org by jesseck · · Score: 2

      You know, somewhere in the Bible it says that we won't know when the Rapture happens... so I welcome these predictions. It theoretically prolongs our time on Earth.

    3. Re:Visiting rapturefail.org by Empiric · · Score: 1

      I don't even see a basic rational method of calculation present from what I've read of this particular guy's date conclusion.

      It's literally a schizophrenic-class calculation on the order of "multiply this number by three because there's three personages in the Trinity and subtract seven because that's the number of days in the week..." from what I read.

      It's unfortunate that many will take this a representative case of determining plausible conclusions derived from actual scholarship (Christian or otherwise) of these writings.

      --
      ~ Whence do you come, slayer of men, or where are you going, conqueror of space?
    4. Re:Visiting rapturefail.org by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "the Old Testament is just Jewish myth and that the New Testament has been edited so much..."

      "Jesus - awesome spiritual teacher and philosopher."

      It's always funny to me when someone tries to claim that "A" and "NOT A" are both true. Enjoy your pseudo-intellectual delusion, fag.

    5. Re:Visiting rapturefail.org by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      As a matter of simple arithmetic, Camping's calculation is plainly incorrect.

      He claims the rapture will occur 722500 days after the crucifixion, which he believes occurred on Friday, 1 April 33.
      It is a nuisance to work through all the calendar changes in the interim to compute the resulting date, but it is trivial
      to work out the day of the week. 722500 mod 7 is 2, so his target date must be a Sunday, not a Saturday.

    6. Re:Visiting rapturefail.org by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "What God says". What God indeed.

    7. Re:Visiting rapturefail.org by houghi · · Score: 1

      Numerology has some basis in truth

      No, it hasn't. If you lie about this, how do I know the rest is not a lie as well?

      Luckily I am able to understand that there is not just two sides, so I can deny this AND can deny what they are opposed of. The enemy of a friend is not an enemy to me, he is a third person that could be enemy or friend or just another somebody I do not know enough about to form an opinion.

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    8. Re:Visiting rapturefail.org by r_jensen11 · · Score: 1

      Unless the Rapture happen before the predictions, or in-between predictions.... Or what if it only happens in half of the world, like Australia? Maybe it's already happened?

    9. Re:Visiting rapturefail.org by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Unless the surprise is that it happens to coincide exactly with some kook's unfounded prediction...

    10. Re:Visiting rapturefail.org by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Numerology has some basis in truth

      No, it hasn't. If you lie about this, how do I know the rest is not a lie as well?

      Numerology has a basis in truth in the sense that the people who passed on the biblical stories/wrote them down were familiar with some styles of it and the bible uses numerical symbolism all over the place (often in entirely unspectacular ways like Jacob having 12=3*4 sons).

    11. Re:Visiting rapturefail.org by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just because someone doesn't know, doesn't mean they can't get lucky and be perfectly accurate.

    12. Re:Visiting rapturefail.org by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      "Jesus - awesome spiritual teacher and philosopher."/quote>

      ... who claimed to be God and went around telling everyone that he'd forgiven their sins? That's not particularly "awesome" behaviour... unless his claims were true.

      You can't have your secular hippy Jesus. He's either really Jesus, or he's just crazy and making it up as he goes along.

    13. Re:Visiting rapturefail.org by mark_reh · · Score: 1

      If the whole book is "the word of God" then how are some portions of it more "obscure" than others?
      What is the "basis in truth" of numerology?
      If God says whet he says openly, why do I need someone to interpret its meaning for me?

    14. Re:Visiting rapturefail.org by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Maybe not...

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

    15. Re:Visiting rapturefail.org by hierofalcon · · Score: 1

      Of course, there are those who will make a very good argument that He was actually crucified on a Wednesday, followed by the high holy day of Passover, followed by a normal market day when the women could buy the spices to anoint the body, followed by the normal Friday night to Saturday sabbath, followed by the resurrection at some point after sundown Saturday night, thus fulfilling Christ's own words of being in the ground 3 days and 3 nights. They also make a good argument that it was in 3790 when he was crucified and not 3792 making the whole calculation he made moot.

  31. prediction by bcrowell · · Score: 0

    Well, I'm not sure what I'll be doing at 6:00, but I do have plans for 6:01. Certain people claim the Bible unambiguously predicts that the world is going to end at 6:00. Assuming that this prediction turns out to be false, at 6:01 I will be waiting expectantly to hear the news that those people now believe the Bible is not 100% true.

    1. Re:prediction by nospam007 · · Score: 1

      "Well, I'm not sure what I'll be doing at 6:00, but I do have plans for 6:01. "

      Whatever you do, don't dress up as a zombie when you go to that party.

    2. Re:prediction by bondsbw · · Score: 4, Interesting

      As a Christian, I say mod parent up.

      The problem with these people is that they won't stop believing, because this really won't prove the Bible untrue. Which would mean that this isn't unambiguously predicted by the Bible. So then, what's this all about... fame? Money?

      My beliefs have nothing to do with attempting to gain fame or money by (ab)using my faith or my position. My evangelism starts and ends with my telling you my beliefs, and my hope that you'll at least entertain the ideas... but there is no expectation that you must listen or change your mind on the spot. For these people, though, they need more... they need to convince the world of their views using scare tactics.

      --
      All my liberal friends think I'm a conservative, all my conservative friends think I'm a liberal.
    3. Re:prediction by houghi · · Score: 1

      My evangelism starts and ends with my telling you my beliefs, and my hope that you'll at least entertain the ideas

      Why do you need to tell about it? Please don't.
      Religion is like a penis. It's fine to have one. It's fine to be proud of it. But please don't whip it out in public and start waving it. (No need to quote the rest)

      --
      Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    4. Re:prediction by bondsbw · · Score: 1

      No, it's not the same as a penis. I'm not showing that I'm proud of the size of my religion. I don't whip it out and wave it around.

      I live in Tuscaloosa. When power went out before the tornado, but the wi-fi was on battery backup, I kept watching the weather stream. I saw the size of the tornado. I called/texted my friends who may have been in danger.

      My faith is the same... I see danger, I want to warn you for your sake. If you would rather ignore me and risk your life, that's your decision. But I refuse to stop warning the people I know just because a few people like yourself would rather not be bothered.

      --
      All my liberal friends think I'm a conservative, all my conservative friends think I'm a liberal.
  32. Its good to know an Atheist by hedgemage · · Score: 5, Funny

    I am a follower of "that Jesus guy" and while I am very skeptical of the prediction, I made sure to ask an atheist friend of mine to feed my cat after I ascend. I mean, it would be pretty dickish of me to leave my cat to starve, wouldn't it? After all, it will only be for 6 months until the complete end of the world.

    1. Re:Its good to know an Atheist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    2. Re:Its good to know an Atheist by jamesh · · Score: 1

      Haven't you read the literature? You are supposed to have put all your pets to sleep already... or don't you truly believe? ;)

    3. Re:Its good to know an Atheist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      if you immediately know the candlelight is fire, then the meal was cooked a long time ago.

    4. Re:Its good to know an Atheist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I hope you paid him in advance.

    5. Re:Its good to know an Atheist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Your cat is unworthy?

    6. Re:Its good to know an Atheist by smart_ass · · Score: 1

      Ummm hello.
      Haven't you seen this?

      eternal-earthbound-pets.com

      Is for people anticipating being taken away by rapture ... for the low low price of $135 ... confirmed athiests will come look after your pet after you have been taken to a better place.

      --
      Ouch ... did I just say that.
    7. Re:Its good to know an Atheist by Black+Parrot · · Score: 1

      I mean, it would be pretty dickish of me to leave my cat to starve, wouldn't it?

      Hopefully the gods of all the different species are coordinating the times of their respective raptures. Worst case, dog-rapture and cat-rapture will happen as soon as the relevant gods notice the people flying up.

      --
      Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
    8. Re:Its good to know an Atheist by sincewhen · · Score: 1

      If you seriously *are* a christian who believes in the rapture I have a question for you. Where do you think you are going? As in, you use the word ascend, so, are you stopping at some given height? In the troposphere? Or all the way into space? Past the moon? Where exactly are you going? And how long will it take you to get there?

      --
      -- Braden's law of data: All data spends some of its lifetime in an excel spreadsheet.
    9. Re:Its good to know an Atheist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Pretty dickish of your god to kidnap you without providing for your dependents.

    10. Re:Its good to know an Atheist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Theres a guy charging 150-200 USD to look after your pet and ensure that they go to a good home after you "go to heaven". Hell I'll do it for $100. That way I still make $25 when I get your cat cremated.

    11. Re:Its good to know an Atheist by chaim79 · · Score: 1

      Now this is some intelligent planning! I'll get my friends lined up for that, and maybe give them a spare key. I'll also give them free writ to loot as they please as long as they keep the cats fed. :D

      --
      DEMETRIUS: Villain, what hast thou done?
      AARON: Villain, I have done thy mother.
      Shakespeare invents 'your mom'
    12. Re:Its good to know an Atheist by chaim79 · · Score: 2

      The specifics aren't really spelled out, the general understanding is that we will ascend to meet Jesus 'in the clouds', so ducking airliners here and there... From there we go to be with Him in heaven.

      The exact location of heaven isn't spelled out. My personal theory is that it is actually outside the universe, outside of space-time (one easy way to get a human body to live forever). However that is mostly personal speculation, I'm sure there are theologists who would better answer your question.

      And yes, I am a Christian, I do believe the rapture will happen, I expect to mow the lawn and do some other chores over the weekend, and going to work Monday.

      --
      DEMETRIUS: Villain, what hast thou done?
      AARON: Villain, I have done thy mother.
      Shakespeare invents 'your mom'
    13. Re:Its good to know an Atheist by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You better find someone else. God got tired of the holier than thou bickering over what he is, and decided to save the atheists. The ultimate prank I suppose.

    14. Re:Its good to know an Atheist by lucian1900 · · Score: 1

      Up until you said "And yes, I am a Christian" I thought you were joking. I'm not entirely convinced you aren't even now.

    15. Re:Its good to know an Atheist by isorox · · Score: 1

      The specifics aren't really spelled out, the general understanding is that we will ascend to meet Jesus 'in the clouds'

      What, like EC2?

  33. $900 liquor, $150 mixers, $0 coffee...NO TOMORROW! by paradochs · · Score: 0
  34. first sign by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Only a half hour to go in kiritimati

  35. Comment removed by account_deleted · · Score: 1

    Comment removed based on user account deletion

  36. Christians think this guy is insane by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm a Christian, and I don't know a single person who has fallen for this. The overwhelming majority of Christians think this guy is a NUT.

    Now, Obama being the Antichrist... no, but he's doing a real good impression.

    1. Re:Christians think this guy is insane by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

      An overwhelming majority of Christians think Jesus is alive in heaven and his mom never had sex. They shouldn't talk about nuts.

    2. Re:Christians think this guy is insane by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yea. They had a pastor on NPR today talking about the nut as well. My family is pretty devout and not one even gave this dude a second thought.

      What a tool.

    3. Re:Christians think this guy is insane by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      Imagine ascending, and being stuck for eternity with morons like this.

    4. Re:Christians think this guy is insane by MokuMokuRyoushi · · Score: 1

      I'm pretty sure he just said this guy is nutty as a granola bar, and denied that Obama was the Antichrist. What part of his statement was moronic? Are you suggesting that he really is the Antichrist? It would explain a few things...

