Sunday, May 22, 2011

Rapture Hangover

I actually feel sorry for this guy, Robert Fitzpatrick, who spent $140,000 of his own savings on a local campaign promoting Harold Camping's prophecy. He found himself made an unofficial spokesperson in Times Square when 6PM, My 21st, came and went without incident.



His signs and posters are everywhere in the subway. There were big vans with loudspeakers emblazoned with "May 21st ! Doom!!!!!!!!!!" all over them roaming around midtown. There were people with signs passing out pamphlets everywhere. Apparently, Mr. Fitzpatrick paid for all of it, and he's not a rich man.

The perils of the literally minded.

10 comments:

Counterlight said...

Maybe God is trying to tell him something. I wonder if he will listen.

Tristan Alexander said...

Maybe he sould demand his money back from Camping? Or maybe he deserves what he gets!

Counterlight said...

He probably did deserve it, but I still feel sorry for him.

Tristan Alexander said...

I doubt he or the others would have felt sorry for gays and anyone else "left behind" had their crazy prediction come true! And I am sure all those who thought they were going to be with God will continue to spread hate and lies and hurt people in the name of their "god".

Counterlight said...

Probably so, but I don't believe in paying back people in kind.

June Butler said...

I can't help but feel sorry for those who were taken in. I hope that they learn something good from the experience, about themselves and about God.

Counterlight said...

Can't say I feel much sympathy for Camping, a scoundrel as far as I'm concerned. And if he really believed his own schtick, then he's a true believing scoundrel.

He seems to be in hiding, I presume with several lawyers and a security detail planning on how to deal with all the civil suits and criminal complaints that will come his way.

Meanwhile, I'm reading about suicide prevention agencies bringing in extra staff today.

In fairness to Mr. Alexander above, I agree. I think this whole Dispensationalism business is ultimately based in spite and hatred. The Elect, and only the Elect, will be saved, and the rest of Creation is doomed to die in torment. Not my idea of a loving God at all.

As I said in a FaceBook post, all of this Apocalyptic Fundamentalism is nothing more than some people's need to please implacable father figures writ large on the cosmos. There are times when I think "Jesus is Lord" is just another way of saying "My Heart Belongs to Daddy."

June Butler said...

Whatever troubles Harold Camping faces, he surely brought them upon himself. I'd guess that Camping was a true believer. I continue to be surprised that people are taken in by types like Camping.

People are looking for certainties. They want to feel safe and secure, and there is no safety and security from the vagaries of life. The solution is surely not "to spread hate and lies and hurt people in the name of their 'god'." What a sorry way to live a life.

Counterlight said...

Amen Mimi.

Unknown said...

I echo that amen, Doug.