      --
      Humans are terrible replicators of Godly things.
  37. I have bellsprouts planted outside my house by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    to shoot peas at any zombies that may approach.

    1. Re:I have bellsprouts planted outside my house by Trilkin · · Score: 2

      We don't like zombies on the lawn.

      --
      Nobody cares what the CAPTCHA for your post was.
  38. Bacon cheeseburgers by oldhack · · Score: 1

    Swallow those down, as many as you can, along with fries, and wash it down with icecream shakes.

    --
    Fuck systemd. Fuck Redhat. Fuck Soylent, too. Wait, scratch the last one.
  39. Interesting by jayhawk88 · · Score: 1

    6 pm local time is when we've scheduled to end our maintenance time at work tomorrow, replacing the core switch. Huh. I guess it's not going to go so well.

    Sorry, everyone. If I'd have known that my work network was in actuality running a virtual instance of the known universe, I wouldn't have ignored all those Kerberos errors. Although in retrospect, a half-ass, thrown together Active Directory environment does explain a lot about the world we live in.

  40. Staying home, avoiding morons. by wierd_w · · Score: 1

    Not withstanding the lack of internal support for such a foolish thing as the rapture from within the insular and circular reasoning of biblical scriptures, nor the aburd levels of improbability that such a thing is even remotely possible--- coupled with the infinite capacity for human stupidity-- I have decided that tomorrow I will stay home, do laundry, and get my house ready for a friend of mine who intends to come visit me over Memorial Day week.

    By evening time, If I havent been hoover vaccuum cleanered up into the celestial host against my will, I will be sitting back and drinking a nice glass of iced tea while I read about all the "Dissapointed" people who got all excited about this sillyness.

    Afterwards I might play some good old Halflife 2, or watch a movie from netflix. I think Constantine might make a good choice, if it is available for streaming.

    1. Re:Staying home, avoiding morons. by arth1 · · Score: 1

      By evening time, If I havent been hoover vaccuum cleanered up into the celestial host against my will, I will be sitting back and drinking a nice glass of iced tea while I read about all the "Dissapointed" people who got all excited about this sillyness.

      Never underestimate the ability of people to delude themselves. They''re not going to be disappointed. When these things have happened in the past, they always come up with an explanation, like a miscalculation, or that judgment really started, but only in heaven for now (the founder of the seventh day adventists used both as two successive predictions failed to have any noticeable result).
      It doesn't matter if the explanation is as wacky as the original prediction - they only need to convince themselves, and these people have already demonstrated their ability to believe in wacky claims.

    2. Re:Staying home, avoiding morons. by kent_eh · · Score: 1

      However, this is a good opportunity to identify the most suggestible., gullible, easily scammable people in our population, and either seek to protect them, or take advantage of them.
      Depends on if you like them or not.

      And if it's found that this Camping guy profited in any way from all this, prosecute him mercilessly for fraud.

      Another thought that just occurred to me.
      Will these true believers (in Camping's revelation) be able to cope, knowing that they aren't among "god's favourites", and they are left behind to suffer with the rest of us. Will there be suicides?

      --

      ---
      "I can't complain, but sometimes still do..." Joe Walsh
    3. Re:Staying home, avoiding morons. by nschubach · · Score: 1

      Will these true believers (in Camping's revelation) be able to cope, knowing that they aren't among "god's favourites", and they are left behind to suffer with the rest of us. Will there be suicides?

      Darwin works in mysterious ways.

      --
      Every time I start to have faith in humanity, I ruin it by driving to work between 7 and 8 am.
  41. Sigh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The only thing that annoys me more than religious fanatics, are wannabe sciencefags who make sarcastic religious jokes. Can't we all just get along and lead a normal life?

    1. Re:Sigh... by joebagodonuts · · Score: 1

      Not getting along is part of a normal life

      --
      "Give a woman two glasses of wine and some pad thai, and they'll agree to just about anything." the Sports Guy
  42. PC Repair by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Interestingly enough, I am scheduled to repair a friends computer at that time. I wonder of the IT savvs shall be saved? WE ARE THE CHOSEN PEOPLE!

  43. I'll be toasting an absent friend... by ridgecritter · · Score: 1

    At 6pm local Saturday, my wife and I will be hoisting a glass (or six [ or ten]) with many others in celebration of a friend and next-door neighbor who died in February. I doubt very much the Rapture will haul me off to an encounter with said departed (he was rather a rascal as well as an atheist, and as I understand it the Rapture is a tramway to Heaven, which is unlikely to be my friend's abode in the mythical afterlife...) but I'll play along until sunset, at which time I'll look about for evidence of the End of the World. If I don't see it, we'll party on for a few hours and then walk across the street to home for a good night's sleep. I'll check the Web Sunday morning to see what Mr. Camping is up to, but I'm not anticipating fire, brimstone, locusts, cats & dogs living together, or any other signs that it was a mistake to have bought green bananas at Whole Foods on Wednesday. Just another lazy Sunday in NoCal.

  44. Re: Why wait by bmearns · · Score: 2

    Not for another 22 minutes or so. See here: http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/full.html?sort=2.

    --
    Slashdot is not a game, Slashdot is not a game. Crap, I just lost points.
  45. Googling "Pre-Rapture Suicide Methods" by Greyfox · · Score: 4, Funny

    Over and over, trying to get it on trends. That'd be good for a laugh.

    --

    I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

    1. Re:Googling "Pre-Rapture Suicide Methods" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yes but afterwards the Feds (which we know will still be here) will claim that you did.

    2. Re:Googling "Pre-Rapture Suicide Methods" by Greyfox · · Score: 1

      Afterward I plan to be googling for "Post-rapture wrongful death lawsuit."

      --

      I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?

    3. Re:Googling "Pre-Rapture Suicide Methods" by TheGratefulNet · · Score: 1

      fun trick: go into a supermarket and ask for grape kool aid; but tell them you want to buy it in bulk. and you need it tonite.

      --

      --
      "It is now safe to switch off your computer."
    4. Re:Googling "Pre-Rapture Suicide Methods" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Shouldn't that be Post Rapture?

    5. Re:Googling "Pre-Rapture Suicide Methods" by hedwards · · Score: 1

      Damn you, now I have to do that.

    6. Re:Googling "Pre-Rapture Suicide Methods" by Hieronymus+Hero · · Score: 1

      "zombie apocalypse" is number 7 (with a bullet).

    7. Re:Googling "Pre-Rapture Suicide Methods" by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    8. Re:Googling "Pre-Rapture Suicide Methods" by Isaac-Lew · · Score: 1

      I read somewhere that it was actually Flavor Aid. However, that's on wikipedia so who knows.

  46. I live in New Zealand so... by supertrinko · · Score: 1

    I live in New Zealand so it's only a bit over two hours away for me.

    --
    If it rhymes it must be true.
    1. Re:I live in New Zealand so... by kiwi_fb · · Score: 1

      I am here too, less than 100mn to go. Will I prepare tea in vain? On the plus side no more changing of nappies for my 2 months old :)

    2. Re:I live in New Zealand so... by black3d · · Score: 5, Funny

      Ditto - I used the opportunity to rush out and buy packs of ciggies and condoms to stuff into my pockets. I'm guessing both are in short supply in heaven. ^^

      --
      "The true measure of a person is how they act when they know they won't get caught." - DSRilk
    3. Re:I live in New Zealand so... by nanospook · · Score: 5, Funny

      It's only 10 minutes away for me! No WAIT! My clock is wro

      --
      Have you fscked your local propeller head today?
    4. Re:I live in New Zealand so... by black3d · · Score: 5, Funny

      UPDATE: I didn't get raptured, but on the plus side - I now have party supplies. Ladies?

      --
      "The true measure of a person is how they act when they know they won't get caught." - DSRilk
    5. Re:I live in New Zealand so... by hairyfeet · · Score: 3, Insightful

      As a non believer all I have to say is.....can I have your stuff? After all you won't be needing it, right? Oh and as a common courtesy please clear all nasty porn from your PCs, although feel free to leave the lesbian gangbangs and be sure to label the folder as "Tools and Utilities" so my GF won't find it. Thanks!

      --
      ACs don't waste your time replying, your posts are never seen by me.
    6. Re:I live in New Zealand so... by Adambomb · · Score: 2

      Don't be silly, he wouldn't Submit "Aaargghh", would he.

      --
      Ice Cream has no bones.
    7. Re:I live in New Zealand so... by asylumx · · Score: 2

      *crickets chirp*

    8. Re:I live in New Zealand so... by karnal · · Score: 3, Funny

      Tools and Utilities sounds like a folder for the male gangbangs... just saying.

      --
      Karnal
    9. Re:I live in New Zealand so... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0
    10. Re:I live in New Zealand so... by The+Dawn+Of+Time · · Score: 1

      What kind of heaven would it be if I still have to use condoms?

    11. Re:I live in New Zealand so... by marcosdumay · · Score: 1

      Maybe he was dictating... For somebody on a different time-zone.

    12. Re:I live in New Zealand so... by RabidStoat · · Score: 2

      UPDATE: I didn't get raptured, but on the plus side - I now have party supplies. Ladies?

      Oh come on, this is only the rapture. It's going to take a lot more than that to get chicks to talk to us

  47. Jetpack gogogo by mustPushCart · · Score: 2

    I am obviously going to build my jetpack. It should give me enough altitude incase you know i dont get caught up in the clouds myself (and looking at my pron collection its not likely). So I am going to jetpack up and grab on to one of those bible thumpers legs (hopefully it'll have a skirt on it which would be a great inflight movie) and totally get into like... heaven or whatever.

  48. To all the apocalypse believers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You are the gods. You are the solution. You are the Path. If there is to be a better world, or no world, it will be because of your actions; not those of an invisible sky genie. You're here because the World is yours, not because you've been banished.

    1. Re:To all the apocalypse believers by El+Torico · · Score: 1

      Oh crap, that means I have personal responsibility and freedom? It's just so much easier to not have to think of the consequences of my actions.

      A bell just tolled outside my hotel here in Japan (it's 4 PM) and I nearly crapped myself until I realized I have 2 hours to go.

      --
      In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is usually crucified.
    2. Re:To all the apocalypse believers by RobertM1968 · · Score: 1

      People need to mod this up and keep trying to mod it up until /. crashes. This is probably one of the most intelligent posts on /. in a long time.

  49. I'll be keeping Gitmo open by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    And listening to your boring-ass phone calls to Granny every weekend.

    How do you like my new war in Libya? Anyone wondering why I'm not also using the "human rights" excuse to bomb Syria? Me too! Woopee!

    Women still aren't allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia, Iran still executes fags, but the problem with the Middle East is definitely Israel.

    Sincerely,
    Obammy Strangelove
    Flip-Flopper In Chief

  50. No Backups by jesseck · · Score: 1

    I didn't worry about switching drives for backups this weekend, and won't troubleshoot some SIP trunks. What's the point- the backups won't survive the disaster and no one will be able to come to work Monday.

    1. Re:No Backups by louic · · Score: 1

      Didn't anybody tell you that you have to make off-site backups?

  51. I'll be in drag by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm a 24 year old man today and I'll be celebrating my birthday, drunk on a rooftop in a long red dress.

  52. obligatory Matthew 24 by cats-paw · · Score: 1

    "But concerning that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father only."

    So what creative interpretation allows a mere mortal access to this information ?

    And when that time comes, will the Slashdot Preview be made to work faster ?

    --
    Absolute statements are never true
  53. Go, go, Godzirrah by arth1 · · Score: 1

    Why wait? It should already be happening in Asia right now; I imagine it has already made the news.

    Well, in Japan, they get the really BIG ones.

    [rereads] Oh, rapture. Never mind, then.

  54. I am going to have sex with the first girl I see. by lordfoul · · Score: 1

    Unfortunately I live in my Moms basement... Sorry Dad

  55. Clearly You Need To Read The Facts by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This is an article with 3 different people on the coming apocalypse.
    http://theblitzbit.com/2011/05/20/judgement-day-is-coming-not-in-may/

  56. Quakes are earlier. by Ungrounded+Lightning · · Score: 1

    I'll be at work, waiting for my shift to end in 3.5 hours. At that point, I would probably welcome an apocalyptic earthquake.

    Sorry. According to the prediction the earthquakes are scheduled for 6:00 AM, 12 hours before the Rapture. The already dead get to go first.

    --
    Bantam Dominique roosters crow a four-note song. Once you've heard it as "Happy BIRTHday" you can't NOT hear it that way
  57. Getting Laid by NicknamesAreStupid · · Score: 3, Funny

    I am going to guarantee that at least one person will be in rapture tomorrow.

    1. Re:Getting Laid by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No guarantee for two? Oh come on man, be considerate for her needs too. Oh wait, this is slashdot...?

    2. Re:Getting Laid by Kwpolska · · Score: 1

      I agree and can provide you with the name: HAROLD CAMPING.

  58. Stop it already by uvajed_ekil · · Score: 1

    Pretty please stop giving crackpots publicity and attention. This guy has gotten way, way too much attenion from the mainstream media already. He's pulled this stunt before (and been wrong, obviously) but just has a big radio audience now. You should only get to predict the apocalypse or rapture or whatever once, then if you try again you should get kicked in the crotch until you stop talking. I can't wait for Sunday just so we can stop hearing about this shit.

    --
    This is a hacked account, for which the owner can not be held responsible.
    1. Re:Stop it already by Legion303 · · Score: 1

      "I can't wait for Sunday just so we can stop hearing about this shit."

      Yes, because I'm sure the idiots will go away and not calculate a new end-of-the-world datestamp. Maybe with a time zone this time.

    2. Re:Stop it already by smoothnorman · · Score: 1

      Besides, a Saturday apocalypse just feels wrong. When was the last time you wished it could all end on a Saturday...i asks ya? Tuesday... *tuesday* would be a good Götterdämmerung kinda day. Long about that stupid company meeting next tuesday that would be best.

  59. 2 minutes to go by jamesh · · Score: 1

    In 2 minutes time it will be 6pm in Republic of Kiribati (UTC+14) so we'll know one way or the other...

    1. Re:2 minutes to go by MichaelSmith · · Score: 1

      Anybody know their IP address? I should start a ping.

    2. Re:2 minutes to go by jamesh · · Score: 1

      I was wondering about that too... I'm not completely sure if the judgement day is just the chosen people ascending to heaven (in which case the servers will be just fine for a while), or if it's general fire and brimstone on earth. Curiously the bible doesn't mention what happens to computer hardware.

      The TLD for Kiribati is .ki, so google for site:.ki should find a few sites you can check. All the ones I checked seem to be up but they aren't necessarily hosted there.

    3. Re:2 minutes to go by MichaelSmith · · Score: 1

      My normal source for information on disasters is an organisation I work with who are located in Christchurch. If I ring them up and I can't understand what is going on because of the screams then I know disaster is only two hours away from Melbourne.

    4. Re:2 minutes to go by shutdown+-p+now · · Score: 1

      All you'll know is that there are no people worthy of being raptured in Kiribati. Sheesh, as if anyone in (God Bless) America doubted that those foreign heathens deserve any attention fro Jesus! ~

  60. Remember kids! by martin-boundary · · Score: 1

    If you're Orthodox, remember that the Rapture will be two weeks later at 6:00 pm local time (everywhere).

    1. Re:Remember kids! by ildon · · Score: 1

      No one ever gets the Orthodox Easter jokes. :(

  61. Looting by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Looting would seem to be in order.

  62. Aargh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Dammit, I've missed it! So, anyone attended? Was it fun?

  63. decisions decisions decisions by milkmage · · Score: 1

    what should i wear?

    1. Re:decisions decisions decisions by DarthJohn · · Score: 1

      Maybe a bathrobe, and don't forget your towel.

    2. Re:decisions decisions decisions by laejoh · · Score: 1

      He'll need the towel the 25th of May anyway!

  64. I Don't Care by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I just hope The Onion does a "Holy S***, Area Man Raptured!" issue.

  65. Right. by formfeed · · Score: 1

    Only the good people are gonna be taken to heaven tomorrow...

    If you wake up tomorrow and you're still on earth, you know that you haven't been good. But then again, you knew that already..
    See you tomorrow on earth.

    1. Re:Right. by oldmac31310 · · Score: 1

      The bars are still open, so there is still hope!

      --
      http://www.acetonestudio.com
  66. I know what I will carry by houghi · · Score: 2

    I will print out a copy of the following and carry it around with me:
    http://groups.google.com/group/net.religion/msg/30925fd2c9a20cbd?pli=1

    A long read, but well worth it.

    I will probably sign it with my own blood, just to be sure.

    --
    Don't fight for your country, if your country does not fight for you.
    1. Re:I know what I will carry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Someone mod this guy way, way up. What an excellent essay that is.

    2. Re:I know what I will carry by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A link to a non-SSL Google website, containing the word "religion" and a hex string not describing what the link is about. The only thing that could make that less clickable would be if I used Windows and the link ended with .exe.

  67. BBQ by phrostie · · Score: 1

    and i won't even have to light the grill

  68. Ob. by ozbird · · Score: 1

    Can I have your stuff?

    1. Re:Ob. by Technician · · Score: 2

      No, My kids will inherit it.

      --
      The truth shall set you free!
  69. The bastards knew! by Gadget_Guy · · Score: 1

    One thing that I will not be doing is playing Duke Nukem Forever! Maybe that explains why it got delayed by a month. Or maybe that it what caused the Rapture; it's God's final joke.

  70. Dream land. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If only the bloody book said you had to kill yourself! Problem, solved.

  71. Rapture Rules by Kitkoan · · Score: 1

    Rapture Rules:

    Let us level the playing field.

    If the rapture comes this Saturday (hopefully, not before Doctor Who airs), the non-believers are to burn in hell for eternity. We accept it, we stand by it.

    If the rapture does not come, however, what will the believers do? What do they venture?

    I suggest that if they are true believers ready to bet everything on their faith, they all gather in a certain place (desolate place to limit the unnecessary collateral damage would be best) and immolate themselves. For fairness sake.

    --
    Attention... all grammer nazi"s! Is they're anything; wrong with: my post,
  72. Roll on i say, roll on. by jon_doh2.0 · · Score: 1

    Celebrating the departure of all the worlds christians by throwing toilet paper out of the window whilst shitting on the bible.

  73. also there is the year 1 vs year 0 + date lag + by Joe+The+Dragon · · Score: 1

    also there is the year 1 vs year 0 + calender start date lag + all the leap seconds / leap days.

  74. It's 6.17 and nothing happened! by dutchwhizzman · · Score: 2

    In the Netherlands.... I guess it really is a local event for the US then

    --
    I was promised a flying car. Where is my flying car?
    1. Re:It's 6.17 and nothing happened! by hedwards · · Score: 1

      I assumed that was going to be PM. Because the faithful would know not to give up hope until then.

    2. Re:It's 6.17 and nothing happened! by dcollins · · Score: 1

      The prediction is PM! Post meridiem. After noon.

      No rapture for you, you frickin' heathen.

      --
      We know where leadership by an anti-intellectual "strongman" who scapegoats minorities and likes boisterous rallies goes
    3. Re:It's 6.17 and nothing happened! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      6 pm. AKA 18.00.

      However, various eastern pacific places passed 6 pm already.

    4. Re:It's 6.17 and nothing happened! by mobby_6kl · · Score: 1

      We don't have PM here in europe. 6:00 only happens once per day, and it's when I'm still asleep, like most people. We need to reschedule the rapture to a more convenient time.

  75. Kool Aide by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    I will be investing a ton in Kool Aide stocks. Should be a killer Monday on the stock market.

  76. the meek shall inherit the earth by mevets · · Score: 1

    yeah, when we are done, they can have at it.

  77. Looking Forward to Lower Gas Prices by xquercus · · Score: 1

    As all of the good folks ascend tomorrow, I'll be looking forward to lower gas prices thanks to reduced demand.

  78. Goin' fishin' by chebucto · · Score: 5, Funny

    This time, no size limits, and screw the limit.

    --
    The English word fart is one of the oldest words in the English vocabulary.
    1. Re:Goin' fishin' by sconeu · · Score: 2

      Thank you. That's one of my favorites.

      --
      General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
    2. Re:Goin' fishin' by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It will be time for cd /; sudo rm -Rf *

    3. Re:Goin' fishin' by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ty for the good Gary Larson laugh. Love that one!

    4. Re:Goin' fishin' by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I had a shirt in middle school that featured this cartoon. I was forced to turn it inside out or be sent home as it contained the word "screw".

  79. just sitting and watching countdown clock by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    i'm going to just sitdown and watch the count down clock at http://www.myDoomsDay.com let's wait and see what happens, wondering should i cancel my dentist appointment i have next week :)

  80. Seeding my lawn replacing sprinkler heads by mykos · · Score: 1

    On the off chance that Christ does not take me home, I would like to have my lawn green up in a couple of weeks.

  81. My Rapture Day To Do List: by rnturn · · Score: 1

    1.) Get a haircut

    2.) Mow the lawn

    3.) Go to the gym

    After that, I'm free.

    --
    CUR ALLOC 20195.....5804M
  82. Watching Lord of the Rings by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2

    I'm hosting a LotR extended edition Marathon. We will have a meal in between every disc change, breakfast, Second Breakfast, Elevensies... you get the picture. At 6PM we will be starting the Return of the King.

    1. Re:Watching Lord of the Rings by Ex-MislTech · · Score: 1

      I need directions, I will bring the Star Wars extended edition if we have the stamina.

      --
      google "32 trillion offshore needs IRS attention"
  83. 1994 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    While I think it is fun to discuss end-of-times predictions as they come, I think this one should be an exception since this guy already had his fun in 1994. Every American has the God given right to propose rapture only once.

  84. Rejoice by Tihstae · · Score: 1

    When the rapture comes, you will either be in Heaven or there will be plenty of job openings to choose from.

    So, you are in heaven or the economy is improving. Either way, you are better off.

    1. Re:Rejoice by zaphirplane · · Score: 1

      After the rapture only Microsoft, .Net jobs will be available.

      I know everyone is joking, but I wonder how the economy would handle a sudden loss of 1/4 population or a 1/3

    2. Re:Rejoice by Tihstae · · Score: 1

      . . .I wonder how the economy would handle a sudden loss of 1/4 population or a 1/3

      No worries, we will let the politicians and lawyers figure it out. There won't be any of them taken in the rapture and they have always taken care of us in the past. . . .

    3. Re:Rejoice by IdolizingStewie · · Score: 1

      Eh, only 144,000 people get raptured. That would barely be a blip, even if they were all Americans.

    4. Re:Rejoice by hierofalcon · · Score: 1

      The 144,000 are a reference to Jewish people who are marked and protected from God's judgment post rapture. This number has nothing at all to do with how many people are raptured when Christ returns for His church.

      How the economy would handle the loss of people is an extremely interesting question. It's likely that the disappearances won't be evenly distributed across the world. We may find some portions are suddenly more dangerous militarily because our own military ranks have thinned. It may also be that a greater portion of farmers and ranchers are taken from food producing countries than other professions, leading to the worldwide food shortages predicted at the start of Revelation. Add in the time to clear roads, train tracks, airports and to a lesser extent ports from the problems due to moving vehicles suddenly becoming driverless and some losses at the last minute to ATC facilities, and the economy will take a hit for sure. As it's already on the ropes, this could be quite serious in parts of the world. Other parts may not notice much of a change at all. The loss of farmers and ranchers will probably be the worst, along with the difficulty of supplying the cities with what food is available. We take our infrastructure (crumbling though it is) for granted. Block significant portions of it so food can't get to cities and there will be rioting. The economy will be the least of the troubles.

  85. It's starting! =p by Antarius · · Score: 1

    It's 2pm here, and it is starting! ;p

    We've got a small bushfire going on, about 1 block from where I sit as I type this.

    I refuse to believe in its existence though. The Smoke is just a smokescreen. ;p

  86. Re:Fap, fap, fap! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    only if you clean up afterwards.

  87. Re:jacking off by Brucelet · · Score: 3, Funny

    Maybe if you took your hand out of your pants you'd have posted in time to actually get first.

  88. Problems solved... by Darkenole · · Score: 1

    No more traffic jams on the interstate or on the internets for that matter. Except here at /.

  89. UPS will survive the rapture... by superdave80 · · Score: 1

    Watching the local news, and one of their local offices had a sign in their front window asking for UPS Saturday pickup. The reporters got a good chuckle out of that.

  90. Fuckin' A by DaMattster · · Score: 1

    Let it come! I love a challenge! We are all going to wake up tomorrow morning to business as usual.

  91. It is fitting... by flogger · · Score: 1

    It's my 22nd anniversary. 'Bout time the world ended.

    --
    ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
    "First things first -- but not necessarily in that order"
    -- The Doctor, "Doctor
  92. Some suggestions by eh2o · · Score: 1

    - Eat cookies
    - Take a nap
    - Check the time again
    - Double check your math
    - Triple check your math
    - Check the time again
    - Put on Nike shoes
    - Repent
    - Burn down a church*
    - Buy stocks
    - Buy a sports car
    - ...Profit?

    * Not an actual suggestion

  93. about time by Nihn · · Score: 1

    I'll be getting ready for work, about 7:45 I'll be snacking some tasty burritos, then by 8 I'll be on the road, then the day after I'm chilling, maybe rearrange my pad. Same ol' same ol' you know.

  94. Does this mean... by JohnRoss1968 · · Score: 1

    Does this mean I should Hide my German Porn Collection??????

  95. Nonstampcollector by Ex-MislTech · · Score: 1

    I will be watching nonstampcollector on youtube

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RB3g6mXLEKk

    --
    google "32 trillion offshore needs IRS attention"
  96. Throwing a Rapture BBQ at my house!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I just got the idea this morning and enough of my friends RSVP'ed to have BBQ Quorum. We'll hava good laugh on the Nut Jobs starting ar 4 pm PST tomorrow. Although I suppose if nothing happens at 6pm GMT the surprise will be ruined :)

  97. now what... by slick7 · · Score: 1

    I just won the lottery. I guess I'll just tear up my ticket since there is no reason to redeem it. RRIIIIIIPPPPPPP!!!

    --
    The mind conceives, the body achieves, the spirit manifests.
  98. Australians by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Australians have already ascended. Guess I was "Left Behind".

  99. Yaaahrrrgggg by Chubcorp · · Score: 1

    I be watchin Pirates at 6:00, not the new one, but at Worlds End, during the whirl pool scene 6:00 will strike.

  100. I want... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...to not get killed by religious nutbags.

  101. 50 mins till 6 pm, May 21 in New Zealand! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    OMG!

  102. On May 21st by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ... I will do stuff that I usually do on Saturdays, because it's gonna be just another normal fucking day

  103. YaY by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Wait so for 5 months i don't have to deal with devout christians telling me that i'm unpure and immoral for being agnostic, this is the best prophecy every created. Could you imagine what could happen, a working hadron collider, hell (ironic), maybe we might get a working jet pack. And hey, we get to weed out all the pure women. only those that are are willing are left. YAY. haha

  104. must have missed it ... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    it's 15:16 in Melbourne Australia and no sign of the apocalypse yet ...

  105. Even if the rapture event were to ever happen... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I can say with absolute certainty that the scientific community would come up with an explanation for the masses of people disappearing that did not require any sort of belief in the existence of a supernatural supreme being.

  106. Hmmm... thousands of "missing" people... by VortexCortex · · Score: 2

    So, any one who gets crossed off the hit list becomes known as a "true believer" afterwards...

    I wouldn't be surprised to find out years later that all the disappeared folk were the outspoken freedom advocates that had actually just been permanently silenced by a coordinated global conspiracy...Perfect opportunity for a cover up, just sayin'.

    Hey, that's more believable than a Super Sky Zombie, coming back after thousands of years to take his followers to a magical utopia, where he'll finally marry them all, then subjugate them in service to his father for 1000 years of constant worship...

    You know -- If the aliens arrive tomorrow and abscond with a shit load of gullible "volunteers" as their "chosen people", I'll be skipping the ride to eternal slavery camp, no matter how hellish they promise to make our world afterwards. -- Life Free or Die is what I believe in.

    P.S. Didn't they make a movie about this already? IIRC: the aliens finally arrived at their destination, Earth. Their purpose: To retrieve the long lost secrets of the most flavorful food in the universe. All the Hispanics were abducted, mind-reamed to discover their collective recipes for Authentic Mexican Cuisine, then returned, unharmed. The world wept without knowing why -- There was a great disturbance in the force due to the psionic-emotive resonances of the aliens, who all joyously celebrated after finally having achieved their holy quest.

  107. Ezekiel 25:17 by EonsWrath · · Score: 1

    "The path of the righteous man is beset on all sides by the inequities of the selfish and the tyranny of evil men. Blessed is he who, in the name of charity and good will, shepherds the weak through the valley of the darkness. For he is truly his brother's keeper and the finder of lost children. And I will strike down upon thee with great vengeance and furious anger those who attempt to poison and destroy my brothers. And you will know I am the Lord when I lay my vengeance upon you." I'll be watchhttp://ask.slashdot.org/story/11/05/21/0114235/Ask-Slashdot-What-To-Do-When-the-Rapture-Comes#ing Pulp Fiction, thanks for asking.

  108. Party by DaveAtFraud · · Score: 1

    Find the biggest damned party I can around here and then raise hell.

    Cheers,
    Dave

    --
    They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither safety nor liberty.
    Ben
  109. Enjoy less clogged freeways by ZWithaPGGB · · Score: 1

    If the annual improvement in traffic when the illegal alien actvists shun work on May 1st is anything to go by, we'll have a better weekend to go to the beach (in improving weather) here in So-Cal.

  110. NASA... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Should have scheduled a shuttle launch for Saturday, so that the astronauts could race everyone else into space...

  111. Forgiving by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'll be praying for forgiveness for anyone whose faith is in Christ but whose ego is such that he thinks he knows better than any man or any angel - all of whom are promised not to know the day or the hour. Believe what you choose, but don't assume you are wiser than your creator. He has root on your universe.

  112. chuck by dumuzi · · Score: 1

    In Soviet Russia Chuck Norris raptures you.

  113. I'll be warming the BBQ by kawabago · · Score: 1

    Getting ready to roast some souls! Misery, Satan

  114. Good News! by foxylad · · Score: 1

    Here in New Zealand, it's nearly twelve hours AFTER zero hour and somehow most of us managed to survive. In fact I must admit I slept through the apocalypse at 6am - is that very bad of me?

    Very few people seem to have disappeared skyward either, but perhaps we're a particularly godless nation.

    --
    Do as you would be done to.
  115. Party... by Landshark17 · · Score: 1

    I was hoping to get my friends together at 5:30 for an End Of The World party... but they're all busy early, so we're have a Post Apocalypse Party at 6:30. What a difference an hour makes.

    --
    This sig is false.
  116. 08.54 in Turkey and noone flying towards the sky by unity100 · · Score: 1

    I guess orthodox christians were not included in this.

  117. It's really the ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE! by PixieDust · · Score: 3, Funny
    1st Thessalonians 4:16

    For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

    Prepare accordingly

    1. Re:It's really the ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sooo... get earplugs?

    2. Re:It's really the ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE! by Chemisor · · Score: 1

      Don't worry people, the CDC is on it!

    3. Re:It's really the ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE! by CODiNE · · Score: 1

      That scripture only makes sense when you know that the dead are not in heaven but "sleeping" like Jesus taught. As he said, those who believe in him, he will raise in the last day.

      --
      Cwm, fjord-bank glyphs vext quiz
  118. Clearly by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Clearly hop into a plane and cross the time zones backwards so it is always before 6:00p.

  119. 6:01 PM in NZ by tordon · · Score: 1

    I'm not feeling it...

  120. Smoking a massive bowl by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That's what I told somebody I'd do if I believed it. It's only a $100 fine now where I am. I'd walk down the street with one of those really fancy pipes, and smoke it like a chimney. If any cops saw me, I'd just slip him $100 from the $10,000 or so that I'd just withdrawn. What didn't go for the pot and the pipe would go for steak. Thick, juicy steak at a really expensive restaurant. Now that's the way to munch out when the world ends...

  121. Atheists in Oakland, CA by DavidD_CA · · Score: 1

    There is a giant atheist conference and party in Oakland, CA, this Saturday and Sunday. (Oakland is where the doomday prophet, Harold Camping, broadcasts from.)

    http://www.atheists.org/events/Rapture_RAMS

    Also, if you want to support the freethought movement and a summer camp for children in atheist families, you can click here and donate a little:

    http://west.camp-quest.org/scripts/fundraising.pl?id=24

    --
    -David
    1. Re:Atheists in Oakland, CA by Gordonjcp · · Score: 1

      So if you're a freethinking atheist, does that mean it's okay to believe in God? Wouldn't want to be dragged out of your freethinking ways by atheist dogma, would you?

    2. Re:Atheists in Oakland, CA by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Did you just put "atheist" and "dogma" together? Like... as a real thing? I hope you were being intentionally ironic.

    3. Re:Atheists in Oakland, CA by Gordonjcp · · Score: 1

      I hope you were being intentionally ironic.

      It's like raaeeeaaain on your wedding day.

      Atheists are just religious whackos that believe in one god less than the fundie Christians.

  122. Like anything else... by darthlurker · · Score: 1

    Make certain you have good backups before starting

  123. IT thing todo by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Convert our production (24/7) mysql db from innodb to myisam, now seems like a good time.

  124. costume jewelry by rongyun · · Score: 1

    From the beginning, we is partitioned into four rooms on the south the brickwork, and is the homeowners old Louise miss daily living space for refurbished. I with benevolence is, of course, many military adviser friends agree: to cast down into four space between two of the three wall type, withheld only wall wall and a gate, so that we have a long greatly, the sitting room of with kitchen.unique Jewelry

  125. guys, it's already started. by hldn · · Score: 1

    it is now well past 6:00pm local time in new zealand.

    the news is reporting that new zealand has sunk into the sea. it's really happening. the world is ending.

    jkjk nothing happened. huge surprise.

    --
    http://www.accountkiller.com/removal-requested
    1. Re:guys, it's already started. by shutdown+-p+now · · Score: 1

      That's because you're all a bunch of heathen Anglicans, obviously. No rapture for you. ~

  126. Selling t-shirts by BeaverCleaver · · Score: 1

    Annoy a religious whack-job (it's not hard!) buy a Rapture T-shirt today!

    Maybe I'll donate some of the proceeds to a charity for deluded religous morons.

    http://www.cafepress.com/wellattired

  127. Whaaat by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    What could be worse than apple releasing MORE products??? hahaha
    What's next? "Tommorow apple releases new laptop that you cannot use! only look at!"

  128. Different kind of christian by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    As an atheist I have had this conversation with many kind of christian. The things is, some of them simply see the bible as bunk, or as allegorical, or as innerant. Some want to take it fully, some only part of it.

    So basically you cannot take one part of the bible to contradict them, they can simply say that that part was not inenrant/allegorical/was wrong.

  129. What do do until the rapture? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Buy a truss.

  130. Lame Joke by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The rapture already happened a long time ago, but not enough people were saved for anyone to notice.

    (BTW, I'm Christian, this is just a joke and I mean no offense to other Christians).

  131. rapture plans by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Trying to get laid for the first and last time.

  132. good omens by Errtu76 · · Score: 1

    I'm going to read that book (again .. for the Nth time). And if anything they say is true, there probably won't be a rapture since the forces of Heaven and Hell will be too busy trying to slay eachother.

  133. Re:jacking off by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I don't want to know what is on his other hand.

  134. I'll be replacing my oil pan by GodfatherofSoul · · Score: 1

    Stripped the plug threads on my motorcycle. After I'm done, I'll be looking for good news shows to DVR about people who trashed their lives in anticipation of the end of the world.

    --
    I swear to God...I swear to God! That is NOT how you treat your human!
    1. Re:I'll be replacing my oil pan by Gordonjcp · · Score: 1

      If The Rapture doesn't come, I'll be laughing at the evangelicals on TV too.

      If The Rapture *does* come, however, it'll be worth it to see the look on Richard Dawkins' face.

      As for motorcycles, maybe I'll wait until about 6:30 to go round and buy that CB250RS Superdream I've had my eye on...

  135. In other news... by pumpknhd · · Score: 1

    Rapture sell-off frenzy revives economy...

  136. what a twat by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Someone need to cut this dickheads dick off fry it up and feed it him in a hot dog bun when we get rid of idiotic religious tossers like this we will have made a good move

  137. Rapture is about to start... by N1ckR · · Score: 1

    I have to take the Mrs shopping for shoes.

  138. Seems inmplausible by uncqual · · Score: 1

    What are the odds that propagation of S waves (okay, or P waves) is equivalent to the rotation of the Earth relative to the Sun? Quite unlikely (I'm too lazy to look it up for particular geological formations). But, time zones are discrete, propagation of S and/or P waves is most definitely continuous - what, they stop and wait for an hour at (politically determined) time zone boundaries and then propagate at infinite speed across the next time zone? Sorry, my IQ 80 scientific mind is baffled by how this could work -- too many transitions between infinite speed and zero speed once every hour.

    --
    Why is there an "insightful" mod and why isn't it "-1"? If I wanted insight, I wouldn't be reading /.
  139. lolxd by Wornstrom · · Score: 1

    gonna be one HELL of an afterparty... know what I mean?

  140. rapture by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I intend to go outside at six thirty and say to everyone I meet, Hah! You weren't chosen either!

  141. Any Aussies care to inform us by advocate_one · · Score: 1

    if it has happened yet as from where I am, it must be past 6pm local time there already...

    --
    Donald 'Duck' Dunn: We had a band powerful enough to turn goat piss into gasoline.
  142. Same old really... by hoover · · Score: 1

    Nothing special planned, just a nice bbq over at a friend's place with the family. I don' think any of us is going to ascend unexpectedly, but if someone does, we'll most likely wish him / her godspeed and raise our malts in their absence ;-)

    Love the "dry ice shoes / helium dolls" idea though... I lol'ed ;-)

    Uwe

    --
    Ever wondered whats wrong with the world? http://www.ishmael.org/
  143. Good news everybody by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Finally, those of us who don't perform routine backups get to say "ha, told ya so!"

  144. I'm not American.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    what are you all talking about?

  145. Goddam Splicers by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Goddam Splicers!

  146. Chillin' with FSM by bryan1945 · · Score: 1

    Actually, I'll be kind of annoyed as I'm holding a virtual movie night from 5-7PM US Eastern time, but a couple of people from Britain are planning to attend. Since they're 5 hours ahead, I'm going to end up with dead attendees. We're watching the 1978 version of "Dawn of the Dead," so I'm going to be Rapturized just when the film is cranking up. :( Neat coincidence, eh?

    Favorite line of the day-
    "It's possible that someone who doesn't appear to be Christian, and doesn't even think he is one, could be at risk for Rapturing. "
    Does this count for pets, too?

    This ties into the CDC's "Zombie Preparedness" article nicely!

    --
    Vote monkeys into Congress. They are cheaper and more trustworthy.
  147. what do you do when the raptors come? by beernutz · · Score: 1

    Put your head between your legs and kiss your @$$ goodbye.

    8)

    --
    (stolen from DaBum) I am dyslexia of borg - your ass will be laminated.
  148. So God now uses human-defined time zones? by sourcery · · Score: 1

    Instead of the solar time he created (which varies continuously with longitude)?

    And why wouldn't it happen at the same absolute time everywhere?

    --
    Cthulhu for President! Why settle for the lesser evil?
  149. Umm, dude, you forgot the blood. by Weezul · · Score: 1

    If the raptor comes, I don't think those he takes will simply disappear cleanly, probably very messy instead. How do you think the raptor actually gets to your soul?

    As I understand it, all this raptor mythology arose among evangelic protestants who believe most people are too sinful to be taken. Even a divinely hungry raptor driving around on Santa's sleigh just doesn't take all that many people. In Catholicism, there are many more people who've been resolved of their sins by confession, meaning catholics believe that God will take far more people.

    --
    The Christian religion has been and still is the principal enemy of moral progress in the world. -- Bertrand Russell
    1. Re:Umm, dude, you forgot the blood. by Black+Parrot · · Score: 1

      If the raptor comes, I don't think those he takes will simply disappear cleanly, probably very messy instead. How do you think the raptor actually gets to your soul?

      I think the theory is that when all the raptees get to a certain altitude their bodies will decompress explosively, freeing their souls in the process.

      Other than that, it's not clear what utility God finds in taking people up into the sky. Do these people think Heaven is "up there" somewhere?

      --
      Sheesh, evil *and* a jerk. -- Jade
    2. Re:Umm, dude, you forgot the blood. by Weezul · · Score: 1

      Is that the basis for this imagery? There is however a left behind story that describes the the VelociRapture very differently.

      --
      The Christian religion has been and still is the principal enemy of moral progress in the world. -- Bertrand Russell
  150. 6:21pm...and no rapture by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Melbourne Australia here. No apparent rapturing, but then again, as a Jew, would I notice or care if a bunch of Christians disappeared?

  151. Dogs need love too. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    As a confirmed Atheist, it is my civic duty to assist the animal shelter in taking in the former pets of Christians, post-rapture.

  152. Uh-Oh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    ...It's 6:20pm here now. Am I dead?

  153. Same thing we do every rapture, Pinky! by Xtifr · · Score: 1

    I plan to do the same sorts of things I did the dozen or so times the Rapture occurred.

  154. By the way by Arancaytar · · Score: 1

    May 21st supposedly marked 7,000 years since the Noah's Ark flood and 722,500 days since Jesus' crucifixion. By Camping's numerology, 722,500 represents (5 x 10 x 17) x (5 x 10 x 17), or the square of atonement times completeness times heaven.

    In case you were curious.

    Now that I have seen the reasoning, I am fully convinced and eagerly await the time when these people jet off into the sky and humanity's average intelligence doubles.

    1. Re:By the way by davide+marney · · Score: 1

      The famous passage in 2 Peter 3:8 about counting is, "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

      From this, Camping concludes, "1 day = 1,000 years", which of course is not at all what Peter meant, so his whole theory is trash. Amazing that people let themselves be mislead by such obviously erroneous readings of the Bible.

      --
      "We receive as friendly that which agrees with, we resist with dislike that which opposes us" - Faraday
    2. Re:By the way by H0p313ss · · Score: 1

      Amazing that people let themselves be mislead by such obviously erroneous readings of the Bible.

      You must be new here (on Earth) ...

      --
      XML is a known as a key material required to create SMD: Software of Mass Destruction
  155. 18:09 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well I for one was very worried. But it is now 18:09 where I am and it looks like the world is still here. Yea!!!! I was really looking forward to a TV show that starts at 7pm, so I am glad I will get to see it.

  156. Google by NoAkai · · Score: 1

    Isn't "Rapture" what Google is doing with their Chromebooks? Moving all the user data into the clouds?

  157. Not again by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Something else I missed! Oh well, maybe next time.

  158. Sorry, can't come by Opportunist · · Score: 1

    I have to ... umm ... wash my hair.

    --
    We used to have a Bill of Rights. Now, with the rights gone, all we have left is the bill.
  159. But. but, but by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Doctor Who starts at 6.45?

  160. I'm going to do what I've always dreamed of doing. by KingRatMass · · Score: 1

    I'm going to step away from the keyboard and lcd, get out of my mom's basement and breathe the fresh, clean air!

  161. I'd like to write this post.... by Dutchmaan · · Score: 1

    ..but I can't because I'm already gone. I got the rapture on preorder.

  162. God: Sorry, it turns out you all suck by David+Gerard · · Score: 1

    DOOM, Spawn Camping, Saturday (The Word) — The Lord God, the Creator of the Universe, offered His commiserations to every soul in His Creation that they had failed to reach the standard of faith required for Rapturing today.

    Thousands of dedicated Christians were not uplifted bodily to Heaven, in a wave of Rapture circling the globe at six o'clock in the evening local time.

    "The manual is extremely clear on these points," He said through his Voice, Metatron ("I keep telling you, I'm an angel, not a Transformer"). "You mix fibres, you eat shellfish, you defecate closer than a mile from the city, you sit on a chair that your wife has ever sat on when she was on her period. And you have completely ignored the detailed instructions in the first chapter of Leviticus on how the Lord likes his barbecue." It shook Its head in exasperation. "You've had the book right there, for years!"

    Atheists, originally revelling in snide and superior schadenfreude, were more than a little chagrined by the actual Voice of God quite unambiguously revealing its existence and telling the world what it had got wrong by direct communication into the soul of every human on Earth. Millions have now signed up for the Church of Reluctantly Admitting, All Right, I Have the Verifiable Proof I was Asking For, Just Don't Get Cocky About It, Okay.

    "Never mind," sighed Metatron. "We'll give it another go next December, all right? Just please read the blessed Manual by then. It's not like it's hard to get a copy."

    --
    http://rocknerd.co.uk
  163. I live in Japan... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    and I guess the angry xian god forgot about us, since it's 7:00 here. I only regret that there don't seem to be any of these morons here to mercilessly mock.

    No rapture; oh, well. I'll just console myself with this o-toro and shochu.:)

  164. Um, did he factor in the Gregorian Adjustment? by davide+marney · · Score: 2

    According to The Origins of our Modern Calendar", in 1582 10 days were dropped from the calendar to account for a centuries-long accumulation of a rounding error in calculating the length of a year (Caesar calculated a year to be 365.25 days long, but it's actually 365.2422 days.) Ever since then, we've been adjusting one day every 4 years, but that has it's own rounding problems too, resulting in 1 day of error every 3,000 years.

    --
    "We receive as friendly that which agrees with, we resist with dislike that which opposes us" - Faraday
    1. Re:Um, did he factor in the Gregorian Adjustment? by rand.srand() · · Score: 1

      God has adjusted for local time including our arbitrary time zones and daylight savings time. A little one time calendar adjustment is no problem for God, or at least Mr. Camping.

    2. Re:Um, did he factor in the Gregorian Adjustment? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ever since then, we've been adjusting one day every 4 years, but that has it's own rounding problems too, resulting in 1 day of error every 3,000 years.

      Almost.

      It's one day every four years ("leap years"), except if the year is divisible by one hundred (like 1900, or 2100), then it is not a leap year. However, if the year is divisible by four hundred, then it is a leap year: so while the year 2000 was divisible by 4 (leap) and 100 (not-leap), the "400 year" rule overrides both (i.e. leap).

      if year modulo 400 is 0
                    then is_leap_year
      else if year modulo 100 is 0
                    then not_leap_year
      else if year modulo 4 is 0
                    then is_leap_year
      else
                    not_leap_year

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leap_year#Algorithm

    3. Re:Um, did he factor in the Gregorian Adjustment? by Just+Brew+It! · · Score: 1

      The rounding error from the "normal" leap year correction is much more than that. You neglected to note that we also skip the leap day on years divisible by 100, as long as they are not also a multiple of 400. It takes a *lot* more than a one-day-every-four-years correction to achieve 20 bits of precision (which is what 1 day out of 3,000 years is roughly equivalent to)!

    4. Re:Um, did he factor in the Gregorian Adjustment? by Threni · · Score: 1

      > in 1582 10 days were dropped from the calendar

      Not true. At least, not everywhere.

  165. kill him! by Mr2cents · · Score: 1

    If that son of a bitch returns, you do what you would do with any zombie: wooden pike through the hart.

    --
    "It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful." - Anton LaVey
    1. Re:kill him! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If that son of a bitch returns, you do what you would do with any zombie: wooden pike through the hart.

      That's vampires, stupid. For zombies you have to cut off the head. Sheesh, kids today - no wonder the CDC has to put out advisories.

    2. Re:kill him! by Mr2cents · · Score: 1

      Oops, that's true, how stupid of me (ouch).

      --
      "It's too bad that stupidity isn't painful." - Anton LaVey
  166. Dinner. by jamesbromberger · · Score: 1

    Well, its 7pm local time here in Western Australia now on May 21. I'm thinking "dinner". Same as yesterday. And the day before, Probably be the same tomorrow...

  167. Re:$900 liquor, $150 mixers, $0 coffee...NO TOMORR by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Never mind that. When did you first successfully clone a person?

  168. Still Alive by itsdapead · · Score: 1

    Pull up outside your local evangelical church with the song from Portal blasting out of your car stereo.

    i'm doing Science and I'm still alive...

    --
    In a survey of 100 programmers, 111111 thought that duck-typing was a good idea.
    1. Re:Still Alive by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Thanks for the suggestion. This song is totally multi functional, I'll torture my colleagues with it on Monday. Our continuous integration system will use this to announce successful builds.

      To sum it up:

      This was a triumph.
      I'm making a note here: HUGE SUCCESS.
      It's hard to overstate my satisfaction.

      From here:
      http://www.halflife2.net/forums/showthread.php?132255-Portal-Song-Lyrics

    2. Re:Still Alive by Archwyrm · · Score: 1

      Carpathian Forest - Christian Incoherent Drivel would make a good second track, I think.

      --
      Fascism should more properly be called corporatism because it is the merger of state and corporate power. -- Mussolini
  169. rapture by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'm not against spiritual matters and respect the right of anyone to have their own opinions and beliefs, but if you want to really know what chrisitianity is about, try reading a book called The Bible Fraud by author Tony Bushby, with listed research and a good read, this book tears chrisitianity to shreds for the con that it is. if that comment offends you have the courage to read the book before making a judgement or losing your temper, you'll have your eyes opened and then see the rapture comes from a book of beliefs that is a fraud anyway.

  170. Almost 10pm in Sydney... by damn_registrars · · Score: 1

    And looking at The Sydney Morning Herald (warning site loves advertisements with sound) I'm not seeing any reports of massive scores of people disappearing in the rapture. The news seems to continue on there just like any other Saturday.

    On a side note, it appears that the "10 things you need to know list" is primarily telling me there will be advertising after the rapture, since I saw more ads than content on that site.

    --
    Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
    1. Re:Almost 10pm in Sydney... by Nidi62 · · Score: 1

      On a side note, it appears that the "10 things you need to know list" is primarily telling me there will be advertising after the rapture, since I saw more ads than content on that site.

      Of course there will be. Everyone knows marketing people don't go to heaven.

      --
      The only thing necessary for evil to triumph is for it to be pitted against a slightly greater evil
  171. What if it will not happen today? by Kwpolska · · Score: 1

    If the rapture will not happen today, don't worry, we have another date for you already. It will hapen June 14th in the US and June 10th everywhere else*.
    * except countries with no Internets, PCs or games released 666 years after worldwide release.

  172. I'll do this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'll do this:
    http://asset.soup.io/asset/1919/7106_64af.jpeg

  173. Blondie knew about this whole "Rapture" thing by GReaToaK_2000 · · Score: 1

    It's just too funny. All the idiots that believe this.

    But I always though "Rapture" was just a misinterpretation of "Capture". Meaning, some alien is coming to capture the "faithful" and use them as live stock to feed on. They'll drop a couple (three) asteroids on us to prevent retaliation ( I figure we can tell "no worries, we won't come after you").

    In any event, I'm playing Blondie's Rapture song because it makes me laugh and it will make me laugh even more to play it tonight at 1800 EDT. LOL

    "Rapture"

    Toe to toe
    Dancing very close
    Barely breathing
    Almost comatose
    Wall to wall
    People hypnotised
    And they're stepping lightly
    Hang each night in Rapture

    Back to back
    Sacrailiac
    Spineless movement
    And a wild attack

    Face to face
    Sadly solitude
    And it's finger popping
    Twenty-four hour shopping in Rapture

    Fab Five Freddie told me everybody's high
    DJ's spinnin' are savin' my mind
    Flash is fast, Flash is cool
    Francois sez fas, Flashe' no do
    And you don't stop, sure shot
    Go out to the parking lot
    And you get in your car and you drive real far
    And you drive all night and then you see a light
    And it comes right down and lands on the ground
    And out comes a man from Mars
    And you try to run but he's got a gun
    And he shoots you dead and he eats your head
    And then you're in the man from Mars
    You go out at night, eatin' cars
    You eat Cadillacs, Lincolns too
    Mercuries and Subarus
    And you don't stop, you keep on eatin' cars
    Then, when there's no more cars
    You go out at night and eat up bars where the people meet
    Face to face, dance cheek to cheek
    One to one, man to man
    Dance toe to toe
    Don't move too slow, 'cause the man from Mars
    Is through with cars, he's eatin' bars
    Yeah, wall to wall, door to door, hall to hall
    He's gonna eat 'em all
    Rapture, be pure
    Take a tour, through the sewer
    Don't strain your brain, paint a train
    You'll be singin' in the rain
    I said don't stop, do punk rock

    Well now you see what you wanna be
    Just have your party on TV
    'Cause the man from Mars won't eat up bars when the TV's on
    And now he's gone back up to space
    Where he won't have a hassle with the human race
    And you hip-hop, and you don't stop
    Just blast off, sure shot
    'Cause the man from Mars stopped eatin' cars and eatin' bars
    And now he only eats guitars, get up!

    1. Re:Blondie knew about this whole "Rapture" thing by leathered · · Score: 1

      Ha! Ever since I read about this in the news I've had that song going through my head!

      --
      For all intensive porpoises your a bunch of rediculous loosers
  174. Oh, Its Happened Already Has It by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well its 8.14pm here and all I can say is I'm disappointed. Looks like the whole rapture experience is the same as "business as usual". I do have to say it went off rather smoothly though. Didn't notice a thing. Er, mind you, I haven't seen the cat for a while...

  175. Easy choice by conscarcdr · · Score: 1

    You can always beat the meat...

  176. Doubled Up by b4upoo · · Score: 1

    I'll be bent over laughing at a man or a congregation that can't read their own Bibles enough to know that the Lord has promised to come as a thief in the night with no man knowing the time of His coming.
              We need a special congregation for these types of Christians. We could name them the Duh? Christians.

  177. Makes me wonder... by MDillenbeck · · Score: 1

    If there all these people who fanatically believe they are going to be taken away in the Rapture, and they believe those behind are going to be tortured and are evil (andthus doing evil things) - are we going to see a spike in violence due to these "faithful" who learn they are "sinners".

    So, on the 22nd, I'll start spreading vicious rumors that God found no one worthy of being spared and all humanity is doomed - and seeing how many people fall for it. Oh yeah, I'll probably be rolling my eyes as they also say "no, no, no - there was a miscalculation and we didn't use divine years in our calculations, and one year in heaven is actually 1.1731592 years on Earth, so...."

  178. Re:jacking off by Yaur · · Score: 1

    This is called Pascal's Wager... which could only work if FSM was incredibly naive.

  179. Take the bets by Wizardess · · Score: 0

    Take any and all bets that the world will end at whatever odds the bettor wishes to make. If the world does not win, you keep the money. If the world ends, who's going to be there to pay? {^_-}

  180. Nieeece by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Good excuse to kiss strangers :)

  181. Why are we still talking about this? by iONiUM · · Score: 1

    It's 10:30pm in Tokyo as I post this. Nothing happened 4 hours and 30 minutes ago. Fail (as we all knew it would).

  182. What's overhead? by Chemisor · · Score: 1

    So are there any interesting space objects overhead at 6pm tonight? One of them could be Heaven. If the angels are coming from there and pulling people back, then of course it will be tied to the timezone; or, more accurately, to the up direction.

  183. We're still here. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The time where i'm supposed to die is past .. i'm truly distressed .. i haven't a clue what to do with the rest of my life.How horrible.

    BTW God is a nice invention to control the gullible people that also beleive in Snow White
    and specially .. the Great Pumpkin in the sky :)

    Time to get back to our regularly scheduled lives.

  184. Favorite Little Dig by Fnord666 · · Score: 1

    Despite being employees of West Coast companies, your Cisco or Microsoft reps might be among the missing (possibly less likely with Apple). Afterward, you might be able to push for a Rapture Discount on new software and hardware.

    Emphasis mine.

    --
    'The tyrant will always find pretext for his tyranny.' - Aesop's Fables
  185. Who cares? by JockTroll · · Score: 1

    Jocks do not get enraptured. They are happy to be Left Behind, beat up the antichrist and shit on his face.

    --
    Geeks are so full of shit that "beating the crap out of them" takes a whole new meaning.
  186. I'm confused when it will happen by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Is there an app for this?

  187. too late to get laid? by amn108 · · Score: 1

    18:08 here... Death comes when you least expect it, indeed :-)

  188. LOOTING!!! by digitalamish · · Score: 1

    And I'm not waiting for 6PM. I've already stormed my neighbors house and picked up some nice power tools.

  189. Can't go... by Jrono · · Score: 1

    I work for the government and have been deemed to be in an "emergency essential" position, therefore I will not be raptured. I have to stay behind and continue to provide government services to our damned citizens. Funny thing is that's how we always refer to our customers...

  190. a slight misunderstanding? by amn108 · · Score: 1

    Actually it's a pity most of the folks seem to be of the opinion that 21st of May, 6pm is the time when the world ends. Instead, Rapture is the event where the chosen are taken to the sky and meet Christ. In other words, they may already have and we've not seen it. 6 months later - October 2011 - comes however the time when the world (Earth and the rest of the universe according to Camping) ends indeed.

  191. The rapture. by CosaNostra+Pizza+Inc · · Score: 1

    Prior to 6PM, I will be asking everyone who believes in the rapture if I can HAVE THEIR STUFF. If they will be leaving this world, they can't take their worldly possessions with them so, they might as well give me their stuff. Of course, all transactions will be final. In other words, if May 21st, 2011 comes and goes just like any other day, I won't be returning any possessions to their former suckers....er, I mean owners :D

  192. What To Do When the Rapture Comes? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Backup your data

  193. Farewell (good riddance) party? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I'll be hosting a farewell (or is that a good riddance) party at that time.

  194. I have lots of evidence. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    I have lots of evidence that the rapture is not tomorrow. It is called Physics. The parent's is a very common argument among fundies that seems logical at first, but is actually just not true. It goes like this: "Either A or B is true. We cannot rule out A. Therefore A and B are equally likely."

    This is, of course, utter poppycock, and I would have thought that the self-proclaimed scientific thinkers on Slashdot would have kept such garbage from getting to +5. Take this counter-example*: One cannot rule out the possibility that a teapot is circling the sun in exactly the same orbit as the Earth, but opposite from it. Therefore there is a 50/50 chance that there is a teapot orbiting the sun.

    That is, of course, absurd. In the case at hand, there is no observable evidence that the end of the world is imminent; on the contrary the overwhelming majority of evidence indicates that the world as we know it will continue tomorrow much as it has in the past. The parity of probabilities that the parent suggests is simply not true.

    * thanks to Dr. Dawkins.

    1. Re:I have lots of evidence. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Mods are trolls, too.

    2. Re:I have lots of evidence. by ShakaUVM · · Score: 1

      I don't think anyone rational would say all possibilities have equal probability. That's total nonsense.

      That said, don't be an ignoramus about the problem of induction.

  195. Norway calling... 5:17 PM by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well, the quakes have started a bit here, and there's this gigantic guy with a wings and a flaming sword in the sky demanding we 'Repent, sinners!'. Dunno how much longer we'll have pow[connection closed by foreign host]

  196. Jesus is running a little late in Australia, NZ by srobert · · Score: 1

    Jesus moped has broken down, so he's a little behind schedule.

  197. You should at least wear a helmet. by INT_QRK · · Score: 1

    But in the meantime you should wear a hemet, with full face protection...and shoulder pads, because they have really sharp claws. Good old fashioned pikes come in handy to fend them of as they swoop down at you. Nasty business damn raptors.

  198. What will I be doing? by Just+Brew+It! · · Score: 1

    Probably having dinner and a couple of beers.

  199. Dinner by PPH · · Score: 1

    A bunch of us are going out for an early dinner at one of our most expensive restaurants. If we time it right, we'll finish dessert and get taken before the check arrives.

    --
    Have gnu, will travel.
  200. Nothing here by Issarlk · · Score: 1

    It's 6:30 here and my plans were to go buying food for the week, like all sundays. nobody suddenly flew up into the sky, but that must be because I live in godless communist hellhole France.

  201. Baseball by bytethese · · Score: 1

    Yankees vs Mets. Hopefully any world endings wait until the end of the 5th inning so the game counts...

  202. helium filled sex dolls by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Everyone should go out and release some today!

  203. Call the radio station... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Call the radio station and request AC/DC's "Highway to Hell" to play at 6:01PM for those of us that don't make the cut.

  204. Watch Star Trek reruns and wait for the party by OakWind · · Score: 1

    I am sure I will not be one of the chosen ones to be raptured.
    So I may as well watch some Star Trek on the PVR.

    Once all the puritan, fundamentalist, stiffs are gone, I will crack open some beer and party non stop throughout the tribulation.

    And then I will dodge the draft. You know, for the big war in Megiddo Israel aka Armageddon.

    After the war I will most likely join Star Fleet.

    Hey, the odds of me ending up in Star Fleet are around the same as the odds of the Rapture, so why not.

    --
    The purpose of all arguments, is to change reality.
  205. Hey, what about Arizona? by Just+Brew+It! · · Score: 1

    They don't observe DST; do they get a 1 hour reprieve? Or does "local time" mean Standard Time across the board?

  206. This is not the first time by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A quick search reveals that not only have many nutjobs predicted the "end of the world," but this Harold Campling fellow once preached with certainty that the end would come on September 6, 1994. And what did he say on September 7? NOTHING. Not that he was right, not that he was wrong, not even that he had made the prediction.

    Up to that date he said that it didn't matter whether the date was correct, that the important things was that he was able to make a prediction. That's like betting on double-zero at roulette and then when it doesn't come up, saying that you were correct because you made a bet, and that the outcome was unimportant. And yet millions (ok, probably thousands) of people follow this religious leader who stated that being right isn't important. At all.

    To him I say, "Thank you for calling and sharing, and may we have the next caller."

    See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_predicted_dates_of_the_end_of_the_world

  207. Didn't happen... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It's 8.45 pm where I live and everything seems normal. I'm disappointed

  208. Aww! by BlueTemplar · · Score: 0

    Aww, I missed the Rapture!

  209. Fashion choices! by macraig · · Score: 1

    What To Do When the Rapture Comes?

    Forget worrying about what to DO... the really important question is whatever do I WEAR for the occasion?

  210. UK 19:21 by folderol · · Score: 1

    Oh bugger! Looks like I missed it :(

  211. Re:I live in Canada by Clived · · Score: 1

    Well I guess Canonical won't have the time to fix the mess they call Natty Narwhal!!

    Katya (Linux Mint 11) rules !!

    --
    Clive DaSilva Email: clive.dasilva@gmail.com Ubuntu 18.10 Kernel 4.18
  212. In it for the lulz by wasimkadak · · Score: 1

    I am going to put some dry ice in my shoes and leave them outside my door hoping to grab my neighbor's attention. Once he realizes that an atheist has been taken while he has been left behind, it is going to tick him off even further.

  213. I know at a100% when the rapture takes place by exor · · Score: 1

    I know at a100% when the rapture takes place
    If N = Now
    The the Rapture take place between [N and N+infinity]
    The rest are just guessing

  214. Christians proven idiots yet again by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well, it is now past 6PM local time in Asia and Europe and no reports of missing chosen ones or supernatural calamities.

    Stupid Christians!!! You are proven WRONG again you fools!! Are you ready to give up on your magic invisible man in the sky and admit you are all misled idiots yet?

  215. Petition to postpone it by dzfoo · · Score: 1

    Well, we can all pool together and petition to get it postponed. It seems to have worked in the past, since all other predicted dates have come and gone:

                http://www.petitiononline.com/dotr2011/

                -dZ.

    --
    Carol vs. Ghost
    ...Can you save Christmas?
  216. Local Tme - Ha! by DG · · Score: 1

    EVERYBODY knows that God is on Atlanta time.

    DG

    --
    Want to learn about race cars? Read my Book
  217. No rapture: What will Harold Camping do? by Theovon · · Score: 2

    So, it comes to pass that it is "about" 6PM in the timezone where Harold Camping is, and nothing happens to him. What will Harold Camping do?

    Things he's likely to do:
    (a) Figure he got his calculations wrong and start over on his math.
    (b) Worry a little that perhaps he wasn't as Christian as he thought he was supposed to be, but then dismiss the idea immediately.
    (c) More steadfastly ignore all naysayers, insisting that his beliefs are sound and that there WILL be a rapture.
    (d) Shove his head further into the sand.

    Rational things he ought to do but won't:
    (a) Take seriously the idea that he wasn't as Christian as he was supposed to be.
    (b) Take seriously the idea that the Rapture was a mythological idea to begin with and isn't going to happen.

    Things he's probably not smart enough to do, right or wrong:
    (a) Reinterpret the Rapture in a more philosophical light, suggesting that the rapture did indeed happen; it just doesn't LOOK like it did to the untrained eye. In fact, all raptured people have been transformed in some way and are now "in heaven", which happens to be a parallel dimension to Earth, and raptured people are straddling that dimensional boundary.
    (b) Reinterpret his entire belief system and consider that perhaps he was taking certain Christian scriptures or traditions too seriously.
    (c) Take seriously the works of scholars that have suggested that Revelations describes events that already happened before the book was written.

    What else will Harold Camping do?

    1. Re:No rapture: What will Harold Camping do? by dubsnipe · · Score: 1
    2. Re:No rapture: What will Harold Camping do? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I think people who make these rapture predictions really want to be wrong.

  218. Re:Even if the rapture event were to ever happen.. by hierofalcon · · Score: 1

    Satan's been working on this for years. The transporters of Star Trek were just the first round. The Wraith beaming technology is the latest. Claiming space aliens did it also helps get one world government off the ground and establish the Antichrist's rule.

  219. Next Year : VelociRapture Day by Weezul · · Score: 1

    We should declare that Raptor Jesus Day, or equivalent VelociRapture Day, shall henceforth be the day & month of the last rapture prediction that obtained significant lulz. In other words, we celebrate Raptor Jesus again next 21 May unless another bigish rapture prediction occurs between then & now.

    --
    The Christian religion has been and still is the principal enemy of moral progress in the world. -- Bertrand Russell
  220. Checking my uplink by Torodung · · Score: 1

    I'll be making sure that my uplink is solid, that the UPS is giving power to it no matter what happens, and that God will not be downloading me unto his servers via UUCode. yEnc is right out. BinHex is acceptable.

    What else did you expect? ;^)

  221. Hurd by bLanark · · Score: 1

    Well, obviously, I install the hurd then reboot - mankind's work is done.

    --
    Note to ACs: I won't mod you up, even if you are being funny or insightful. So take a chance! It's not real life!
  222. 6:07pm and nothing so far lol by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Is it a delayed reaction or something? its 7:07am (Australian time) which means its 6:07pm American time, since Americans believe they are the centre of the universe I can only gather the 6pm "local time" meant, 6pm American time

  223. Riders of the storm by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J6HnWLo4rt8&NR=1

    Jerry -Maybe they'll get raptured?
    the Captian - Maybe they'll get ruptured!!!

  224. Obvious corollary by Ignatius · · Score: 1

    Most people who are sure that yesterday HAS NOT BEEN the rapture have exactly the same amount of evidence behind them as those who think it HAS BEEN. After all, God might well have been more picky than anticipated ...

  225. Wrong, try again. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Actually, we have quite a lot of inductive evidence that the world won't suddenly stop functioning tomorrow.

    The basic process of induction is as follows:

    Cause A has had effect B several times. It is therefore likely that the next time cause A occurs, effect B will again happen.

    While it doesn't have the rock-solid feel of deduction to it, it is more than sufficient for practical purposes. In fact, all our sciences are based on it. As are all of your day-to-day habits.

    So...through induction we have learned quite a lot about how the universe behaves. Gravity, electromagnetism, etc. And we have learned that all these laws are very stubbornly persistent.

    So, based on induction, it is very likely that the end of today will be followed by the beginning of tomorrow, as usual.

    We haven't seen any cause that brings about the effect of the end of the world, so we certainly don't have any observed causes upon which to base such a prediction. And further, it has been predicted many times and has never happened.

    So....there really is compelling evidence that the world will not end, whereas there is no evidence that it will end.

    QED.

  226. Re:jacking off by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Cool masturbation bro, but check out my sweet doubles.

  227. The world *HAS* ended. by w0mprat · · Score: 1

    It's just been replaced by one exactly the same as the previous.

    --
    After logging in slashdot still does not take you back to the page you were on. It's been that way for 20 years.
  228. I wish by pavon · · Score: 1

    Yeah, but with our luck God would just take all the nice good Christians, and leave the self-righteous assholes here with us. Hmm, I think I understand what hell is now.

    1. Re:I wish by geekoid · · Score: 1

      The meek shall inherit the earth. Maybe that means all the assholes will ascend? sweet.

      --
      The Kruger Dunning explains most post on /. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect
    2. Re:I wish by PC+and+Sony+Fanboy · · Score: 1

      Talk about ripping off SMBC comics ... http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db=comics&id=2213#comic

  229. Sounds like the dead in Christ will in-fact rise. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Those that are dead to the cause of the Bible, are not followers of Jesus by STALKERS.

    Death is but a deep sleep. Who and how does any of these events raise the dead in spirit?

    I read the Scriptures in sobriety, and I put them back on the bookshelf because I think I learned many of the lessons of the screw-ups made by people documented in the Bible. The only dead that will rise are the people whom come back into that book to correct the religious-tax men trying to use it for their purposes rather than the purpose of God.

    I've already read a rapture date in the Book of Revelation chapter 25.

  230. 6pm May 21 is possibly the End for Harold Camping. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Also, when the raptors come, I'll shut the door to my ark so the flood waters will drown them like they did in that 1st rapture. Me, my wife, and my sons and their wives, we'll be playing some music as we float down to the Gulf of Mexico. We just passed a guy who built a moat around his property, but I didn't like the area anyway so this a a cheaper trip to the Carib-bean islands.

  231. Rapture in spirit is all it will be. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    When you take the time out of your day to ponder on your existence, why you've made the decisions to your life that got you where you are, would it be any different than the massive migrations of people into other better countries that they themselves didn't do anything helpful for those countries to be better by their arriving into them?

    What about the rapture of muslims into Europe and the UK? Does God want a lousy bunch of immigrants into the Kingdom of Heaven like a lousy bunch of non-productive sinful Mexican illegal aliens USA? That's the nature of the rapture. It gets you thinking: can you drop what you are doing, rather than challenge the problems in your life to do better where you are or strive to confront the violent creatures that have caused you to consider appealing to such massive migration?

    In the case of Mexican illegal aliens, then that is the quality of their rapture. In the case of muslims into Europe and the UK, then that is the quality of their rapture. For the religious people that attended this church, the quality of their rapture preceeds their physical departure: it is their choice if those repentent sinners arrive their hearts and minds into the Spirit of God that will guide them the next day further.

    The only mockery is Harold Camping consistently not explaining the causes impelling such rapture. Can you drop everything you are doing, without a care, strive with like-minded people as yourself and just leave and go do something more important than your 8 to 5 hours that turned you into the oddity that US Government likewise has done to others and worse?

    I know a number of CEO's that have already raptured to Panama, Brazil, France: you name it, that is their rapture. The rapture we need today is like returning from a restful vacation, only we never had to spend any money, and we went there to be with people we love: Americans are over-worked, their mis-manageres have avoided being re-called on their faulty and scandalous Accounting, and everyone is spending less time becoming what America was before WW1 but lining the pockets of religious-men and corporations and Jews.

  232. Hmmm... by Apparently+someone · · Score: 1

    Did I miss something?

  233. when is the rapture? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "Tradition holds that the time when such cataclysms occur may be timed by the position of the Pleiades, a group of stars behind the shoulder of the Bull, in relation to the precessional cycle. As the Bull faces eastward toward the earth as it rises, and as the whole rear half of it has been destroyed in the cataclysm, the Pleiades come up first, as Lepus pictures that section of the Sign Taurus first to rise. ..This northmost position of the Sun on earth, because thus so simply found by watching a shadow, was the index more commonly employed to mark the precession of the equinoxes, and thus to indicate the time of vast changes on the earth, including cataclysm. .. be expected about January 20, when the orb of day leaves Capricorn to enter the sign of the Man. The Vernal Equinox in its movement through the signs, however, goes in the reverse direction, so that it moves from Leo into Cancer, from fire into water, from the decanate of the red-hot crater into the decanate pictured by a ship. When the Equinox thus crosses fromfixed fire into movable water, and the Sun at the time of the Vernal Equinox goes down in the west as if submerged, the Waterman rises in the east, triumphant, and starts pouring water from his urn down upon the earth in torrential floods. And as timing this event, the Pleiades, which are often called the doves, are then directly overhead. According to the latest and most refined astronomical calculations, the complete precessional cycle requires 25,868 years, instead of the round number, 25,920 years, which the ancients more commonly employed. If, therefore, as both tradition and the pictures in the stars hold forth, the period when stresses and strains are such as to make watery cataclysms probable relates to the passing of the Vernal Equinox from the decanate of Crater in Leo into the decanate of the Ship in Cancer, the dates are not difficult to ascertain. Taking 1881 as the date of the Equinox passing from Pisces back into Aquarius—that is, 30 degrees back fromthe place where in ancient times it had been ascertained that the commencement of the circle of stars coincided with the commencement of the circle of signs—it must have passed back into Cancer from Leo just five signs earlier, and will again reach such a point seven signs later. Five-twelfths of 25,868 gives 10,778 years before 1881, or 8,897 B. C. as the date of the last such period of watery cataclysms. And seven-twelfths of 25,868 gives 15,085 years after 1881, or 16,971 A. D. as the next such period. On these dates, at least, at the commencement of the astronomical year, as Crater goes down in the ocean and the Pleiades are overhead, the Waterman comes up with his urn as if to pour torrents down upon the earth. The traditions and stories of this olden flood, wherever they are found, are linked with the wickedness of men. This wickedness is not of the usual kind, but always has to do with strange and abnormal psychic phenomena. Atlantis sunk, so the tradition goes, because of its devotion to magic of the blackest sort. Those who had gained the ability to use occult forces no longer used them for the welfare of the people, but chiefly to gain in power for themselves. The populace was enslaved by unseen forces. In the time of Noah also, a similar condition obtained. The sixth chapter of Genesis relates incredible things about the diabolical influence upon the lives of the people of beings that rightfully belonged to a different plane. Mr. Mitchell-Hedges says his research has revealed that at some remote time a great land area stretching eastward from Central America sank and was engulfed by the sea, and that during this gigantic geological readjustment a portion of what had been sea-bed was heaved upward to become land of considerable height within the area now known as Central America. Volcanic action of magnitude must have accompanied this cataclysmic change, during which his evidence goes to show, a great and cultured race of men were destroyed. A few, fleeing to the tops of mountains an

  234. Disappointing lack of party plans by RockDoctor · · Score: 1
    Slashdot, I feel let down by the lack of plans for jubilant partying!

    Or hopefully, lots and lots of you have crawled out of your basements and spent the Rapture partying too hard to type.

    On a downside though, with the 17:30 UTC/Saturday eruption of the Grimsvotn volcano in Iceland, the Raptards have been handed an excuse for not being dead.

    Mighty Thor! I like your sense of humour. Oh, I get it - you thought this up at a pre-Rapture party with Loki. Nice one, God-Dudes!

    --
    Birds are not dinosaur descendants;birds are dinosaurs, for all useful meanings of "birds", "are" and "dinosaurs"
  235. I missed it... by doccus · · Score: 1

    Shoot... it's 9:00 and i missed it.. my ex is still here too, standing at the well.. (actually the bar.. but)

  236. shopping trip by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    If it actually could happen then I'm going on an impromptu shopping trip looting the departeds' homes and businesses.

  237. What did I miss? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well I was watching Dr Who. Why, what happened?

  238. Darn it was yesterday ? by dko1625 · · Score: 1

    I missed it, what happened ?
    ;-)

  239. Not so fast by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Of course you realize that those self reteous people won't be the ones to leave, right? You know, that twist of irony. They'll be left to torment those that stayed, only worse now.

  240. How To Market Jesus by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    The Harold Camping got you all to look!

  241. Slashdot Was Down. Coincidence? by tinkerton · · Score: 1

    How do you know there was no rapture?Maybe there was. Slashdot has been down for hours. I think it's the kind of glitch that occurs when the universe is doing a hot reboot.
    Anyone had deja vu ?

  242. Liked this line: by Noel249 · · Score: 1

    Know people depressed and upset because the Rapture did not happen? Give them a big hug and say, "what the heck, it's OK, it's not the end of the world."

  243. Well by camazotz · · Score: 1

    I figured it must have happened and worked out just fine because none of the usual riff-raff showed up at my door Saturday and Sunday morning asking me to convert to their faith. Sayonara!

  244. 666 by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    This is the 666th comment. Sorry, I just couldn't resist.

  245. www.rightbooks.in/Items.asp?cid=1&fc=Gujarati& by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Quality books never lacks readers immaterial of the language barrier. RightBooks.In has aimed to diminish this barrier, and that’s the reason it has opted for translation operation of the noted book offerings. For the Gujarati community, there is separate segment as well, and a click at www.rightbooks.in/Items.asp?cid=1&fc=Gujarati&pt=6 will take the visitor there.

  246. You're a waste of life RobertM by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    20 years around computers, and all you are is a tech? You're a joke Robert. You must be a retrograde idiot, because even young kids in collegiate academia accomplish more than that Robert, and they do it in less time put in. The "M" in your name must stand for moron. Enlighten us as to why you are only a techie after all that time, won't you? You don't have to, because it's obvious you're a limited moronic dolt RobertM! You're one of the biggest wastes of life I've seen around this website in a long time.

  247. Quit trying to play "smart" RobertM by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    20 years around computers, and all you are is a tech? You're a joke Robert. You must be a retrograde idiot, because even young kids in collegiate academia accomplish more than that Robert, and they do it in less time put in. The "M" in your name must stand for moron. Enlighten us as to why you are only a techie after all that time, won't you? You don't have to, because it's obvious you're a limited moronic dolt, RobertM. You trying to play "smart" here?? A waste of time, just like your life.

  248. There's only 1 thing STUPID here RobertM by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You. 20 years around computers, and all you are is a tech? You're a joke Robert. You must be a retrograde idiot, because even young kids in collegiate academia accomplish more than that Robert, and they do it in less time put in. The "M" in your name must stand for moron. Enlighten us as to why you are only a techie after all that time, won't you? You don't have to, because it's obvious you're a limited moronic dolt, RobertM. You trying to play "smart" here?? A waste of time, just like your life.